 grat.

"Pen pal," I faltered.

"Pen pal?" he queried with a confused expression in those gorgeous eyes-- "For what?"

_Look away, Sally. Look away._ I lowered my eyes to my hands as they clutched the strap of my bag. I took in a slow breath. "I'm a p-pen pal with Francine's son. S-sometimes I b-bring her letters and e-mails from h-him."

"Pen pal, huh? Hm. Good plan."

I momentarily looked up, but I looked down again when conscious thought began to fade. "I-It wasn't a plan," I whispered. "It j-just happened. I never a-ask her to do it."

Francine rescued me from having to say more when she set a tray of six hot dogs on the table between us.

"Here ya go, girlie. I brought you some extras." She cuffed Zell on the back of the head. He protested, but she ignored it. "I know how this hooligan eats. Nearly choked to death one time."

_I know,_ I thought with a somewhat wistful smile. I had been able to'rescue' him.

"Well if you saved me hot dogs once in a while, I wouldn't need to scarf!"

Francine laughed and moved away.

Zell grinned--a normal expression for him--and handed me a plate. "She's a riot."

I motioned to the plate. "I-I only want one. You c-can have the others."

"You sure?" he asked, but the twinkle in his eyes shouted eagerness and anticipation.

I nodded.

Zell scooped up the hot dogs, added them to his pile, and then started talking about classes and battles and Seifer as he ate. I listened, watching him with a slight smile as I occasionally pinched myself or stepped on my toe to make sure I was awake.

I was, and I have the bruises to prove it.

"So we're running through Balamb--Irvine, Squall, and me--trying to track down the 'captain' so we can get to the 'commander' and find out what the hell was going on," Zell continued while waving his half-eaten hot
grat. 

 " Pen pal, " I faltered. 

 " Pen pal? " he queried with a confused formula in those gorgeous eyes-- " For what? " 

 _ attend away, Sally. Look away. _ I lower my eyes to my hands as they seize the strap of my bag. I took in a dense breath. " I'm a p - penitentiary pal with Francine's son. S - sometimes I b - lend her letter and e - mail from h - him. " 

 " Pen pal, huh? Hm. full plan. " 

 I momentarily looked up, but I looked down again when conscious opinion began to fade. " I - It wasn't a plan, " I whisper. " It j - just happen. I never a - ask her to do it. " 

 Francine rescued me from give birth to say more when she set a tray of six hot dogs on the table between us. 

 " Here ya run low, girlie. I brought you some extras. " She cuffed Zell on the back of the head. He protested, but she ignored it. " I know how this bully eat. Nearly clog to end one prison term. " 

 _ I know, _ I thought with a slightly wistful smile. I had been able to'rescue' him. 

 " Well if you saved me hot dogs once in a while, I wouldn't necessitate to scarf! " 

 Francine laughed and moved away. 

 Zell grinned -- a normal expression for him -- and handed me a denture. " She's a riot. " 

 I motioned to the plate. " I - I only desire one. You c - can get the others. " 

 " You certain? " he asked, but the twinkle in his eyes shouted eagerness and anticipation. 

 I nodded. 

 Zell scoop up the hot dogs, added them to his pile, and then begin talking about class and battles and Seifer as he ate. I listen, watching him with a little smile as I occasionally pinched myself or pace on my toe to make certain I was awake. 

 I was, and I have the bruise to prove it. 

 " So we're running through Balamb -- Irvine, Squall, and me -- trying to track down the' captain' so we can get to the' commander' and find out what the hell was going on, " Zell continue while waving his half - eaten blistering
 grwt.

"Pen pal," I faltered.

"Pen kal?" he queried wijh a conhused espressiov in those gorgeous eyes-- "For wyat?"

_Loik away, Sally. Look awah._ I lowervd my eyew to ny hands as they clutches the wtrap of my ban. I took in a slow breath. "I'o c p-pen pal with Francine's son. S-sometymes I n-bging her lettets anc e-majls from h-him."

"Pen pal, huh? Hm. Good pman."

I mokentarily looled up, but I looked down ahain when conscious thlught began to sqde. "I-It wasn'g a plan," I whispered. "Ij j-just happened. I never a-ask hef to bo it."

Francibe redwued me fron havpng to say movv when vhe set a tray of six hov dots on the table betwexn us.

"Here ya go, girlye. I brouchc you some extras." She cyffed Zeln on rhe badk or the jeav. He protesfed, but she ignored it. "I know nor this hooligah eats. Nqarly choked to death one time."

_I know,_ I uhouggt with a somewhat wistdul smile. I had been wble to'refcue' him.

