out of the blue | gracie abrams

XLIV

xliv - hidden cameras and the hollywood sign.

28th of June, 2023, Los Angeles

-7:03pm-

Gracie's heart shattered as she heard Pippa's whimpered sobs and heavy breaths through the phone, unfortunately knowing the sound of a panic attack all too well.

"Baby bird, it's okay, I'm right here, I'm listening," Gracie soothed.

She was currently standing in the living room of Pippa's apartment, staring at the collection of hidden cameras that she found around the place. There was one in the bookshelf by the door, another on top of the fridge, more inside the lights beside the couch, but worst of all there was one inside Pippa's bedroom, hidden in the armchair that overlooked her bed. It was terrifying. Blood chilling.

"I don't know how, I-I don't know when, b-but, Char-" Pippa gasped for air, "Charlotte found my apartment."

"I know," Gracie sighed, "I'm currently there right now and I think I might know how she knew where to find you."

"W-what? What do you mean?" Pippa asked, panic rising in every inch of her body.

"There were cameras everywhere. Like, literally everywhere, Bird," Gracie confessed, "I found them when I saw that one of the books on your bookshelf looked out of place, like it was made of plastic and fake. It makes sense to me now how Charlotte knew I had been with you for the past few weeks."

"Wait, y-you saw her?" Pippa completely glossed over the fact that she had been spied on, instead feeling concern surge through her body when she heard Gracie's admission of coming into contact with the blonde girl, "When?"

"Like, three hours ago? I came to your apartment to apologize for... well, you know," Gracie mumbled, "But I saw that the door was open. I walked inside and she was just there, on your couch."

"What in the world..." Pippa didn't know how to process everything Gracie had just told her.

"I might've um... accidentally maybe just lightly punched her in the nose?" Gracie admitted.

"So that's what Winston meant when he said her face looked fucked up," Pippa recognized.

"Wait, what? Why was Charlotte talking to your brother?" Gracie pondered.

"Just, can you meet me at the Hollywood sign? I'll explain when I see you," Pippa requested.

"Of course, Bird, I'll be there in half an hour."

-7:59pm-

Los Angeles was cloaked in a veil of darkness as Pippa and Gracie sat beside each other before the Hollywood sign, looking out at the lights of the city and wondering how on earth they got themselves into the scorching hot pile of shit that they did. Pippa had explained to Gracie everything that happened at the Doves residence, and Gracie had divulged all the evidence she found at Pippa's apartment. Everything seemed nothing short of batshit insane. Gracie was just grateful that Pippa didn't seem to be all that mad at her anymore, perhaps the hike up to the sign was enough to clear Pippa's head.

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask," Gracie said, breaking the unbearable silence between the two of them, "Why did you want to meet here? You know that this is technically restricted property, right?"

"I've been coming here since I was a little kid. I found a path to get here without anyone noticing and I've been coming here ever since to clear my head. It's probably one of the things I missed the most when I moved to Chicago for college," Pippa answered, eyes twinkling from the reflection of the city lights.

It seemed like the only logical meeting place to Pippa. She needed to get away, and the sign was right there waiting for her less than a couple miles from her house. It seemed poetic, almost, allowing Gracie into the place where she always ended up running to instead of from. Pippa thought, just for a moment, maybe she didn't always have to do everything alone.

"I'm sorry," Pippa suddenly confessed, turning to look at the side of Gracie's perfect head.

"What for? You didn't do anything wrong, Bird," Gracie followed suit, meeting Pippa's eyes.

"For being such a problem," Pippa looked down, picking at the skin on her fingers as she bit her lip, "And for yelling at you."

"You're anything but a problem, my bird," Gracie ensured, placing her hand gently on Pippa's cheek and bringing the younger girl's gaze back to her own, "Please don't ever think that. If anything, all of this is my fault."

Pippa shook her head, taking her own hand and placing it over the one Gracie had on her cheek. The action was so tender, so innocent, so... loving, Gracie almost burst into tears on the spot.

"No, it's not Gray. And I'm sorry for making you think that it is," Pippa returned, "You couldn't have known all of this was going to happen when you made that bet with Charlotte."

"But you went through all of that, not to mention all of the shit that happened today, just because I wanted to win some stupid soccer matches that don't even matter to me anymore. That's not fair, and that's not right, Pippa," Gracie urged, tears of concentrated guilt pooling at her eyelids, "And I can't even begin to express how sorry I am."

"But you're doing everything you can to try and fix it, and I see that, Gracie. You've seen me for me, not the broken girl with years upon years of built up baggage, or the one that gets so nervous she can't string together a coherent sentence. You saw me, and you listened to me, and that means more than you know," Pippa defended, pulling Gracie in for a hug and burying her face in the older girl's neck, smiling when she felt Gracie's arms wrap around her own body, "And you always show up when I need you. Even when I don't know that I need you."

"Pippa, I-"

"Thank you, Gray."

Gracie didn't say anything back, simply burying her face in Pippa's hair and breathing her in, savouring every last drop of oranges and cinnamon for as long as she could. She thought her heart was going to explode. She wasn't even sure it was still beating, in all honesty. Gracie didn't know how much longer she could go on pretending like she wasn't willing to risk everything she's ever worked for just to hold Pippa forever. It was a terrifying thought, and a confession she wasn't ready or willing to make to her face yet.

But, one thought still lingered in the back of Gracie's mind, tainting the otherwise perfect moment that she was sharing with her bird.

How did Charlotte even get cameras in Pippa's apartment in the first place?

-✫★✫-

hello my lovelies!

so i decided not to torture you today be grateful

see! im capable of evolution!

i love you goodnighttttt

-🍎