Feel Pretty

thirteen (Tanner)

The day had been unusually chaotic. I was busy with my physiotherapy assignments and trying to manage the little drama that Eli and Odell seemed to stir up. Eli had been particularly restless today, and his antics were starting to wear thin.

It all started when Eli began pacing around the apartment, his face a mixture of frustration and impatience. He had been grumbling about Odell's absence for the past hour.

"Ugh, where is Odell?" Eli whined, throwing himself onto the couch dramatically. "I need him here now."

Everly, who had been lounging on the other end of the couch, raised an eyebrow. "Eli, seriously? You're acting like a kid who's missed their nap time."

Eli shot her a look. "I'm just saying, he's been gone forever. I can't handle his absence like this."

Everly rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Well, he's not exactly going to magically appear if you keep whining."

Feeling a bit exasperated by the situation, I decided to intervene. "How about I call him? Maybe he's just caught up in something."

I dialed Odell's number and waited for him to pick up. After a few rings, he answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Odell. It's Tanner. Your boyfriend's throwing fits over here," I said, trying to keep my tone light.

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "My what now?"

"Eli," I clarified. "He's being really dramatic about you not being around."

"Oh," Odell replied, sounding somewhat surprised. "I didn't realize he was that upset."

There was a pause, and I could almost hear Odell processing the information. "What should I do?"

"Where are you?" I asked, trying to get a better sense of his situation.

"Out after a meeting," he responded.

"Come collect your child from the janitor's room," I said, trying to keep the tone light. "I have a class now. Goodbye."

"Wait—" Odell began, but I cut him off with a quick beep as I ended the call.

I turned to Everly, who was now barely containing her laughter. "Well, that should get him moving."

Everly chuckled. "I have to say, you have a knack for handling these situations."

I shrugged, trying to suppress a smile. "It's all part of the job."

A few minutes later, I could hear Eli grumbling louder than usual as he paced around the apartment. The doorbell rang, and Eli stopped mid-stride, looking at me with a mix of curiosity and annoyance.

"Who's that?" Eli demanded.

I smirked. "It's probably Odell. Momma's here to pick you up darling."

He glared at me before his face lit up with a mix of relief and embarrassment as he went to open the door. Sure enough, Odell was standing there, looking a bit awkward but determined.

"Hey, Eli," Odell said, stepping inside. "I heard you were having a rough time. Sorry about that."

Eli's expression softened as he saw Odell. "I'm sorry for being a drama queen. I just missed you, that's all."

Odell smiled, shaking his head. "It's okay. I understand. Let's get out of here and do something to take your mind off things."

Eli grinned, his earlier frustration seemingly forgotten. "Sounds good."

As they left, I watched them go with a sense of satisfaction. Sometimes, managing their little dramas was a part of life, but seeing them happy made it all worthwhile.

Everly, who had been observing the whole thing, gave me a knowing look. "Well, that was entertaining."

I nodded, chuckling. "Yeah, it was. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming."

As the door closed behind them, I felt a sense of calm settle over me. It was nice to see Odell and Eli together, finding their balance and making each other happy. Even if it meant dealing with a bit of melodrama along the way.