Heartbreak Weather, Eli Mosko...

LXXXIII.                               Heartbreak Weather

The road to Barcelona continued the next day and Odessa was feeling every bit of sour from the day before. It hurt to walk more than anything. "Jesus, what are we in for today? Throwing rocks at each other to see who can dodge first?" She complained while staring out the car window.

Christian laughed. "No, nothing like that. It'll be easier today."

"What are we doing?"

"Can't tell you."

Odessa groaned. "My legs feel like they're going to fall off. I have bruises."

"Aww, poor baby," her dad teased and smiled at her. "You're a tough girl. I remember during one of my fights, I got a black eye so bad I had a concussion for a week. Had to wear an eye patch."

She chuckled. "Name of the game, I guess."

"That's right." Christian coughed and quickly covered his mouth with his elbow, the coughs muffling.

Odessa titled her head. "Are you okay?"

He coughed a few more times before dropping his elbow. "I'm fine, honey. Just have something caught in my throat." Christian said and kept his eyes on the road.

When they arrived at the Larusso home, Odessa saw Oliver's jeep and Grayson and Eli's cars already there. The father and daughter walked into the backyard and she saw her teammates sticking red flags to their gis. "Uhhh, what is this?" She wondered out loud.

"Beaumont, put these on," Mike ordered and shoved a handful of red flags toward her.

She took them and gave him an odd stare as he went to talk to the senseis. Odessa walked over to Hailey. "Please don't tell me we're playing human capture the flag?"

Hailey chuckled. "Possibly. As long as I get to hit people, I don't care what we do," she said and started helping her put her flags on.

Oliver and Grayson walked over. "Look, Hammy, we got our girls back," said Oliver and slung his arm over thr blonde's shoulder.

Grayson wrapped two arms around the back of Hailey's neck. "Ahh, now I can forget the urge to change the group chat name to Gossip Girl."

Hailey scoffed and swatted his arms off her. "First of all, we're nothing like Blair and Serena and two, we were gonna make up eventually."

"Yeah," Odessa agreed. "Besides, neither of you are cool enough to be Chuck or Nate."

Oliver looked offended. "Uhh, excuse me, I'm absolutely Nate Archibald."

Grayson pulled a face. "I thought we agreed that I'm Nate." He pointed at himself.

"You're more of a Dan to me."

"Nate's hot but he's also a slut," said Hailey. She looked at Oliver and smirked. "Huh, maybe you are Nate."

He laughed sarcastically and flipped her off.

Odessa laughed at their bickering and finished putting the flags on. She walked off and went to find Eli and he stood by Demetri. "Sorry I didn't text back last night. I quite literally crashed once I got out of the bath," she said and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He grinned. "No worries. I figured you were asleep after you accidentally sent me half a text."

Her eyes widened. "Did I really?"

Eli nodded. "Yeah, you said 'I'm so ti–' and then I just figured the rest out for myself."

She chuckled. "Sorry. Are you ready for today?"

"I know what I'm ready for," Demetri chimed in and joined their side. "This all to be over so you and I can choose how to decorate our dorm at MIT." He said Eli, hitting him on the shoulder.

Odessa watch Eli hesitate a chuckle. When Demetri went to talk to Oliver, she let go of his neck and stood in front of him. "Are you ever going to tell him you haven't applied yet?" She asked.

The boy sighed. "How can I? MIT's all he talks about. It'll break his heart."

"What's gonna break his heart is having to find out from somebody else that is best friend's potential not going to the college they've dreamed about since childhood," Odessa spoke logically and grabbed his hands. "You're an honest man, Eli. The more you keep it in, the more it'll hurt."

Eli sighed again and nodded. "You're right. I'll tell him, I promise."

She smiled and stepped forward, kissing him quickly. "Aww, maybe you are the Nate to my Serena," she said and smiled against his lips.

She pulled away and Eli furrowed his brows. "Uhh, what?"

"Don't worry, we'll watch it later."

"Top 15, get ready!" Mike yelled at them and walked to the sparring deck.

Once they all had their flags on, the crowd of students gathered together on the sparring deck. Odessa bumped Miguel's hip with hers, making him smile.

