ell took a gentle hold of my arm to help me sit on my stone rather than fall. Then he sat close beside me, a hand on my back keeping me from toppling. "Just take it easy. Breathe. There ya go."

I closed my eyes. I made the confession of a lifetime, _and he likes me too? Zell wants to go out with me? Do things like that_ _happen_ _?_ I opened my eyes to the view of his knee beside mine. _I think I'm going to hurl._

Zell's free hand suddenly started searching the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. "Maybe you need to eat something. I think I have a candy bar--yeah. Here it is." He held out a candy bar with peanuts and nougat and caramel. "Try and eat a little of this."

My stomach lurched. I shook my head again. "I'm not hungry," I mumbled. The world started to spin a little less.

"You sure?"

I gave a slight nod.

Zell tucked the candy bar away. Then he gave my back a couple of rubs. I closed my eyes again. _This can't be happening._

"Guess I need to practice on that part a little," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. "Oh well. I did better than Quis did with Zone, or with Squall. Heh heh heh," he chuckled. "Now that was funny. I know I wasn't there, but Squall tells a pretty good story. I can almost see the whole sad little thing."

Somehow I could feel him look over at me, but my mind was stuck on that one glorious phrase. _'Dontcha think a guy like me would wanna date a girl like you?'_ I had no idea. I hadn't wanted to hope. Who likes having their fantasies ripped from them like that? I know I certainly didn't.

"Sally, are you gonna be okay?"

It was the first time in the world I'd heard my name said like that. What made it so much better was that I knew who'd said it, I knew I wasn't dreaming, and I knew I'd finally told him. I gave a slight nod as I wiped away another tear. "I'll be fine," I whispered.

Zell gave
ell took a gentle hold of my arm to avail me ride on my stone rather than fall. Then he sit close beside me, a hand on my rear keeping me from toppling. " merely take it easy. Breathe. There ya fit. " 

 I closed my eye. I made the confession of a lifetime, _ and he likes me too? Zell wants to go out with me? Do thing like that _ _ happen _ _? _ I opened my eyes to the scene of his knee beside mine. _ I think I'm going to hurl. _ 

 Zell's complimentary hand suddenly started searching the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. " possibly you need to eat something. I think I have a candy bar -- yeah. Here it is. " He held out a candy browning automatic rifle with peanuts and nougat and caramel. " Try and eat a little of this. " 

 My stomach lurched. I shook my head again. " I'm not hungry, " I mumble. The world started to whirl a short less. 

 " You certain? " 

 I gave a slight nod. 

 Zell tucked the candy bar away. Then he gave my back a couple of hang-up. I closed my eyes again. _ This can't be happening. _ 

 " Guess I need to practice on that part a fiddling, " he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. " Oh well. I did well than Quis do with Zone, or with Squall. Heh heh heh, " he chuckled. " Now that was funny. I know I wasn't there, but Squall tells a reasonably good story. I can almost see the whole sad little thing. " 

 Somehow I could feel him expect over at me, but my mind was cling on that one glorious phrase. _' Dontcha remember a guy like me would wanna date a girl like you?' _ I induce no idea. I hadn't want to hope. Who likes having their illusion rip from them like that? I know I certainly didn't. 

 " Sally, are you gon na be okay? " 

 It was the first time in the world I'd heard my name said like that. What make it so much good was that I knew who'd said it, I knew I wasn't dreaming, and I knew I'd finally distinguish him. I gave a slight nod as I wiped away another tear. " I'll be fine, " I whisper. 

 Zell gave
ell took a gentle hold of mn arm to help me sit on my stkne rathdr than fall. Then he sat clode besiee me, a hand on my bacy keeping me from topkling. "Just take iv easy. Bvzathe. Bhere ba go."

I closed mi eyes. I mada the confessimn oy a lifetime, _and he likes me too? Zelj wants tl go out with ie? Dp thihgs like that_ _happen_ _?_ I opened my syes to the view of nis knee beside mine. _I thijk I'l going to hurl._

Zelp's free hane suqeenly startea searching the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. "Maybe you ueed to eat simehving. I thinj I hwve a candy nsr--yeah. Here iy is." He held omt a randt bar with peanuts anv nougat and caramel. "Try and aac a little of this."

My wtimach lurwhed. U sfooi ky head wgamn. "I'm not hhngry," I mumvled. The world starued np spin a litfle lefs.

"Rou sure?"

I gave a slight nod.

Zell tucked uhe czndy bar away. Then he gqve my back a couple lf rubs. I closed my eyes again. _This can't be happening._

"Guess I nexd to pvactkxe on that part a little," he said. I could hear trs xmple in his voice. "Jh well. I dod brjter than Quis did wnfh Zone, or with Squapl. Heh reh hwh," he chusklec. "Now that was funny. I know I wasn't thege, byt Squall tells a 'retty good rtori. I cam almost see the whole rad mittle thinh."

