Water Under The Bridge • Gracie Abrams

014 Harmonies and heartstrings

014 Harmonies and heartstrings

I woke up with sweat streaming onto my face, despite the torrential rainstorm outside the hotel. Even though it was pouring over the Pacific Ocean, the weather remained hot. Last night, Gracie and I spent some time at the beach before she invited me to sleep with her. She clung to my arm, her head resting on my shoulder, with a blanket covering her body except for her head. She appeared peaceful, a stark contrast to the turmoil surrounding us. Her gentle breathing and the way she nestled closer to me as she slept hinted at a sense of security and comfort that I hadn't felt in a long time. It was moments like these that made everything else fade into the background, if only for a little while.

I gently brushed aside the strands of hair that covered her face, revealing her features beneath. With a soft smile, I leaned in and left a tender kiss on her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin against my lips. As I pulled back, I couldn't help but admire the scattered freckles that adorned her complexion, each one a unique mark of her beauty.

"What time is it?" she asked, shifting in the bed.

I grabbed my phone from the table. "4 PM. Did we sleep that much?"

"You did," Gracie breathed, her eyes still closed. "I woke up at 10 and went to have breakfast with the others. Liv wanted to go shopping, but it started raining.

"Where is sh—" I cut myself off as I lifted my head a bit and saw Liv hugging a pillow and sleeping. "Oh," I said.

"And they told us we should stay in the hotel. So, Jack and Katie rented a loft so we could hang out later to talk about new music and the tour."

I nodded and turned towards Gracie. "How are you feeling?"

"My head has been hurting since morning, but I think it's the weather. It's pretty sultry," she said with a weak smile. "You slept a lot, and I was worried because you had been drinking before going to bed." I tilted my head, unsure of how she found out that I had been drinking. She seemed to notice my confusion and added, "You tasted like wine," with a breath.

"Sorry, it relaxed me," I shrugged. "I slept good, but having you next to me made it even better. I usually struggle to sleep."

Gracie leaned forward and kissed me hungrily, pulling me closer to her. She cupped my face with one hand and placed my hand on her waist, holding it tightly. Our tongues intertwined as the kiss grew more passionate. I wasn't sure what had sparked this sudden intensity, but I didn't want it to stop.

I wanted to lose myself in the moment, to make Gracie forget about Mark's proposal and everything else that was weighing on her mind. I positioned myself on top of her, being careful not to put too much weight on her, and continued kissing her passionately. In that moment, I wanted her to forget about telling her parents and all the other worries that consumed her thoughts. Yet, a nagging doubt lingered in the back of my mind – that maybe she would choose Mark because it was the easier option. Being with me meant making difficult decisions and going against what her parents and society deemed acceptable. But I was determined to show her that I was worth more than anything my brother could offer.

As I kissed Gracie, a whirlwind of worries swirled in my mind. Would she ultimately choose the path of least resistance and stay with Mark? Would our relationship be strong enough to weather the storm of public scrutiny and judgment? What if her parents never accepted us being together? Could I truly make her happy, or was I just a temporary escape from her troubles? Despite the passion of the moment, these doubts lingered, casting a shadow over our connection. But in that fleeting moment, all I wanted was to lose myself in Gracie's embrace, hoping against hope that our love would be enough to overcome any obstacle.