electric touch // luke patterson

the archer - taylor swift

GRACIE SCOBELL WAS NOT A PERFORMER. sure, she had performed in front of her music class of fifteen people and, additionally, the second graders she taught, but that was different. in her music class, she only ever played an instrument. even thinking about opening her mouth to sing made her knees weak and her throat close up distastefully. and as for the second graders, well they'd worship the ground she walked on even if she couldn't sing a note. but this composition, this assignment... this was supposed to be a new start, it was supposed to be the thing that pushed her out of her comfort zone. she was going to sing. really, though, she shouldn't have been surprised that she didn't.

gracie shouldn't have been surprised that the music took over her body and shoved her mind to the gutter. she shouldn't have been surprised that she lost control and let her fingers roam free on the piano, playing the whole song without an utter of a lyric. still, she really thought this would be her time. her time in the spotlight, her time for people to look over and grin because they finally saw that she had something. that all she was good for wasn't to compliment others. and she forgot.

she was overfilled with self-hatred and embarrassment. an appointment? really? she said that she had an appointment during the last period of the day. she couldn't have said she was going to the nurse? or office? or even the bathroom?

she sped down the closest stairwell, pushing open the doors to the outside. she suddenly pulled herself to a stop, though, swaying on her feet at the sight of a teenage girl sitting on the steps with her back facing the blonde.

julie whipped her head up at the abrupt noise of gracie's entrance, swallowing. the girls stared at the other in surprise for a moment before gracie's face contorted into pity, "hey."

julie moved over on the concrete steps, sighing, "hi, flynn's just waiting to grab our things." she rubbed her face, assuming that gracie would walk past her pitiful self.

instead, gracie hesitated before sitting beside her, "i'm sorry about class... i can't imagine how hard it must be." julie stayed silent, picking at her nails. an awkward silence rung out between the two. gracie rubbed her lips together, "do you remember the eighth grade talent show?" julie perked up, turning a fraction of an inch to slightly face the blonde.

"i do," gracie continued, "you went on second — i was supposed to go on after you. your voice was — it was amazing. the entire crowd was on their feet by the end. and — and i clearly remember your mom—" she chuckled, "she started jumping up and down and shouting your name. she was in the middle, but she was still throwing —"

"dahlias... she was throwing them but they kept hitting people because she wasn't by the stage." julie chuckled, smiling softly, "i forgot about that. i don't think i remember watching you."

gracie's smile faltered, "yea... i never went on." she didn't explain why — she didn't explain that it was because she broke into tears at the fact that she knew she couldn't do better than the girl and that only her younger brother and the babysitter showed up since her parents were watching her sister skate the same day.

"why? you're really good, i've heard you play." julie said it with such honesty that gracie's face softened in surprise.

"i— um, i got sick." not a total lie, she threw up throughout the rest of the talent show, "anyways... your mom was an amazing woman... i'm really sorry."

julie nodded slowly, "she was. she would've liked you."

gracie smiled sadly, adjusting her bag on her back, "i met her once."

julie turned fully then, "you did?"

gracie nodded, slowly grinning, "yea. it's kind of embarrassing, but in fifth grade she came in to talk about the music industry for career day?" julie nodded, "well, whenever she was talking to my class, she asked who wanted to do something with music. carrie raised her hand and maybe a few others, but i only nodded. i was too scared to even seem like i was competing with carrie."