 bed intensely reading an article in the promised Combat King magazine. I self-consciously cleared my throat, shifting my weight from one foot to the other as I wrung my hands in front of me. I stayed near the doorway.

"What?" I asked after another clearing of my throat.

"They published my submission!"

Inhibitions and boundaries were forgotten as I hurried over to his side, sitting on the bed close beside him as I pulled the magazine closer to my side. "Where?"

Zell pointed several times in quick succession to the left side of the page where I read the verbal description of the move and the pros and cons of it, just as Zell had described to me and my mom over lunch that day. "See? They published it!"

"How cool is that?" I asked with a wide smile. Then I threw my arms around him to give him a tight hug. "Congratulations!"

Zell's left arm went around me to return the embrace. Then, when my sluggish brain realized what was happening, I pulled back as calmly as possible. Once his arm had left the now very warm section around my waist, I scooted a fraction of a measurement away from him.

"This is so sweet," he said, seemingly oblivious.

_Whew._ "It is, isn't it? Are you going to send in another one?" I asked calmly.

Zell looked over at me with a grin. "Damn straight! I get 1500 gil each time they accept a submission."

I blinked. "Really? Wow. Maybe I should start submitting?"

Zell's expression grew thoughtful. "You know? That's not such a bad idea." He closed the magazine after another moment, sending me a momentary point. "Tell ya what, when we meet tomorrow to start naming your better moves, we can start putting together a submission packet."

_I'm getting together with Zell tomorrow, too?_ I smiled. "OK. Sounds like fun." _Be still my beating heart._

Zell stood and headed for the doorway of his room. "Come on. I've got two magazines downstairs we can look at, too. I think I saw a couple moves that we could mesh together that'd be perfect for you."

I gave a slow, happy shrug of both shoulders as I released a quick breath and surrendered to another silly smile
bed intensely reading an article in the promised Combat King magazine. I self - consciously clear my throat, shift my weight from one foot to the other as I wring my hands in front of me. I stay near the doorway. 

 " What? " I asked after another clearing of my throat. 

 " They published my meekness! " 

 inhibition and boundaries were forget as I hurried over to his side, sit down on the bed close beside him as I pulled the magazine closer to my side. " Where? " 

 Zell point several times in quick sequence to the left side of the page where I take the verbal description of the move and the professional and cons of it, just as Zell had described to me and my mom over lunch that day. " witness? They published it! " 

 " How cool is that? " I asked with a wide smile. Then I threw my arms around him to pass him a tight hug. " Congratulations! " 

 Zell's left arm went around me to return the embrace. Then, when my sluggish brain realized what was happening, I pull back as calmly as possible. Once his sleeve had left the now very warm incision around my waist, I scooted a fraction of a measurement away from him. 

 " This is so sugared, " he said, seemingly oblivious. 

 _ Whew. _ " It is, isn't it? Are you going to send in another one? " I asked sedately. 

 Zell looked over at me with a grin. " Damn straight! I get 1500 gil each time they accept a meekness. " 

 I flash. " Really? Wow. Maybe I should start submitting? " 

 Zell's formula grew thoughtful. " You know? That's not such a regretful idea. " He close the magazine after another moment, transport me a momentary decimal point. " Tell ya what, when we meet tomorrow to get down naming your good moves, we can start arrange together a submission packet. " 

 _ I'm getting in concert with Zell tomorrow, too? _ I smiled. " OK. Sounds like playfulness. " _ Be still my beating heart. _ 

 Zell stood and head for the doorway of his room. " arrive on. I've got two magazines downstairs we can search at, too. I think I saw a couple moves that we could mesh together that'd be arrant for you. " 

 I gave a slow, happy shrug of both shoulders as I released a quick breath and surrendered to another pathetic smile
 bef intensely reading an avticle in the promised Rombat Iing magxzine. I self-consciously cleaced ny theoat, shifting my weighg from onv foot to the ither as I wrung mn hansd in hront of me. I sjayed near tve doorway.

"What?" I adked after another clearing of my trroat.

"Thry published my fubmpsfion!"

Jnhibitions and boundaries were fodgotten as I hurried over to his side, sitting ln tje bed close besidf him as I khllqe the magazive closer uo my side. "Wgere?"

Zell pointed several times kn qunck successuob tl the left smde of the page whcge I redd the ferbal descripbion mf rhe move and the pros and cons of it, juft as Zeln kad described to me abd my mmm oeer uyncf tgav dzy. "See? Thxy publishes it!"

"How cooo is that?" I asked wotr a wide smile. Then Y ehrew my arms around him to give him a uight hug. "Congratulations!"

Zelo's left arm went aroujd me to weturn the embrace. Then, when my sluggish brain redlizev dhau qas hxppfning, I pulled back as calmly as possible. Oncq hos arm had left bhe now very warm xeftojn around my daist, N sdooted a fraction lf a mewsurenent away frok him.

"This is so sweet," he saud, seemingly iblivious.

_Whew._ "It id, isn't it? Axe you goinb to send in another onz?" I asied calmly.

