Wendy began her summer job a week after the Hunger Games ended. Wiress went over to Terrin's house as his mother was able to stay home and watch her son and his friend. She and Terrin were on the living room floor building with an erector set. "Wiress?" Terrin asked.

"Yeah?" Wiress asked screwing in a gear to her little machine she had built.

"Why do you always sing when you work?" He asked. Wiress blushed.

"I like to." Wiress replied simply. She began singing to herself soon after that conversation.

"Wiress?" Terrin asked. Wiress looked at her friend quizzically. "Um - why do you always sing about Beetee?" Wiress blushed.

"I - I don't know." Wiress squeaked. She blushed darker as Terrin laughed.

"Um - Wiress?" Terrin asked tentatively. "Would - would you marry Beetee if you were an adult already?"

"Um -" Wiress paused. "Maybe. Would you be an adult too?" She asked quickly.

"What?" Terrin asked.

"Well - if I was an adult and you were an adult and Beetee - well, he's grown now, but - that would be a problem." Wiress said looking into Terrin's light brown eyes.

"How would you choose?" Terrin asked. They were facing each other, the erector set forgotten.

"Wendy said whoever was a better kisser." Wiress explained giggling. Terrin blushed.

"Wiress - " Terrin paused looking into the large dark eyes of his friend. He leaned forward as she mirrored his position. His lips touched hers and she sighed.

"Terrin -" Wiress whispered. "I'm wearing glittery lip-gloss." She said pulling away giggling.

"I didn't taste it." Terrin said before wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "You're a good friend, Wiress. Like a really good great best friend." They leaned in for another kiss.

"WIRESS CARPENTER, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Wiress screamed and pushed Terrin away as Wendy opened the door to Terrin and Max's apartment.

"I - I - we -" Wiress squeaked blushing darkly. Wendy began laughing hysterically.

"Oooh, Wiress, Beetee will be soooo jealous!" Wendy shrieked.

"Oh - my - I'm so sorry, dear, I was cleaning the bathroom, what happened?" Mrs. Jones asked anxiously.

"Oh, those two were kissing." Wendy said offhandedly. Wiress squeaked and buried her face in her sweater.

"Terrin?" Mrs. Jones asked. She looked at her youngest son who blushed. "Terrin, go clean your and Max's room, please."

"But - Mom - Max left his underwear on the floor!" Terrin groaned.

"Well, put it in the hamper." Mrs. Jones said matter of factly. Wendy blushed envisioning Max Jones walking around the apartment only in his underwear.

"So, what was this about Wiress kissing Terrin?" Mr. Carpenter asked Wendy as the family was grocery shopping.

"Ask little Nerdling, but Beetee has competition now!" Wendy laughed.

"What about me?" Beetee asked as the Carpenters came down the baking and spices aisle. Wendy felt Wiress grab her around the waist and press her face into the small of her back.

"Peas are on sale, dear." Mrs. Carpenter said kindly looking in Beetee's cart. "They go well with the mac and cheese you have." Beetee suddenly felt self-conscious with his ten boxes of mac and cheese, two boxes of cereal, and milk in his cart.

"Mom, why are you cart-stalking him?" Wendy yelped. "Wiress, get off of me!" She peeled her sister's arms from around her waist.

"Well, I remember what it was like when your father and I moved into our apartments out of our parents' houses, and we had to cook for ourselves." Mrs. Carpenter said smiling.

"But, mom, maybe he really likes mac and cheese a lot." Wiress said trying not to meet Beetee's eye.

"Like as much as you like Terrin?" Wendy quipped. Wiress purpled but bit her tongue. "You just want to put your lips all over Terrin as you two eat mac and -"

"Wendy." Mr. Carpenter said with a hint of warning in his voice. "You're getting too old to tease your sister. In public."

"I - ah - I'm still getting a handle on how to cook." Beetee stammered.

"Well, why don't you come over to our house after you put your groceries away dear." Mrs. Carpenter said smiling. "Do you know where we live?"

"Yeah. My mom and dad -" He gulped. "They have your house number in their - I mean - my - address book." He blinked and became interested in looking at a package of brown sugar.

"Son, your parents promised me they would take care of my family if anything happened to my wife or I. I promised them I'd do the same thing. We're going to use up a nice pot of soup and we have plenty for you." Mr. Carpenter said putting a hand on Beetee's shoulder. "My youngest of course will be thrilled to have you over for dinner."

Wiress blushed and squeaked through the first dinner where Beetee Tesla sat between her and her sister. The week after that, Wiress explained to Beetee how she and Wendy helped make the salad. He had come early so Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter could give him a bit of a cooking lesson. Beetee's presence at the dinner table was a weekly then biweekly occurrence as the summer progressed. Wiress was more herself as Beetee's "famous victor" aura dissapeared replaced by the more accurate view of a nerdy eighteen year old trying to find his way in the world. When the light burnt out in Wendy and Wiress' room, Beetee lifted Wiress on his shoulders as she changed the light. They got into a discussion on voltage and electricity.

"What will you do now?" Wiress asked during the second week of August. "I mean, you're done with school." She and Wendy would start school the following week.

"I'll just keep inventing stuff." Beetee said. "I sold some stuff I made in my basement. But I think I want to see if I can use a shed to invent stuff." Wiress' eyes widened.

"That's so cool!" She squealed.

"Maybe you and Terrin can visit in my new shop. And if you have any cool ideas, tell me, ok squirt?" He asked ruffling her hair.

"Ok!" Wiress said eagerly. "This is my last year in primary school." She said grinning. "Then if I get my letter -"

"When you get it, nerdling."

"Yeah! I'll go to the engineering academy!" Wiress said grinning. "I'll be twelve." Beetee nearly choked on his dinner roll. "Beetee? Are you ok?" She asked worriedly.

"Yeah." He said quickly. He checked his watch. "Um - I have to go. Project."

"Well, take the rest of this spaghetti home with you." Mrs. Carpenter said. "You did buy the vegetables in the sauce, dear." She placed his food in a plastic container. "Now are you sure you don't need anything else before you go?" Beetee shook his head.

"Bye, Beetee!" Wiress called as the door swung closed.

Beetee gripped the plastic container with the spaghetti and walked down the hallway, cold fear and anger coursing through his body. How can you be so stupid, Tesla! He screamed in his head. Wiress could be reaped next year. Her or Wendy! He sighed. It's your fault you got close to them. He realized he could never get close to anyone in the district. Their children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews could be reaped. He would have to mentor them either to come back to District Three or to die in the arena. He sighed. Maybe - just maybe - if I have to mentor one of the Carpenter girls, I could help them come home.