Feel Pretty

four

"Della darling!" And I visibly cringed. Eli laughed at my reaction while Tan, he smiled and shook his head in a hopeless gesture.

That call was from none other than Everly Clyde, Mhm... Eli's sister. A complete opposite. She's a bitch. Her sass is sharper than knife and dare mess with her, she's a black belt in kung fu.

Suddenly two arms were on my shoulders from behind me and the next second, someone pulled a chair and sat next to me. Mhm, you know who.

"Della! I'm finally in college, we can spend more time together." She exclaimed clapping happily.

She's bubbly. What's wrong with her you say?

Well..1) She calls me Della.

She looked at me "Stopping over at my place some time?"

And faster than lightning came the answer "No!". And even faster came her glare.

"What time?" I mumbled.

Everly's eyes gleamed with triumph as she leaned closer, her grin wide and mischievous. "How about tomorrow evening? We could watch a movie or something."

I tried to muster up some kind of excuse, anything that would get me out of this, but the words seemed to stick in my throat. Eli was no help, clearly enjoying my discomfort as he raised an eyebrow in amusement. Tanner, on the other hand, gave me a sympathetic glance but wisely kept quiet.

"Uh, yeah, sure," I finally mumbled, knowing there was no way out of it now. Everly's persistence was as unyielding as her kicks during her kung fu practice.

"Great!" she chirped, clapping her hands together. "It's a date!"

I nearly choked on my own spit. "A date?" I squeaked, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. I could practically hear Eli's smirk, though I refused to look his way.

"You know what I mean, Della," Everly said with a wink. "Just some good old-fashioned hanging out. You, me, and maybe even Eli if he decides to grow a heart and tag along."

Eli finally broke his silence, laughing. "I think Odell's enough of a challenge for you, Ev. Besides, I've got plans."

"Plans," Everly echoed with a roll of her eyes. "Probably sleeping."

"Hey, don't knock it till you try it," Eli shot back with a grin. "But seriously, Odell, you're in good hands with Everly. Just don't let her drag you into one of her shopping sprees."

"Oh, you'll love it, Della," Everly said, ignoring Eli's jab. "I've been meaning to get you out of those oversized hoodies and into something more... flattering."

I felt a pang of anxiety at the thought. The last thing I wanted was to draw more attention to myself, especially not in the kind of clothes Everly considered "flattering." But I knew better than to argue with her once she'd set her mind on something.

"Sounds... fun," I said weakly, glancing at Tanner for some kind of rescue. He met my gaze with a small, understanding smile but still remained silent.

Everly clapped her hands together again, clearly satisfied with the outcome. "Perfect! I'll pick you up tomorrow after classes, then."

With that, she stood up, giving Eli a playful shove as she passed by. "Don't corrupt him too much before then," she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the crowd.

As soon as she was out of earshot, I let out a long, defeated sigh. "Why does she always do this?"

"Because she's Everly," Eli said, leaning back in his chair with a grin. "And she likes you, even if she has a strange way of showing it."

"I'm doomed," I muttered, staring down at my half-eaten lunch.

Tanner finally spoke up, his voice gentle. "She means well, Odell. Just... be yourself. That's all you can do."

I nodded, appreciating his words but still dreading the inevitable. Being myself was exactly what I was trying to avoid, especially when being myself meant being so... me.

Eli leaned forward, his playful tone softening. "Hey, we'll both be around if things get too overwhelming. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know," I replied, feeling a bit more at ease with their support. Still, I couldn't shake the nervousness that lingered in the pit of my stomach.