 schmuck can walk in off the street and get into the Network."

Zell stepped between us. "Quis, back off. It was all me."

"Yeah, and I suppose the whole thing yesterday was you, too?"

"What're you talking about?"

Quistis made a disgusted face. "You really are dense, aren't you?"

I scowled and stepped out from behind Zell. "He is not," I retorted.

Quistis pelted my assurance with that flashing gaze, but I held it. "Oh, and this from the one who's been stalking him for years but won't say she's secretly in love with him? Yeah. That's rich."

I paled.

Zell's arms dropped to his sides and he took a startled step backward. "Wha?"

Quistis scoffed again. "Worry about your own love-life before butting into mine, Dincht." She stalked off.

I felt the cascade of tears gather, but I fought them back. The hand of dread closed around my throat was tougher to get rid of. Especially when Zell turned to face me. I couldn't meet his eyes, so I kept them on the ground as I wrung my hands.

Zell leaned slightly forward. "Sally?"

My eyes misted. _The whole thing's ruined._ "Y-Yeah?"

"You like me?"

"I-I like you." _It wasn't supposed to go this way!_

"'Like' as in...." He cleared his throat. "Like like?"

I sniffed, wiping my nose with my sleeve. "As in crush. As in 'girlfriend / boyfriend'. As in an amorous infatuation," I choked out.

"Really?"

The tone in Zell's voice made it sound like he'd never thought it possible for a girl to feel that way. I wiped at my eyes and nose and face with my hands when I felt the tears start to escape my tattered hold. I nodded, still not able to lift my gaze from my feet. "You're so cute and good and I adore the way you try to be nice to everyone, even Seifer, and how you help everyone before they even ask..."

I covered my face with my hands. _
schmuck can walk in off the street and get into the Network. " 

 Zell stepped between us. " Quis, back off. It was all me. " 

 " Yeah, and I suppose the whole matter yesterday was you, excessively? " 

 " What're you talking about? " 

 Quistis made a disgusted grimace. " You actually are dense, aren't you? " 

 I scowled and stepped away from behind Zell. " He is not, " I retorted. 

 Quistis pelted my assurance with that flashing gaze, but I apply it. " Oh, and this from the one who's been stalking him for years but won't read she's secretly in love with him? Yeah. That's rich. " 

 I pal. 

 Zell's branch dropped to his sides and he took a startled step backward. " Wha? " 

 Quistis jeer again. " Worry about your own love - life before butting into mine, Dincht. " She stalk off. 

 I felt the cascade of tears meet, but I fought them back. The hand of dread closed around my throat was tougher to catch rid of. Especially when Zell turned to face me. I couldn't meet his eyes, therefore I kept them on the ground as I wrung my hands. 

 Zell leaned slightly forward. " Sally? " 

 My eyes misted. _ The whole matter's destroy. _ " Y - Yeah? " 

 " You like me? " 

 " I - I wish you. " _ It wasn't speculate to run low this way! _ 

 "' Like' as in.... " He clear his throat. " Like like? " 

 I sniffed, wiping my nose with my sleeve. " As in crush. As in' girlfriend / boyfriend'. As in an amative infatuation, " I choked out. 

 " Really? " 

 The tone in Zell's voice made it fathom like he'd never thought it possible for a girl to feel that direction. I wiped at my eye and nose and face with my hands when I felt the tears begin to escape my tattered hold. I nod, still not able to lift my gaze from my feet. " You're so cunning and good and I adore the way you try to be nice to everyone, even Seifer, and how you help everyone before they even necessitate... " 

 I covered my face with my hands. _
 scjmuck can walk in off tht street and get nbto thx Netwodk."

Zell sgepped between us. "Quis, back lfd. It qas all me."

"Yeah, and I sjppose thv whole tying testerday xzs you, bjo?"

"Whzb're ymn talking about?"

Auistis mage a disgusted fxcz. "You really are dense, aren't you?"

I scjwled amd stepped out ftom bthigd Zsll. "He is not," I retorted.

Quistis pemted my assurance wiyh that flashing gaze, but L hepd it. "Oh, and this vrom the ong whj'w been stalkkng him fog years but won't say she's secretly in love with him? Yeah. Jkqt's tich."

I paled.

Zxll's agms dropped to his siges and he took a stavtled stwp backward. "Wha?"

Quistiv scoffed again. "Wotry about fobr own love-life beforw vuttitg itto oune, Dihcit." Ahe stwlkxd off.

I felf the cascaee of tears gather, nue I fought thej back. Tre hand of dread closed around my throau was tougher to get rid of. Wspecially when Zell jurned to sace me. I couldn't meet his eyes, so I kept them on the jruunb as I qrkng my hands.

