𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐅𝐈𝐓𝐒, 𝐯.𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫 ✔️

𝟐𝟒. 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

*** the picture up there is to give you guys an idea of what it all looked like :)

•••

"no, dani, i swear you're going to love this," vinnie said as he was holding the girl's hand and pulling her to an unknown location.

dani was excited, but she was also scared that vinnie was going to kidnap her, "then why blindfold me? i thought blindfolds were only part of when we experiment?"

vinnie chuckled and looked over at her, "you're so gross."

"how am i the gross one when you—"

"okay, dani! please don't remind me," he cut her off and tried to contain his laughter. that happened only one time and she still brings it up.

while still holding hands, vinnie lead her somewhere and she heard a door close behind them. the warm california air soon turned cold.

dani tried looking around to the best of her ability, but she was still blindfolded so it was useless. "where are we?" she asked.

vinnie stood behind her and took off her blindfold, and she looked at the place in absolute awe.

it was an abandoned garage that vinnie decorated to make it look like a winter wonderland.

"you've always talked about how you wanted to go to new york to see what it's like during the wintertime. so, i just kinda... tried to bring it here."

there were white fairy lights hung up all around the room. cut-out snowflakes were hanging from the ceiling and the walls. a few fake white trees were lined up against the wall, and a few were in the center of the place. there was a huge white rug on the floor with two pillows and it was surrounded by fake snow. on the huge empty area was the wall in front of it, was a projector of times square. there was a fan blowing in the corner to add more realism to the weather aspect of it.

dani was at a loss for words. nobody has ever gone to this length for her, "vinnie— i— where did you— how did you— why—"

"magic," he replied and shot her a wink.

the smile on dani's face grew and she gave vinnie the biggest hug while jumping up and down, "thank you, vinnie!! i love it so much!" she squealed.

she walked into the center of the place and did a twirl while looking up at the lights. she felt like a princess. vinnie was mesmerized by her. the way the light reflected off of her face made her look angelic.

"cold?" he asked, knowing she was probably was, considering she was only wearing a black and white tube top and a matching skirt.

"yeah," dani laughed, "kind of."

vinnie took off the black hoodie he was wearing and gave it to her. "i should've asked you to bring a jacket, my bad."

"it's okay," she smiled and got on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek, "your hoodie looks better on me anyways." it came down all the way to her knees, but she wasn't lying.

"oh! how could i forget? it wouldn't be a dani and vin hangout if there wasn't ice cream. i bought some before i picked you up. i'll be right back. go get comfortable." he nodded his head towards the rug and pillows and dani made her way over there.

•••

vinnie anxiously walked to his car. it was very unlike him. he's one of the star football players at school. he's the confident asshole that can get any girl. he's the BMOC.

so why is it some girl he barely paid any attention to before that's making him nervous?

he unlocked the car and grabbed the two carts of ice cream and the plastic spoons that were in a bag in the backseat. his hands trembled as he reached over and got the sign he kept behind it.

it simply said "DANI, HOMECOMING?" with polka dots, drawings of snowflakes, and different stickers of ice cream. it might've been corny, but he decorated it with his heart, along with the help of his baby sister.

"she's going to love it, regardless," he remembered his mom saying.

"who would've thought? my son settling for a girl. you know, i actually met your mother in highschool. is she pretty?" his dad asked after seeing it.

"absolutely beautiful," vinnie replied.

he was shaking while reading the sign over and over again. it was just two-word question, but there were so many possible outcomes.

dani could laugh at him. she could say no. there could be someone else.

"no. i can't do it," vinnie said to himself. this is the first time he's ever been hesitant asking out a girl.

"we're just friends with benefits," he muttered as he put the sign back into the seat. he couldn't risk the heartbreak.

•••

"ice cream delivery for a very pretty girl," vinnie walked back into the decorated garage and sat up next to dani on the rug.

she looked at gasped, "chocolate chip cookie dough? bro, stop spoiling me before i propose!"

vinnie knew that she was just joking, but it still made him smile. dani, on the other hand, was so confused as to why he was suddenly being so nice.

"we haven't really hung out without ulterior motives if you— uh— get what i'm saying," he managed to make out.

"i know," dani looked down and moved her spoon around in the ice cream, "i'm surprised that we are hanging out without sex, though."

"and why is that?"

she shrugged her shoulders, "i don't know. i just thought after that first time, the friendship we had before would never be the same again."

"dani," vinnie playfully pushed her shoulder, "i'll always be your friend, benefits or not," he sat the ice cream down and laid on his back. dani joined him, wrapping her arms around his waist and listening to his breathing.

he lifted his arm and tucked a strand of hair behind dani's ear. she was taken off guard and let out a slight gasp.

she started to feel different, but in a good way. however, she knew that was something she'd never admit to anybody.

author's note:

payne 💔 this flashback was v
cute. a guy could literally do that
for me and i'd still be like "i
think he only sees me as a friend."