Blinded

Chapter 13

Clarence POV

I lean back in my chair, phone in hand, scrolling through my socials. It's like second nature by now. The numbers are rolling in—subscribers, likes, comments. This is my world. I've got my brand locked down. People come for the humor, the charm, and the good looks. Simple formula, but it works. And it's paying off.

I swipe through my notifications. A few comments from my last post:

"Bro, you be too funny 😂"
"You're killing it with the fit"
"Yo, that smile got me weak."

I grin at the screen. Yeah, I know exactly what they're feeling. It's simple, but effective. People love a guy who makes 'em laugh while looking effortless. I've learned how to sell that. I give them just enough—keep 'em hooked, keep 'em wanting more, without doing too much.

I pull up my YouTube analytics. Views climbing, steady growth. Subscribers coming in, fast. Forty K a month. Not bad for just being myself, making a joke here and there. Money's cool, but the engagement? The fact that people are paying attention? That feels way better.

I swipe over to my Instagram. More likes, more comments. People liking the vibe, the casual swagger. I start thinking about what's next. What can I do to keep it fresh? How can I level up?

I pull up the camera on my phone. Time for a quick video. The usual. I know my audience by now—they like the jokes, the casual humor, the little bits of charm. Time to give 'em what they want.

"Yo, what's good, fam? So, I was thinking, right? Everyone out here trying to act all serious with it, but honestly? All you gotta do is just not care and the rest falls into place." I smile into the camera. "Like, I'll show up, and y'all already losing your minds. It's that easy. But I'm gonna keep my secrets for now."

I pause, check myself in the screen. It's perfect. This is what they want. Keep it casual, keep it funny. Keep 'em coming back.

"But nah, for real. Big moves coming soon. Catch you on the flip."

I hit stop and glance at my phone again. More notifications, more comments. The numbers go up. Not bad. Not bad at all.

But then my mind starts drifting. I know I shouldn't be thinking about her right now, but I can't help it.

Kayla.

She's been on my mind more than I want to admit. It's not just her looks—though yeah, she's got those in spades. It's the way she carries herself. The way she challenges me. Keeps me on my toes. I don't know what it is, but something about her has me hooked. And I hate how much I'm thinking about her right now.

Trey walks in from the other room, tapping on his phone. "Yo, bro, you've been quiet. Got something cooking?"

I look up at him, shaking myself out of the moment. "Yeah, just thinking about what's next for the brand. Gotta keep the content rolling, right?"

He grins. "Always, bro. Always."
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As the hours pass, the idea of collaborating with Kayla lingers in the back of my mind. I'm scrolling through my phone, looking for inspiration, but all I can think about is how we could kill it together. A video where she's talking all that smack while I match her energy—pure gold.

I text her later that night, just casually throwing the idea out there. "Yo, you ever thought about doing a collab? I think it'd be fun."

I'm keeping it low-key, no pressure. But I'm lowkey excited to hear her response. I'm also wondering how she'll react to the idea. Kayla's a little unpredictable, but I like that about her.

It's not long before my phone buzzes with a reply. "Mmm. What you got in mind?"

I grin, typing back quickly, trying to keep it cool. "Something fun, a little challenge or reaction video. You know, a vibe. We're both funny, and we'd get the people talking."

There's a pause, and for a second, I wonder if she's going to shoot it down. But then my phone lights up with her message. "Bet. But I warn you, I'm not here to play nice. You ready for the heat?"

I can't help but laugh. "Bring it, I'm all about the smoke."

We leave it at that, but I'm already planning it in my head—what the video could look like, how the energy would be. Kayla's fire, her sass, the way she can turn up without even trying. I know it's gonna work.

A couple of days later, we make it happen. We meet at her place to shoot some content, and when she opens the door, she's dressed down—like, barely dressed. She's got on these tiny shorts, a big hoodie that's almost falling off her shoulder, and her curls are wild—messy and frizzy like she just woke up. But somehow, she looks perfect.

She looks me up and down, her eyes narrowing a little as she shuts the door behind me. "You ready for this?"

I try to play it cool, but damn, the way she's looking right now? It's hard not to let my eyes linger on her. "Always," I say, clearing my throat. "You look... good."

She smirks, turning away to grab her camera gear. "I'm sure you've seen better. But I'm just here to help you out, right?"

I chuckle, trying not to get caught up in her teasing. "We'll see about that. Let's just get this done and make it fire."

She sets up the camera, flipping her hair over her shoulder in a way that almost makes me lose my focus. She's got this casual confidence about her—like she's not even trying to be sexy, but it's all there. The curves, the way the hoodie barely hangs on her, and the way her messy curls bounce as she moves.

I set up next to her, adjusting the lighting and the angle, but it's hard to concentrate with her standing there, looking like that. She glances over at me, noticing the way my gaze keeps flicking to her.

"Something you like, Clarence?" she says, the playful edge in her voice making me smile despite myself.

I grin, shaking my head. "You know, I just think it's funny how you're acting like you're not doing something on purpose."

She shrugs, completely unbothered. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. You'll never know."

The tension between us is thicker now. And I can tell she's loving it. She's got a way of pushing buttons without even trying, and it's driving me crazy.

"Let's just get this content done," I say, trying to keep it professional.

But even as we start recording, her energy is hard to ignore. She's got this flirtatious way about her, even when we're just talking about dumb challenges or throwing random insults at each other. The whole time, I can't stop thinking about how good she looks, how effortlessly she owns the space.

And the more I'm around her, the more I realize—I don't just want to make content with her. I want to keep her close. Not just because of the video or the numbers, but because there's something about her that pulls me in, and I don't know how to escape it.

We finish recording, and Kayla just flops onto the couch like she's exhausted from the energy she's been putting out. I sit down next to her, glancing over at her again, trying not to let my thoughts wander.

She turns her head to me, that smirk playing on her lips. "You good, Clarence?"

I blink, trying to pull myself together. "Yeah, just thinking."

She raises an eyebrow, looking a little more intrigued than usual. "About what?"

I take a breath, looking over at her. "Nothing. Just... about how much better this is gonna be when we post it."

She chuckles, but there's something else behind her eyes now. "Sure, Clarence. Whatever you say."

But as we sit there, the way she looks at me, the way her body language softens, I know one thing for sure.

This is far from just business.