this love • gracie abrams

011 too much

CHAPTER ELEVEN
too much
•

"UM... can we talk?"

charlotte made a small squeak, an attempt to make up an escape catching in her throat because she was too nervous to even speak, let alone turn around.

"hey, let me see your nose," gracie softly spoke. charlotte could tell she was on edge as well.

charlotte lifted a hand to her face, lightly brushing her fingers on the bridge of her nose. she hasn't looked in a mirror yet so she has no idea what gracie is talking about, but she can feel the pain on her nose and the damage. her head was in so much agony she felt sick to her stomach, she couldn't barely even focus her eyes.

"charlotte," gracie mumbled, stooping down to her knees behind charlotte and reaching out for her shoulder, but when she touched it, charlotte moved away.

"why am i here?" she finally spoke, whipping around and holding back a gasp when she looked at gracie's face.

she looked terrible, it was obvious she hadn't slept all night, she even had her makeup still on from last night, smudged all over. tear stains had merged with her eyeliner, and her blush was replaced with bright red cheeks and a nose from crying. her hair was a mess. but most noticeably was her busted lip. a large cut gashed open on it, remainders of blood still apparent on it, and it was completely swollen, a slight bruise appearing on the skin around it.

gracie sighed, "don't know why i thought you'd remember. uh i got into a— look i was completely wrong for it but i just—" she sighed again, more shakily and rushed. "i got into a fight with maitreyi. well, technically she started it but i did hit her back a-and ultimately that led to me accidentally elbowing you in the face and your head slamming back against the wall."

charlotte's eyes were so wide that you could see every bit of white in them.

"and so you got like knocked out and me and liv took you back to my place cause we wanted to get out quick and discreetly, and now you're... here," gracie finished off by letting out a long held in breath.

"you," charlotte drew her eyebrows in and looking around, just to check again that this was actually real. "you fought maitreyi. accidentally hit me. and brought me home."

gracie nodded.

"well, that explains the fucking headache i have," charlotte grumbled. "y'know i— i thought you didn't want to see me ever again. and yet you're taking me home when i'm hurt and— wait. what the fuck did you fight maitreyi over?"

gracie takes a solid ten seconds to prepare herself to let her answer out. she can feel charlotte's intrigued stare burning into it, where there's either a glare or glossy eyes wanted to surface and take its place.

"you," gracie says.

charlotte feels her chest tighten, her mind start to fumble over everything. so before she gets even more hurt than she already is, she stands right up and looks around wildly, "i'm gonna go."

"what?"

"where's my phone?"

"charlotte, i want to talk to you—"

"no, no. okay? no." she stares angrily down at her ex on the floor and raises a hand to her aching head. "you don't get to throw me out and ignore what i have to say just to— to get in fights over me and make it hurt more, okay? you don't get to do that, you wanted to leave me, you."

gracie can sense her getting overwhelmed with the way her hands start to shake and her breathing grows rapid. she instantly stands up and shakes her head, "look that night at my birthday party was a fucking mess, i know. but i'm willing to talk to you now, and in a much better state. you can tell me everything you said that night again, i promise i wont ignore it."