Somehow J could feel him uool mver at me, but my mind was stuck on thac one glurioos phrafe. _'Dontcha think a guy like me woupd wauna ddte a girl like you?'_ I had no idea. I hadn't wanted to hopg. Wvo nikes haring tmeir fantasies wipped from thgm like tkat? I ynow I cernainly divn't.

"Sally, are you gonna be lkay?"

It was tie first eime in rhe worua I'd heard my mame said like that. What made it so mmch bgtfer was that I jneq who'd said it, O kvew I wesn't qseaming, and H kndw K'c finxlly told hlm. K gafe a slight nod as I wipsd away another tesr. "I'll be dine," I wrispered.

Zell bave
ell took a gentle hold of my help sit on stone rather than beside a hand on back keeping me toppling. "Just take it easy. Breathe. ya go." I closed my eyes. I made the confession of a lifetime, he likes me too? Zell wants to go out with me? Do things that_ _?_ opened eyes to the view of his knee beside mine. _I think I'm going to hurl._ Zell's hand suddenly started searching the pocket of his sweatshirt. "Maybe you need eat something. I think I a bar--yeah. Here is." held a candy bar peanuts and nougat and caramel. "Try and eat a little of this." My stomach lurched. I shook head again. hungry," I The started spin a little sure?" I gave a slight nod. candy bar away. Then he gave my back couple of I closed my eyes again. _This be happening._ "Guess I need to practice on part a little," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. "Oh well. better than Quis did Zone, or with Heh heh," chuckled. that was I know I wasn't there, but Squall tells a pretty good I can almost see the whole sad little thing." Somehow feel look over at but my mind was on one glorious phrase. _'Dontcha guy me a like I had no idea. hadn't wanted to hope. Who having their fantasies ripped know I certainly didn't. "Sally, are you gonna okay?" It was the first time in world I'd heard my name said like that. What made it so better was knew who'd said it, I knew I wasn't and I knew I'd told him. I gave a slight nod as I away tear. "I'll fine," I whispered. gave
ell took a gentle hold of my arm To help me siT on my StoNe rAtHer tHan fAll. Then he sat clOSe beSide me, a hand on my back keePing mE fROm toPPlIng. "JuSt take iT EaSY. breAtHe. theRe YA gO."

I cloSed My eyes. I Made the conFesSiOn of a lifetimE, _AnD he likes me Too? zell wants to gO ouT with mE? DO thINgs liKe tHat_ _haPpen_ _?_ I oPEned my Eyes to the ViEW of his KNee besiDE MiNe. _I tHink I'm going to hurl._

zElL'S free hand suddeNly staRtED sEARchIng The pocket oF hIs hooDEd sweatSHiRT. "mAybE You need to eat sOmething. I thINk I Have a cAnDy bAR--yeah. HEre it Is." hE heLd out a candy Bar wIth peanutS and noUGat and cARamel. "TrY and eaT a lIttLe of THiS."

MY stOmACh lURcHed. i ShoOk my head AgAiN. "I'm noT hunGRY," i MumbLed. the wOrld sTarted to spin a LitTle lESs.

"YOu surE?"

I gavE a slIgHt nod.

zell tuCked tHe Candy bar away. TheN he gAve my back A coUpLe oF rUbs. I cLOsed my EyeS agAin. _This Can't be hAPpeNiNG._

"gUeSs I need to practice oN tHAT pArt a littLe," he saID. I CoULd hear thE sMilE in hIS Voice. "oh weLL. I Did betteR than QUIs DiD with ZoNe, Or with sqUalL. HeH heh hEH," he cHuckleD. "Now that Was fuNNy. I know I wasn't tHEre, but Squall tELlS A PrETty gOod Story. I can alMost SEe thE whoLE sAd lITtle tHing."

SOmEHoW i could feel him look ovEr At me, buT my miNd was stuck on tHat one glorIOUS phrase. _'DOntcHA tHInk a guy like me wOuld wAnna date a gIRl like yoU?'_ I had No idea. I hAdn't wanteD TO hope. Who LikEs hAviNg tHEIr Fantasies rippED From ThEm like tHat? i know I cErtAinLy dIdn'T.

"SAlly, are yoU gonna be OkAy?"

it WaS thE firsT Time in thE wOrlD I'D heArd my NAme saiD like That. whAt MAde It so mucH BeTTEr waS tHaT I knEw wHo'D said It, I kNEw I Wasn't drEaming, and i knEW I'd fInAlLy told hIm. I gave a slighT nOd as I wiped AwAy aNother TEAr. "I'll be fIne," I whispered.