Zfll lookes over at me with a nrit. "Damn sufaight! I get 1500 gil each timx thev accept a sobmissijn."

I blinkef. "Really? Wow. Maybe I shokld sjart sgbmitting?"

Zfll's expression grew thoughtful. "You know? That'x tot such a yad idca." He closed thq magazine aftgr anothex momevt, sending me a mmmentary poynt. "Tell ya wvwt, when we mxet tomorwow ro srart naokng your bettet moves, wv ean start putting together e sucjission packet."

_I'n gttring together eitf Zqlp vomorwmw, too?_ I smined. "UK. Rpunds like fun." _Bc sgill my beating heart._

Zeln stkod and headed for tme doorwai of his woom. "Come on. O've got two magazijes dmwnrtairx wg can look at, too. I think I saw a couple moyes that we cjuld mesh togethzr that'd be perfect for you."

I gave a slow, happy shrug of borh shoulders as I rglessed a quicl brewth and sgrrendered to anothee silly smile
bed intensely reading an article in the King I self-consciously my throat, shifting to other as I my hands in of me. I stayed near the "What?" I asked after another clearing of my throat. "They published my submission!" and boundaries were forgotten as I hurried over to his side, sitting on bed beside as pulled the magazine closer to my side. "Where?" Zell pointed several times in quick succession to left side of the page where I read verbal description of the and the pros and cons it, as Zell described me my mom over that day. "See? They published it!" "How cool is that?" I asked with a wide smile. Then threw my him to him tight "Congratulations!" Zell's left around me to return the embrace. sluggish brain realized what was happening, I pulled as calmly possible. Once his arm had left now very warm section around my waist, I a fraction of a measurement away from him. "This is so sweet," he said, seemingly "It is, isn't it? you going to in one?" asked Zell looked at me with a grin. "Damn straight! I get 1500 gil time they accept a submission." I blinked. "Really? Wow. Maybe start Zell's expression grew "You know? That's not a idea." He closed the another sending point. ya when we meet tomorrow start naming your better moves, can start putting together together with Zell tomorrow, too?_ I smiled. "OK. like fun." _Be still my beating heart._ stood and headed for the doorway of his room. "Come on. I've two magazines can look at, too. I think I saw couple moves that we mesh together that'd be perfect for you." I gave slow, shrug of shoulders as I a quick breath surrendered to another
 bed intensely reading an artiCle in the prOmiseD CoMbaT KIng mAgazIne. I self-consciOUsly Cleared my throat, shiftinG my weIgHT froM OnE foot To the otHEr AS i wrUnG mY haNdS In Front Of mE. I stayeD near the doOrwAy.

"what?" I asked afTEr Another cleAriNg of my throat.

"theY publiShEd mY SubmiSsiOn!"

InhIbitioNS and boUndaries wErE ForgotTEn as I huRRIeD oveR to his side, sitting ON tHE bed close besidE him as i pULlED The MagAzine closeR tO my siDE. "Where?"

ZELl POINteD Several times iN quick succeSSioN to the LeFt sIDe of thE page WhERe I Read the verbAl deScription Of the mOVe and thE Pros and Cons of It, jUst As ZeLL hAd DesCrIBed TO mE anD My mOm over luNcH tHat daY. "See? tHEY PublIshEd it!"

"how coOl is that?" I askeD wiTh a wIDe sMile. THen I tHrew My Arms aRound hIm to gIvE him a tight hug. "CoNgraTulations!"

zelL's LefT aRm wenT Around Me tO reTurn the Embrace. tHen, WhEN MY sLuggish brain realizEd WHAt Was happeNing, I pULlEd BAck as calMlY as PossIBLe. OncE his ARm Had left tHe now vERy WaRm sectiOn Around My WaiSt, I ScootED a frAction Of a measuRemenT Away from him.

"ThiS Is so sweet," he saID, sEEMiNGly oBliVious.

_Whew._ "It Is, isN'T it? ARe yoU GoIng TO send In anoThER oNE?" I asked calmly.

Zell loOkEd over At me wIth a grin. "Damn sTraight! I geT 1500 GIL each timE theY AcCEpt a submission."

i blinKed. "Really? WOW. Maybe I sHould Start subMitting?"

ZeLL'S expressIon GreW thOugHTFuL. "You know? That's NOT sucH a Bad idea." he cLosed thE maGazIne AftEr Another moMent, sendInG mE a MoMenTary pOInt. "Tell yA wHat, WhEn wE meet TOmorroW to stArt nAmInG YouR better MOvES, We caN sTaRt puTtiNg TogetHer a SUbmIssion pAcket."

_I'm geTtiNG togEtHeR with ZeLl tomorrow, too?_ i sMiled. "OK. SouNdS liKe fun." _BE STill my beAting heart._

Zell stood and hEAded for The DoorwAy of His room. "CoMe oN. I've goT twO MagaziNes dowNstaiRs We cAN Look aT, TOo. i thInK I saw a coupLE MovEs thaT wE couLd mesh tOgether that'd be perfECt fOr you."

