Half a World Away // Vinnie Hacker

*2*

"I can feel you all looking at me," I said as I took a bite out of my burger, "What do you want to know?"

"Ooo! Me first!" Michael begged like a little kid. "Yeah?" If he acts like a child for much longer I think I might just have to leave. No, jokes, it's mildly entertaining actually. "So, Madi, how do you know who I am and not Vinnie?" 

How did I know this question was going to come up at some point? Is it really that big of a deal that I don't know who he is? And who is this guy? why is it so surprising that I don't know who he is? "Does it really matter that much?" Michael nodded his head in response so, of course, I had to respond, "I just live in my own bubble I guess I don't know. What would I have to do to know who he is?" I asked.

"Be a girl on TikTok," Jordan responded. "I am a girl on Tiktok," I retorted. "Show us your for you page," Michael instructed.

I pulled out my phone and pulled up TikTok and passed the phone to Michael. He scrolled for a few minutes and then handed back the phone, "You're not the right kind of girl on TikTok. I didn't even know those existed." I was growing more and more confused by the second. what does he mean by 'I'm not the right kind of girl on TikTok'? and what does he mean by he 'didn't think there was such thing'? "Guys, just give it a rest. if she doesn't know who I am then she doesn't know who I am," Vinnie intervened, "I actually like someone not knowing who I am for once," he said, I could see there was a little bit of sadness and pain sitting behind his eyes but I didn't want to bring it up in front of everyone. Maybe if I ever saw these guys again I'd bring it up then.

"Is that all you wanted to know?" I asked. "Yeah, pretty much," Michael responded, earning a slight chuckle from me. "No, I wanted to know why you're in LA, you said you're from Australia earlier," Vinnie asked. I don't know why I was actually surprised that they, well at least one of them, would want to know more about me than how I don't know Vinnie. "I'm doing a year transfer for uni but if I like it enough I might stay next year too and finish off my degree here," I answered truthfully. Currently, I wasn't looking to stay for more than a year but I know that if I like it enough, maybe I will. It will obviously be hard staying away from home but I can always go back for Christmas and birthday weekends and whatever, there's nothing constricting me to one place or another. "That's cool, what are you studying?" Jordan asked. "I'm doing paramedical science." 

I've wanted to be a paramedic science I was about 14 years old. The idea just really fit what I wanted to do, help people without doing 8 years in uni to become a doctor. It's a win-win. "So, you're going to be a paramedic, right?" Vinnie asked. I don't think anyone has actually gotten that off the first go even though it says paramedic in the degree title. People worry me. "Yeah, that's the plan"

We continued talking for another ten or so minutes before we got up and went over to the skate shop, which I learned is actually around the corner. We went inside and immediately I saw a deck that I wanted and it matched my trucks well, I kinda drew all over them 'cause why not. I walked over and pulled it off the shelf to look at it a little closer. Vinnie joined me seconds later, followed by a store employee. "That's a nice deck," Vinnie said. I nodded in agreement, admiring the glitch, checkered design on the base of it. "It's an 8.25, Enjoi deck. I can do $80 no trucks or $100 with trucks," the employee said.

"Can I get just the deck, no grip tape or anything?" I had the perfect grip tape sitting at home. It didn't match the design one bit which is what made it perfect. "Yeah, that'll be $70" the price difference between grip tape and no grip tape was surprising but I'll take it. I was about to tap my card when someone else's tapped before mine. "What the hell!" I exclaimed. I turned around to see Vinnie standing there with a sheepish grin on his face, "Vinnie! I can pay for myself! You didn't need to do that!" I huffed. I was very thankful that he paid because now I can put that money towards actual food for dinner and stuff but I could still have paid for myself. 

"I had to, I felt guilty because I basically caused the breaking of your board," he explained. He really didn't need to feel guilty it was just my terrible reflexes that didn't enable me to process people coming towards me fast enough for me to stop before I hit them. "No, actually that was my terrible stopping skills and my fault for trying to get the green crossing light and now I feel guilty because you used your money on me"

"Well, it's too late now," he said, grinning like an idiot... a cute one at that. "Fine, fine," I huffed. He handed up new trucks to the guy behind the counter and then paid for them and we all left, walking down the street. I had no idea where we were going I just knew we were going. "I know how you can repay me," Vinnie spoke up. Immediately I was listening, eager to repay him in almost any way. "And what's that?" He didn't respond immediately, drawing out the anticipation for his idea. "You can come with me to the party tonight," he said, grinning like an idiot... again. "You're very proud of yourself for that idea aren't you?" I teased.

"Well, it is a good idea and what would your answer be?" Vinnie poked, trying to get me to respond. I already knew I was going to say yes to whatever he asked unless it required something more illegal than drugs but I was just nervous about this specific idea. I'm not used to big parties and from what my friend has told me the hype house TikTok, influencer, party, things are really big. "Don't worry, I won't force you to talk to anyone and we can just chill outside or on the couch or something. I'm not forcing you to do anything you don't want to do," Vinnie added.

After a few more seconds of deliberation, I finally said yes, earning a few cheers from the boys. I don't know how long these guys will end up being my friends but I'm liking the friendship we're building right now. Vinnie put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. "Just think of it this way, it's a way for you to meet more people while you're here and possibly a way to convince you to stay next year... if we like you enough this year" he teased. His arm dropped from my shoulders and we continued walking down unfamiliar streets.

a/n

I hope you like this chapter! I'm going to release the first five chapters of this relatively close together and then slowly they'll spread out a bit more just so that I can get you guys hooked onto the story lol

But yeah, I hope you guys like this fic so far, I've had fun writing it so hopefully that shows through my writing

word count: 1238