𝑶𝒖𝒕𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕 ⁻ ᵍʳᵃᶜⁱᵉ ᵃᵇʳᵃᵐˢ

4

OUTCAST

—

Liv and I shared exhausted glances, silently acknowledging the long night we had endured, knowing it was finally time to get some decent sleep before heading back to work the next day.

—

Finally, the house was empty, save for a few stragglers who had sobered up enough to find their own way out. We closed the door behind them, shutting out remnants of the party that had spiralled out of control hours earlier.

I let out a sigh of relief, knowing we could finally rest before facing another day of meetings to get my new album finalised. Charlotte headed upstairs towards Olivia's spare bedroom, the one rarely used, the main one being Gracie's.
Charlotte switched off the light in the spare bedroom, plugged in her phone, and settled down comfortably under the doona.

—

I woke up to my alarm blaring at 6 in the morning, having gotten less than 3 hours of sleep. I hurried into the shower and got ready for my meetings about my upcoming album. By 8:30, I was out the door, saying goodbye to Olivia. As I walked out, I noticed Gracie's car was gone but didn't think much of it.

I got into my car and rushed into town to Interscope Records to meet my manager and other important people I didn't know and really I couldn't give a single shit about them.

I got out of my car and hurried into Interscope Records. I said hi to the lady at reception and took the elevator to the third floor to 'my' meeting room. Upon walking in, I saw my manager, Gracie's manager, Gracie herself, and other 'unimportant' people who work at Interscope.

I glared at Gracie before sitting down in my chair, which just happened to be next  hers. "What is this about? Why is she here?!" I snarled at my manager, referring to the girl beside me. Gracie looked down and played with her fingers as well as pick at them after what I had just said about her.

"Look, I know you're probably going to hate this idea, but it would be really great promotion for your album as well as Gracie has alot of fame, which will put you more out there just like you wanted" Lisa, my manager, explained. "Working with her could open up new opportunities and get you the attention you deserve." I sigh, glancing down at Gracie, who was still looking down. "Fine, but this better be worth it," I muttered, feeling a mix of frustration and reluctant acceptance.

After going over a few things about working with Gracie, she gave me her number and got up to leave. I had to stay back, unfortunately, to discuss the press and other boring tasks I need to complete before my albums release. Lisa handed me a stack of papers, detailing interview, photoshoots, and social media posts I had to prepare for. "This is all part of the process," she reminded me. I sigh, glancing at the door Gracie had just exited. "Again, I hope this is worth it," I muttered under my breath.

—

Narcissistic nepo baby
(Gracie Abrams)

Hey, I was wondering
When you wanted to
Work on the new song?

I'm free in an hour.
We'll meet at the coffee
Shop on 5th avenue,
don't be late.

Okay, see you then!!

Just because I'm working
With you doesn't make us
Friends, Abrams.

Got it, sorry.
Read 9:45 am

—

An hour later, I got into my car and drove to the coffee shop on 5th Avenue, where we planned to work on the new song. To my surprise, Gracie was late, despite my clear instructions not to be. l sat at a corner table, tapping my fingers impatiently on the wooden surface. The minutes ticked by, and my frustration grew. Finally, the door swung open, and Gracie rushed in, looking flustered. She hurried over to our table, mumbling an apology. "Sorry, traffic was terrible," she explained, but I couldn't help feeling irritated. "Let's just get started," I said, trying to keep my cool.

As we settled into working on the song "Please, Please, Please," | could feel the tension between us. Gracie hummed the melody softly, her fingers tapping out a rhythm on the table. I read through the lyrics, trying to focus despite my irritation. "I know I have good judgment, I know I have good taste," I sang softly, then paused. "It's funny and it's ironic that only I feel that way.
What do you think about adding a bit more emphasis here?" | asked, looking up at Gracie,

She nodded, but I could see the hesitation in her eyes. "Sure, but I think the chorus needs more punch. 'Please, please, please, don't prove I'm right,' should really hit hard," she suggested. I sighed, feeling my frustration bubble over. "Gracie, we've been over this. The emphasis is already there. We don't need to overdo it," | snapped.

Her eyes flashed with annoyance. "I'm just trying to make it better. You asked for my opinion, remember?" she retorted. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I know, I know. It's just... let's try to stay focused.mWe need to get this done," I said, more gently. We continued working, tweaking the verses and refining the chorus, the tension still simmering beneath the surface. maybe us stay insides, baracie sang, her voice softer now. "I know you're cravin' some fresh all, but the ceiling fan is so nice."

I looked at her, feeling a bit of the tension ease away. "And we could live so happily if no one knows that you're with me. I'm just kidding, but really, really, really," I sang back, and for a moment, we both smiled. moment, we both smiled.
"Okay, let's run through it from the top," I suggested, and we began again, our voices blending as we worked through the song, trying to leave our frustrations behind.

We finally finished the song after some time, and I felt a wave of relief. Standing up, I stretched and decided to get myself a coffee. I walked over to the counter and ordered a caramel macchiato. As I waited, I glanced back at Gracie, who was busy scribbling down some notes.
The barista called out,
"Charlotte, caramel macchiato!" i picked up my drink and took a sip, savouring the sweet, creamy taste. Heading back to our table, I felt a sense of accomplishment.
Despite the tension, we had created something amazing together.

—

Baileys notes:
Heyy!

I think this is the longest chapter I've wrote!

Anyway goodnight!

Bye bye!!!