 closed my eyes.

_Oh boy_. He smelled better than great.

"What the hell?" Zell muttered.

I opened my eyes and looked over, but his head was in the way. "What's the matter?"

"The button won't go in all the way, but there's nothing blocking it. Hm. Geez. Come on, you stupid little."

I stifled a giggle behind a strategically placed hand and looked away. "Sorry about this," I said when I trusted my voice.

"Nah. Not your fault--there. OK. Free to go." He straightened and promptly bumped his head on the door frame. "Ouch!" He glared at it as he rubbed his head.

"Are you OK?" I asked as I carefully got out of the car.

"Yeah. Geez. I knew there was a reason I didn't like this car."

I giggled aloud that time, tugging his arm and gesturing toward the entrance to Garden. "You want to stop by the infirmary and get some ice?" I asked once he started walking.

"Nah. I've had tougher bumps than this and lived to tell about it."

_Thank goodness for that._ We entered Garden's main corridor and turned right toward the dormitory. "Thanks again for today, Zell."

"No sweat. Thanks for inviting me to lunch with your ma. It was fun. Too bad your dad couldn't come, though. That would've been a riot playing ball with you and him."

"I've still got to go swimming in the rain with you in Balamb. So we'll just have to make a day to play ball together when I know my dad's going to be in Timber." _Way to go, Sally!_

"Sounds like fun."

But something didn't sound right. I sent him a sidelong glance. Zell had started lightly rubbing his tattoo, something he did when he was really thinking about something. _Uh-oh._ "You OK?"

"Yeah." Zell seemed to shrug something off moments before sending me a grin and a nudge. "See you bright and early tomorrow morning, Sally. OK?"

I nodded, not knowing if I should push or let it go. "OK."

"See ya."

Then he
closed my eyes. 

 _ Oh boy _. He smelled better than big. 

 " What the sin? " Zell muttered. 

 I opened my eye and look over, but his head was in the way. " What's the topic? " 

 " The button won't go in all the way, but there's nothing stuff it. Hm. Geez. Come on, you stupid short. " 

 I stifled a giggle behind a strategically placed bridge player and looked away. " Sorry about this, " I said when I trusted my articulation. 

 " Nah. Not your fault -- there. OK. Free to go. " He tidy and promptly bumped his head on the door frame. " Ouch! " He glower at it as he rubbed his head. 

 " Are you OK? " I asked as I carefully catch out of the car. 

 " Yeah. Geez. I knew there was a reason I didn't like this cable car. " 

 I giggle loudly that time, tugging his arm and gesturing toward the entrance to Garden. " You want to stop by the infirmary and catch some frosting? " I asked once he started walk. 

 " Nah. I've take tougher bumps than this and lived to assure about it. " 

 _ Thank goodness for that. _ We entered Garden's main corridor and turned justly toward the dormitory. " Thanks again for today, Zell. " 

 " No sweat. Thanks for inviting me to lunch with your ma. It was fun. Too bad your dad couldn't come, though. That would've been a belly laugh playing ball with you and him. " 

 " I've still got to blend swimming in the rain with you in Balamb. thus we'll just have to make a day to play musket ball together when I know my dad's going to be in Timber. " _ direction to go, Sally! _ 

 " Sounds like fun. " 

 But something didn't sound correct. I sent him a lateral glance. Zell had started lightly rub his tattoo, something he did when he was truly thinking about something. _ Uh - oh. _ " You all right? " 

 " Yeah. " Zell seemed to shrug something off moments before mail me a grin and a nudge. " See you undimmed and early tomorrow morning, Sally. OK? " 

 I nodded, not knowing if I should push or let it go. " OK. " 

 " See ya. " 

 Then he
 cllsed my eyes.

_Oh boy_. He smtlled better than great.

"Wiat the hell?" Zeul muttered.

I opened my eyes end oookee over, but his head war in the aay. "What'w tht matter?"

"The buttoi won't go in amp thz xay, but there's kothing blowking it. Hm. Geaz. Clme on, you stupid little."

I stifled a giggle bfhind a stratedicakjy pmaced hand and looked away. "Sorry agout thps," I said when I yrusted my voice.

"Nah. Not yokr fwult--there. OK. Free ho go." He sttzigrrened and prumptly bumkeb his head kn the door frame. "Ouch!" He glarea at nt as he ruvbwd jhs head.

"Are bou OK?" I asked as L carefglly goy out of the csr.

"Yxah. Teez. I knew there was a reason I didn't jike this ccr."

I giggled aloud thar rime, juggitg hkw afm znv gssturijg voward the sntrance to Garden. "You want to seip by the infjrmary agd get some ice?" I asked once he started wamking.

"Nah. I've had toughee bumps than this and lived to tell about it."

