#* ˚ ♡ ◞ ꜱᴛᴀᴄᴇʏ ᴏʀᴛɪᴢ / ft. vinnie .

[flirticst]

a closed starter for VINNIE , @chcrrybcmbs !

her icy disposition differed from the former level of comfort that stacey had developed in the males presence , sour feelings harbored . ones that were only likely to grow stronger , if she managed to draw out any further truths from vinnie that had still gone unspoken . truths that she'd already safely assumed in her mind . " if you've got anything you want to tell me , tell me now " emotionless expression washed over features as she addressed the other , arms folded firmly over her chest as a sure sign that her defense was well and truly up , " ― because i will find out either way . "

[flirticst]

" the luckiest " teasing tone returns , the irony likely not lost on them given he deserved much more than the femme could offer , him the better person . at least , they could laugh about it . dark hues narrow , seemingly unimpressed with his coy little act . though truthfully , stacey found this impish side of him to be one she enjoyed most . " real fucking cute , vincent " a playful snigger laced with equal parts sarcasm as a grin tugged at corner of lips , outstretched hand gripping softly on his chin to guide his gaze right back to her . " i said you're an asshole " she lied in jest , " it's not very fucking ' southern gentleman ' of you to keep a lady waiting , you know . "

a  knowing  nod  coming  from  him  ,  "  didn't  think  so  ,  "  tone  not  quite  filled  with  disappointment  but  instead  amusement  .  brow  raising  slightly  at  her  playful  sentiment  ,  the  chuckle  that  falls  from  him  not  easily  covered  .  "  aren't  i  a  lucky  guy  ,  then  ?  "  his  own  playful  quip  landing  within  the  back  seat  between  them  .  gaze  drifting  away  from  her  as  if  he  can't  hear  her  complaints  ,  the  dramatics  bringing  a  slight  smirk  to  the  singer's  features  .  taking  in  the  scenery  surrounding  the  outside  of  the  vehicle  .  "  did  you  say  something  ?  "  he  hums  ,  teasing  tone  lacing  his  words  --  the  clueless  act  more  than  easy  for  him  to  play  up  .             

[flirticst]

" you're gonna be walking around with me on your arm , how could you ever look foolish ? " unserious as ever , with a response that was unlikely to satisfy , it would be easy to assume that their feelings on the situation differed dramatically . but while stacey was never a fan of being told what to do , the femme put up little fight at the scheme . her reputation was definitely suffering as she continued to wrap herself up in the wrong kind of scandals , so much so that the notion of a feigned romance seemed like an easier feat to face than her own twisted love life . something she could at least enjoy . and vinnie ? well , he was a sweetheart , if his generous reputation proceeded him , and certainly easy on the eye ... there were much worse people she could have been thrown into the deep with . though , she doubted the blonde shared a similar sentiment . leaning back in her seat , the brunette indulged in another french fry as orbs scan their surroundings , smirk emerging at the attention they were already seemingly gaining . " first of ... i don't need to compete with bianca to try and stay relevant , if that's what you're insinuating " model retorts , elbows now rested upon the table to lean in closer to the male , " and second , you need to relax . this will be fun " a dainty hand reaches to rest upon his , the simplest form of affection that she can offer , impish glint evident in chocolate hues , " i'll be like ... the best girlfriend ever . "

