out of the blue | gracie abrams

XXXVI

xxxvi - she's not a saint, and she's not what you think; she's an actress.

29th of August, 2017, Los Angeles

-12:36pm-

"Okay Charlotte, what made you wanna join the soccer team despite not having any prior experience in this sport?" Gracie asked, jotting something down in her notebook with a raised eyebrow.

The soccer team was currently sitting on the field behind the school, exchanging ice breakers and getting to know one another. As soccer was a team sport, trust was a very important component when it came to gameplay and doing well throughout the season. Charlotte had tried out for the soccer team at the beginning of her junior year, though she hadn't played the sport before. She had made the team because she was fit, a good runner, and somehow insanely accurate when it came to scoring. Charlotte Martin was so perfect, it was almost unfair.

"I don't know, it looked fun I guess," Charlotte replied, though she didn't explain further.

There wasn't anything to explain. Charlotte did the things she wanted, when she wanted to do them. She was good at everything, it was almost annoying. Gracie was convinced that god had favorites, and that Charlotte Martin was at the tippy top of that list. Gracie would be lying if she said it didn't piss her off just slightly.

"Well, you might have made the team but that doesn't mean you're not going to be a benchwarmer until we begin to trust your abilities," Gracie quipped, narrowing her eyes at the blonde, "First of all, do you even have the guts to play in an actual game? Sure you can kick a goal in practice but it's different when everyone on the other team is actively trying their best to not let you."

Gracie was fiercely protective of her team, soccer was her second baby next to her music. She wanted to make sure that her girls' season would not be affected by some random wannabe coming in and infiltrating because the sport looked 'fun'.

"Oh please Grace, if there's one thing I've got, it's guts," Charlotte rolled her eyes, scoffing at Gracie's remark.

Charlotte had told Gracie the first time they met that her name made her sound like a five year old child, and that she refused to use it. 'Grace' sounds more respectable, she had claimed. Gracie should have seen that as a sign that the blonde girl did in fact, not lack guts in any capacity.

"Prove it," Gracie asserted, earning herself a couple shocked gasps and 'ooh's of admiration.

"How so?" Charlotte responded, unphased.

Gracie paused for a moment, contemplating something that would be both difficult for Charlotte to do, and fun for the rest of the team to witness.

"Make a freshman fall in love with you by the end of the semester, and I will consider actually letting you play," Gracie explained.

Charlotte debated just walking away, telling Gracie she really didn't care that much and if the older girl didn't want her to play then she simply just wouldn't. But Charlotte hated losing. If there was one thing the blonde girl craved, it was to be in charge. It would be fun watching Gracie realize just how easy she had made this 'challenge' for her.

"Sweet. Easy. Anyone specific in mind?" Charlotte asked, leaning back on her elbows in the grass as if it was just any other Tuesday.

"How about Penelope Doves?" One of the sophomores on the team suggested in a tone so snarky it made Gracie's skin crawl, "She's already been crowned the ultimate loner and it's been like a week and a half since the school year started."

"Not sure I've heard of her," Gracie confessed.

"Perfect. It will be so much fun crushing her soul," Charlotte whispered, a few concerned, almost scared glances being cast her way by her teammates.

Gracie didn't say anything, simply staring at the blonde girl with a mix of envy, adoration and disgust. She admired Charlotte's confidence despite being new to the environment she was in, yet she despised the arrogance that came with it. But Gracie was always one to keep her word, and she would be lying if she said that Charlotte wasn't one hell of a kicker.

Charlotte would spend the following month charting Pippa's every move, making a spreadsheet of her timetable, and even asking her mother, Pippa's English teacher, when Pippa's English classes would be so she could approach her when the opportunity presented itself. And when it did, it was when Charlotte had watched Pippa excuse herself from the English classroom from the other side of the hallway, hiding in the shadows so she could watch the younger girl. Charlotte made sure to always go to school during her free periods, which just so happened to align with Pippa's English lessons. She followed Pippa into the bathroom that day.

Charlotte had applied a whole tube of not waterproof mascara before entering the bathroom after Pippa, ensuring to time it so the younger girl couldn't miss her. She had slapped herself on the cheeks countless times that morning in order to make herself cry, after thinking about dead dogs and starving children didn't work. Charlotte never had a girlfriend, she just found lying to be a really fun pastime. Besides, she would never let herself forget it if she lost to Gracie Abrams, of all people.

After every encounter with Pippa, Charlotte would relay exactly what happened to the girls of the soccer team, not leaving out a single detail as she outlined how easy the poor girl was to manipulate. Pippa was so clueless, Charlotte could almost think it was endearing.

Gracie was almost jealous of how easy it was for Charlotte to charm the poor freshman, like all she had to do was snap her fingers and the girl was already head over heels in love. She had made it too easy for Charlotte. Though, Gracie supposed, everything seemed to be easy for Charlotte. As the semester passed, Gracie found herself growing to like the blonde girl's effortless nature, she found her confidence refreshing, of all things.

As per her promise, Gracie had allowed Charlotte to play on the roster against other schools in the second semester of that school year. The blonde girl was a monster on the field, it was like she had no conscience, felt no pain when people 'unintentionally' tackled her to the ground or kicked the ball into her face. Charlotte didn't care, all she cared about was getting the damn ball in the stupid goal. And she was fucking good at it. It was like tunnel vision had consumed her, and she could only see the scoreboard at the end of the match.

Gracie never noticed Pippa's presence at their soccer matches. She wasn't really the kind to stand out. Pippa brought a book to each game, only looking up from the pages when she saw her girlfriend score a goal and heard the cheering of her name from her teammates. Pippa didn't really understand soccer, but she would still go to every game she could simply because Charlotte had asked her to.

What Pippa didn't know was that Charlotte had only asked her to go because she wanted to rub it in Gracie's face. Charlotte won, Gracie lost, and she was never going to let the older girl forget that. The blonde girl was nothing short of deranged, but Gracie didn't care. All she needed was a good player so she and her girls could win their senior season, that was it.

-✫★✫-

hello my lovelies!

hopefully that cleared some things up for you! please do not send an army to my house! i am scared!

i love the invisible string theory (i love somehow making it twisted and painful)

hope you enjoyed! love you!

-🍎