((This is for my good friend Ophelia The Great!))
It took all the courage Luke had to knock on that door. Now he just stood outside in the surprisingly warm Michigan air. It was warming up, which had given Luke a wonderful idea, but that wonderful idea would only work if Ophelia agreed. So here he was standing at her door, waiting for a response. Luckily for Luke, it wasn't Zachariah who answered the door (that had happened once before when Luke attempted to ask Ophelia out, and it made him lose all of his courage and run) but merely Ophelia. "Luke? Oh! Hello Luke!" Ophelia smiled. "Would you like to come in?" Luke shook his head, "No, I am fine, I just wanted to ask you something." Ophelia looked a bit confused, it wasn't natural to see Luke in such a fuss. "Oh, yes, go ahead." Ophelia nodded. "It has been getting quite warm lately, so I was wondering if you would like to go out on a picnic with me…" Luke asked nervously as this was the first time he ever asked anyone out on a date. Ophelia's cheeks turned a soft pink. "S-sure! I'd love to! Er, what time?" "Five! I will pick you up at five!"
Luke guided Ophelia to a spot at the park he had already picked out. He had the whole date planned and he was determined for it to go well. The spot was shaded by a few trees, and as luck had it no one had stolen it. He gave his squirrel friend an acorn for defending the spot and then laid out a blanket. "Here we go! After you, Ophelia!" Luke smiled, allowing his friend to sit down. He then plopped down aside her. "Thank you Luke." Ophelia smiled and then pointed at a blue jay. "Oh! Look! That's Hallie! Father and I tagged her to track her migration pattern! You can see her purple ankle bracelet!" Ophelia waved to the bird. "Here, let me help!" Luke made a few whistles and the bird landed gracefully on his arm with a few happy chirps. "How did you do that, Luke?" Ophelia asked in amazement, but Luke only smiles. "A true gentleman has many tricks up his sleeve, Ophelia!"
The two talked and ate, occasionally bursting into laughter from a story, or Luke spilling water on himself. It was the most fun Luke had since he separated from the Professor. It was drawing to an end though, as the sun begin to set and the stars freckled the sky. It was becoming a lot colder, "Hey, Ophelia… you're shivering." Luke points out with a soft smile. Ophelia shakes her head, "Shivering? I'm a little cold, I guess." Ophelia laughed, not wanting to make a big deal out of something so small. "Here, have my coat. I am overheating, to be honest! It was a lot colder in Froenburg when we went there with the Professor!" Luke smiled as he gently slipped the coat on Ophelia. "Thank you, Luke." Ophelia whispers, her eyes shining beautifully in the starlight. "We should get home, your father will be proper mad if I get you home late!" Luke finally mentions and breaks the silence. "Oh! That's right! I lost track of time! Let's go!"