Kelli stood on the desk, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she glared at Talisa. The younger girl took an instinctive step back, her sheepish expression betraying a mix of guilt and nervousness. She fidgeted with the hem of her hoodie, unable to meet Kelli’s sharp gaze for long. Talisa knew she’d crossed a line, but she also believed she’d done the right thing. Her intentions had been good, she just hadn’t thought through how Kelli might feel about being manipulated into a confrontation with Kayla.
“I was trying to help,” Talisa said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I felt like I did help.”
Kelli’s glare softened slightly, but she wasn’t ready to let Talisa off the hook just yet. “You tricked me, Talisa,” she said, her voice laced with frustration. “You hid your phone, asked leading questions, and called Kayla without even telling me what was going on. You didn’t think for a second how I might feel about that?”
Talisa looked down, scuffing her shoe against the floor. “I didn’t think you’d want to talk to her. But you both needed it. You were being ridiculous, Kelli, both of you.”
The honesty in Talisa’s words hung in the air, and for a moment, Kelli didn’t know how to respond. As much as she hated to admit it, Talisa had a point. She and Kayla had been acting ridiculous, stubbornly refusing to talk things out when it was clear they needed to. And as much as she resented the way Talisa had gone about it, she couldn’t ignore the fact that her meddling had worked. The conversation with Kayla had been awkward and uncomfortable, but it had also been necessary.
“Well,” Kelli said finally, her tone begrudging, “I suppose it worked out for the best in the end.”
Talisa perked up slightly at that, a tentative smile forming on her face. She could tell Kelli wasn’t completely over it, but the tension in the air was beginning to lift. “On the positive side,” Talisa said, her voice brighter now, “you get to sleep in your own bed tonight. That’s gotta beat sleeping on one of my sweaters or a sweatshirt. I mean, I don’t even have a Little bed. It’s crazy how expensive those things are.”
Kelli rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, Kayla got me what is clearly a dog bed, but she’s trying. So, I let her off the hook. It is comfortable, but if you tell her that…”
“I won’t say a thing,” Talisa interrupted, raising her hands in mock surrender. “My lips are sealed.”
“They better stay that way,” Kelli said with a laugh, the tension finally breaking as the two girls shared a small moment of camaraderie.
Kelli shifted her weight, glancing toward the door as she waited for Kayla. The day had been long, and the emotional weight of it all was starting to catch up to her. Still, there was a sense of relief in knowing that things with Kayla were on the mend, even if it had taken some meddling from Talisa to get there.
Talisa, for her part, felt a mix of pride and lingering guilt as she watched Kelli. She knew she’d overstepped, but seeing Kelli laugh, even just a little, made her feel like she’d done something right. She leaned against the desk, her fingers idly tapping against the wood as she tried to find the right words.
“Kelli,” she said after a moment, her voice softer now, “I know I went about it the wrong way, but I really do care. You’re not just Kayla’s sister to me. You’re… well, you’re Kelli Wallace. You’ve always been this larger-than-life person, and it’s hard to see you struggling like this. I just wanted to help.”
Kelli looked up at her, the words catching her off guard. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. The vulnerability in Talisa’s voice was genuine, and while Kelli still felt annoyed by the day’s events, she couldn’t deny the sincerity behind Talisa’s actions.
“Thanks, Talisa,” Kelli said quietly. “I appreciate it. Really. Just… maybe next time, give me a heads-up before you play therapist, okay?”
Talisa grinned, her sheepishness giving way to a more confident expression. “Deal.”
The two girls shared another laugh, the room finally feeling lighter as they waited for Kayla to arrive. For the first time in what felt like hours, Kelli felt a small sense of peace. She wasn’t sure what the future held, things with Kayla would still be complicated, and her life as a Little was far from settled, but for now, she was okay. And that was enough.
At least all is good between Talisia/Kelli now.
