Blinded

Chapter 19

Clarence POV
The camera kept rolling as I scrolled through my phone, trying to focus on the task at hand, but I couldn't help but get distracted by the notifications flashing across my screen. Another message from a fan. Another girl tagging me in a post. Another brand deal popping up in my inbox. Life was moving fast, and I was definitely keeping up.

I leaned back in my chair, letting the excitement of the moment settle in. It was crazy to think how much had changed in the past year. My social media was blowing up, YouTube views were through the roof, and every other day, I was seeing my face on someone's screen—whether it was a brand campaign or a video collab. Everything was happening at once.

And yeah, there was something else: The attention. So many girls messaging me, sliding into my DMs, commenting on my posts. It felt different now. More intense. It wasn't just random people anymore—it was serious. Everyone was after me. And honestly? I was living for it.

As I sifted through the comments on my last post, I felt a buzz in my chest. I'd put out a new video earlier that day, and people were already hyping it up. My followers were steadily growing. A new wave of fans, all interested in who I was, what I was doing, and—yeah, let's be honest—how I looked.

But amidst all the attention, one thought crept into my mind—Kayla.

I smiled to myself for a second. It had been a minute since we last talked, but I wasn't stressing it. We were cool now, more like friends. At first, I was kinda hung up on her—yeah, she was a vibe, no doubt. But now, looking at everything I had going on, I realized I was overthinking it.

She was doing her thing, I was doing mine. No harm, no foul. She'd built this crazy empire of her own, and honestly, I was proud of her. A lot of people would have taken advantage of the kind of spotlight she had, but she wasn't just playing the game—she was dominating it. And I respected that.

But I wasn't tripping anymore. There was no drama, no expectations. I could admit, though, she had a different kind of energy. It wasn't like other girls, and yeah, it had been fun flirting a little, but now... It was clear: We were best friends now. At least that's how I saw it. She had her own life to live, and I had mine. I wasn't looking for anything more from her, and I don't think she was either.

That was the thing with her. She was always a little out of my league in the best way. Not just because of her looks, but because of her drive, her ambition. I respected her for that, and that was where we stood now—respect.

I glanced back at the camera as the crew was waiting for me to pick up the pace.

"Yo, sorry about that," I said, adjusting myself in my chair and refocusing. "So, yeah, I've been getting mad attention from girls lately, but honestly, I can't really complain. I've been super focused on my YouTube grind, and it's paying off. I'm out here living, getting brand deals, making content, and—of course—getting tons of love from all these people who support me. It's a good time."

I smiled to myself, but in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think about how far I'd come, how much things had changed. Kayla, in her own way, had been a part of that, even if we weren't on each other's radar in that way anymore.

I pulled myself back to the present, reminding myself that I wasn't the same guy I was a year ago. I'd grown, learned a lot, and had tons of fun. The attention I was getting now felt deserved, and I wasn't about to let a little thing like an old crush get in the way of all that.

"Alright, alright," I said, turning back to the camera with a grin. "Let's get back to the business, yeah? Y'all know I got a lot more in store."

After the shoot wrapped, I headed back to the spot with the crew. One of the guys passed me a drink, and I leaned into the corner of the room, just watching everything unfold. Music was bumping, lights were low, and everywhere I turned, there were girls—bad ones—giving me the kind of looks that used to be rare for me. Now? It was normal.