"Today's challenge is a Battle Royal. The rules are simple: protect your flags. Steal the others. Lose your flags, and you're out," Mike explained the game.

Oliver's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Oh, I'm so going to rock this shit," he muttered to Chris.

"The ones with the most flags end up going to Barcelona. The rest of you will be judged on performance. You have two minutes. Ready?"

As soon as Mike yelled fight, Oliver elbowed both Chris and Mitch in the guts and snatched both of their flags. "Ha ha, bitches!" He cackled and ran off the deck.

Odessa looked at the first person across from her which just so happened to be Anthony. His eyes widened and he sprinted off. "Come back here, Larusso!"

"Leave me alone, Odessa!"

The team scattered all around the backyard. Oliver was in complete video game mentality, fighting anybody on his path. He came across Robby. "Sorry to do this, buddy."

"No need for sorrys," Robby responded while smirking and he raised his fists.

Oliver jumped forward with a forceful kick. Robby backed up and came in swinging his fist. The tall red head ducked under his arm and immediately snatched the flag from his waist. Getting behind him, Oliver hooked his ankle around his leg and pulled it out from under him. Robby fell forward onto the ground and the red head quickly crouched down, taking another flag. "Thanks, bro!" He yelled over his shoulder and took off.

Odessa successfully managed to take two of Anthony's flags and kicking in the back of the head, which was hard seeing as how he was almost taller than her. She gained one from Sam and two from Devon. She kicked Mitch in the chest and successfully took the flag from his arm. The next person she came across was Robby. "Oh, this should be fun."

"And easy," he replied with a playful smile.

"Oh, we'll see about that, Keene," she said with raised fists.

He charged at her and Odessa turned her upper body to the side, avoiding his punch and she snatched the flag from his sleeve. She smiled deviously. Robby threw another punch and she grabbed a hold of his fist, attempting to leg sweep him but Robby used his other leg to kick her ankle, making her stumble slightly and he used the opportunity to lean down and snatch the flag from the leg of her gi. He flashed her the same devious smile. "This feels familiar."

"What, me kicking your ass?"

"Ha ha, very funny," he responded and took off before she could grab another flag from him.

Odessa huffed and looked around her, searching for someone with flags to take.

On the other side of the backyard, Grayson charged at Kenny with a battle cry he swung his fist. The young boy leaned his upper body backwards and moved to the other side. The two boys swung at each other and Grayson turned his back with Kenny threw-his fist, then leaned down and snatched the flag from his ankle. Grayson came back up and waved it in his face. "That's for the chicken!" He declared and quickly ran off the deck.

"I'm coming for you, Hamilton!" Kenny yelled and ran after him.

Hailey threw two punches in Devon's direction, the younger girl blocking them with her wrists as she backed up. Then she spun around and kicked her in the abdomen, Devon doubling over and Hailey rolling over across her back, taking two of her flags with her as she came back up. "Sorry, girly!" She laughed and took off to find somebody else.

Devon cursed under her breath and groaned.

Odessa held four new flags in her hands and she quickly stiffed them inside the front of her gi. She saw Eli walk around and when he turned around, he smirked upon seeing her. "Hey, Butterfly," he greeted casually.

"Hey E," Odessa said back, inching further away from him as he kept getting closer.

"How many flags you get?"

"A lot. You?"

Eli shrugged. "Some. Haven't got any from you though," his smirk increased. "Think you can help me out with that?"

Odessa inhaled a breath and the corners of her mouth curled up. "If you want em, you'll have to come and get them," she challenged him.

The boy smirked again and now stood in front of her. "Now that's a challenge I like."

He threw a punch at her. Odessa was quick to moved out of the way and she grabbed a hold of his wrist, twisting his arm so that his back faced her and she held their arms in front of his body, keeping him in place. Odessa grinned and kissed his cheek while snatching a flag from his waist band. "You're gonna have to do better than that, honey."

