Amelie - Gracie Abrams

Chapter 5: The cafe on maple street

The little café on the corner of maple street was bustling with customers that afternoon, filling the space with the warm hum of conversation and the scent of freshly brewed coffee. Gracie had stopped by for a quick escape, hoping for a bit of quiet before another long day of rehearsals. She tugged her hoodie a bit lower over her head and adjusted her sunglasses, trying to blend in with the crowd of students and locals who had taken refuge there as well.

Evelyn sat in a corner by the window, absorbed in her book as she sipped her latte. She loved coming here, finding peace in the dim, cozy atmosphere where she could watch the world go by outside. She was still processing the surreal events of the past few days. Gracie's song "Amelie" had come out, capturing her emotions in a way she'd never expected, and then the direct message from Gracie herself had thrown her into a whirlwind of emotions. Their conversation had been short, but it was real. And every time she thought about it, a flutter of excitement crept up in her chest.

Evelyn tried to push her feelings aside, reminding herself that Gracie was a pop star, and this was all probably just part of the job for her. Still, she couldn't deny that her heart had skipped a beat when she saw the message notification and realized it was from Gracie Abrams.

As Evelyn buried herself deeper in her book, the bell above the café door chimed. She glanced up briefly, her gaze passing over the new customer. Her breath caught, and she did a double take.

There, ordering at the counter, stood Gracie herself. Evelyn blinked, momentarily wondering if she was dreaming. Gracie looked just like she did in her photos, but up close, she was even more striking—her expression a mix of quiet intensity and warmth. Evelyn's heart hammered as she looked back down, hoping Gracie wouldn't notice her.

Gracie, meanwhile, paid for her coffee and surveyed the room for a place to sit. She was about to settle into a booth near the back when a flash of dark brown hair and familiar freckles caught her eye. Her pulse quickened as she recognized Evelyn, sitting by the window with a book in her hands, her expression a mix of concentration and quiet contemplation.

Without thinking, Gracie walked over to Evelyn's table, her coffee in hand. She hesitated a moment, taking a breath to calm herself, before saying, "Hey, are you Evelyn?"

Evelyn's head snapped up, her face flushing as she locked eyes with Gracie. She tried to compose herself, though her heart was racing, and managed a small smile.

"Um, yes," she replied softly, setting her book aside. "And you're Gracie."

Gracie grinned, a playful twinkle in her eye. "Guilty as charged," she said, slipping into the seat across from Evelyn before she could second-guess herself. "I hope it's okay that I'm, uh...intruding?"

"No, no, it's... it's fine." Evelyn's voice was barely a whisper as she fumbled to find the right words. She couldn't believe this was happening Gracie Abrams, her crush and the girl who'd messaged her, was sitting right across from her.

There was a brief silence, both of them smiling shyly and glancing around, unsure where to start. Finally, Gracie cleared her throat.

"I have to be honest—I didn't think I'd actually run into you like this," she said, her fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup. "I mean, after our message...conversation, I just... Anyway, it's good to finally meet you in person."

Evelyn chuckled nervously. "Yeah, it's... pretty surreal," she admitted. "I wasn't expecting this either."

Their conversation began hesitantly, filled with shy smiles and quiet laughter. They talked about the café, the weather, and small things that felt safe and familiar. But the underlying nervousness still lingered Evelyn couldn't shake the feeling that Gracie was so far out of her league, and Gracie, for her part, found herself unusually tongue-tied.

Their conversation was briefly interrupted by a group of loud fans who had recognized Gracie and were whispering excitedly a few tables away. Gracie shifted in her seat, noticing the way Evelyn seemed to tense up, her gaze darting toward the group and then back down at her coffee.

Gracie leaned in, lowering her voice. "Hey, ignore them," she said softly, her tone laced with concern. "I can tell it's making you uncomfortable."

Evelyn tried to brush it off, but Gracie could see the tension in her shoulders. "It's... it's fine. I just— It's not something I'm used to, I guess."

Gracie's eyes softened. "I get it. It can be overwhelming sometimes," she admitted, reaching out instinctively to touch Evelyn's hand in a comforting gesture. She quickly pulled back, not wanting to overstep, but Evelyn noticed the small act of kindness and felt a strange sense of relief wash over her.

"Thank you," Evelyn said quietly, giving Gracie a small smile. "I mean, for caring."

"Of course." Gracie returned her smile. "I can tell you're a bit shy about all this attention, but I don't mind. Just let me know if it ever feels like too much, okay?"

Evelyn nodded, appreciating the way Gracie seemed so attuned to her feelings. They both took sips of their coffee, a new comfort settling between them.

"So," Gracie said, breaking the silence, "do you mind if I ask...what did you think of the song? 'Amelie,' I mean."

Evelyn's cheeks turned pink, and she looked down, her fingers tracing patterns on her coffee cup. "Honestly? It was... beautiful. I felt like you'd somehow put my own feelings into words," she confessed. "It's still surreal to think you wrote it because of—well, because of that night at the concert."

Gracie's smile widened, her eyes shining. "I'm really glad it reached you," she said, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. "Sometimes, writing feels like throwing a message in a bottle and hoping someone out there understands it. With 'Amelie,' I didn't know if it would resonate with anyone, but then I saw your post... it felt like everything fell into place."

Evelyn looked up, their gazes meeting again, and for a moment, they were silent, a quiet understanding passing between them.

The conversation shifted to lighter topics. Gracie told stories about her tour, about her love of songwriting, and about the silly backstage antics that she often got into with her friends. Evelyn listened with rapt attention, laughing and nodding along, her shyness slowly giving way to genuine curiosity and interest.

Gracie found herself feeling protective over Evelyn in a way she hadn't expected. She liked the way Evelyn's eyes lit up when she talked about her favorite books, or how she blushed whenever their hands brushed accidentally across the table. Evelyn was endearing, Gracie realized—there was a kindness and warmth to her that felt rare.

Their time together stretched on, the café slowly emptying as the afternoon wore on. Neither of them wanted to leave, finding comfort in each other's company. Evelyn felt herself becoming more at ease, her initial nerves melting away as she shared little stories about her life, her love of art, and her dreams of traveling someday.

When they finally looked up, the baristas were starting to clean tables, preparing for the evening shift. Gracie chuckled, checking her phone.

"I guess we kind of lost track of time," she said, a touch of regret in her voice.

Evelyn nodded, glancing out the window. "Yeah, I didn't realize it was getting so late..."

They both stood, and for a moment, an awkward silence hung between them. Neither wanted to say goodbye, but neither quite knew how to ask for more time together.

Finally, Gracie cleared her throat, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well... I'm really glad I ran into you today, Evelyn. This was... nice."

Evelyn's eyes sparkled, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, it was. I... I don't usually open up like this, but with you, it just felt... easy."

Gracie's heart fluttered, and before she could think too much about it, she reached into her bag, pulling out a small notebook and pen. She scribbled something down and handed it to Evelyn.

"Here's my number. Just... you know, if you ever want to talk or grab coffee again. No pressure."

Evelyn took the paper, her fingers brushing against Gracie's as she accepted it. "I'd like that," she said softly, her voice full of sincerity.

They shared one last lingering look before parting ways, the promise of something more hanging in the air between them. As Gracie walked away, a smile spread across her face, a feeling of hope settling warmly in her chest.