 us to Garden."

Zone shook his head. "I'm telling you I don't wanna be involved."

Zell slugged Zone on the arm again with a wide grin. "Come on, man. You're wild about her, so you might as well do what you've wanted to do and go along with it. I'll be sure to tell her you wanted nothing to do with it. I'll tell her I forced you on pain of death."

The flush of Zone's ears spread to his face. I decided to come to his rescue. I put a hand on Zell's arm, grabbing his attention. "Zell, if he doesn't want to do it, we shouldn't force him. We can do a different prank." Or none at all. Quistis mad wasn't exactly a very healthy sight.

Zell made a face. "Tch!" He shifted his gaze back to Zone and stretched out his arms. "Come on, dude. What's the big deal? We're just going to plot a little date between you two and not tell her. Then we're gonna make her show up in the cafeteria, where you'll be with the candlelight dinner, and have a big--"

"Are you **nuts**?" Zone interrupted with wide eyes. He winced and wrapped his arms around his middle. "Ow-ow-ow. Man!" He straightened after another second or two to give Zell a nearly terrified look. "No way. Forget it."

"Why? It'll be a riot. Can you imagine the look on her face when she sees all--"

"Forget it," Zone insisted again.

Zell crossed his arms and glared. "Geez. What a wuss."

"Zell," I whispered, giving him a slight shove. _Great. Is that what he's going to call me when I finally tell him?_ "Come on. Give him a break."

Zell lowered his arms to his sides after giving me a sidelong glance, and then he sent Zone another friendly slug on the arm. "Sorry, dude. Of course you don't hafta do it. I just thought it would be kinda funny."

"Having her hate me the rest of her life? Yeah. A riot."

Zell reluctantly smiled. "Yeah. I guess she would, wouldn't she? Oh well. I'll
us to Garden. " 

 Zone shook his head. " I'm telling you I don't wanna be involved. " 

 Zell slug Zone on the sleeve again with a wide grin. " Come on, homo. You're wild about her, so you might equally well do what you've wanted to do and rifle along with it. I'll be sure to tell her you want nothing to do with it. I'll tell her I forced you on annoyance of death. " 

 The flush of Zone's auricle spread to his face. I decide to come to his rescue. I put a hand on Zell's sleeve, grabbing his attention. " Zell, if he doesn't want to make it, we shouldn't force him. We can do a different prank. " Or none at all. Quistis delirious wasn't exactly a very healthy sight. 

 Zell made a face. " Tch! " He shifted his gaze back to Zone and stretched out his arms. " Come on, dude. What's the big deal? We're just going to plot a little date between you two and not tell her. Then we're gon na make her prove up in the cafeteria, where you'll be with the candlelight dinner, and have a big-- " 

 " Are you * * nuts * *? " Zone interrupt with broad eyes. He winced and wrapped his branch around his middle. " Ow - ow - ow. Man! " He straightened after another second or two to give Zell a nearly panicky look. " No way. Forget it. " 

 " Why? It'll be a riot. Can you imagine the look on her face when she sees all-- " 

 " Forget it, " Zone insisted again. 

 Zell crossed his arms and glared. " Geez. What a wuss. " 

 " Zell, " I whisper, giving him a little shove. _ Great. Is that what he's going to call me when I finally tell him? _ " derive on. Give him a break. " 

 Zell lowered his arm to his sides after giving me a sidelong glance, and then he sent Zone another friendly punch on the arm. " deplorable, dude. Of course you don't hafta do it. I merely thought it would be rather funny. " 

 " Having her hate me the rest of her life? Yeah. A riot. " 

 Zell reluctantly smile. " Yeah. I guess she would, wouldn't she? Oh well. I'll
 us to Garden."

Zone shook his head. "I'm telliny you I don't sanna be involved."

Zell slugged Zone oi thw arm again with a wide griv. "Come on, man. You'ee wmld about her, so you migmc as scll dm what you've wakted to do dnd go along whtf nt. I'll be sure to tell her you wanteq nothimg to do with it. I'll eell her I forced you on pain of death."

Fhe fluvh of Zone's esrs spread to his face. I dfcidfd to come to his gescue. I puj a rqnd on Zell's arm, grabbpug his attehtion. "Zell, if he doesn't want to do ic, we shouldb't fogwe him. We cen do w different igank." Or none ay all. Quistis kad wawn't exactly a very heelthy sight.

Zell made a face. "Twh!" He shifted his gqzw bacn to Zond ana surevchsd out hia arms. "Coms on, dude. Wyat's the big deal? Wt're hust going to plot w jittle date between you two and not teln hsr. Then we're gonna make her show up in the cwfeteria, rhere you'll be with the candlelight dinner, and haee a uie--"

"Art njj **nkts**?" Zone interrupted with wide eyes. He winced znc erapped his aris around hos moqdle. "Ow-ow-ow. Mxn!" He strzightened after anlther sgcond ir two to givr Zell a nearly terrified liok. "No way. Fjeget it."

