Breaking free - Gracie Abrams

001 A Night To Remember

A Night To Remember
001

April 3, 2024

she braced against the evening wind, a low howl threading through the city's narrow streets. her steps were quick but unhurried, the rhythm of boots hitting pavement matched by the faint hum of distant traffic. with one hand, she clutched her coat close, the other gripping a phone pressed to her ear.

"yeah, i know," gabriella murmured.

"but don't reach out to her yet, okay? if you do it now, she'll think i put you up to it," nate sighed. "mom's been... well, you know how she gets."

"yeah, i can imagine," she replied softly. "is she working on anything right now?"

"she actually put gladiator 2 on hold. she's just... here," he replied, a note of fatigue slipping into his voice.

"and you? how are you holding up?" she asked, voice gentle.

"doing my best not to let myself fall apart," nate admitted. "keeping busy, but not in a way that shuts everything out. just... letting myself feel it, bit by bit,"

"that's good, i'm glad you're doing better," she replied, a hint of relief in her voice. "have emily or felix reached out?"

"no," he sighed. "i saw felix a couple weeks ago at that fashion show in paris, but nothing from emily."

"at least olivia's there," she teased.

"yeah, yeah, she's my girlfriend," he admitted, and gabriella could almost feel his eye roll through the phone. "she said that voldemort's been in the studio a lot, churning out track after track."

"you do realize the whole point of nicknaming her voldemort is so we don't mention her, right?" gabriella chuckled.

"i still don't understand why you guys are in no-contact mode," nate said. "it's not like you ended on bad terms."

gabriella hesitated, kicking a loose pebble along the sidewalk as she walked. "it just felt like the right thing to do," she finally murmured. "besides, she hasn't reached out either, so... i guess she's moved on."

"okay, no, hold up." nate's voice sharpened, as if to shake her from her own resignation. "it's only been two months. but olivia canceled on me the other day because, apparently, they needed 'girl time'—whatever that means."

gabriella's mouth twitched at the corners, a reluctant smile. "they're probably bonding over how ridiculous we are."

nate laughed. "yeah, right? and speaking of gracie—I mean, she-who-shall-not-be-named—how are you holding up?"

gabriella paused, stopping at the corner as a chill swept through her. the past two months without gracie had felt like wading through a fog she hadn't anticipated. there were moments—brief, quiet ones—where everything would unravel, where she'd find herself on the verge of picking up her phone just to hear gracie's voice. but she'd always stop herself, reminded of why they'd agreed to this break. she needed to heal without leaning on gracie, to find her own stability before they could even consider anything else. it was hard, though—harder than she wanted to admit.

"i'm... good," she said, her voice measured. "i mean, i haven't seen anything about her on social media, and that helps. i think not knowing every little update is making it easier." she took a breath, "i've been meeting my therapist online too, talking about voldemort and dad."

"i'm really glad. so, when are you coming back?" he asked.

"either tomorrow or the day after," she replied. "we have the wrap party tonight, and then the premiere's next month."