Encoding Love (BWWM)

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Her vision blurred. Zora held out one hand before her. She knew it was her hand, but the shape and form were so unclear, she felt like she could be staring at anything.  Zora looked up. Squinting her amber-colored eyes, she couldn't even see her reflection in the mirror.

Zora replaced her black-framed glasses onto the bridge of her nose. She blinked, and her vision became unclouded. If Zora thought she could get away with walking around without glasses, she was mistaken, perhaps if she invested in prescription contacts. But she wasn't thrilled about the idea.

Now that she could see, Zora concentrated on her appearance in her apartment bathroom. She was notorious for her neat ponytails and makeup-free look. After all, a pair of lenses covered her face. And a ponytail helped ensure hair didn't obscure her vision. Her look was practical and efficient, but it was also plain and dull.

Her wardrobe followed under the same categories. She needed a tutorial on how to dress for a date. She had looked up a 'how-to' on YouTube but didn't find any suggestions to her liking. They used words like flirty, trendy, sexy, and Zora was none of those things. She was hopeless in the world of fashion and beauty.

It took her longer than needed to understand what LBD stood for. And ten minutes of scouring through her closet to realize she didn't own a little black dress. Magazine articles were excessive and complicated. There were so many rules. The dress's color, how much blush to wear, lipstick or gloss, was overwhelming. 

There was no quick solution for Zora. She figured she couldn't learn all about these things in a night, and it wasn't going to be easy for someone her age. At twenty-seven, most of these things should have been second nature. But while most girls in their formative years were out experiencing boys and dating. Zora was home refurbishing old computers.

She was a woman who understood framework and encoding, but not which purse matched her outfit.

Her last relationship had fallen together on its own. Even if their time together consisted of study dates at each other's dorm room. Zora was more interested in her schoolwork than properly dating Jesse Newman. That was the basis of their impromptu breakup. But who had time for temporary boys when she was trying to build a permanent future for herself?

Sadly, she figured she couldn't recreate the looks given to her by internet searches. Though she loved her ponytail, Zora styled her hair into a super-straight and smooth look. She managed to piece together a nice pair of boots, dark-washed jeans, and a plain white t-shirt. She was going for a simple and comfortable ensemble. Makeup was a lost effort, but a little lip balm did her some justice.

The Wayland was a casual hang-out spot on the corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C. Elijah had wanted to take her to one of those refined restaurants around Time Square. But this was more her speed. So instead, it was an East Village lowkey bar where one could enjoy a well-mixed, well-priced cocktail and live music.

The bar was only a small room with large windows and whitewashed walls. There was nothing extravagant about the place. But the Wayland still managed to draw a young and attractive crowd who chatted about underground albums and independent films.

Zora arrived promptly at eight, Saturday evening, feeling anxious beyond measure. She was looking for an empty table when she heard her name called. Instead, she found Elijah waving at a small table against the left wall at her.

His eyes were vibrant, regarding her appreciatively. At the same time, he caused her cheeks to redden like poppies. He stood to greet her, wrapping her frame into a warm embrace. They had never shared a hug. It didn't seem appropriate for them ever to do so. But now, they were taking their relationship a step further, and Zora wasn't sure she could handle it.