" man, I fucked up," Cameron admitted in a low voice, his eyes darting around the room as Amaryllis began to open gifts from the rest of the group"I l forgot to get Amaryllis a gift." I clenched my jaw, trying to push down my frustration. "Are you serious, Cameron? It's your girlfriend's birthday, How do you just forget something like that." I mumbled, keeping a close eye on Amaryllis to make sure she wasn't catching wind of any of this. She didn't deserve for her day to be ruined by Cameron's cluelessness. He scratched the back of his head nervously. "I know, I know. Look, can you cover for me? What'd you get her? I'll make it up to you both later, I promise." He begged and pleaded and the audacity purely pissed me off but this wasn't about me. It was about Amaryllis and today wasn't the day to ruin her happiness. Reluctantly, I nodded, realizing I had to salvage the situation. "Fine, Here" I discreetly slipped the necklace into Cameron's hands, a mix of irritation and disappointment lingered as he stood and approached her. Her face gleamed and her eyes sparkled as he stood by her side, parading my gift as if he was the perfect boyfriend. "Happy birthday, Ama," Cameron grinned, trying to cover up his earlier lapse. Amaryllis looked genuinely touched, unaware of the subtle exchange that had just transpired. As the night progressed, I couldn't ignore the pang of frustration, knowing that my genuine gesture had been masked by Cameron's forgetfulness. The crush I harbored for Amaryllis didn't make it any easier; every stolen glance at her only intensified the feeling. Cameron, oblivious to my inner turmoil, continued the charade of the perfect boyfriend. I played along, forcing smiles and laughter while grappling with the internal conflict of wanting to be genuine with Amaryllis.
25 parts