(Odd Squad Otis and Olympia Fanfic) The Perfect Partner

Dinner Date-Part 1

Otis was anxious.

No, anxious wasn't the right word for it...he was a downright nervous wreck. Yeah, that sounded better. He clenched and unclenched his sweaty hands. In desperation, he attempted to dry them by wiping them on his pants. This didn't help much. The sweat from his hands left faint streaks on his pants. Thankfully it wasn't too noticeable. Otis wiped more sweat from his forehead and took a shaky breath.

His feet sounded ten times louder than usual as they echoed on the deserted, concrete sidewalk. Spaced evenly along the sidewalk were bright streetlamps that glowed unnaturally in the setting sun. Storm clouds had blown in overhead and a chill wind had picked up. Otis desperately hoped it wouldn't rain. In his mind, this evening was already going to be a disaster and having it rain would, in no way, help his confidence.

He glanced up the street and saw her house. It was small, gray, and plain, nothing at all like the person who occupied it. Otis wondered vaguely why Olympia hadn't bothered to decorate it. This thought didn't last long, however, as the feeling of nervousness forced its way back. With agonizingly slow steps Otis continued along the sidewalk; trying to make each step last just a little bit longer. Postponing the moment when he would have to knock on her door was his only concern.

He was so focused on taking slower steps, that he did not notice where he was until he bumped his head against the front-porch railing. How had his feet moved so quickly? There he was, facing Olympia's front door.

It was a plain door that had once been covered in white paint but was now peeling dreadfully. The door seemed to reflect his mood; exposed, nervous, and desperately in need paint job confidence booster.

He raised his hand to knock but then stopped. Maybe he should just turn around. Maybe this evening would be less of a disaster if he simply ran for it now.

No, Otis shook his head. He had already made plenty of mistakes and did not intend to make another one. He was going through with this.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inside the house Olympia was just as nervous, but it was a different kind of nervousness. Every inch of her was filled with nervous excitement and the thrill of anticipation.

She had replayed the scene in her head at least a million times and was now plugging in for a million and one. A few days ago Otis had asked her to go out to dinner with him. Neither of them had ever mentioned "the word", but Olympia had immediately bestowed the title of "date" upon the outing the minute Otis had asked her.

She glanced at herself in the hall mirror. A girl with bright red glass, bright red hair, and a bright red dress smiled back at her. A golden chain hung around her neck on which hung a broken, golden something. She didn't exactly know what it was but she liked to think had been a heart, or a star, or a butterfly; something along those lines, back long ago when it had been new and whole.

It had been her mothers, or at least that's what the people at the orphanage had told her, and it was all she had to connect herself with the family she had never known.

She shook her head. Now was not the time to be dwelling on these things. She could do that later. Now was the time to be waiting for Otis. Her stomach nearly exploded with joy at the mere thought of his name.

Then, she heard it. A knock at the door. The sound of knuckles against wood echoed throughout the empty house and Olympia practically flew to the door and flung it open. There stood Otis, looking as if he had swallowed some particularly nasty medicine. The expression on his face changed drastically as he viewed Olympia. Her red dress was knee-length and flowed smoothly around her when she moved. Her hair was back in it's usually ponytail but a few loose pieces stuck out, framing her face perfectly. Otis opened his mouth but the words seemed caught in his throat. He coughed a few times and finally forced out a raspy complement, "Olympia, you look great."