when i turned 18

Oops {Chapter 19}

As the months progressed, the ache of Cassidy's absence lingered like an unwelcome shadow. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, yet her memory haunted every corner of my existence.

I threw myself into school, hoping to drown out the echoes of our fucked up relationship. Yet, no matter how many hours I poured into it, her absence remained a constant reminder of what I had lost.

It had been five months since Cassidy left, and her absence still weighed heavily on my heart. Despite the brevity of our time together, the depth of my feelings for her remained undeniable. Yet, not a word had reached me from her since she left. She had cut off all contact, even going as far as blocking me on social media. My attempts to check on her through burner accounts did nothing; her online presence remained stagnant, frozen in time.

I tried to convince myself that she needed space to heal, but as the months passed, that hope slowly disappeared. I had allowed myself to become consumed by grief, and it was time to break free from its suffocating grip.

With a sense of determination, I decided to reclaim my life. It was time to man up.

That was easier said than done, admittedly.
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On a random Saturday afternoon, just after returning from my daily workout, I noticed Camila cleaning the kitchen out of the blue.

I took my earbuds off, puzzled, and looked at Camila. "Since when do you clean?"

Camila rolled her eyes at me, her usual attitude showing. "Since I have friends coming over."

I groaned, knowing her friends were all annoying. "Who now?"

She shot me the middle finger and continued cleaning.

I flopped onto the couch, tuning Camila out with Youtubers. Halfway through my video, she annoyingly stood in the middle of the living room, blocking the TV.

I tossed a pillow at her, groaning, "Bro, move, I'm tryna watch something."

She crossed her arms, a stern expression on her face. "We need this TV for music. Watch your YouTube shit upstairs in your room like the NERD you are."

Before I could retort, Dashawn and Leia walked in, a fact Camila hadn't informed me about, and one of them was my friend.

I quickly got up from my slouched state, standing with my arms crossed, as Leia walked excitedly over to me, "Hii, Andrew! I hope Camila told you I came over to swim."

I snuck an annoyed look at Camila, knowing she did this on purpose. Then looked at Leia, forcing a smile, "Yeah, she did— I just forgot."

Leia laughed, "You literally have the mind of a grandma with dementia," then walked toward our guest bathroom to change into her swimsuit.

Dashawn daps me up as we casually catch up before he goes up to Camila's room to change.

Leia enters a few minutes later, grabbing my attention with a vibrant red two-piece bikini. Her cleavage is highlighted by the top's hugging contours, and her legs are lengthened by the bottom's daringly high-cut sides. With every assured step, the strategically placed cutouts along the sides and back reveal more skin, adding to her attractiveness.

"Holy shit, she looks stunning," I muttered to myself as Leia walked across the room, her elegant figure drawing my attention.

Leia rolls her eyes as she walks over to me, taking a seat next to me on the plush couch. She gazes at me, maintaining eye contact with an arched eyebrow. "You know it's rude to stare, creep."