when i turned 18

Nostalgia {Chapter 9}

Saturday, August 3rd, 3:35 A.M.

I woke up to the shrill sound of my phone vibrating on the nightstand, signaling three missed calls from Cassidy, along with a single voicemail. With groggy eyes, I fumbled to check the notification, barely registering what she said in her voicemail before yawning and deciding to call her back.

Once Cassidy picked up, I groaned, my voice gravelly from sleep, "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

There was a hint of amusement in her voice. "I'm preparing you, silly."

Yawning once more, I asked, "For what, exactly?"

She sounded smug. "For the baby! You're gonna have to get used to waking up in the middle of the night."

Frustration bubbled up in me. "Cassidy. You don't clue me in for days at a time, you snap at me at any given moment, and now you're telling me I have to get used to this? I mean - how in the fuck am I supposed to get used to this if you don't even-"

Cassidy interrupted, "Calm down, grumpy pants. I'm just saying... since I am keeping the baby, you should stay with me and my aunt."

Confused, I replied, "You've already moved in with your aunt? And I'm supposed to move in too? I'm so confused, Cass."

Cassidy then took the time to explain the living situation in detail. She talked about her recent move, the reasons for her unresponsiveness, the necessity of switching phone plans to her aunt's, and how it would be beneficial for me to move in, considering I'm the father and her aunt has extra space.

"I see," I replied, my voice heavy with exhaustion. "Thank you for the clarification. Can I please go to sleep now?"

She calmly replied, "Yes, Andrew. You may."

As soon as she hung up, my phone slipped out of my hands, landing softly on the carpet as I drifted back into sleep.

The next morning greeted me with sunlight streaming through the window, and I reluctantly rose from bed at 11 A.M. Letting out a sleepy yawn, I shuffled into the bathroom for a quick shower before facing my reflection in the mirror.

Examining my appearance, I grimaced. "Damn, I need a haircut. My once neatly trimmed curly brown hair is slowly morphing into an unwanted mullet. No thanks."

After hastily getting dressed and attempting to tame my unruly hair, I made my way downstairs, only to find the house deserted. Both my mom and Camila were nowhere to be seen.

With a resigned sigh, I muttered to myself, "I guess I'm stuck with this bird's nest a lil' longer."

I flopped onto the couch and turned on Netflix, contemplating the texts I had received from both Cassidy and Leia, who were offering to hang out.

Cassidy's message read:
"sorry for waking you up so early. i hope mr. grumpy pants is feeling up for a milkshake 😊!! my treat, i promise"

Leia's was more straightforward:
"hi"
"hang out with me loser"

Deciding to spend time with Cassidy, despite the recent strain in our relationship, I hoped to mend things between us. My feelings for her lingered, and I couldn't deny the desire to reconnect. As for Leia, she'd understand if I postponed our plans to Monday; our friendship could weather the delay.

I arrived at Cassidy's aunt's house to pick her up, where she emerged with her short curls bouncing, wearing a vibrant yellow sundress paired with some woven espadrille sandals. As she stepped into the car, her smile lit up her face, and I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement.

After opening the door for her, we embarked on the familiar route to the diner where we had shared our memorable "first date." The sun streamed through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the road, while the gentle breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers. Cassidy chatted animatedly beside me, and I found myself eagerly anticipating the conversation and connection we would share over milkshakes and fries.