Part Twenty-One - Part One

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I'm sitting on the edge of the couch, watching Vinnie move around the apartment with that usual swagger—like he owns the place, and in some ways, I guess he does.

His presence fills the space in a way that's hard to ignore, and I don't even try to anymore. He's got this way of walking, like the world's his to conquer, and maybe that's what draws people to him.

Be But lately, there's something else in his movements, a subtle tension that wasn't there before.

Tonight, he's quieter than usual. He's rummaging through the fridge, eyes scanning the shelves, but there's a distracted edge to him.

I watch him for a moment, the way his jaw tightens when he pulls out the last of the cold pizza, as though annoyed by the lack of options.

He sets the box down on the counter without a word, then leans against it, his fingers drumming an impatient rhythm on the side.

I hesitate, unsure of how to bring it up. Sophie's words still linger in the back of my mind, sharp and biting. "Are you sure Vinnie's loyal to you?"

I never thought I'd hear something like that. From her of all people. It felt like a jab, a reminder of all the things I've never asked myself. She's right. I'm not sure.

I've never been sure, not with Vinnie. And I don't know how to fix that, or if I even want to.

When he finally turns to face me, I see it—a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes that he's usually so good at hiding. His mouth twitches, like he's about to say something, but then he doesn't.

Instead, he just stares at me for a moment, like he's waiting for me to say something. He has that look on his face, the one where he's trying to figure out if I'm going to crack first.

"What's up?" His voice is casual, but I can hear the undercurrent of tension, the way he says it like he's trying to ease whatever awkwardness is hanging in the air between us.

I swallow, feeling the weight of Sophie's question pressing down on me. Are you sure? It echoes in my head, louder than anything Vinnie's said to me lately.

I should be asking him. Should be asking him if this is real or still some elaborate show. But instead, I'm sitting here, pretending everything's fine, like I don't have a million questions swirling in my head.

I break the silence with a half-laugh, my voice betraying my nerves. "I don't know, man. I just... I don't know."

Vinnie raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms. It's a defensive stance, but I can tell he's trying not to seem bothered. He's always like this—putting up walls that nobody can see but me. "You're gonna have to explain that."

I stand up, the restlessness in me rising. "I don't know where we stand, Vinnie. I don't know what's real. What this is."

He stays quiet for a long moment, his eyes boring into mine. Then, without warning, he takes a few steps toward me, his movements slow, deliberate. The air between us thickens, charged with unspoken words.

"I'm not the easiest guy to figure out, Noah." His voice is low, almost too quiet for me to catch, like he's testing the waters. "But you should know something."

I turn to face him, my heart beating faster now, each word he speaks feeling like it's about to change everything. "What?"

"I didn't... I didn't ask for this." He gestures between us, his fingers slicing through the space like he's trying to make sense of it. "You think this is easy for me? Pretending, all this shit we're doing?"

I blink, stunned by the admission. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't do the whole... feelings thing, Noah. Never have." Vinnie runs a hand through his hair, frustration and something else I can't quite name flickering in his eyes. "And maybe that's my fault. Maybe I should've been upfront with you from the start. Maybe I should've told you how I felt instead of using you as..."

He stops, shaking his head, clearly angry with himself. I can see his fists ball up at his sides, but he doesn't take it out on anything. He just stands there, looking at me like I'm the only person who can understand.

"I didn't mean to drag you into this. I didn't mean to make you think this was all just some game. But it was easier to keep everything fake. It was easier to pretend nothing mattered. And now I'm—" He cuts himself off again, frustrated. "But I don't know how to fix it, Noah. I'm not good at this. At us."

The words hit me harder than I expected, sinking deep into the pit of my stomach. I've been so focused on what I'm feeling, so scared of where we stand, that I didn't realize how much Vinnie's been carrying too.

He doesn't have the answers any more than I do. And in some weird way, that's comforting.

For a long moment, we just stand there, caught in the silence that fills the room. The kind of silence that feels like the calm before something massive, like the air is holding its breath.

Finally, I speak, my voice barely above a whisper. "So... you're saying you don't want this to be fake?"

Vinnie looks at me, his gaze unwavering. "I'm saying I don't want to keep pretending I don't care. That's all I'm saying."

And for the first time in what feels like forever, I believe him.

There's a hesitation in the air now, one that makes my chest tight. Vinnie's words have cracked open something inside me, but there's still that nagging doubt—the one Sophie planted, twisting in the back of my mind.

"Vinnie..." I start, my voice shaking slightly as I take a step closer to him. "About Sophie... you didn't... you didn't hook up with her, did you?"

The question is out before I can stop it. I don't know why I ask, maybe I want to believe him, or maybe I'm terrified of the alternative. Either way, I need to hear him say it.

Vinnie sighs, a deep, exasperated sound that seems to carry all the weight of his frustration. His expression softens, and when he speaks again, his voice is quieter, more earnest.

"No, Noah. I didn't." He steps closer, his hand finding mine. The warmth of his touch sends a jolt through me, but there's something in his eyes—a mixture of sincerity and maybe a little regret. "I went to her to end things for good. To make it clear that I'm not interested anymore. Not when there's someone else I... care about."

I freeze at his words, my breath caught in my throat. The room suddenly feels too small, and the air feels too thick with everything unsaid between us. "Someone else?" I repeat, the question coming out in a whisper, afraid to even ask.

Vinnie takes another step forward, his thumb brushing lightly over the back of my hand. His gaze locks with mine, steady and full of meaning.

"You, Noah," he says, the words soft but firm. "It's always been you. From the moment this whole mess started, I've known I was lying to myself by pretending I didn't care. But I do. I care more than I know how to show sometimes."

The weight of his words settles over me, and I feel like I'm floating in a sea of emotions, all crashing down at once. Relief floods me, followed quickly by a rush of warmth, and somewhere deep inside, I know this is real. We're real. There's no pretending left between us.

I don't know what happens next, but for the first time, I think I might be ready to find out.

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