Word Count: 578


Neville swears softly when the rain picks up. He had hoped it would be just a little drizzle, something light and quick and gone before it can ruin the picnic he had planned. Of course it would be his luck that it would end in a downpour.

To make matters worse, he thinks he might have been stood up. His eyes flicker to his watch. She should have been here nearly half an hour ago.

He takes a deep breath, reminding himself that he needs to be patient. Maybe she got caught in the downpour. Maybe she's a bundle of nerves and trying to compose herself.

Still, he feels jittery. He doesn't usually do blind dates. What if he's disappointing? What if…?

"Are you Neville?"

Neville turns. For a moment, he forgets how to speak. Susan had shown Neville pictures of her roommate, but those pictures hadn't done Hannah justice at all. She has a classic sort of beauty to her that reminds Neville of Hollywood actresses from when his grandmother was a little girl.

Finally, he manages to nod. "Y-yeah. You must be Hannah," he says.

She nods her confirmation and shivers. "This is why I never trust the forecast," she says. "Freezing rain, and it's only August!" She offers him a soft smile. "Sorry the picnic got ruined, but I have an idea."

Neville raises his brows curiously. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Hannah gestures toward the barista. "We can discuss it over a cappuccino."

Hannah's idea, it turns out, leads them to the museum of horticulture because Susan mentioned Neville's plans to become a botanist. He grins as they walk through the first exhibit.

"This must be very boring for you," he says.

He knows very well that his obsession with plants isn't a particularly popular one. Not everyone likes plants the way he does. His own grandmother doesn't have the patience to listen to him ramble about his passion, though she is usually polite about it.

But Hannah watches him. He can feel her eyes on him as he lingers at a display, taking each and every plant and its history in with delight. She doesn't complain or rush him along. She is good and kind, and Neville thinks she's amazing for it.

Hannah laughs softly. "A bit," she admits, tugging at her earring. "But you look so happy. It's cute."

He feels goosebumps raise over his flush. A blush heats his cheeks. She called him cute, and he feels a little giddy for it.

"If you wanted to do something else, I would understand," he tells her.

"No. I like this."

And so they carry on. Hannah doesn't complain once. She just follows him, smiling as he tells her about this plant or that. It's the most wonderful feeling, and Neville never wants it to end.

When they reach the final exhibit, Neville wrings his hands together. He's never been very good at this, and he isn't entirely sure what to say.

Hannah beats him to it. "I had a lot of fun," she says, grinning at him.

She's so sincere about it that Neville's stomach does cartwheels within his body. He nods. "Yeah. Me too." He swallows dryly. "Can I see you again?"

"If you'd like. I have to work every day until Saturday. I'd love to do something then."

Saturday feels like it's a million years away, but Neville nods. He knows without a doubt that she is worth the wait.