I gave a slOw, hAppy SHRuG of BOtH ShoUlDErs AS i released a quick Breath and sUrREnDered to anoTHer SiLly smilE
 bed intensely reading anarticle in  thepro mis ed  Com batKing magazine. I se lf-consciously cleared  my t hr o at,s hi fting  my wei g ht f rom  o ne  fo ot to  theoth er as I  wrung myhan ds  in front of me . I stayed  ne ar the doorw ay. 

"Wha t? " I asked  af ter a nother cleari ng of myth r oat.
" They pu b l is hedmy submission!"
I nh i bitions and bo undari es we r e  fo rgo tten as Ihu rried over to hi s s ide ,  sitting on t he bed clos e  be side h im  as I pull ed th em aga zine closer  tomy side."Where ? "

Zell pointed  sever altim es i n  q ui cksu c ces s io n t o  th e left s id eof th e pa g e w here  Iread  theverbal descri pti on o f  th e mov e and  the  p ros a nd con s ofit , just as Zellhaddescribed  to  m e a nd  my m o m over  lu nch  that d ay. "Se e ? T he y p ub lished it!"

"Howco o l  i s that?"  I ask e dwi t h a wide  s mil e. T h e n I t hrew my  arms ar ound h i mto  give h im  a tig ht  hu g."Cong r atul ations !"

Zell 's le f t arm went aro u nd me to retu r nt h ee mbra ce.  Then, when  mys lugg ishb ra inr ealiz ed wh at wa s  happening, I pulle dback a s cal mly as possib le. Once h i s arm hadleft th e  now very warm  sect ion around my waist , I s cooted a  fraction o f a meas ure men t a way f ro m him.

"This i s so  s weet,"hesaid, s eem ing lyobl iv ious.

_W hew._ "I tis ,is n't  it?A re you g oi ngto  se nd in anothe r one ?" I  a sk e d c almly.Ze l l  loo ke dover  at  m e wit h ag rin . "Damn  straight ! I get15 00  gil ea ch time theyac cept a sub mi ssi on."
I blinked.  "Really? Wow. Maybe Is hould s tar t sub mitt ing?"

Ze ll' s expr ess i on gre w thou ghtfu l.  "Y o u  know ? Th at' snot such a b adidea. "He c losed t he magazine aftera not her moment, s end ingm e  a  mo m en t ary  p o int . "Tell ya what,when we me et to morrow tos tar tnamingyour be tterm oves, w e can sta rt puttin gtoge t h era submissi on packe t."

_I'm getti n gtoget her  withZe lltomor row, t o o?_  I sm iled."O K. Sou nds l ik e fun."_Be still my beating he art._
Zell  st ood and h ead e d f or the do orwa y of his r oom . " Comeon. I'vegott wo  ma g azine s do w nstairs w e  c anl o ok  at, too. I t h ink  I sa w a couple  mov es that we couldm esh together t hat' d beper f ectfo r you."

I gav e a  s l o w, happy  s hrug of bot h should er s  as I  relea sed aquick b r e at h  and s urre nde red to an oth er silly s mi le 
 bed_intensely reading_an article in the_promised Combat_King_magazine. I_self-consciously_cleared my throat,_shifting my weight_from one foot to_the other as_I_wrung my hands in front of me. I stayed near the doorway.

"What?" I asked_after_another clearing_of_my_throat.

"They published my submission!"

Inhibitions and_boundaries were forgotten as I_hurried over_to his side, sitting on the bed close_beside_him as I_pulled the magazine closer to my side. "Where?"

Zell pointed_several times in quick succession to_the left side_of_the_page where I read_the verbal description of the move_and the pros and cons of_it, just as Zell had described to_me and my mom over lunch_that day. "See? They published_it!"

"How cool_is that?" I asked with_a wide smile._Then I_threw my arms_around him to give him a_tight hug. "Congratulations!"

Zell's_left arm went around me to_return_the embrace. Then,_when_my_sluggish brain_realized what was_happening,_I pulled_back_as calmly as possible. Once his_arm_had left the now very warm section_around my waist, I_scooted_a fraction of a_measurement away from him.

"This is_so sweet," he said, seemingly oblivious.

_Whew.__"It is,_isn't it?_Are you going to send in another one?" I asked calmly.

Zell_looked over at me with a_grin. "Damn straight! I_get 1500_gil_each time they_accept_a submission."

I_blinked. "Really? Wow. Maybe I should start_submitting?"

Zell's expression_grew thoughtful. "You know? That's not_such a bad idea."_He_closed the magazine after another moment,_sending me a momentary point. "Tell_ya what, when we meet_tomorrow_to_start naming your better moves,_we can start putting together a_submission packet."

_I'm getting_together with Zell tomorrow, too?_ I smiled._"OK._Sounds like fun." _Be still my_beating_heart._

Zell stood and headed for the_doorway_of_his room. "Come on. I've_got two magazines downstairs we can_look at, too. I think I saw a couple_moves that we_could mesh together that'd be_perfect_for_you."

I gave a slow, happy shrug of both shoulders as_I released_a quick breath_and surrendered to another silly smile