𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 ✰ v. hacker

eighteenth ❀ irl

| MAISY |

"you all set? the project manager asks as i come out from wardrobe. i nod, taking one last look at myself in the hall mirror. she leads me into the room where the photographer is, talking about how we have just a few other outfits and might go to other locations later on, but i barely hear her. my heart is beating so fast that i can hardly breathe. i'm terrified.

this is such an awkward situation to be placed in and there's no way out. my mind races, trying to figure out something to say, an excuse to make, or anything that will maybe make this situation a bit better.

"i'm not sure how much your manager told you about this shoot, but thank you so much for stepping in last minute. we were kind of getting desperate," she laughs. i shrug it off, insisting it's not a big deal.

we enter the main studio and vinnie looks up, freezing immediately with a bewildered look on his face.

"hey everyone, here's the main star we've been waiting for," the manager introduces me warmly as we come up to the rest of the crew. "this is maisy!"

"stella?" vinnie asks in confusion, unable to conceal the bafflement written all over his face.

"yeah, maisy stella," the photographer smiles at us. "you guys know each other?"

"no." i blurt out without thinking, looking away from him.

"yes." he counters, "we go to school together."

the crew looks extremely confused but laughs it off. as the photographer begins giving us instructions, i can feel vinnie's eyes on me but i ignore it.

this is probably not the best way to deal with this, but at this point i'm too terrified to do anything else.

"what are you doing here?" he whisper-yells to me, as the director turns away to ask for something from the crew.

i turn to him hesitantly, whispering back, "what are you doing here?"

"so what, your name is maisy? and you model? and come to la sometimes? and i thought you were normal?" he demands in disbelief.

"i am normal," i glare at him. "i'm sorry, i didn't think i'd run into you in la."

"my whole life is a lie." he rubs his forehead with his fingertips in a very stressed manner. "i have so many questions."

rolling my eyes, i sigh. "you're so dramatic."

"why are you getting pissy? you're not the one who's been lied to." vinnie glared at me and i glared back.

"i'm not getting pissy."

"you so are." he shot back. before he could say anything else, the photographer turned back to us, calling out some instructions.

this was going to go very...interestingly.

❀

"okay, i'm sorry i didn't tell you before." i groaned as we walked out of the studio. they were giving us a 15 minute break before we had to change into the next outfit for the shoot. the shoot had been immensely awkward, with vinnie shooting me confused and dark looks the entire time and making pointed comments that only i'd understand.

vinnie was walking behind me, following me as we went outside to get out of earshot of everyone else. "well, why didn't you?"

"i haven't told anyone," i shake my head. "not even maddy. literally no one from seattle knows." he stopped.

"not even maddy?" he repeated.

"no." i confirmed. "i wanted to keep it that way too."

"but why?" we stopped just outside the door and he turned to face me.

looking away, i sighed. "i've been recognized in public since i was 7. after literally growing up my entire childhood like that, i was tired. i just wanted to live a normal person life for once in my life. my parents agreed, so we ended up in seattle."

"besides," i added, "we've literally talked before this about how much you hate being famous and how everyone back there is terrible and treats you like you're less than an ordinary person."

"okay, i guess." vinnie still shook his head in disbelief. "i still can't believe i didn't know you were...famous...for the past four years."

"i'm really not famous anymore." i laughed. "really, my manager's been worried about my career and making me do these photo shoots and auditions because i'm nearing irrelevance."

"so what exactly are you famous from?"

"i was famous for being on a tv show and i made some viral singing videos with my sister. i kinda make music now too, i guess."

"wow." breathing out in disbelief, vinnie shook his head. "i can't believe i never knew."

"i didn't want you to, so i'm glad you never knew. i laughed nervously. "so now what do we do?"

"do i call you maisy now?" vinnie had an amused look on his face. "i can't un-know you as stella."

"call me whatever you want," i shrug with a small laugh, "as long as you don't tell anyone back home who i am. can i trust you with that?"

he took a deep breath. "i won't tell anyone. but you're really not going to tell maddy? i mean, she's your best friend, isn't she?"

"you sound just like my sister." i laugh again. "i don't know. why do i need to? and how would i?"

shrugging, vinnie grimaces. "i just feel like you should. like i was pretty pissed you hadn't told me and i'm not even half as close to you as she is. but guess i don't know. do it how you like."

i nod reflectively. before i can say anything else, we're called back in to continue the shoot. as we're walking back in, vinnie turns to me.

"i still have so many questions to ask you. can we get lunch together after this?"

❀