Was It Always Me?

CREEP

ASTOR

Earlier that day

Finally, I'm home, I missed the air, the certain comfort that came with being on this turf. But this Uber is taking forever, I hate this part.

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At home

"Mama, estou em casa." I shout to the walls. I take off my shoes before Mama comes and drags me by my earlobes for walking in with dirty shoes. I wait for an answer that doesn't return. I go to the living room.

"Mama?" I ask. She was sitting there with Mrs Turner from a door over. Mama looks up with surprise.

"Astor?O que você está fazendo em casa?, she asks

"Senti sua falta e da família, então queria voltar. Vou ficar de agora em diante, "I replied

She gets up from her seat and gives her signature mama bear hug, she holds me tight, and I feel a wetness on my shoulder.

"Mama, you don't need to cry, I was always going to come back," I say, trying to comfort her.

She pulls back and says, " I know me filho, but I just missed you a lot, and I know your papa and your irmão did too."

"Good afternoon, Mrs Turner," I said after I had realized that she had been sitting there for this entire discussion. She had a look of confusion on her face. She was only in her late 30s, and her husband was in his late 50s. I always felt that she had a thing for me, but that is one thing I'll never pursue.

"Afternoon Astor," she replied in her southern drawl. She looked at me with a hint of lust, but I ignored it and kindly gestured her out of the house, which in return got a light slap across the arm from my mama.

"I told her that I would send Bernardo to go mow her lawn, but since you are here, you could do it." She says

"I don't want to," I whine, "I'm tired, and I just got back."

"Não importa, vá fazer e depois volte, tenho uma surpresa planejada para você" she says

"Yes, Mama, see you later," I said

When I got to Mrs Turner's house, her eyes literally grew up with excitement when she saw me at the door. She offered to show me how the lawn mower works like I don't know and kept touching my arm. I quickly took back my arm and started mowing the lawn. It eventually got hotter, and I took my shirt off for that sun to finally bring back my color. Two years in Europe was no joke. As I was turning around, I saw this girl standing at the fence. I was confused. She was young, but she was beautiful. Her hair was amazing, and she knew how to dress. Her mouth was wide open, gawking at me. But I knew that face from anywhere, it was Levi Rose Adams.
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*After the conversation*

That girl was always something else. There was always something that drew me to her, but she's young, and I have a girlfriend now. A beautiful European age appropriate girlfriend, I'm not some creep. When I finished up the lawn, I put the lawn mower in the garage and left before Mrs Turner could trap me. When I got home, I went straight to my bedroom upstairs. It had the perfect view of the pool and the forests surrounding our houses. I heard splashing in the pool and looked down to see her there. She looked like a mermaid, and sitting right at the edge was her brother.

I changed into my swimming suit and ran downstairs to the pool. I gestured Percy to move back quietly so that she wouldn't hear us. I think she could feel my eyes on her because she turned around as I jumped in right next to her. The water went straight into her eyes, and she started tearing up a little.

"Asshole!" She said but then looked at her brother, who seemed unphased

"Moenie vir ma sê nie neh," she replied in Afrikaans. He just shrugged and continued reading his book.

I swam up to her to check if she's OK. When she saw me, a slight blush was on her cheeks.

"You ok?" I asked

"Yeah, I'll be ok. Do you want to play mermaids?" She asked enthusiastically

I chuckled and agreed. We played for a while before the kids came. She somehow convinced them to play too, I had a slight smile. I was in awe. She was like magic.

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*Later*

After a hard day at the pool, I was tired. I couldn't stop thinking about it today but then I heard my phone ring. It had been dead when I came home earlier, so I was charging it. I had 52 missed calls and 103 messages, and it was all from Daniela. She was pissed that I didn't tell her I was busy or if I had landed safely but as I read further on, she had said that she was booking a flight now to get on a plane to America. No, no, no, this couldn't be happening, I haven't told my mom or anyone that I had a girlfriend. I haven't even seen Francis yet. I think I need to rest before the stress gets to me .