invisible string • Gracie Abrams

025 flashing lights

"fine, not like it'll be hard," she said, sticking her tongue out at matt before walking across to the man. he was way taller than charlotte, had wavy blonde hair and striking blue eyes. he wasn't any of charlotte's type though, so that made this a whole lot easier. she sipped her drink for good measure before turning up beside him.

he seemed to notice her before she could say anything and grinned, staring down at her from above, "hey."

"hey," she smiled, batting her eyes, "you look bored."

"yeah well no one's really came to talk to me tonight," he chuckled, turning away from his friends who were also starring at charlotte.

"really?" she asked. "well i'm here. wanna dance blondie?" she asked, hoping he would reject her or that she could slip away mid dance.

but in response, the blonde man gently reached his hand across to pull charlotte in from her back, "sure." he sipped his drink and then lowered it down to charlotte's lips, "want a sip?"

she paused. he was only touching her and offering her a drink, why was she suddenly feeling anxious? her hand, trembling, pulled away from the counter it rested on as her eyes glanced around in discomfort. she couldn't figure out why, but she felt the same fear she felt when she realized lily's friend put something in her drink that night.

"um, you okay?" the guy awkwardly asked, sipping the drink again and putting it aside.

she felt hot, clearing her throat she tried to look back to the table her friends sat at, but she couldn't spot them with the dark lighting in the club and her already drunken state. she looked back up at the blonde who had a look of confusion and seemed concerned, steadying his grip on charlotte's back as she was stressfully trying to maintain composure though she wasn't liking it.

"hello?" he asked, but before charlotte could respond properly, she felt a hand being placed on her shoulder, causing her to snap out of whatever panic was rising in her.

"hey charlie," matthew grinned, pulling her close. "our rides here, guess you'll have to talk to beanstalk here later, see ya teen beach," the dark haired boy waved to the blonde guy who was now left completely clueless.

"bye?" he waved back as matthew dragged charlotte away, keeping his arm protectively tight around her.

"you okay? i was watching you something seemed wrong, what's wrong?" he asked. "was he a creep, i should've told you to go to that uglier dude beside him—"

"i'm okay, i just need a minute. thanks matty," charlotte reassuringly said, her hand placed on his chest to stop his rambling. she then swooped away and headed towards one of the washrooms, shaking her head to clear her thoughts.

she entered and thankfully it wasn't crowded, just a few girls in there. charlotte rounded to the sinks, her hands stabilizing on the counter as she took a deep breath and stared at her reflection.

"you alright?"

charlotte turned her head and she felt her jaw drop, "yeah, um hi," she said to olivia rodrigo.

the singer was sat up on the counter, pocketing her phone as she seemed to be examining charlotte's face, "hey wait, i know you. charlotte parker?"

charlotte nodded, gulping away the previous lump in her throat and finally starting to regain her cool, "yeah, nice to meet you, olivia right?"

olivia smiled, "yeah. um hey you sure you're okay, you seem tense."

"i'm okay, thanks," charlotte politely said. it felt weird to be meeting gracie's literal best friend right now unannounced in some club washroom, especially when olivia has no idea that gracie and charlotte aren't exactly what the press says they are. "uh what about you, what're you doing here?"