𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 & 𝐂𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬 | 𝐕.𝐇

３１

maddy's pov

Vinnie and I had been at the hype house for approximately thirty seconds before we were bombarded by the other members asking us every question under the sun. Mia and Kouvr had dragged me over to the couches while the boys dragged Vinnie off into the dining room, both of us looking at each other with wide eyes.

"You really need to look into buying some full coverage foundation, Mads," Mia says as she intensely examines my neck, brushing her finger across the marks.

"Unless they didn't cover it on purpose?" Kouvr wiggles her eyebrows.

"I wanted to, but the idiot over there wanted me to 'show them off' to his fans," I scoff as I look towards Vinnie sitting at the dinning room table being interrogated by Thomas, Michael, Jack and Alex.

"I can't believe this. This is so exciting!" Mia claps excitedly.

"So what's going on with you two?" Kouvr asked, lowering her voice, "Cause I thought you guys were just friends— I mean, that's what Vinnie's been saying. But then again, I did see you guys down by the pool that one time," she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Oh, you did?" I ask awkwardly. Mia looks between us, "what did I miss?"

"Nothing," I shake my head.

"But really, do you like-like each other? Or are you just failing at being sneaky links?" Kouvr asks.

"It's confusing," I sigh, "I mean, I like him, but I'm not sure if he actually likes me. He does do things that makes me think he does— like straight up telling me so, but then he goes and does things that make me think otherwise,".

"He talks about you constantly if that makes you feel any better," Mia chuckled.

I force back a smile, "really? What does he say?"

They look at each other then look back at me and smile, perfectly in sync like they had planned this. "Oh, just that he...thinks you're...pretty. Yeah, that," Mia couldn't have made it any more obvious that she was lying.

"Oh god, what does he really say? Does he think I'm annoying—"

"No! No, absolutely not. We just don't think we're the right people to tell you what he's been telling us, that's all," Kouvr smiles kindly.

"You guys are really good at making someone feel like they've done something wrong," I chuckle nervously and look over at Vinnie who was slouched in his chair, crossed arms and looking up at his friends who were still interrogating him.

"You haven't done anything wrong. You'll just have to wait for him to tell you," she pats me on the shoulder then turns to look over at the boys, "okay, leave him alone now," she tells them.

"We're just warning him not to do anything to Maddy," Michael puts his hand on Vinnie's shoulder and bends down to his level with a glare, "I know where you live," he warns him, making me chuckle.

"Okay, I should go get ready now," Vinnie tells them as he stands up.

"And...I need to go to the bathroom," I nod and stand up as well.

"Oh, there's one just down the hall—"

"Just go," Thomas laughs and cuts Michael off, waving us away. I could see Vinnie give Thomas a small nod, silently thanking him as we leave the room and make our way towards Vinnie's.

We walk down the long hallways and into Vinnie's room. His bedsheets were hanging off of his bed and it looked like it had been weeks since he'd cleaned it.