_Thank goodness for that._ We entered Cardei's mank zirgidor and turned right toward the dormitory. "Trznls again for todcy, Zell."

"No sweat. Yhwnlf for invitine me to lhnch with your ma. Lt was sun. Tio bad yotr dsd couldn't come, though. That would've beeu a riot playing ball with you aud him."

"O've syill got to go swimming in fhe rain wihh you in Calamb. So we'll jjst hdve to make a day to play fall togevher chen I kvow ky dad'f going to be ik Timber." _Way to go, Dally!_

"Dognds like vun."

But something didn't sound rijit. I sent him a sigelong gjance. Zell had stawted lightly robbing hif tatgoo, somethpng he div when he waf really thinnlng about sokething. _Th-oh._ "You OK?"

"Yeah." Xell seemed to shrug something ofd moments before scndine me a grin and c budge. "See you btigft wnf xarly domorrow morting, Sauky. OK?"

K nodded, nob kvowimg if I should push mr lst it go. "OK."

"See ya."

Tnek he
closed my eyes. _Oh boy_. He smelled great. the hell?" muttered. I opened but head was in way. "What's the "The button won't go in all way, but there's nothing blocking it. Hm. Geez. Come on, you stupid little." stifled a giggle behind a strategically placed hand and looked away. "Sorry about I when trusted voice. "Nah. Not your fault--there. OK. Free to go." He straightened and promptly bumped his head the door frame. "Ouch!" He glared at it he rubbed his head. you OK?" I asked as carefully out of car. Geez. knew there was reason I didn't like this car." I giggled aloud that time, tugging his arm and gesturing toward entrance to want to by infirmary get some ice?" once he started walking. "Nah. I've than this and lived to tell about it." goodness for We entered Garden's main corridor and right toward the dormitory. "Thanks again for today, "No sweat. Thanks for inviting me to lunch with your ma. It was fun. Too dad couldn't come, though. would've been a playing with and "I've still to go swimming in the rain with you in Balamb. So just have to make a day to play ball together know dad's going to in Timber." _Way to Sally!_ like fun." But something right. sent glance. had lightly rubbing his tattoo, he did when he was thinking about something. _Uh-oh._ to shrug something off moments before sending me grin and a nudge. "See you bright early tomorrow morning, Sally. OK?" I nodded, not knowing if I should or let "OK." "See ya." Then he
 closed my eyes.

_Oh boy_. He smelleD better thaN greaT.

"WhAt tHe Hell?" zell Muttered.

I openeD My eyEs and looked over, but his hEad waS iN The wAY. "WHat's tHe matteR?"

"thE BUttOn WoN't gO iN AlL the wAy, bUt there'S nothing blOckInG it. Hm. Geez. ComE On, You stupid lIttLe."

I stifled a gIggLe behiNd A stRAtegiCalLy plaCed hanD And looKed away. "SoRrY About tHIs," I said WHEn i truSted my voice.

"Nah. Not YOuR Fault--there. OK. FrEe to go." he STrAIGhtEneD and promptLy BumpeD His head ON tHE DOor FRame. "Ouch!" He glaRed at it as he RUbbEd his hEaD.

"ArE You OK?" I Asked As i CarEfully got ouT of tHe car.

"Yeah. geez. I kNEw there WAs a reasOn I didN't lIke This CAr."

i gIggLeD AloUD tHat TIme, Tugging hIs ArM and gEstuRING TowaRd tHe enTrancE to Garden. "You wAnt To stOP by The inFirmaRy anD gEt somE ice?" I aSked oNcE he started walkiNg.

"NaH. I've had toUghEr BumPs Than tHIs and lIveD to Tell aboUt it."

_ThaNK goOdNESS fOr that._ We entered GarDeN'S MaIn corridOr and tURnEd RIght towaRd The DormITOry. "ThAnks AGaIn for todAy, Zell."

"nO sWeAt. ThankS fOr inviTiNg mE to Lunch WIth yOur ma. IT was fun. TOo bad YOur dad couldn't cOMe, though. That wOUlD'VE bEEn a rIot Playing ball With YOu anD him."

"i'Ve StiLL got tO go swImMInG In the rain with you in BAlAmb. So wE'll juSt have to make a Day to play bALL Together When i KnOW my dad's going to Be in TImber." _Way to GO, Sally!_

"SoUnds lIke fun."

BuT somethinG DIdn't sounD riGht. i seNt hIM A sIdelong glance. zELl haD sTarted lIghTly rubbIng His TatToo, SoMething he Did when hE wAs ReAlLy tHinkiNG about soMeThiNg. _uh-oH._ "You Ok?"

"yeah." ZeLl seeMed tO sHrUG soMething OFf MOMentS bEfOre sEndInG me a gRin aND a nUdge. "See You bright And EArly ToMoRrow morNing, Sally. OK?"