"Well if you saved me hot dogs once in a wvile, M douodk't ndwd to scarf!"

Francine laughed and moved away.

Zell ddimnvd--a normal expresfion for hik--ajd randed me a puate. "Sks's a riot."

I motioned ho the klate. "U-I only wwnt pne. You c-can have the otherw."

"You sure?" he qsked, but the twinnle in his zyes snoutec eagerness and anticipction.

I nodded.

Zell scooped ho the hot dogs, aadec dhem to his pile, and then ftarted telkiny about zlasxes anq battles wnd Schfer as he ate. I llstengd, watwhing him aith a slight smile as I occasionally pinched mfsenf or stzpped pn my toe to iake sure I wax awake.

N was, xnd I have the brnises to prode it.

"So we're sonning througi Balamb--Iwvinw, Sqyall, ana me--trying to ttack down the 'captaun' so we can get tp tfs 'commander' and fibd out what the heul rad joing mn," Zell conthnuea wfole wxving his hclw-eatrn hot
grat. "Pen pal," I faltered. "Pen pal?" with confused expression those gorgeous eyes-- Look I lowered my to my hands they clutched the strap of my I took in a slow breath. "I'm a p-pen pal with Francine's son. I b-bring her letters and e-mails from h-him." "Pen pal, huh? Hm. Good I looked but looked down again when conscious thought began to fade. "I-It wasn't a plan," I whispered. "It happened. I never a-ask her to do it." rescued me from having say more when she set tray six hot on table us. "Here ya girlie. I brought you some extras." She cuffed Zell on the back of the head. He protested, she ignored know how hooligan Nearly to death one know,_ I thought with a somewhat had been able to'rescue' him. "Well if you me hot once in a while, I wouldn't to scarf!" Francine laughed and moved away. Zell normal expression for him--and handed me a plate. "She's a riot." I motioned to the only want one. You have the others." sure?" asked, the in his shouted eagerness and anticipation. I nodded. Zell scooped up the hot added them to his pile, and then started talking about battles Seifer as he I listened, watching him a smile as I occasionally or on make I awake. I was, and have the bruises to prove "So we're running through track down the 'captain' so we can get the 'commander' and find out what the was going on," Zell continued while waving his half-eaten hot
 grat.

"Pen pal," I faltered.

"Pen pal?" He queried wIth a cOnfUseD eXpreSsioN in those gorgeoUS eyeS-- "For what?"

_Look away, Sally. LOok awAy._ i LoweREd My eyeS to my haNDs AS TheY cLuTchEd THe Strap Of mY bag. I toOk in a slow bReaTh. "i'm a p-pen pal wiTH FRancine's soN. S-sOmetimes I b-brIng Her letTeRs aND e-maiLs fRom h-hIm."

"Pen pAL, huh? Hm. good plan."

I MoMEntariLY looked UP, BuT I loOked down again when COnSCious thought beGan to fAdE. "i-IT WAsn'T a pLan," I whispeReD. "It j-jUSt happeNEd. i NEVer A-Ask her to do it."

FRancine rescUEd mE from hAvIng TO say moRe wheN sHE seT a tray of six Hot dOgs on the tAble beTWeen us.

"HERe ya go, gIrlie. I BroUghT you SOmE eXtrAs." sHe cUFfEd ZELl oN the back Of ThE head. he prOTESTed, bUt sHe igNored It. "I know how thiS hoOligAN eaTs. NeaRly chOked To Death One timE."

_I knoW,_ I Thought with a somEwhaT wistful sMilE. I Had BeEn ablE To'rescUe' hIm.

"WEll if yoU saved mE Hot DoGS ONcE in a while, I wouldn't nEeD TO sCarf!"

FranCine laUGhEd ANd moved aWaY.

ZeLl grINNed--a nOrmaL ExPression For him--ANd HaNded me a PlAte. "She'S a RioT."

I mOtionED to tHe platE. "I-I only wAnt onE. you c-can have the OThers."

"You sure?" hE AsKED, bUT the TwiNkle in his eyEs shOUted EageRNeSs aND antiCipatIoN.

i nODded.

Zell scooped up thE hOt dogs, Added Them to his pile, And then staRTED talking AbouT ClASses and battles And SeIfer as he atE. i listeneD, watcHing him wIth a slighT SMile as I oCcaSioNalLy pINChEd myself or stePPEd on My Toe to maKe sUre I was AwaKe.

I Was, And i hAve the bruIses to prOvE iT.

"SO wE're RunniNG through baLamB--IRviNe, SquALl, and mE--tryiNg to TrAcK DowN the 'capTAiN' SO we cAn GeT to tHe 'cOmMandeR' and FInd Out what The hell waS goINg on," zeLl ContinuEd while waving HiS half-eaten HoT
 grat.

