Feel Pretty

thirty (Eli)

The moment Odell kissed my cheek, everything shifted. It was like time stood still, and all I could focus on was the warmth of his lips against my skin. It was quick, barely more than a brush, but it left me reeling, my heart hammering in my chest long after he slipped inside his house.

I stood on his porch for a few moments, trying to process what had just happened. Odell had kissed me. Sure, it wasn't on the lips, but it was still a kiss. A kiss from the person who had occupied my thoughts for longer than I cared to admit. It was almost surreal, but the sensation of his touch lingered like a pleasant warmth spreading through me.

As I walked back to my place, my thoughts were all over the place. Part of me wanted to rush back and ask him what it meant, while another part wanted to savor the moment, let it sit with me a little longer before diving into the complicated feelings I'd been trying to sort out for weeks.

When I got home, Everly was already waiting for me. She was sprawled out on the couch, scrolling through her phone, but she looked up the moment I walked in. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost—or won the lottery," she teased, setting her phone down. "What happened?"

I hesitated, not sure how to explain the tangle of emotions I was feeling. "Odell kissed me," I finally blurted out, still trying to wrap my head around it.

Everly's smirk widened, and she shot up from the couch, excitement dancing in her eyes. "No way! Details, now!"

"It was just on the cheek," I said quickly, trying to downplay it, but the way my heart fluttered whenever I thought about it made it impossible to hide the smile creeping up on my face.

"That's still huge!" Everly exclaimed, bouncing on her toes. "What did you do? What did you say?"

"I... I didn't do much," I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. "It happened so fast. I just stood there like an idiot, then he said goodnight and went inside."

Everly groaned in frustration, flopping back onto the couch. "Eli! You have to do something! He's totally into you!"

"Yeah, but... what if he isn't? What if it was just a friendly thing, and I'm reading too much into it?" I asked, all my insecurities rushing to the surface.

Everly rolled her eyes. "You're being ridiculous. He's been blushing around you, letting you hold his hand, and now he kissed you. I think the signs are pretty clear."

I sat down next to her, feeling a mixture of excitement and dread. "But what if it ruins everything? What if I tell him how I feel, and it makes things weird between us?"

Everly sighed, leaning over to rest her head on my shoulder. "You've been avoiding this for a long time, Eli. And you know what? Life is too short for 'what ifs.' If you really care about him, you owe it to both of you to be honest about how you feel."

I mulled over her words, realizing that she was right. Odell had become more than just a friend to me, and I couldn't keep ignoring the way my heart raced whenever he was near. If there was even the slightest chance that he felt the same way, I needed to take it.

"Okay," I said, nodding slowly. "But I don't want to rush him. I'll take it slow, make sure he's comfortable with everything."

Everly smiled, patting my hand. "That's the spirit. Just be yourself. He likes you for a reason, remember that."

The next few days were a whirlwind of anticipation. Every time I saw Odell, my heart leapt into my throat, and I found myself noticing every little thing about him—how his eyes sparkled when he laughed, how his hair fell softly over his forehead, how his smile made me feel like I could take on the world.

We spent more time together, and it wasn't long before our subtle touches became more deliberate. I'd brush a stray lock of hair from his face, or he'd lean into me a little when we sat side by side. Each touch felt charged, filled with unspoken emotions that were slowly becoming impossible to ignore.

One evening, after hanging out at Odell's place, we found ourselves on the porch again, much like the night of his birthday. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden light over everything, and I couldn't take my eyes off him.

He was standing close to me, his hands fiddling nervously with the hem of his shirt. The air between us was thick with tension, and I knew this was the moment to say something, to finally put my feelings out in the open.

"Odell," I began, my voice shaky with nerves. He looked up at me, his eyes wide and searching, as if he knew something important was about to happen.

"Yeah?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something I should've said a long time ago."

He looked at me expectantly, his lips parted slightly as if bracing for what was to come. I could see the uncertainty in his eyes, the same uncertainty I felt, but I pushed forward, knowing that this was the right thing to do.

"I like you, Dell," I said, my voice soft but firm. "I like you a lot, and it's not just as a friend. I think I've been falling for you for a while now, and I... I can't keep it to myself anymore."

The silence that followed was deafening, and for a split second, I panicked, thinking I'd ruined everything. But then Odell's cheeks flushed pink, and a small, shy smile spread across his face.

"I... I like you too, Eli," he admitted, his voice trembling. "I've been so scared of messing things up, but... I think I've been falling for you too."

My heart soared at his words, and before I knew it, I was stepping closer, closing the distance between us. I reached out, gently cupping his face in my hands, feeling the warmth of his skin against my palms.

"Can I kiss you?" I whispered, my voice barely above a breath.

Odell nodded, his eyes fluttering shut as he leaned into my touch. And then, slowly, I leaned in, pressing my lips to his in a soft, tender kiss. It was gentle and tentative, but it was everything I'd ever imagined. The world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us in that moment, connected in a way that felt right—felt perfect.

When we finally pulled away, our foreheads rested against each other, both of us breathing heavily. There was no need for words; the kiss had said everything that needed to be said.

From that moment on, everything changed. We still had our playful banter, our easy camaraderie, but there was an added layer of intimacy, a deeper connection that made every touch, every glance, every moment we spent together feel like something out of a dream.

And as we stood there on his porch, wrapped in each other's arms, I knew one thing for certain: I didn't just like Odell. I was falling in love with him, and I couldn't wait anymore.