"I wish time had better timing for me and you."
Deciding to spend 3 weeks in LA getting ready for her best friend's wedding, young adult Daniella is forced into close proximity with Vinnie Hacker. When he is forced to take care of her, she realized...
Dani tapped her fingernails on the table before talking to him. "We just pretend it never happened?" She suggested.
Vinnie nodded. "Sounds perfect."
“Okay but in my head I'm making fun of you for it." She said. "I mean really Vinnie? A thirst trap before brunch?" She was still teasing him.
“Wanna see the video?” He asked her.
She was already nodding her head,“Oh absolutely. Show me this masterpiece.”
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After lunch, Dani was sitting on the couch next to Vinnie on her phone. Neither one of them looked up until Dani's phone connected to the speaker. Vinnie turned to her out of confusion. She looked over at him with a smile as the song started to play.
Still softish. Chase who was walking down the hall stopped. He looked around. "Dani are you serious?" He asked.
Dani just turned around to look at him, her head just barely over the couch and smiled even brighter. "It's my favorite song ever!" She said to him, a fake innocent voice. "I feel bad about whoever this song was written about for real." She couldn't hold on the laugh anymore. Her laugh made Vinnie laugh. "Hey little bitch look at where I'm at now. Little soft dick aint no match for my clout." She sung along within her laughs
Kouvr looked up from across the room at them. She smiled and turned to Isabella. "This is a nice change of scenery."
Isabella was already watching them closely. She nodded softly. "Its like a whole 180."
"Vinnie seems happy." She said looking back. Vinnie did look happy. He was laughing, Dani was laughing. They were laughing together. Together. Daniella's head fell onto his shoulder, she was still laughing. But Vinnie's laughter ceased immediately, but his smile remained.
"Yeah. He does." Isabella said with a soft smile. This was her brother and best friend. All of the books she read told her she should be pissed about it. But for some reason she wasn't. They looked good together, but not in a conventionally attractive way. Good together as in they were both smiling, and happily doing so. She felt ecstatic. Kouvr and Isabella shared a look before turning away from the two.
When her laughing faded, Daniella sat up straight and disconnected her phone. She turned to Vinnie,"Do you want to smoke?" she asked standing up.
Vinnie responded immediately, it probably sounded desperate. "Yeah. Sure." he said. He stood up as well. Daniella grabbed her jacket before walking outside. Vinnie followed her with his pack of cigarettes.
Dani sat down on the steps, which made Vinnie do the same. He pulled out a single cigarette and handed it to her.
They were silent for the first couple of minutes. Silently dragging out their cigarettes. But then Vinnie spoke up. "When did you do this?" Vinnie asked her, softly nudging a red strand of hair with his pinky finger. "I've been meaning to ask but, y'know."
"A few days before coming down here. It was time for a simple change." She told him. She then glanced over at him and smiled. "Or perhaps a big one." Vinnie could've sworn her tone was suggestive. But he didn't want to make the wrong assumption.
"I like it." he said. Daniella watched as he moved his cigarette to his lips, and then she watched his lips. Why is she looking at his lips. She licked her own softly and turned away. "D?"
Dani felt as if her heart stopped. Did he really just give her a nickname. She put her chin on her knees. "Yeah?"
"I'm really sorry." He said. Daniella didn't need to look at him to tell he was looking at her and speaking genuinely. She felt herself smile against her knees. Dani wasn't entirely sure she needed Vinnie to say he was sorry. She was twenty one. She should be moving away from her highschool years.
"I forgive you." She said to him, she looked over at him and smiled softly, he returned it,"You're not the same person you were in highschool, Vin. You've really grown as a person. And if I didn't spend my time hating you so much it's something I would've realized a lot sooner.”
Vinnie looked at her. Really looked at her. Her swollen cheeks were beginning to go down, and her eyes were slightly red, that was probably due to her being tired. Looking at her now, this was the prettiest she's ever been. Sure she was pretty when she had her make up on, Vinnie couldn't deny that. He enjoyed looking at her with make up on. But there was something so real, something so raw about seeing Dani with red eyes, a semi swollen jaw and lips with absolutely no make up. And she was looking at him.
Vinnie's hand grazed her cheeks lightly before he started to lean in. He hadn't planned on kissing her anytime soon, but there was something about the moment that made it unstoppable. That was until the front door opened and he straightened up again. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dani do the same, as if she was leaning in as well.
“Hey! We're playing beer pong if you want to join us.” Jack said with a huge clueless smile. And just like that the moment was ruined.
Silently, they were back to that, Vinnie stood up. Daniella, at first, made no plans too so Vinnie held out his hand. He didn't expect her to grab onto it so he was looking away. Hesitantly he felt her small soft hand grab ahold of his before she used it to pull herself up. She didn't pull away from him. Her hand felt comfortable and warm enveloped in his. He didn't pull away either, so they walked inside hand in hand. And the only time he felt as if Dani was going to let go was when she pulled him softly to the side to grab a shot glass. And another. And another.
