𝐈 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐒

13

EMERSON

Tears streamed down my face as I lay in my mother's bed, my sobs echoing throughout the room. She tenderly ran her fingers through my hair, a look of sadness on her face as she witnessed my emotional breakdown. "She said she loved me... she said she loved me, mom. How could she just walk out the door like that?" I cried.

"I'm sorry, Emmy. I had no idea she meant so much to you," Taylor comforted me. "She means the world to me. This is the second time she has left me."

"I'll stay with you tonight," Taylor murmured, planting a soft kiss on my head. After Gracie left, I had called my mom to ensure I wouldn't do anything stupid. "Or would you prefer I stayed in the guest room?" Taylor asked.

"It's your house, mom. I'm not going to kick you out of your own bedroom. Just stay here with me," I replied, tossing another used tissue into the trashcan. We lay in silence for a few moments before I suggested, "Can we watch a movie?" Watching movies always helped to calm me down, even from a young age.

"Of course, baby. What do you want to watch?" my mom smiled. "Matilda," I requested, choosing my favorite childhood movie.

~*~

I sat in a meeting room next to a stranger who would be my temporary fake girlfriend. I mentally punched myself for missing Gracie so much. I was exhausted, having not slept at all the previous night. The endless words of my mother and Hillary faded as I stared blankly at a plant in the corner of the room.

Suddenly, the door to the meeting room swung open, and Gracie's publicist, Shirin, entered. I stood up immediately. "Is she here? Can I see her? Please, I need to see her," I pleaded. "No, Emerson, I'm sorry. To both questions. I just came to sign the final contract," Shirin replied.

"Please don't sign it, I'm begging you, Shirin. Please, I can't bear to lose her," I implored. A hand on my shoulder startled me, and I turned to see it was Taylor. "Take a moment, okay?" she whispered.

"No! I'm not leaving until I see Gracie! I need to see her, I need to talk to her. Please, someone tell me where she is! I've been texting her all morning I— I just need to know where she is, please."

"Emerson... I don't even know where she is, okay? Gracie just, disappeared. Like always. I'm sure she'll come back."

"No. Gracie doesn't just disappear! You guys don't understand her the way I do." I scoffed. "From one meaningless fuck? Goodness, Emerson." Shirin rolled her eyes.

"That's not what— did she tell you that's what it was? No, don't tell me. I don't wanna know." My voice cracked. I pushed past Shirin and ran down the hall towards the stairs. My vision was blurry but I managed to find a smoking balcony. I pulled out a cigarette and a lighter before letting the stress roll off my shoulders not so easily.

Meaningless fuck. No, she couldn't have said that. Not the Gracie I know, not my Gracie.

Smoking keeps me from self harming sometimes. It's still a form of self harm, yet it feels so painless.

"You are the title of my everyday needs." I mock. "Liar."

~*~

short chapter because everything will possibly be
in Gracie's point of view from now until further notice

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