Feel Pretty

twenty six (Odell)

The party may have been simple, but the emotions swirling inside me were anything but. As I cut the cake, surrounded by the warmth of my family and friends, I tried to focus on the joy they were offering me. But my thoughts kept drifting, caught between the past and the present, tangled in memories of Diana and the unexpected tenderness I was feeling from Eli.

Eli stood close by, his eyes never straying far from me. Every time our gazes met, my heart skipped a beat. I wasn't sure what I was feeling. Was it just the comfort of having someone there for me, or was it something more?

I'd never felt this way before—this mix of confusion, warmth, and the persistent flutter in my chest. Eli had always been kind, but today, there was something different in the way he looked at me, something that made my stomach twist in knots.

After we wrapped up the small celebration at my place, Eli suggested we head over to his house to continue the evening. Everly was the first to jump at the idea, eagerly gathering her things and convincing me to do the same. Tanner was quieter, but he seemed relieved to have something to distract him from his own thoughts.

Eli's house was just as welcoming as ever, and as we walked in, the familiar coziness of the place helped ease the tension that had been building inside me. Everly was already chattering away, heading straight for the kitchen to see what snacks she could find. Tanner and I followed her, while Eli trailed behind, his eyes still on me.

When we settled into the living room, Everly and Tanner sat on the floor by the coffee table, rifling through a box of board games. Eli plopped down next to me on the couch, close enough that our legs brushed together.

"Hey," he said softly, turning to face me. "You okay?"

I nodded, though the truth was, I didn't know what I was feeling. My mind was still in a whirl from everything that had happened today, especially from the way Eli had been acting. His concern, his warmth—it was all starting to blur together, making it hard to distinguish what was friendship and what was... more.

Before I could say anything, Everly's voice cut through the room. "Let's play something fun! How about charades?" she suggested, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

Tanner chuckled. "I'm in. But only if I get to be on Eli's team. Odell's too good at guessing."

Eli grinned at that, but his gaze quickly flickered back to me. "What do you think, Odell? Up for a game?"

I nodded again, trying to push aside the confusion in my head. Maybe this was what I needed—a distraction, something to keep my mind from spiraling into thoughts I wasn't ready to face yet.

The game started, and soon enough, we were all laughing and joking around. Eli and I ended up on the same team, and despite my earlier unease, I found myself relaxing as the night went on. But every now and then, I'd catch Eli's eye, and that familiar flutter in my chest would return, reminding me that things between us weren't as simple as they used to be.

After a particularly hilarious round of charades, where Tanner dramatically acted out a scene from an old horror movie, Everly and Tanner decided to call it a night. They gave each other playful shoves as they headed out the door, leaving Eli and me alone in the living room.

The silence that followed was heavy, but not uncomfortable. Eli leaned back against the couch, his arm resting on the backrest, his fingers just inches from my shoulder.

"You did great tonight," he said softly, his voice full of that same warmth I'd been feeling all day.

I gave him a small smile, unsure of what to say. The truth was, I didn't know how to handle this new dynamic between us. It felt like something was shifting, but I couldn't tell if it was real or just in my head.

Everly suddenly reappeared in the doorway, a mischievous grin on her face. "You two look cozy," she teased, her eyes darting between us.

Eli immediately sat up straighter, a faint blush creeping up his neck. "Everly," he muttered, clearly embarrassed.

"Relax, I'm just messing with you," she said with a wink. "But you guys do make a cute pair."

My heart skipped a beat at her words, and I quickly looked down at my hands, trying to hide the blush that was creeping up my face.

Eli's eyes widened, and he turned to Everly with a mix of horror and amusement. "Okay, that's enough," he said, his voice light but firm.

Everly just laughed, clearly enjoying herself. "Alright, alright. I'll leave you two alone now. But seriously, Odell, you should come over more often. You're good for my brother."

With that, she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me and Eli in awkward silence once again.

Eli sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry about that," he said, his voice laced with embarrassment.

"It's... it's fine," I managed to reply, though my mind was still spinning. Everly's teasing had hit a little too close to home, and now, I was left wondering if there was any truth to what she said.

Eli shifted closer to me, his hand reaching out to gently touch mine. "Odell, are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft and full of concern.

I looked up at him, my heart racing. I wanted to tell him everything that was going through my head—the confusion, the fear, the way my heart seemed to leap whenever he was near. But the words caught in my throat, and all I could do was nod.

He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, his eyes never leaving mine. "You know, if there's ever anything you want to talk about, I'm here. No pressure."

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

For a moment, we just sat there, the air between us thick with unspoken words. And in that silence, I realized that whatever was happening between us, it was something I couldn't ignore anymore.

But for now, I decided to take it one step at a time. Tonight was a start—a confusing, wonderful start that I wasn't quite ready to define. But I knew that, with Eli by my side, I wouldn't have to face it alone.