Kelli didnt have a reason to be mad because it was clear Talisa was trying to help and Kelli was not saying her true feeling to Kayla so they could have a honest conversation, same as Kayla was not owning up to her mistakes. So suck it up Kelli and give Talisa a reword she wants and give her a foot rub lol.
I my opinion Kayla would have been better off making a soft bed out of some of Kelli’s old soft cloths then buy a dog bed. I just thinks its insulting to buy that for your sister you are caring for, put a little effort in what your doing. Stop being lazy and entitled. Now I’m getting mad a Kayla again like Lethal gets mad at Sara lol. I guess laziness and treating a love one poorly are two of my pet peeves lol.
Kelli didn’t know what she was saying was being sent to Kayla. It could have gone really badly and she could have said something she never intended for Kayla to hear. Which is why she is upset.
Kelli is pretty protective of her clothes So i could see that going badly. However I do like the idea of it.
Well they do make some pretty nice dog beds to be fair. She did put effort into but she also has to work within her own resources. Kayla does thing a certain way and wants to do it herself. Kelli knew that going in. If she didn’t like it she could have asked for a different guardian.
It’s not fair to put that all on Kayla when Kelli has some self responsibility.
they ended up in a okay place all things considered.
1.1) “The younger girl took an instinctive step back, her sheepish expression betraying a mix of guilt and nervousness. She fidgeted with the hem of her hoodie, unable to meet Kelli’s sharp gaze for long.” Not many Littles can make humans nervous.
1.2) “Talisa knew she’d crossed a line, but she also believed she’d done the right thing. Her intentions had been good” She did a good thing, but in the wrong way, Kelli’s understandably upset but will likely forgive her as the dust settles.
2) “I was trying to help, I felt like I did help.” I know Talisa and you did Talisa, but that was risky.
3) “You hid your phone, asked leading questions, and called Kayla without even telling me what was going on. You didn’t think for a second how I might feel about that?” Many Littles have to endure humans doing things without their knowledge.
4) “I didn’t think you’d want to talk to her. But you both needed it. You were being ridiculous, Kelli, both of you.” they did, but there’s also the possibility that this could have made things worse.
5.1) “She and Kayla had been acting ridiculous, stubbornly refusing to talk things out when it was clear they needed to.” This is very true, and talking things out can be hard so encouraging them to do so could have helped.
5.2) “And as much as she resented the way Talisa had gone about it, she couldn’t ignore the fact that her meddling had worked. The conversation with Kayla had been awkward and uncomfortable, but it had also been necessary.” It could also have failed miserably, Kelli could easily have said things in anger that she wouldn’t have said if she knew Kayla was listening, pissing Kayla off more.
6.1) “you get to sleep in your own bed tonight. That’s gotta beat sleeping on one of my sweaters or a sweatshirt” That’s interesting that Talisa’s mind was there.
6.2) “I mean, I don’t even have a Little bed. It’s crazy how expensive those things are.” neither does Kayla.
7) “Yeah, Kayla got me what is clearly a dog bed, but she’s trying. So, I let her off the hook. It is comfortable, but if you tell her that…” Kelli does know, and her appreciation was enough not to complain.
8) “The day had been long, and the emotional weight of it all was starting to catch up to her. Still, there was a sense of relief in knowing that things with Kayla were on the mend” she’d be exhausted at this point.
9) “She knew she’d overstepped, but seeing Kelli laugh, even just a little, made her feel like she’d done something right” she’s lucky that was the result, her meddling could easily have gone wrong.
10) “I know I went about it the wrong way, but I really do care.” I’m glad she can admit she was wrong, even though her results were good. Many people in this world and the real one, would take the success and dismiss all their wrongdoing.
11) “Thanks, Talisa, I appreciate it. Really. Just… maybe next time, give me a heads-up before you play therapist, okay?” which is a fair request, I wonder if Kayla got the heads-up?
1) Kelli still has person energy to her. Enough to make Talisa atleast take notice.
1.2) This is a kinder gentler lethal when it comes to Kayla, Talisa and Kelli.
2.) It was a bit risky but Talisa was only thinking about how it could help without the downside in the moment.
