"There she is!" Beetee chuckled looking through the living room window of Apartment 3211. He smiled at the young woman sitting on the couch reading a thick engineering text. Her roommate dressed in shorts and a grey shirt that read "Army" looked out the window and hopped up from the couch to open the door.
"Wiress, put your book away! Your date's here!" Lyme commanded as she pulled the door open. "Hi. She's coming."
"Hey, sweetie." Beetee said tenderly as Wiress came to the door. "How are you doing?"
"Fine. I took a nap and I was studying." Wiress explained as Beetee took her hands in his warm large brown hands. "You?"
"I tinkered in the lab a bit." Beetee explained. "Do you have your keys, dear?" Wiress nodded and patted her purse. She wore a dark brown knee-length skirt with ruffles on the end and a turquoise quarter-length sleeved shirt with colorful geometric patterns. Her dark shoulder length wavy hair was parted to the side and clipped back on one side with a bobby pin. "You look lovely."
"So do you." Wiress responded noticing Beetee was wearing a light blue sweatshirt and dark jeans. "Are you hungry? We can grab a bite to eat, but if you had a light lunch, we can walk around."
"We can walk around." Wiress replied smiling as her fingers entwined with his while they walked to his car. She smiled at him and giggled to herself.
"What's so funny?" Beetee asked as he opened the door for the young lady.
"Yesterday, I never thought I would go to a frat party that evening. And now – I am dating you." Color creeped up Wiress' face as she gazed at Beetee who smiled back amused.
"Is that a pleasant surprise?" Beetee asked as he started the car. His hand found hers once he shifted his car from reverse into drive.
"Oh yes." Wiress breathed. Chuckling, Beetee drove toward the foothills next to Panem University.
"I see you're wearing your chacos, so I assume you don't mind going on a walk." Giggling, Wiress shook her head as Beetee drove to a park nestled beneath large slabs of red sandstone rock jutting out from the foothills. These formations were known as the flatirons, and served as a scenic backdrop to the numerous walking trails.
As the couple walked hand in hand along the trails, they talked about engineering, Beetee's work, Wiress' school, their favorite places to shop, favorite coffee shops around Panem University, and of course the scenery. During a lull in their converstaion, warmth spread through Beetee's heart hearing Wiress' happy humming. Even though they were on their first date, Beetee knew he couldn't put off a certain question that had been rolling through his mind ever since he dropped her off at her apartment earlier that morning. He led Wiress to the side of the path and faced her while taking her hands slowly into his. Wiress looked expectantly into his face and smiled. "Wiress, dear, I was wondering –" Beetee paused as he stroked the back of Wiress' hands with his thumbs. "Well, I noticed you from a distance, and we have spent a lot of time together these last twenty four hours or so." He paused. "Actually it's less than twenty-four hours –" A giggle brought him out of his musing. "Would you like to be my girlfriend?"
"Yes, Beetee!" Wiress gasped wrapping her arms around Beetee's neck while standing on her tip-toes. She eagerly took his lips in hers and soon he was holding her and lost in her kisses.
"EW! GET A ROOM!" Two college boys on bikes hollered as they rode down the trail.
"They're not wrong, you know." Beetee chuckled. "We've been walking for two hours." He paused and looked at her. "You won't be sunburned, will you, dear?"
"I – I don't feel anything –" Wiress allowed Beetee to look at her face, shoulders, and neck to detect any hint of a sunburn.
"I don't see anything, but just to be sure, let's go inside and freshen up." Beetee offered as they walked back to the car.
"At your house?" Beetee was taken aback by the hopeful tone in Wiress' voice. He chuckled.
"Ok. I've seen where you live." He drove back toward campus and came to a neighborhood near the section of campus housing the engineering building. Pulling into a carport of a modest three bedroom house, he parked the car and let Wiress look around.
"Home sweet home." Beetee quipped. "Now you see that professors aren't always terribly rich." Giggling Wiress got out of the car and took Beetee's hand as they entered his kitchen from the side of the house.
"It's enough. For one." Wiress remarked looking around the L shaped kitchen and the card table that served as the dining room table.
"I don't entertain much." Beetee admitted before Wiress giggled again.
"Maybe I can change that –" Wiress looked down the hallway with a curious expression on her face. "Your restroom?"
"Yes, right down the hallway."
"Shower? After our hike?"
"Sure." Beetee said smelling his shirt under his armpits before wrinkling his nose. Ignoring Wiress' giggles, he pulled his shirt off.
"Oh – laundry!" Wiress said eagerly as she shed her shirt as well. "While we shower!"
"I – ok." Beetee stammered feeling his cheeks burn staring at his new girlfriend who was in her underwear in his kitchen/dining room. He tossed a load in the washer before heading to the bathroom where the shower was running. "Wiress?"
"Come, Beetee!" Wiress called. After a mutually relaxing and pleasurable shower for both, Beetee wrapped a towel around himself and tossed their clothes into the dryer before entering the bedroom where Wiress had made herself comfortable in his blankets.
"Now, you weren't thinking about sleeping, were you dear?" Beetee chuckled before Wiress pulled him down into a passionate kiss. "Mmm – didn't think so."
"Wire?" Beetee asked breaking the peaceful silence of his bedroom. As he watched the sunset over the mountains, he stroked his girlfriend's hair that was splayed behind her. He smiled as she giggled softlly and nuzzled her face into his chest. "Dear?"
"Yes?" Wiress giggled locking her large eyes onto her boyfriend's face. Boyfriend is too childish of a word for my forty-one year old Beetee. She thought. "My love?"
"I should get you home by dark. So your roommates aren't worried. Ok?" Seeing a look of sadness flash across Wiress' face, Beetee gently stroked her cheek with his thumb as he cupped her face with his hand. "Sweetie, I love you. I had a great time with you. I just want to make sure you're safe."
"Ok, Beetee." Wiress whispered before they gently kissed. "Thank you. For a perfect date." Her heart warmed as he smiled sheepishly.
"Thank you." Beetee replied holding his girlfriend in his arms. "For seeing me as someone to love."