35 ᴍᴍ ꜰɪʟᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ I 🎀 𝒢𝓇𝒶𝒸𝒾𝑒 𝒜𝒷𝓇𝒶𝓂𝓈 [𝑔𝓍𝑔] 🎀

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕: 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 [𝐓𝐖]

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 7 [ᴛᴡ]

The soft light of morning filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Charlie-Wren stirred beneath the sheets, her body nestled comfortably against Gracie's, their limbs tangled together. For a moment, everything felt peaceful, serene even, as if the world had slowed down just for them. The warmth of Gracie's skin against hers, the gentle rise and fall of her breath—it was a kind of calm that Charlie hadn't felt in a long time.

But then, like a wave crashing into her, reality began to set in.

Charlie's eyes fluttered open, and her heart immediately started to race. The events of the night before replayed in her mind—the kisses, the touch, the way they had given into each other so fully—and now, in the harsh light of day, it all felt... too much. Her chest tightened, and suddenly the room, which had felt warm and safe just moments ago, felt stifling.

She gently untangled herself from Gracie's arms, careful not to wake her, and sat up, pulling the sheet around her bare body. Her breath came in short, shallow bursts as she tried to process everything. What did I do? The question echoed in her mind, and with it came the wave of guilt, fear, and uncertainty she had been holding at bay.

Gracie stirred beside her, sensing the shift in the bed, and her eyes slowly blinked open. She smiled softly, still half-asleep, as she reached out to Charlie, her fingers brushing lightly against her arm. "Morning," she mumbled, her voice husky with sleep.

Charlie-Wren didn't respond. Her heart was pounding too loudly in her ears, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn't control. What had felt like a perfect, intimate moment the night before now felt like a mistake—something she hadn't thought through, something she wasn't ready for.

Gracie, noticing the tension in Charlie's body, sat up slowly, the sleepiness fading from her eyes as she saw the look on Charlie's face. "Hey," she said softly, her voice full of concern. "What's wrong?"

Charlie swallowed hard, unable to meet Gracie's gaze. "I...I think I made a mistake," she whispered, her voice shaking as the words tumbled out.

Gracie's brow furrowed, her expression shifting from confusion to concern. "What do you mean?"

Charlie's heart pounded, her chest tightening as she struggled to put her thoughts into words. "Last night... I wasn't thinking clearly. It all happened so fast, and now I just... I don't know if I'm ready for this. For any of this." Her voice cracked as she spoke, the weight of the guilt pressing down on her. "I think I rushed into something I wasn't ready for."

Gracie's face softened, and she reached out, her hand resting gently on Charlie's arm. "Hey," she said quietly, her voice steady and calm. "It's okay. Breathe." Charlie-Wren shook her head, her emotions swirling inside her. "No, it's not okay. I—" She paused, her throat tightening. "I shouldn't have let this happen. It was a mistake."

Gracie didn't pull away; she didn't get upset. Instead, she scooted closer to Charlie, her voice filled with nothing but understanding. "Charlie, listen to me. It wasn't a mistake. Not for me." She hesitated, her hand squeezing Charlie's arm gently. "But if you're feeling overwhelmed or confused, that's okay. I get it. You're allowed to feel whatever you're feeling."

Charlie glanced at Gracie, her chest still tight but a flicker of relief passing through her at Gracie's calm response. She had expected anger, or hurt, or something more intense, but Gracie was just... there. Steady. Reassuring.

"I wasn't ready," Charlie admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I was, but... now I'm not so sure." Gracie nodded slowly, her eyes full of understanding. "That's okay," she said gently. "We don't have to rush anything. Last night was... it was a lot. And if you need time to figure out what you want, that's more than okay."