3) So do people. its far from the worst hardship one has to endure in life but understandable why she would be annoyed and/or upset over it. NO one likes being decieved.
4) It really could have but sometimes the risk is worth the reward.
5) It needed to happen as its doubtful either Kelli or Kayla woudl have resolved things on their own in any kind of timely fashion.
5.2) Oh it could have gone very wrong but sometimes you just gotta take the win and accept on this day luck was on your side. Atleast thats what I do.
6) Well Talisa would be trying to figure out what to do for a bed if Kelli was staying over. Its not that odd that she would have been thinking about what to do and how to handle it.
6.2) Kayla, won’t probably have one for a bit given how expensive they are. Jordan’s first bed was a soft sponge. It took Sara a bit to get him a proper bed. Granted maybe a day or two i forget what day she gets him the proper bed. But it wasn’t immediately.
7) well shes not dumb she knows what a dog bed looks like. It really came down to Kayla was doing it out of sincerity and making an honest effort. It wasn’t about putting Kelli in a dog bed because shes an animal and Kelli knows that. So she was willing to try it. The fact it was actually comfortable she found more annoying.
8) yeah and her day still isn’t fully over. She still has to wait on Kayla. The waiting is what would bother me. I hate being stranded places.
9) Although in reality she had little to lose. Kayla probably wouldn’t get all that mad at her. Kelli who she does respect woudl affect Talisa but in the scheme of things it would get mended in time. Kelli could only stay so mad even if it did backfire as the attempt was genuinely coming from a good place.
10) I agree its a good virtue to have. Not everyone can do that.
11) Kayla did not get a heads up. Kayla was equally tricked into it.
1.1) Talisa would be uniquely vulnerable to Kelli.
1.2) They’ve done less that pisses me off
3) Littles need to endure it more than most people because they’re constantly around people and don’t actually get the same privacy.
5.1) It would’ve gotten worse before getting better.
5.2) Luck was on Talisa’s side, this time
6.2) Personally I’d have given Kelli a pillow as a mattress, that’s what comes to my mind for improvised little accommodations
6.2) Sara got the bed on Tuesday, day four of Smallara Prime.
7) I mean, proportionally it’s a swimming pool sized bed, that’s the dream
8) Littles would have it worse, their version of being stranded places would include stranded on tables, benches, desks etc.
9) She could redeem herself in the event of it failing.
11) So she was just on the other side, wondering why all she could hear from a call from Talisa’s phone is Kelli talking to Talisa?
11) Basically yeah. Kayla was just hearing hearing the conversation listening. Confused at first as to what was going on.
9) She could have.
8) I agree it would be worse as it would end up being more boring in most cases. Stuck on someones table or desk just waiting a indeterminate amount of time would get old fast.
7)It is a nice one too with memory foam pad and such and like you said its swimming pool sized so she can stretch out in literally any direction
6.2) I figured you would know. You have a good memory about that sort of thing.
6.1) A pillow would be cumbersome to climb onto though for a little. Then you’d have the possibility of them rolling off and getting hurt as the fall would be quite drastic to them.
5.2) Sometimes its better to be lucky then good.
5.1) I agree
3) Yeah littles get child privacy at best.
1.2) They are still newer characters give them time. lol.
1.1) She would as she cares about what she thinks.
I have a unique perspective for being on Kelli’s side and being focused on Kayla’s actions because Kelli and I share similar experience’s being I was a self made from working on farms as a kid to traveling around the world as a very successful aerospace engineer with a amazing family and having my life destroyed by a car hitting me on my motorcycle and paralyzing me and needing my wife and daughter to help me with so much so I see stuff from both Kelli and Kayla’s point of view because my daughter helps me even though she is in college and is smart enough to ask me or my wife for money if she wants to get me something that might help me or herself. And of course Asuka’s writing is great and pulls at our heart strings one way or another getting me to see similarity’s and like all good Si FI writing makes you connect with things in our current timeline of our life.