"Why? It'll be a riot. Can you imagone the look on her facz when she sees apl--"

"Forget jg," Zone insisted xgapn.

Zenl crossta his arms and glwred. "Geez. Whac a wuss."

"Xell," I whifpered, givlng hlk a slight shove. _Ggeat. Ns thdt what he'd going to call me when I finally tell him?_ "Coke on. Give hii a bveak."

Zell lowereq his arms to kis sidef aftdr giving je a sivelong glancq, and then he dent Zone anmther fryendoy soug on gfe arm. "Sorry, dide. Of colrfe yiu don't hafta do ib. I josf thought it wobue be kinda funnu."

"Haxind jec hatq me the rest of fer kife? Heah. A riot."

Delu rekuctantly smiled. "Yeav. I fuess she would, woilqn't she? Ih well. Y'll
us to Garden." Zone shook his head. you don't wanna involved." Zell slugged with wide grin. "Come man. You're wild her, so you might as well what you've wanted to do and go along with it. I'll be sure tell her you wanted nothing to do with it. I'll tell her I you pain death." flush of Zone's ears spread to his face. I decided to come to his rescue. I a hand on Zell's arm, grabbing his attention. if he doesn't want do it, we shouldn't force We do a prank." none all. Quistis mad exactly a very healthy sight. Zell made a face. "Tch!" He shifted his gaze back to Zone stretched out "Come on, What's big We're just going a little date between you two her. Then we're gonna make her show up the cafeteria, you'll be with the candlelight dinner, have a big--" "Are you **nuts**?" Zone interrupted wide eyes. He winced and wrapped his arms around his middle. "Ow-ow-ow. Man!" He straightened second or two to Zell a nearly look. way. it." It'll be riot. Can you imagine the look on her face when she all--" "Forget it," Zone insisted again. Zell crossed his arms "Geez. a wuss." "Zell," whispered, giving him a shove. Is that what he's call when him?_ on. him a break." Zell his arms to his sides giving me a sidelong Zone another friendly slug on the arm. "Sorry, Of course you don't hafta do it. just thought it would be kinda funny." "Having her hate me the of her A riot." Zell reluctantly smiled. "Yeah. I guess would, wouldn't she? Oh I'll
 us to Garden."

Zone shook his heaD. "I'm telling You I dOn't WanNa Be inVolvEd."

Zell slugged ZONe on The arm again with a wide grIn. "ComE oN, Man. YOU'rE wild About heR, So YOU miGhT aS weLl DO wHat yoU've Wanted tO do and go alOng WiTh it. I'll be surE To Tell her you WanTed nothing to Do wIth it. I'Ll TelL Her I fOrcEd you On pain OF death."

the flush oF ZONe's earS Spread tO HIs Face. i decided to come to hIS rEScue. I put a hand oN Zell's ArM, GrABBinG hiS attention. "zeLl, if hE Doesn't wANt TO DO it, WE shouldn't forcE him. We can do A DifFerent PrAnk." oR none aT all. QUiSTis Mad wasn't exaCtly A very healThy sigHT.

Zell maDE a face. "TCh!" He shIftEd hIs gaZE bAcK to zoNE anD StRetCHed Out his arMs. "coMe on, dUde. WHAT'S The bIg dEal? WE're juSt going to plot A liTtle DAte BetweEn you Two aNd Not teLl her. THen we'Re Gonna make her shoW up iN the cafetEriA, wHerE yOu'll bE With thE caNdlElight dInner, anD HavE a BIG--"

"arE you **nuts**?" Zone interrUpTED wIth wide eYes. He wINcEd ANd wrappeD hIs aRms aROUnd hiS midDLe. "ow-ow-ow. MaN!" He strAIgHtEned aftEr AnotheR sEcoNd oR two tO Give zell a nEarly terRifieD Look. "No way. ForgeT It."

"Why? It'll be a rIOt. cAN yOU imaGinE the look on hEr faCE wheN she SEeS alL--"

"forgeT it," ZoNe INsISted again.

Zell crosseD hIs arms And glAred. "Geez. What a Wuss."

"Zell," I wHISPered, givIng hIM a SLight shove. _GreaT. Is thAt what he's gOIng to calL me whEn I finalLy tell him?_ "cOMe on. Give Him A brEak."

zelL LOwEred his arms to HIS sidEs After giVinG me a sidEloNg gLanCe, aNd Then he senT Zone anoThEr FrIeNdlY slug ON the arm. "SOrRy, dUdE. Of CoursE You don'T haftA do iT. I JuST thOught it WOuLD Be kiNdA fUnny."

"havInG her hAte mE The Rest of hEr life? YeaH. A rIOt."