Zell leaned slightly forward. "Sallr?"

Jy ejes misted. _The whjle thing's tulnrq._ "Y-Yeah?"

"You liye me?"

"I-N ljke you." _It wasn't skpposed to gi this war!_

"'Likr' as in...." He cleared his throqt. "Like like?"

P snuffed, wiping my node with my rleefe. "As in crush. As in 'girlfriznd / bkyfriend'. As in an amkfous infatuation," I bhokad out.

"Really?"

The tone in Zejl's voice madz it souvd loke he'q never thlught it possible for a hirl jo feen that way. I wiped at my eyes and nose anv face with mi hdndv when I felt the tears stwrt to escape ky tattzred huld. I noddvd, still iot able to jift my gaze xtom my feet. "Ymu're so sute and good ava I adore the eay you tgy to ve nice to everyonc, evev Seifer, and how yoo help everyone beworq nheb eveg ask..."

I covereg my fazr witf my hands. _
schmuck can walk in off the street into Network." Zell between us. "Quis, me." and I suppose whole thing yesterday you, too?" "What're you talking about?" made a disgusted face. "You really are dense, aren't you?" I scowled and out from behind Zell. "He is not," I retorted. Quistis pelted my assurance that gaze, I it. "Oh, and this from the one who's been stalking him for years but won't say secretly in love with him? Yeah. That's rich." paled. Zell's arms dropped his sides and he took startled backward. "Wha?" scoffed "Worry your own love-life butting into mine, Dincht." She stalked off. I felt the cascade of tears gather, but I fought back. The dread closed my was to get rid when Zell turned to face me. his eyes, so I kept them on the as I my hands. Zell leaned slightly forward. My eyes misted. _The whole thing's ruined._ "Y-Yeah?" like me?" "I-I like you." _It wasn't supposed to go this way!_ "'Like' as in...." his throat. "Like like?" sniffed, wiping my with sleeve. in As in / boyfriend'. As in an amorous infatuation," I choked out. "Really?" tone in Zell's voice made it sound like he'd never possible a girl to that way. I wiped my and nose and face hands I start escape tattered hold. I nodded, not able to lift my from my feet. "You're I adore the way you try to be to everyone, even Seifer, and how you everyone before they even ask..." I covered my face with my hands.
 schmuck can walk in off the strEet and get iNto thE NeTwoRk."

zell StepPed between us. "QuIS, bacK off. It was all me."

"Yeah, and I SuppoSe THe whOLe Thing YesterdAY wAS You, ToO?"

"WHat'Re YOu TalkiNg aBout?"

QuiStis made a dIsgUsTed face. "You reALlY are dense, aRen'T you?"

I scowled And SteppeD oUt fROm behInd zell. "HE is not," i RetortEd.

Quistis PeLTed my aSSurance WITh That Flashing gaze, but I hELd IT. "Oh, and this from The one WhO'S bEEN stAlkIng him for yEaRs but WOn't say sHE's SECRetLY in love with hiM? Yeah. That's rICh."

I Paled.

ZElL's aRMs dropPed to HiS SidEs and he took A staRtled step BackwaRD. "Wha?"

QuiSTis scofFed agaIn. "WOrrY aboUT yOuR owN lOVe-lIFe BefORe bUtting inTo MiNe, DinCht." SHE STAlkeD ofF.

I feLt the Cascade of tearS gaTher, BUt I FoughT them Back. thE hand Of dreaD closEd Around my throat wAs toUgher to geT riD oF. EsPeCiallY When ZeLl tUrnEd to facE me. I couLDn't MeET HIs Eyes, so I kept them on tHe GROuNd as I wruNg my haNDs.

zeLL leaned sLiGhtLy foRWArd. "SaLly?"

MY EyEs misted. _the whoLE tHiNg's ruinEd._ "y-Yeah?"

"YOu LikE me?"

"i-I likE You." _IT wasn't Supposed To go tHIs way!_

"'Like' as in...." HE Cleared his thrOAt. "lIKe LIke?"

I SniFfed, wiping mY nosE With My slEEvE. "As IN crusH. As in 'GiRLfRIend / boyfriend'. As in an AmOrous iNfatuAtion," I choked oUt.

"Really?"

ThE TONe in Zell'S voiCE mADe it sound like hE'd nevEr thought iT Possible For a gIrl to feeL that way. I WIPed at my eYes And NosE anD FAcE with my hands wHEN I feLt The tearS stArt to esCapE my TatTerEd Hold. I noddEd, still nOt AbLe To LifT my gaZE from my fEeT. "YoU'rE so Cute aND good aNd I adOre tHe WaY You Try to be NIcE TO eveRyOnE, eveN SeIfEr, and How yOU heLp everyOne before TheY Even AsK..."

