The aftermath of the accusations left Ember Gray Collins in a self-imposed exile. The only sensation of time passing was when Spoon would nuzzle into his fractured owner and Ember would pull herself together enough to feed him. The weight of the world pressed down on her, a relentless force that threatened to drown her in the sea of her own turmoil. The fans, once fervently supportive, now demanded answers, explanations, anything that would make sense of the sudden storm that had engulfed their new idol's life. Despite the proof of her innocence, social media platforms were ablaze with speculation, conspiracy theories, and the collective thirst for a narrative that would quench their curiosity. But Ember, in her retreat, remained silent, elusive, as if the walls of her own solitude were the only refuge from the relentless scrutiny of the world. The team that had stood by Ember's side, including Thea and Gracie, found themselves grappling with the void left by her absence and constant silence. Gracie, who had weathered the storm of accusations with Ember, was left standing at the threshold, uncertain of how to breach the fortress of Ember's isolation, or if she even wanted to.
As the days turned into weeks, fans and industry insiders alike clamored for a response. The weight of their collective anticipation pressed against Ember's solitude, but she remained steadfast in her seclusion. Her phone, once buzzing with notifications, now lay dormant, a relic of a time when connection and communication were still within reach. Amidst the silence, Ember did the only thing she could do when trying to claw her way back to life. She wrote all hours of the night, filling up notebooks with ideas and lyrics. Alone in the dimly lit apartment, she poured her emotions into the strings of her guitar, the melodies becoming a cathartic release for the storm that raged within. It's a glimpse into the complex interplay between self-doubt, hope, and the vital need for support in the face of adversity but having no idea how to accept it. The song that emerged from her solitude bore the name "Appointments," an apology to those she had disappointed, both herself and the people she cared about.
There's a weighty feeling of inadequacy in the song, a sharp awareness of disappointment both from others and within herself. Grappling with the fact that she might not be what anyone wanted, she wrote about the perceived judgment that she is not putting in enough effort, that she's not who people think she should be. The repeating lyrics reflect the internal struggle to maintain clarity, even when everything seems to crumble. It's almost a plea, something she may not believe, but she has to in order to keep going. As the melody of the newly formed song reverberated through the empty apartment, Ember made a decision.
The statement she released was a raw confession, a glimpse into her painful past that she tried so hard to hide. Ember revealed the abuse she had endured at the hands of her parents, the toxic environment that had driven her to drop her last name. She spoke of Egan, her brother, as the one who had shielded her from the worst of the accident, and the circumstances leading up to it.
"It was my fault we were driving that day, that is true," she admitted in the statement, her words heavy with the weight of culpability. "But it was another person, drunk driving, who hit us. Egan was my protector in that horrible house, he got me out of there. He shielded me until the end and I am alive because of it."
The statement sparked a maelstrom of reactions. Some rallied in support, recognizing the courage it took for Ember to share her truth. Others, however, clung to the remnants of the sensationalized narrative, reluctant to let go of the version of the story they had constructed in their minds. In hindsight, Ember probably should've gotten approval from her management but they had been practically begging for her to release something anyway. Despite the mix of responses, the truth prevailed. The police report, now scrutinized under the public eye, revealed the details of the accident. The evidence spoke louder than any media speculation, and slowly, the tide began to turn in Ember's favor.
Support poured in from fans, fellow artists, and those who understood the invasion of privacy and how lies can spark outrage. The hashtag #StandWithEmberGray trended across social media platforms, people sharing their own stories of manipulation and misrepresentation from their own abusers. Calls for Ember's parents to be arrested, sued, and everything in between were heard on the internet even though all Ember wanted was to be believed. There was nothing she could change about her past that would change anything now so dredging up painful memories when nothing would happen to them anyway felt pointless.
While the virtual world resonated with Ember's truth, Gracie found herself trapped in the labyrinth of self-doubt, unsure of how to move forward. The echoes of their recent fight reverberated in her mind, each step towards Ember's door accompanied by the relentless replay of their heated exchange. On one hand, all she wanted was to show up at Ember's door to comfort her, just to hold her. The desire to comfort Ember, to be a source of solace, warred with the lingering tension that their disagreement had sown. Yes, Ember was hurting, but that didn't make it right for her to push away someone that cared about her. In Gracie's heart, she had forgiven Ember the moment she left her apartment, understanding the pressure she was under and all of the well hidden trauma that was now like an open nerve for the whole world to dissect. The compassionate part of her understood that Ember's actions were not a rejection of their relationship but a reflexive response to the anguish she was grappling with. But the rational part of her brain held her back, because maybe she had pushed too hard. Maybe she was overbearing and just too much. Doubts crept in, fueled by the fear that she had been overbearing, too insistent in her attempts to reach Ember. Maybe, in her desperation to help, she had inadvertently pushed too hard, and ruined anything that they were building towards.
Conflicted emotions swirling within, Gracie tried to put herself in Ember's shoes. She envisioned a life marked by early responsibilities, the weight of trauma that had shaped Ember into the resilient soul she had become. Gracie's own experiences, rooted in a stable and supportive home life, felt like distant echoes in comparison to Ember's turbulent journey to where she was now. The internal struggle persisted, torn between the heart's compassion and the mind's self-reproach. Gracie questioned whether her actions had contributed to Ember's emotional retreat. She grappled with the uncertainty of how to mend the fractures in their relationship, unsure if her presence would be welcomed or met with further resistance.
In a moment of vulnerability, Gracie reached for her phone, considering reaching out to Ember. She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the messages, contemplating the words that would bridge the emotional chasm between them. The fear of saying the wrong thing and exacerbating the wounds held her back, leaving the message unsent.
As Gracie navigated the tumultuous terrain of her emotions and doubts, she couldn't shake the feeling that Ember needed someone, a constant amidst the chaos. She was alone, no one had heard from her in over a week. Yet, the lingering doubt and the fear of overstepping boundaries remained, leaving Gracie in a state of indecision, caught between the desire to support Ember and the uncertainty of how to do so without causing further pain.
author's note: three updates within three days!! i was not lying when i said i had most of this written out. GUYS ITS GROUNDHOG DAY!!! it's such a silly fun holiday to me and i love it so much. anyways, the next one will be a little bit more hopeful? maybe? please vote, comment, give me feedback, i yearn for it.
here's a groundhog joke for you guys today: what did the french groundhog see when he woke up???
his château!!!!!
vote if you laughed!!!
yearning for validation,
ella
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sparks; gracie abrams
Fanfiction☆☆☆ she toes the line between them, she says she's new at this there's holy ground beneath them, and sparks fly when they kiss ☆☆☆ 19 year old aspiring musician, ember gray collins, is a waitress at the bitter end in new york city. when her manager...