Eli grinned and titled his head back so he could look at her. "Oh yeah?" He asked rhetorically. When there eyes were still locked, Eli brought his foot back and kicked her in the knee. Odessa yelped and released his arm, making him quickly turn around and he locked her arms behind her back with one hand. His smirk grew again and he took the flag from her arm. "How was that?"

Their faces were close and Odessa's eyes trailed from his to his lips. She smiled again. "That was pretty good," she replied. She leaned forward and kissed him.

Eli smiled against her lips and closed his eyes.

Odessa opened hers and broke her arms out of his. She grabbed his arm and turned her upper body around, throwing him over her shoulder. She stepped on his chest and leaned down, taking back her flags and another one of his. He stared at her in shock. She smirked. "Just not as good as me." She said and removed her foot from his chest.

"Time! That's it!" Mike called and the team stopped what they were doing.

Odessa held out her hand and Eli latched into it, hoisting himself off the ground. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Y'know, for someone with such a sweet face, you're evil."

She awed and cupped his face in her hands. "Thanks, baby." She kissed him again.

"Let me see those flags, come on!"

The couple went and stood with the rest of the team. Odessa held up her flags, both of her hands being taken up. Oliver was the same as well as Hailey, and Grayson came up with his hands raised, his flags on display. He was soaking wet. "Gray, why are you wet?"

"Tory pushed me in the pond," he told her and flipped his wet hair out his face.

Tory cringed. "Yeah, sorry about that."

He shook his head, water flying everywhere and he grinned. "It's alright, I got Kenny's flags. Payback for the chicken."

Once they were all lined up, Mike started to count their flags. "Well, we clearly got our top eight. Oliver—"

"Yes!" The red head cheered under his breath and threw his fist up.

"Miguel, Odessa,"

The two friends looked at each other and smiled. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Tory, Sam, Hailey—"

The three girls smiled at each other. Odessa released Miguel and the group of girls hugged each other.

"Robby, and Grayson. You eight are going to Barcelona."

"Yes!" Grayson bellowed and threw his arms up. He and Oliver embraced. "Let's go, brother!"

Odessa looked down the line and frowned at Eli's disappointment.

Mike moved down the line. "You bottom four are tied. I'll go back tonight, review my notes, and re-tally the scores. I'll announce the final two in the morning."

He walked away and Odessa went up to Eli. "Don't lose hope, okay? I believe in you." She told him, cupping his face.

He met her eyes, still looking disappointed. "I wouldn't count on it."

"Well guess what? I am. We're getting our anniversary trip," she declared, making him grin. Odessa kissed him quickly and hugged him. "I love you."

She felt him hug her back. "I know. I love you, too."

Odessa felt two hands clasp on her shoulders and she flinched. She pulled away and saw it was Oliver. "Dess, we're going out to celebrate." He looked at Eli. "Hawk, you and Demetri come too."

"Thanks, Oliver," he muttered but still managed to smile.

They got ready to leave and Christian approached his daughter, smiling big. "I'm so proud of you," he praised.

Odessa smiled. "Thanks, dad."

He raised his arms instinctively but quickly dropped them back to his side, awkwardly pursing his lips.

Odessa slowly frowned. When she thought about it, it would have been their duets hug in years. She forgot the last time they embraced each other, she forgot what his touch felt like. She just got used to seeing his smile again, the smile that looked like hers. To see him again was strange, the man she loved more than anyone in the world, yet she was seeing him through a new set of eyes. He was trying for her, for her mother, for her best friends.

Slowly, Odessa walked forward and started to wrap her arms around his torso. She almost pulled away but she forced herself to keep going. She immediately felt sick. He was so stiff, she was stiff, and she had to close her eyes to keep herself from crying. She hugged him.

Christian stood there frozen, thinking maybe he was imagining it. She was that little girl with blonde pigtails who'd wear pink and blue dresses every day until they were dirty, the girl who would hug him and never let go until she was forced to. That little girl was older now. She was different. But she was still his girl, his daughter, the love of his life, and she was hugging him the way she used to. Christian wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders and he pressed his cheek to the top of her head, inhaling deeply and savoring the moment while he still had it.

as a girl with the worst kind of daddy issues, writing that last paragraph has me sobbing violently lol