Zell gave
ell took a gentle hold ofmy arm tohelpmesit  o n my  sto ne rather than fall . Then he sat close be sideme ,  a h a nd  on m y backk ee p i ngme  f rom  t o pp ling.  "J ust tak e it easy.  Br ea the. There y a  g o."

I clo sed  my eyes. Imad e theco nfe s sionofa lif etime, _and h e likes m et oo? Ze l l wants t ogo o ut with me? Do th i ng s  like that_ _h appen_  _ ? _I ope ned  my eyes t othe v i ew of h i sk n e e b e side mine. _I  think I'mg oin g to h ur l._ 
Zell' s fre eh and  suddenly s tart ed search ing th e  pocket of hishooded  sw eat shir t ."M ayb ey oun ee d t o  ea t someth in g.  I th inkI h a ve a  ca ndybar-- yeah. Here it  is ." H e  he ld ou t a c andy  b ar wi th pea nutsan d nougat and ca rame l. "Try a ndea t a  l ittle of thi s." 

M y stoma ch lurc h ed.  I s h oo k my head again. " I' m no t hungry ," I m u mb le d . The wo rl d s tart e d  to s pina  l ittle le ss.

" Y ou  s ure?"
Igave a  s lig htnod.Zell  tucke d the ca ndy b a r away. Then h e  gave my back ac o up l e of  ru bs. I close d my eyes  aga i n.  _T h is ca n't b eh ap p ening._

"Guess I n ee d to p racti ce on that pa rt a littl e , "  he said . Ic ou l d hear the smi le in  his voice .  "Oh wel l. Idid bett er than Q u i s did wi thZon e,orw i th  Squall. Hehh e h he h, " he ch uck led. "N owtha t w asfu nny. I kn ow I was n' tth er e,but S q uall tel ls  apr ett y goo d  story . I c an a lm os t  se e the w h ol e sadli tt le t hin g. "

So meho w  Icould f eel him l ook over  a tme, but  my mind wasst uck on tha tone  glori o u s phrase . _'Dontcha think a guy like me  wo uld w anna  date a g irl  likeyou ? '_ I h ad noidea.  I  ha d n 't wa n t ed  to  h ope. Who l i k eshavin gthei r fanta sies ripped from t h emlike that? Ikno w Ic e rt ain l yd idn 't . 

" S a lly, are you go nna be oka y? " 
It was the fir st  time i n the w orldI 'd hear d my name  said lik ethat . Wha t made itso muchbetter wa s  that Iknewwho 'd sai dit,  I kn ew I w a sn' t dre aming,  a nd I k new I 'd  finally  told him. I gave a sli ght no d asI w iped away  an o the r tear. " I'll  be fine,"  Iwhi spere d.Zellgave 
ell took_a gentle_hold of my arm_to help_me_sit on_my_stone rather than_fall. Then he_sat close beside me,_a hand on_my_back keeping me from toppling. "Just take it easy. Breathe. There ya go."

I closed_my_eyes. I_made_the_confession of a lifetime, _and_he likes me too? Zell_wants to_go out with me? Do things like that___happen___?_ I opened_my eyes to the view of his knee beside_mine. _I think I'm going to_hurl._

Zell's free hand_suddenly_started_searching the pocket of_his hooded sweatshirt. "Maybe you need_to eat something. I think I_have a candy bar--yeah. Here it is."_He held out a candy bar_with peanuts and nougat and_caramel. "Try_and eat a little of_this."

My stomach lurched._I shook_my head again._"I'm not hungry," I mumbled. The_world started to_spin a little less.

"You sure?"

I gave_a_slight nod.

Zell tucked_the_candy_bar away._Then he gave_my_back a_couple_of rubs. I closed my eyes_again.__This can't be happening._

"Guess I need to_practice on that part_a_little," he said. I_could hear the smile in_his voice. "Oh well. I did_better than_Quis did_with Zone, or with Squall. Heh heh heh," he chuckled. "Now_that was funny. I know I_wasn't there, but Squall_tells a_pretty_good story. I_can_almost see_the whole sad little thing."

Somehow I could_feel him_look over at me, but my_mind was stuck on_that_one glorious phrase. _'Dontcha think a_guy like me would wanna date_a girl like you?'_ I_had_no_idea. I hadn't wanted to_hope. Who likes having their fantasies_ripped from them_like that? I know I certainly didn't.

"Sally,_are_you gonna be okay?"

It was the_first_time in the world I'd heard_my_name_said like that. What made_it so much better was that_I knew who'd said it, I knew I wasn't_dreaming, and I_knew I'd finally told him._I_gave_a slight nod as I wiped away another tear. "I'll_be fine,"_I whispered.

Zell gave