anything  but  the  poster  boy  for  fake  relationships  .  'that's  what  made  this  perfect'  ,  his  team  pushed  .  vinnie  didn't  half  -  ass  anything  though  and  as  the  musician  leaned  back  in  his  chair  ,  blue  orbs  looking  over  the  model  he  wondered  how  he  could  possibly  half  -  ass  caring  about  someone  .  he  wasn't  an  actor  and  certainly  wasn't  diluted  down  to  some  clout  chasing  monstrosity  by  the  hollywood  air  .  brain  screaming  for  him  to  run  for  the  hills  (  or  as  far  away  from  the  hillz  as  possible  )  .  sigh  falling  off  pink  lips  :  she  was  beautiful  ,  breathtakingly  so  .  they'll  look  good  together  ,  he  knew  that  much  but  would  it  be  worth  the  hassle  ?  the  headache  of  having  stacey  ortiz  on  his  arm  .  "  ----  just  don't  make  me  look  like  a  fool  ,  yeah  ?  "  it's  a  genuine  ask  .  knowing  he  could  keep  up  on  his  end  ,  his  trust  not  so  firmly  planted  in  the  brunette  .  cautious  eyes  wander  around  ,  already  noting  certain  tables  eyeing  the  two  of  them  .  silver  clad  hand  wrapping  around  his  glass  ,  sip  taken  as  his  gaze  falls  back  on  her  .  "  so  is  it  true  ?  "  another  genuine  question  ,  seemingly  chalk  full  of  those  ,  "  what  your  team  says  ?  or  do  you  just  like  the  idea  of  arm  candy  with  your  friend's  little  marriage  stunt  going  on  ?  "              

closed starter for stacey ( @flirticst ) , zinque cafe in west hollywood .

[flirticst]

no , stacey did not like country ... a fact that would likely surprise no one . but she was always capable of pretending if it would continue to keep things sweet between the pair . " i mean , it's not the first thing i'd choose to listen to ... " an obvious attempt to cleverly avoid admittance , charming grin plastered on her lips to serve as a pretty distraction , " but i would , for you " sentiments offered lacked authenticity but were playful and light hearted in tone . not that vinnie would likely expect anything more , given the nature of their relationship . " wrong ... i'm impatient , suspense kills me " the model returned with feigned dramatics .

"  is  there  ?  "  sucking  at  his  teeth  as  he  pondered  on  her  notion  .  weirdly  enough  ,  vinnie  had  never  been  one  to  gatekeep  his  unreleased  songs  .  if  she  wanted  to  hear  what  he  was  working  on  ,  it  was  just  this  easy  .  "  do  you  even  like  country  ?  "  he  manages  to  tease  back  in  rebuttal  ,  chuckle  coming  from  him  as  blue  orbs  peer  over  in  her  direction  .  the  smile  that  came  to  her  was  enough  to  remind  him  ,  it  really  was  the  thought  that  counted  with  things  like  this  .  "  i  don't  know  ,  i  reckon  a  little  suspense  never  hurt  nobody  .  "        

[flirticst]

' i wasn't thinking about how you'd look ' , the words were enough to cement in stacey's mind that vinnie truly was no better than any other man , and the respect and decency she offered him out of good will was truly just a waste of her own time given that he didn't consider to give her the same back . a notion that did not sit well with the femme . " oh ... you didn't , huh ? " retort is bitter , sardonic snigger to follow , " so i was just to risk my own personal relationships for this while you were just to get to do whatever the fuck you want ? " a hostile response , given that said relationship in question was now strained due to the consideration she shouldn't have offered to the male . " oh ... you stupid , stupid boy " condescension blatant in tone , stacey even managed a smile because karma was sure enough to come back to bite him in the ass , " you really don't have a fucking clue what you've gotten yourself into " and warning him proved pointless , not that she cared to offer him any further assistance any more . sitting back in her seat , expression fell flat and void of emotion as arms folded over her chest , " you can tell your manager to arrange a meeting with mine . i want out . "

growing  quiet  ,  just  a  muted  hum  coming  from  him  as  he  nods  along  to  her  words  .  she  was  right  ,  end  of  story  .  "  i  never  said  you  were  shady  ,  "  that  was  never  the  undertone  of  his  words  ,  his  wariness  stemming  from  his  past  , not  hers  .  he  was  sure  ,  now  she  wouldn't  believe  that  no  matter  what  he  said  .  "  i  wasn't  thinking  about  how  you'd  look  ,  "  words  come  off  mildly  cold  but  it's  the  truth  and  perhaps  that  was  the  sharp  reminder  that  none  of  this  was  actually  real  between  them  because  if  it  were  his  attraction  to  her  former  best  friend  wouldn't  trump  his  respect  for  stacey  .  gritty  breath  let  out  ,  "  i  muddied  things  up  ,  "  he  admits  ,  "  but  ,  i'm  not  going  to  stay  away  from  her  ...  "  a  certain  defiance  in  his  voice  that  was  rare  .  did  he  feel  bad  ?  immensely  .  that  didn't  change  what  he  saw  in  bianca  though  .    