"Pen pal," I falte red.

"Pen  pal? " h e q ue ried  wit h a confused e x pres sion in those gorgeous  eyes -- "For wh at?"
_Looka wa y ,  Sa ll y.  Lo ok aw ay._I l oweredmy eyes to  my  h ands as they cl utched the  st rap of my ba g.I took  i n a slowbre ath."I'm a p-penpal withFr a ncine' s  son. S - s om etim es I b-bring herl et t ers and e-mail s from  h - hi m . "
"Pe n pal, huh ?Hm. G o od plan . "I mom e ntarily looke d up, but I loo ked do wn  ag a in whe n con sc i ous  thought be ganto fade."I-Itw asn't a plan,"I whis per ed.  "It j- ju stha p pen e d.  In eve r a-askhe rto do  it. " F ranc ine  res cuedme from havin g t o sa y  mo re wh en sh e se ta tra y of s ix ho tdogs on the tab le b etween us .
"H ere  y a go, girlie . I  br ought y ou some ext ra s . "  S he cuffed Zell onth e ba ck of th e head .  H ep rotested ,but  she i gnore d it .  " I know h ow thi s  h oo ligan e at s. Nea rl y c hok ed to deat h onetime."
_I kn o w,_ I thoughtw ith a somewha t  w i s tf u l sm ile . I had bee n ab l e to 'res c ue ' h i m.

" Wellif yo u  saved me hot dogson ce ina whi le, I wouldn' t need tos c a rf!"

Fr anci n el aughed and mov ed aw ay.

Zellg rinned-- a nor mal expr ession fo r him--and  ha nde d m e a p la te. "She's ar i ot." 
I motio ned  to the  pl ate . " I-I  o nly wantone. You  c -c an  h ave  theo thers."
" You  s ure ?" he asked,  butthetw in k lein hise ye s shou te deage rne ss  andanti c ipa tion.
I nodded. 

Z e ll s co op ed up t he hot dogs,ad ded them t ohis  pile, a nd thenstarted talking about c l asses a ndbattl es a nd Seifer  as  he at e.I  liste ned, w atchi ng  hi m witha sl igh tsmile as I o cca siona ll y pi nched m yself or stepped o n  my  toe to makesur e Iw a sawa k e. 
Iwa s , a n d  I have the bru ises to pr ov e  i t.

"So we ' reru nning t hroughBalam b --Irvin e, Squall , and me- -t ryin g totrack down  the 'ca ptain' so we ca n  g et to  th e 'com ma nde r' an d find out  what  the h el l wasgoing  o n," Zell  continued while waving  his h alf-e ate n hot
 grat.

"Pen_pal," I_faltered.

"Pen pal?" he queried_with a_confused_expression in_those_gorgeous eyes-- "For_what?"

_Look away, Sally._Look away._ I lowered_my eyes to_my_hands as they clutched the strap of my bag. I took in a slow_breath._"I'm a_p-pen_pal_with Francine's son. S-sometimes I_b-bring her letters and e-mails_from h-him."

"Pen_pal, huh? Hm. Good plan."

I momentarily looked up,_but_I looked down_again when conscious thought began to fade. "I-It wasn't_a plan," I whispered. "It j-just_happened. I never_a-ask_her_to do it."

Francine rescued_me from having to say more_when she set a tray of_six hot dogs on the table between_us.

"Here ya go, girlie. I brought_you some extras." She cuffed_Zell on_the back of the head._He protested, but_she ignored_it. "I know_how this hooligan eats. Nearly choked_to death one_time."

_I know,_ I thought with a_somewhat_wistful smile. I_had_been_able to'rescue'_him.

"Well if you_saved_me hot_dogs_once in a while, I wouldn't_need_to scarf!"

Francine laughed and moved away.

Zell grinned--a_normal expression for him--and_handed_me a plate. "She's_a riot."

I motioned to the_plate. "I-I only want one. You_c-can have_the others."

"You_sure?" he asked, but the twinkle in his eyes shouted eagerness_and anticipation.

I nodded.

Zell scooped up the_hot dogs, added them_to his_pile,_and then started_talking_about classes_and battles and Seifer as he ate._I listened,_watching him with a slight smile_as I occasionally pinched_myself_or stepped on my toe to_make sure I was awake.

I was,_and I have the bruises_to_prove_it.

"So we're running through Balamb--Irvine,_Squall, and me--trying to track down_the 'captain' so_we can get to the 'commander' and_find_out what the hell was going_on,"_Zell continued while waving his half-eaten_hot