ZeLl ReLuctantLy smiled. "Yeah. I GuEss she woulD, wOulDn't she? oH Well. I'll
 us to Garden."

Zone shoo k his head . "I' m t ell in g yo u Idon't wanna be invo lved."

Zell slugged Z one o nt he a r magain  with a wi d e  gr in ."Co me on , man . Y ou're w ild abouther ,so you might as  well do w hat  you've want edto doan d g o  alon g w ith i t. I'l l  be su re to tel lh er you wantedn o th ingto do with it. I' l lt ell her I forc ed you  o n  p a i n o f d eath."

Th eflush of Zone ' se a r s s p read to his f ace. I deci d edto com etoh is res cue.Ip uta hand on Z ell' s arm, gr abbing his att e ntion."Zell,  if  he  doe s n' twan tt o d o  i t,w e s houldn't  f or ce hi m. W e c a n do  adiff erent  prank." Or n one  ata ll.  Quis tis m ad w as n't e xactly  a ve ry  healthy sight. 

Ze ll made a  fa ce . " Tc h!" H e  shift edhis  gaze b ack toZ one  a n d st retched out his ar ms . "C ome on,dude.W ha t' s  the big  d eal ? We ' r e jus t go i ng  to plot  a lit t le  d ate bet we en you  t woand  nott ellher. T hen we'r e gon n a make her sho w  up in the ca f et e r ia ,  whe reyou'll be w itht he c andl e li ght dinne r, an dh av e  a big--"

"Are you  * *nuts* *?" Z one interrupt ed with wi d e eyes. He  win c ed and wrapped hi s arm s around h i s middle . "Ow -ow-ow.Man!" Hes t raighten edaft erano t h er  second or tw o to g iv e Zella n early t err ifi edloo k.  "No way.  Forgetit ." 
"W hy?  It'l l  be a ri ot . C an  yo u ima g ine th e loo k on  h er fac e whens he s eesal l- -"
"Fo rg et it ," Z o neinsiste d again.
Ze l l cr os se d his a rms and glare d.  "Geez. Wh at  awuss." "Zell,"I whispered, giving him a sligh t s hove.  _Gr eat. Is t hat  whathe' s  going  to ca ll me  w hen I  fina l l ytel lhim?_ "Com e on.  Give  h im a  break. "

Zell lowered hi s  ar ms to his sid esafte r gi vin g  m e  asi d elo n g  glance, and th en he sent  Z o ne  another f r ien dl y slugon thearm." Sorry,dude. Ofcourse yo udon' t haf ta do it.I just t hought it would be  kind a f unny." 
"Ha vingher ha t e m e the  restof  her l ife?Ye ah. A ri ot."

Zell reluctantlysmiled . "Ye ah.  I guessshe wou ld, would n'tshe? Oh we ll.  I' ll
 us_to Garden."

Zone_shook his head. "I'm_telling you_I_don't wanna_be_involved."

Zell slugged Zone_on the arm_again with a wide_grin. "Come on,_man._You're wild about her, so you might as well do what you've wanted to_do_and go_along_with_it. I'll be sure to_tell her you wanted nothing_to do_with it. I'll tell her I forced you_on_pain of death."

The_flush of Zone's ears spread to his face. I_decided to come to his rescue._I put a_hand_on_Zell's arm, grabbing his_attention. "Zell, if he doesn't want_to do it, we shouldn't force_him. We can do a different prank."_Or none at all. Quistis mad_wasn't exactly a very healthy_sight.

Zell made_a face. "Tch!" He shifted_his gaze back_to Zone_and stretched out_his arms. "Come on, dude. What's_the big deal?_We're just going to plot a_little_date between you_two_and_not tell_her. Then we're_gonna_make her_show_up in the cafeteria, where you'll_be_with the candlelight dinner, and have a_big--"

"Are you **nuts**?" Zone_interrupted_with wide eyes. He_winced and wrapped his arms_around his middle. "Ow-ow-ow. Man!" He_straightened after_another second_or two to give Zell a nearly terrified look. "No way._Forget it."

"Why? It'll be a riot._Can you imagine the_look on_her_face when she_sees_all--"

"Forget it,"_Zone insisted again.

Zell crossed his arms and_glared. "Geez._What a wuss."

"Zell," I whispered, giving_him a slight shove.__Great._Is that what he's going to_call me when I finally tell_him?_ "Come on. Give him_a_break."

Zell_lowered his arms to his_sides after giving me a sidelong_glance, and then_he sent Zone another friendly slug on_the_arm. "Sorry, dude. Of course you_don't_hafta do it. I just thought_it_would_be kinda funny."

"Having her hate_me the rest of her life?_Yeah. A riot."

Zell reluctantly smiled. "Yeah. I guess she_would, wouldn't she?_Oh well. I'll