[flirticst]

" some new songs , huh ? " femme probed with the quirk of sculpted brows , " i mean ... surely there's an unspoken rule that girlfriends get the privilege of a little sneak peak , right ? real or not " but stacey was merely chancing her luck , the likelihood of him actually wishing to share such a thing with her at any point slim , despite the genuine interest that fueled teasing prompts . his words to follow , however , had taken her back . " you brought me something ? " authentic smile slowly curls at the corner of her lips , a gesture she could appreciate to be genuine in nature given just how decent of a person he'd shown himself to be . whether she was deserving ? well , that was debatable . " well ... do i get it now ? or are you gonna keep me hanging in suspense ? "

chuckle  bellowing  from  the  male  ,  head  dipping  slightly  into  a  subtle  nod  ,  "  and  we  both  know  i'd  hate  to  do  that  ,  "  and  while  his  tone  matches  her  own  teasing  one  ,  there  is  a  bit  of  genuinity  to  his  words  .  kind  eyes  still  prevail  even  when  they're  shielded  from  all  the  flashing  cameras  within  the  confines  of  the  vehicle  .  he  did  find  himself  caring  about  the  brunette  beside  him  just  not  in  the  sense  the  world  had  come  to  believe  .  he  supposed  that  was  what  made  it  all  feel  less  like  a  lie  .  her  company  not  something  he  dreaded  or  felt  as  if  he  needed  to  tip  -  toe  on  eggshell  with  any  longer  .  "  good  ,  "  he  nods  ,  soft  grin  pulling  at  his  features  ,  "  just  saw  family  back  home  ,  did  some  last  minute  workshopping  on  some  songs  ,  "  he  shrugs  ,  texas  would  always  be  home  to  him  --  los  angeles  simply  a  stop  along  the  way  that's  lasted  much  longer  than  he'd  ever  truly  intended  .  "  i  did  bring  you  back  something  ,  mom  insisted  ,  "  his  mother  knew  the  truth  ,  the  woman  was  a  vault  ,  but  she  still  managed  to  feel  an  affinity  towards  any  woman  in  vinnie's  life  --  call  it  southern  hospitality  ,  he  supposed  .        

[flirticst]

" don't be a smart ass " others response clearly wasn't received well by the femme , cold quip coming with a look that could potentially kill . a side of the model that he likely wasn't unfamiliar with , but hadn't experienced in quite some time given how comfortably they had managed to fall into their arrangement . or so , stacey thought . " ― what was it that you made me promise at the start of this ? " a pause for dramatic affect as femme pretended to think , " ah , right ... you made me promise not to humiliate you , right ? because i'm just that shady of a person that it was only expected that i'd do something to fuck this all up " tone was sardonic as she let out a snigger . and honestly , vinnie wasn't wrong to have came to such assumptions . but stacey had held him in high enough regard to develop a degree of respect for the seemingly southern sweetheart . a mutual respect , she believed . " so tell me ... how the fuck do you think it makes me look when you're spotted leaving clubs late at night with my former best friend ? " an important factor which made this all the more difficult for stacey to swallow , given that bianca would likely take great satisfaction in seeing the girl laughed at in the media .

this  was  an  entirely  new  situation  for  him  ,  in  more  ways  than  one  .  the  facade  they  were  carrying  on  between  them  hard  enough  but  to  find  himself  between  two  woman  throughout  it  was  even  more  of  a  shock  to  his  system  .  it  wasn't  him  ,  his  mother  would  likely  ream  him  a  new  ass  for  this  ,  if  she  knew  .  he  could  feel  the  shift  in  her  demeanor  with  him  instantly  ,  their  run  in  -  in  new  york  enough  of  a  catalyst  for  it  .  "  want  to  tell  you  ?  "  he  questions  ,  as  if  to  buy  himself  some  time  .  one  thing  vinnie  wasn't  was  a  liar  ,  he'd  have  no  choice  but  to  tell  her  if  she  asked  him  but  he  also  struggled  with  the  idea  of  owning  up  to  breaking  a  promise  ...  even  if  it  was  one  he  didn't  quite  understand  why  he  had  to  make  it  .  "  don't  really  want  to  tell  you  anything  right  now  ...  "  he  motions  toward  her  arms  folded  across  her  chest  ,  "  from  the  looks  of  it  you  don't  really  want  to  hear  what  i  have  to  say  ,  body  language  speaks  volumes  ,  yknow  ?  "      