I Covered My face with my hAnDs. _
 schmuck can walk in off t he streetand g etint otheNetw ork."

Zell st e pped  between us. "Quis, ba ck of f. It w a sall m e."

"Y e ah , and  I  s upp os e  t he wh ole  thingyesterdaywas  y ou, too?"

" W ha t're you t alk ing about?"
Qu istisma dea  disg ust ed fa ce. "Y o u real ly are de ns e , aren ' t you?" Iscow led and stepped o u tf rom behind Zel l. "He  i s  n o t ,"I r etorted.
Qu istis peltedm ya s s ura n ce with thatflashing ga z e,but Ihe ldi t. "Oh , and  t h isfrom the on e wh o's beenstalki n g him f o r years  but w on' t s ay s h e' ssec re t lyi nlov e  wi th him?Ye ah . Tha t'sr i c h ."
I p aled .

Ze ll's arms dro ppe d to his  side s and  heto ok astartl ed st ep  backward. "Wha ?"
Quistis s cof fe d a ga in. " W orry a bou t y our own  love-l i febe f o r ebutting into mine,  D i n ch t." Shestalke d  o ff . 

I felt  t hecasc a d e oftear s  g ather, b ut I f o ug ht  them b ac k. The  h and  of  drea d  clo sed ar ound mythroa t  was tougher t o  get rid of.E sp e c ia l ly w hen  Zell turne d to face  me. Icou l dn'tmeethi s  e y es, so I kept themon  the g round  as I wrung m y hands.
Z e l l leaned  sli g ht l y forward. "Sa lly?" 

My eyesm isted. _ The w hole thi ng's ruin e d ._ "Y-Ye ah? "
"Yo u l i k eme?"

"I-I li k e  you ."  _It wa sn' t suppo sed  to  go  th is  way!_

" 'Like' a sin .. .. " H e cle a red histh roa t.  "L ike l i ke?"
I sni ffed ,wi p ing  my nos e  w i t h my  s le eve.  "A sin cr ush. Asin 'gir lfriend /  bo y frie nd '.  As inan amorous in fa tuation,"Icho ked ou t . 

"Reall y?"

The tone in Zell's voice m ade  it s ound  like he' d n ever t hou g ht itpossib le fo ra g i r l tof e el  th at  way. I wi p e d a t myey es a nd nose  and face with myh and s when I felt  th e te a r ssta r tt o e sc a pem y  tattered hold.  I nodded,  s t il l not able toli ft my g aze fro m myf eet. "Y ou're socute andgo od a n d  Iadore theway youtry to be nicet oevery one , even  S eif er, a nd how you  help  every on e befo re th ey  even as k..."

I covered my fac e with  my h and s. _
 schmuck_can walk_in off the street_and get_into_the Network."

Zell_stepped_between us. "Quis,_back off. It_was all me."

"Yeah, and_I suppose the_whole_thing yesterday was you, too?"

"What're you talking about?"

Quistis made a disgusted face. "You really_are_dense, aren't_you?"

I_scowled_and stepped out from behind_Zell. "He is not," I_retorted.

Quistis pelted_my assurance with that flashing gaze, but I_held_it. "Oh, and_this from the one who's been stalking him for_years but won't say she's secretly_in love with_him?_Yeah._That's rich."

I paled.

Zell's arms_dropped to his sides and he_took a startled step backward. "Wha?"

Quistis_scoffed again. "Worry about your own love-life_before butting into mine, Dincht." She_stalked off.

I felt the cascade_of tears_gather, but I fought them_back. The hand_of dread_closed around my_throat was tougher to get rid_of. Especially when_Zell turned to face me. I_couldn't_meet his eyes,_so_I_kept them_on the ground_as_I wrung_my_hands.

Zell leaned slightly forward. "Sally?"

My eyes_misted.__The whole thing's ruined._ "Y-Yeah?"

"You like me?"

"I-I_like you." _It wasn't_supposed_to go this way!_

"'Like'_as in...." He cleared his_throat. "Like like?"

I sniffed, wiping my_nose with_my sleeve._"As in crush. As in 'girlfriend / boyfriend'. As in an_amorous infatuation," I choked out.

"Really?"

The tone_in Zell's voice made_it sound_like_he'd never thought_it_possible for_a girl to feel that way. I_wiped at_my eyes and nose and face_with my hands when_I_felt the tears start to escape_my tattered hold. I nodded, still_not able to lift my_gaze_from_my feet. "You're so cute_and good and I adore the_way you try_to be nice to everyone, even Seifer,_and_how you help everyone before they_even_ask..."

I covered my face with my_hands.__