𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒, 𝐯.𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 "𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤"

JULY 4, 2020

vinnie rotted in his room all day, rather than joining the sway house independence day bonfire. nevada left yesterday morning back to maryland, and he's barely left his bed since then.

the heartbreak manifested into physical pain and he felt as if the weight of the world was sitting on his chest. no nevada. no appetite.

how did it all go to shit so quickly? why did whatever spirit is up there decide to make an example out of him, of all people?

he looked at his phone, just notifications from his friends outside of sway bothering him with a thousand questions. he deleted instagram and turned off his tiktok comments. he couldn't deal with the hate he was receiving, especially the rumors of him cheating.

he never cared about social media. sure, it helped pay the bills, but he valued genuine connections more. he valued people seeing him as more than just a social status. that's why him and nevada got along so well.

before anything, they were friends. she knew him from tiktok before officially meeting, but she still treated him like a normal person and not some kind of sex symbol. she liked him for his soul.

vinnie felt complete with her. although she is beyond gorgeous, her beauty went so much more than skin deep, and she wasn't afraid to call him out when he would fuck up.

vinnie closed his eyes, trying to sleep off the pain and ignore the loud music coming from the outside. but, whenever he closed his eyes he saw nevada's smile. he saw them meeting for the first time.

tears started to form in his eyes. she didn't deserve this. his self-pity was interrupted by a knock on the door. before he could say anything, bryce came in and took a seat on the edge of his bed.

"not doing too well?" bryce asked, and vinnie didn't answer. "me neither," he replied to his own question.

vinnie slowly sat up, taking a sip from the water bottle on his bedside table. "i don't want it, bryce." he mumbled.

"huh?"

"i said i don't want it." he repeated louder. bryce saw the tears in his eyes forming again as he continued. "i don't want to be a dad. i don't want a kid out there sharing half of my dna with her. and this might be a dickish thing to say, but i don't want my parental rights. at all. i don't want it."

bryce uncomfortably shifted. "i'm not touching on that. nevada's adopted, and i'm not the best person to seek an unbiased opinion from. you fucked up bro and you gotta deal with it."

"i just don't know how. we've only ever done it raw once, and she was on and off the pill."

"one time is all it takes."

vinnie groaned and fell back onto the pillow, "i know. i'm so fucking stupid." bryce dryly chuckled, "that's an understatement."

"you know, you seem to be amused for someone whose own sister is the one to get the shitty end of the stick." vinnie pointed out, and got a bit scared when bryce took a moment to crack his knuckles before responding.

"it's not easy restraining myself, trust. however, vada loves you or whatever and i know she'd ghost me forever if i put her boyfriend six feet under."

"ex boyfriend."

"for fuck's sake vinnie, shut up. i have a point." bryce snapped, finally being able to add to his thought without an interruption. "listen, you fucked up badly. i mean in a way that one hundred percent cause irreversible damage. however, you never cheated. i watched that whole interaction, you never cheated."

vinnie shrugged his shoulders. "okay? whats your point. there's still an entire baby in the midst of this. i either be a dad and lose vegas for good, or i completely abandon my child and probably still lose vegas for good."

"listen," bryce placed his hand on vinnie's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him without getting too close, "i can't predict how nevada will be with any decision you make. what i do know is that sitting around here moping is the last thing you should be doing. you need to talk to her."

"i can't. you saw her and heard what she said before she left. i'm- we're dead to her. she'd never hear me out."

bryce let out a dry laugh, "i'm her brother, so she has no choice but to talk to me. but have you met nevada?"

"yes and she's stubborn."

"definitely, but she loves you. it's lowkey nauseating, but i have never seen someone so wrapped up in another person. i have never seen any of you guys act like that with anyone else in my entire life. weren't you guys friends first? you just gotta make her listen."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

nevada sat on the front porch quietly. ever since the pregnancy reveal, she hasn't had much to say. she was full of anger and pain, and didn't know how to express it.

the only thing keeping her sane was smoking a joint and watching the world. she didn't like being alone, but it was what she needed. for the first time in months, no men full of testosterone, no parties, no loud fangirls.

nevada took a deep breath as she lit her joint. sure, she had "quit," but that didn't mean she couldn't smoke every once in a while when necessary.

david, her stepdad, came out as she was inhaling and took the seat next to her. he knew the pregnancy was a sore subject for her, so he didn't want to pry. other than that, her parents have been a godsend.

they had read everything on social media, and didn't ask any questions on why nevada had abruptly returned home. they didn't treat her like she was fragile.

"you know smoking kills," david commented as nevada exhaled. nevada just shrugged her shoulders and continued on with smoking her joint. "hurts a lot less than the current shit going on."

david took in what nevada said and didn't respond, only nodded his head in agreement. he couldn't imagine what his (step)daughter was currently going through, especially at only nineteen years old.

the pair sat in silence for a while, both taking in the view from the front porch. there was a physical pain in nevada's chest. she wanted to marry vinnie. sure, she still could, but could she really happily be with someone who will always have a connection to their racist ex?

all of the firsts that nevada wanted to share with vinnie was now taken away by emily, of all people. david noticed his (step)daughter tearing up and put his arm around her. nevada rested her head on his shoulder and couldn't stop the tears coming down.

she couldn't ignore the fact that she was hurt. no amount of drugs, alcohol, avoidance could make her feel better.

loving vinnie hacker broke her.