[flirticst]

" oh , i'd believe you ... " femme admits in a quick response , " but i'd also be very fucking offended " though the playful tone that laces her words is telling enough that she's simply teasing the male . stacey couldn't blame him for wanting to escape for a while , envious that she didn't have her own place of solace to retreat to . but she'd be lying if she wasn't happy with his return , managing to develop an odd sense of comfort in his presence through forced time spent together . accepting chivalrous gestures , the brunette is happy for him to lead her back into the car and away from frenzied photographers . demeanor relaxes into that of a more genuine approach , sinking comfortably into her seat as chocolate hues follow him as he situates himself , letting a moment of silence fall over them before she speaks up , " so , how was it ? " question genuine in nature .

play  it  up  ,  publicists  voice  echos  in  his  ear  .  arms  wrapping  around  the  models  petite  frame  ,  giving  her  a  playful  spin  as  he  lifts  her  up  off  her  feet  for  a  moment  ,  a  kiss  on  the  cheek  in  greeting  .  the  smile  on  his  face  shifts  though  from  a  forced  one  to  a  more  genuine  one  at  her  comment  and  he  can't  help  the  chuckle  that  falls  from  him  ,  "  would  you  believe  me  if  i  said  i  debated  canceling  my  flight  ?  "  whispered  tone  in  her  ear  so  only  she  can  make  out  the  words  .  eyes  flickering  between  her  and  the  vehicle  ,  "  come  on  ,  "  offering  his  hand  to  help  steady  her  to  get  back  in  .  driver  already  working  on  tossing  his  belongings  into  the  trunk  .  he  supposed  even  if  forced  ,  it  was  nice  having  a  familiar  face  greeting  him  upon  his  return  .  it  was  better  than  simply  having  the  frenzy  that  was  building  .            

[flirticst]

it was far earlier than stacey liked , but her attendance at the airport wasn't so much of an option as it was a demand that she'd have to happily comply with . and so she waited , expensive shades masking tired hues , until sudden frenzy from outside notifies her of her boyfriend's presence . and she knew she was likely to be met with criticism from her team if she wasn't to get out of the car and greet him like the loving partner who had so dearly missed her other half , like they'd all expect . soft sigh escapes , bleak expression lifting with the bright smile she forces upon lips , stepping outside of the vehicle to welcome the male in warm embrace . " welcome back " soft utterings in his ear are no more than a comical quip , given she knew that he'd likely much rather be anywhere else , " not too late to go back , you know ... it's as shitty here as it's always been " she comments quietly , adoring expression she wears making it easy for on lookers to believe that it was a sweet little sentiment shared privately between the pair .

DELIVERY : closed starter for stacey ( @flirticst ) . lax airport .

he'd  spent  the  time  between  venice  and  now  back  home  in  texas  .  tucked  away  on  the  countryside  ,  finishing  up  some  writing  for  his  upcoming  album  .  back  to  this  false  reality  the  hillz  had  shaded  over  his  life  .  being  away  for  such  a  stint  ,  the  two's  teams  were  adamant  that  the  first  person  he  needed  to  see  when  he  returned  to  los  angeles  was  stacey  .  security  surrounding  him  as  he  made  his  way  out  of  the  airports  sliding  doors  .  blue  orbs  catch  the  window  sliding  down  to  reveal  his  girlfriend  (  atleast  from  the  public's  perspective  )  .  making  his  way  toward  the  vehicle  ,  acutely  aware  of  the  flashes  from  paparazzi  cameras  as  he  did  so  .