"BEETEE! BEETEE!" Wiress screamed as she ran behind him out of the shed. "BEETEE!" After the third attempt to call for him with no answer, Wiress ran back inside the shed and slammed the door closed. Her body rack with sobs, she threw herself onto Beetee's mat. Her face was pressed into his blanket as she breathed his scent and soaked the material with her tears. Why didn't he want it to work? She asked herself. Why was he so - Sitting up as her tears slowed, she looked around again. After an hour, Beetee hadn't returned, so Wiress gathered some notebooks and grabbed her key. She would escape the shed, escape Beetee, and escape the pressing problem of returning to the Capitol. Walking to the Engineering Academy, she checked in at the front desk.
"Lab four is open, dear. We've left some equipment for you." The practical education director said smiling at her alumnus. "You haven't been in for a while. Inventions keeping you busy?"
"Yes." Wiress said. After she returned to District Three, Beetee had suggested this community service project of repairing the Engineering Academy's lab equipment to get her back into inventing. Over the last year, she had come in to her alma mater to fix equipment every other month.
"Does Beetee want to come in to help fix our equipment?" Shrugging, Wiress walked to the lab and began repairing a large engine that would power a conveyor belt at a factory. She chuckled as she found someone's failed homework assignment crunched between the gears. Coming during class periods assured her she wouldn't see students that might become potential tributes. Staying after school let out gave her that same assurance. At seven thirty in the evening, the practical education director knocked on the door to the lab. "Alright, dear, it's beginning to get dark. Thank you for your help. I know you and Beetee are quite busy with your own work."
"Yes -" Wiress began. "It helps me - also." She admitted.
"You take care now." Nodding, Wiress left the building and returned to the shed.
"Wiress!" Beetee gasped as she opened the door. Beetee was on his knees scouring the floor looking for any lost or misplaced note. "Where were you?"
"The Academy. Fixing -" She stared at Beetee groping around on the floor.
"I was looking for a note." Beetee explained. "Why didn't you leave a note?"
"You left -" Wiress began before blinking back tears. As strong arms encircled her waist, she buried her face into Beetee's shirt and cried. "Why?" Beetee's heart broke as he looked into large eyes reflecting hurt.
"Because - I was scared." Beetee sighed. "Wiress, I know it was a cowardly thing to do - run away from you."
"Why were you -" Wiress paused looking down at her plate before meeting Beetee's gaze. "Scared?"
"Because, Wiress. I don't want the Capitol to force us into a relationship. If we - if - I do ask for you to be my girlfriend - my fiance - my wife someday - I want it to be real. Not just for show. I don't want it to be another thing they can play with." To show her understanding, Wiress reached across the table and grasped his hand.
"Yes - me too." Wiress whispered. "Bee -" She gulped and looked into his face that showed concern. "Beetee - I am not afraid for you to ask -" Breaking their grasp, Beetee walked over to Wiress' chair and wrapped his arms around her shoulders before resting his cheek atop her head.
"I know. I can tell." Beetee murmured.
"And I know you wanted - for a long time -" Slowly, Wiress leaned her head back so her nose brushed Beetee's.
"I know, honey." Beetee whispered, his breath tickling Wiress' lips. "But, take it slow. Do what your heart says."
"You too." Wiress whispered as Beetee gulped realizing how close his lips were to hers. Nudging her nose gently, he placed a light kiss on her cheek.
"I will, Wiress. I will. Because my heart wants to do what is best for you. Always."
Yup. Short chapter, but nerdy cuteness needs its own chapter :D