I nOdDed, not knowInG if i shoulD PUsh or let It go. "OK."

"See ya."

Then he
 closed my eyes.

_Oh boy_ . He smell ed be tte r t ha n gr eat. 

"What the he l l?"Zell muttered.

I open ed my  e y es a n dlooke d over, bu t his  h ea d w as in  theway . "What 's the mat ter ?" 

"The butto n  w on't go in  al l the way, b utthere' snot h ing b loc kingit. Hm .  Geez.  Come on,  y o u stup i d littl e . "
I s tifled a giggle b e hi n d a strategica lly pl ac e dh a ndand  looked aw ay . "So r ry abou t  t h i s ,"I  said when Itrusted myv oic e.

"N ah . N o t your  faul t- - the re. OK. Fre e to  go." Hestraig h tened a n d promp tly bu mpe d h is h e ad  o n t he doo r  f ram e . " Ouch!" H egl aredat i t a s  herub bedhis h ead.

"Are yo u O K?"I  as ked a s I c aref ul ly go t outof th ecar.

"Yeah. Ge ez.I knew th ere  w asareaso n  I did n't  li ke this  car."I g ig g l e daloud that time, t ug g i ng  his arm  and g e st ur i ng towar dthe  ent r a nce t o Ga r de n. "Youwant t o  s to p by th einfirm ar y a ndget s o me i ce?" I  asked o nce h e  started walki n g.

"Nah. I'v e  h a d  t o ughe r b umps than t hisa nd l ived to  te l l abo ut it ." 
_ T hank goodness for t ha t._ We  ente red Garden'smain corri d o r  and tur nedr ig h t toward the d ormit ory. "Than k s againfor t oday, Ze ll."

"No s weat. Th ank s f orinv i t in g me to lunch w ithyo ur ma.Itwas fun . T oobad  yo ur  dad coul dn't com e,  t ho ug h.Thatw ould'vebe enario t pla y ing ba ll wi th y ou  a n d h im."

" I 'v e stil lgo t to  go  s wimmi ng i n  th e rainwith youinB alam b.  S o we'll  just have to  m ake a dayto  pl ay bal l together  when I know my dad's g o ing tobein Ti mber ." _Way t o g o, Sal ly! _ 

"Sou nds li ke fu n. "
B u t som e t hi ngdi dn't sound r igh t. Ise nt h im a si delong glance. Zel l  ha d started lig htl y ru b b in g h i st att oo ,  so m e thing he did wh en he wasre a ll y thinking abo ut  someth ing. _U h-oh. _  "You O K?"

"Yea h." Zellse emed t o s hrug somet hing off  momentsb efore se nding  me  a gri nand  a nu dge. " S eeyou b rightan d earl y tom or row morn ing, Sally. OK?"

I nod ded, n ot kn owi ng if I s hou l d p ush or le t it  go. "OK." 

" See  ya." 

T h en he 
 closed_my eyes.

_Oh_boy_. He smelled better_than great.

"What_the_hell?" Zell_muttered.

I_opened my eyes_and looked over,_but his head was_in the way._"What's_the matter?"

"The button won't go in all the way, but there's nothing blocking it._Hm._Geez. Come_on,_you_stupid little."

I stifled a giggle_behind a strategically placed hand_and looked_away. "Sorry about this," I said when I_trusted_my voice.

"Nah. Not_your fault--there. OK. Free to go." He straightened and_promptly bumped his head on the_door frame. "Ouch!"_He_glared_at it as he_rubbed his head.

"Are you OK?" I_asked as I carefully got out_of the car.

"Yeah. Geez. I knew there_was a reason I didn't like_this car."

I giggled aloud that_time, tugging_his arm and gesturing toward_the entrance to_Garden. "You_want to stop_by the infirmary and get some_ice?" I asked_once he started walking.

"Nah. I've had_tougher_bumps than this_and_lived_to tell_about it."

_Thank goodness_for_that._ We_entered_Garden's main corridor and turned right_toward_the dormitory. "Thanks again for today, Zell."

"No_sweat. Thanks for inviting_me_to lunch with your_ma. It was fun. Too_bad your dad couldn't come, though._That would've_been a_riot playing ball with you and him."

"I've still got to go_swimming in the rain with you_in Balamb. So we'll_just have_to_make a day_to_play ball_together when I know my dad's going_to be_in Timber." _Way to go, Sally!_

"Sounds_like fun."

But something didn't_sound_right. I sent him a sidelong_glance. Zell had started lightly rubbing_his tattoo, something he did_when_he_was really thinking about something.__Uh-oh._ "You OK?"

"Yeah." Zell seemed to_shrug something off_moments before sending me a grin and_a_nudge. "See you bright and early_tomorrow_morning, Sally. OK?"

I nodded, not knowing_if_I_should push or let it_go. "OK."

"See ya."

Then he