invisible string • Gracie Abrams

026 unhinged ideas

but instead, she felt matthew run is hand down her back and pull her in close, a sigh leaving his lips. charlotte fell into his comforting arms with silence.

"so i guess you guys didn't drift like you said huh," he chuckled, rubbing charlottes arm as she was too tense.

"um, i guess," she mumbled with a smile that rapidly faded. "i don't know what i'm going to do about the pictures matt," she choked, quickly getting overwhelmed. "we just started dating recently a-and we've been hiding it pretty fucking well and the one fucking night we didn't intend to be together we get seen."

matthew went quiet, all he could think to do was hold his ex close and listen.

"like what am i supposed to say, 'it was just some random person no biggie,' then everyone would just spend days trying to figure out who that was and they'd later find out it's gracie?" charlotte sniffled as little tears brimmed her eyes, "and my fucking parents would know i lied to them about cutting gracie out my life, and they'll make a fit about it to media, and then gracie's parents will find out and it'd ruin us." she looked up at matthew after her rambling, staring into his green eyes. "and i'm seeing them tomorrow, and they'll ask about it what do i do?"

"i—" matthew was at a loss for words. he took a minute to think of something to say before his face seemed to light up with an idea. but it didn't seem like too good of one with the way his eyes darted unsurely around the room. "say it was me."

"what?"

"you can tell the media if was me you kissed before they find out if was gracie, and your parents too. it'll keep you two covered and honestly people might drop all their suspicions about you and her. think of it as a PR stunt," he suggested.

charlotte looked down in thought, "before i decide on that... you don't care i'm dating gracie? i thought you thought it was dangerous to ever speak to her."

"as much as a shock it is and as risky as it seems... i know you don't just carelessly date people, you take a lot to get cuffed, trust me i know," he chuckled. "took me a year to get you to yes to go out with me," he said getting charlotte to laugh and wipe her tears. "so yeah, i know you must really like her. and if you trust her that much to be with her then i do too. i'll do whatever you need to keep you guys hidden, whatever you need to be happy with her."

"god, i love you," charlotte mumbled, hugging matthew as he laughed. "she's nothing like what her parents are to mine. you'll love her."

"who else knows?"

charlotte shook her head, "only jude."

"oh god," matthew suddenly cringed. "i made you try and talk to guys at the club tonight when you're literally in a relationship."

"it's okay, you didn't know. and like you said, whatever to keep us hidden," charlotte smirked. "um, i'm going to talk to gracie in the morning about all this, and if she agrees and the internet doesn't discover us by morning, i think i'll take up your offer to be your girlfriend," charlotte said doing air quotes around the word girlfriend.

matthew nodded. "okay, whatever you think will work. anyways um, am i going to get how you fell for her or what?"

_

"well you two were gone a while, i had to get maddie to sub in for you charlie," sadie said once charlotte and matthew returned downstairs. it was nearly two am now, and charlotte knew she wouldn't be able to sleep with everything in her head. "have you been crying?" sadie seemed to have noticed charlotte's tear stained cheeks and ruined mascara, she immediately stood up to further examine her face.