invisible string • Gracie Abrams

026 unhinged ideas

"matthew showed me that once scene from marley and me again," charlotte lied, getting sadie to laugh.

"hey who wants to take pics for insta," said maddie walking in with her phone.

obviously not wanting maddie or any of them to see what's circulating on social media, charlotte immediately swooped in, "uh actually i took some cute ones of us all tonight you could post. i'll send em to you in the morning after i edit the lighting and shit."

"oh thanks charlotte," maddie smiled.

"oh wait i have some to post we took while pregaming earlier," marcus said, pulling out his phone.

"no!" charlotte and matthew said at the same time.

marcus raised an eyebrow, "you two good?"

"yeah just um... i don't think the pics you took earlier were that good, no offence marc," matthew said, patting the brunettes shoulder.

"charlotte," sadie whispered in that voice showing that she knows clearly that somethings going on in charlotte's head.

but before she could say anything more, charlotte came to the conclusion that it'd be way to hard to play things safe here. and she also needed to see gracie.

"actually tonight was so fun but i gotta head out," she said, grabbing her purse. "i've gotta be up early anyways so i should probably get home."

"no, you're not going anywhere, you've been drinking," caleb sternly said, putting down his controller. "and it's late it's nearly two."

"i'm a good driver caleb," charlotte spat.

"not when you're alone," he said back to which charlotte rolled her eyes knowing that's true. "and getting a driver this late will take forever."

"yeah i'm with caleb on this charlotte. besides, mom and dad already know we're staying at sadie's tonight they won't mind if your late to their house," said jude, helping jenna pull out the extra blankets from a closet.

"i need to go," she quietly said, a voice that seemed to worry everyone in the room as she tapped her fingers against her purse. she stared at the door, already starting to plan the fastest route to gracie's place from here. or maybe she was at olivia's?

"i'll go with you. i haven't had much to drink and that was a couple hours ago anyways, i'm sober enough now," matthew said, grabbing his car keys. "i'll take her home safe and sound."

"see, matthew cares," charlotte said, sticking her tongue out at jude who flipped her off. "can we go now?"

"whatever, and you better call me when you get home," jude said.

sadie followed matthew and charlotte to the front door, quickly catching up with them to grab charlotte's arm, "somethings up with you and you're like not telling me," she said in concern.

charlotte flashed her a fake reassuring smile, "sades, nothing going on, i promise." that stung to say, especially to her best friend. each day it felt harder to lie to sadie, and now that matthew even knows it wasn't getting easier. charlotte kind of thought sadie would be the first to know.

"ready to go?" matthew said after he pulled on his shoes.

charlotte nodded and followed him out the door, "bye sadie, love you!" she shut the door and let out a breath of relief.

"your place?" matthew asked.

charlotte shook her head, "let me call her first."

"her?" matthew imitated.