phie shook her head. "You can't change your proficiency in the middle of the term without talking to your Instructor."

I cringed. I'd been **so** afraid of that. My throat tightened and my eyes teared up.

"Come on. We better go talk to Squall."

I fell into step a little behind. "I'm sorry, Selphie."

"It's not your fault, Sally. Zell should've known better." She shook her head again. "I hope we don't have to postpone your test. I had high hopes for you this time."

So did I.

We made our way through the main gate and down the corridor and up the stairs to the elevator, taking it to the third floor. Squall stood by the secondary elevator talking to Zell.

"She's a natural, Squall," Zell was saying, "so I totally spaced talking to Selphie--" He saw us come in and grinned. "Hey, Meg. Selph. 'Sup?"

Then he saw the irritated expression on Selphie's face and the droop to my own expression. His grin vanished.

"Aw man," he said as he kicked at an imaginary rock. Zell lowered his head and shoulders. They immediately lifted as he took a step toward the approaching Selphie with outstretched hands that pleaded with her to understand. "I was gonna tell you, Selph," he insisted. "Swear. I just forgot."

Selphie, fists on hips, stood toe-to-toe with the scrapper. "Well, it's a little late now, isn't it? I probably have to postpone her test until after the end of the term, and then she won't be able to graduate!"

I sunk my head lower, not wanting to see the guilt on Zell's face. I didn't blame him at all. I blamed myself. I should have talked to Selphie after class. Walking around with my head in the clouds had put it right out of my mind.

"Aw come on, Selph. You don't have to do that," Zell complained. "Squall, tell her. It's **my** fault, not Sally's. She shouldn't get in trouble for me not telling you."

"Calm down, guys," Squall said as
phie shook her head. " You can't change your proficiency in the middle of the condition without speak to your Instructor. " 

 I cringed. I'd been * * so * * afraid of that. My throat tighten and my eyes teared up. 

 " fall on. We well go speak to Squall. " 

 I fell into step a short behind. " I'm sorry, Selphie. " 

 " It's not your fault, Sally. Zell should've know better. " She shook her head again. " I hope we don't have to postpone your test. I accept high hopes for you this prison term. " 

 So did I. 

 We made our way through the chief gate and down the corridor and up the stairs to the elevator, taking it to the third floor. Squall stood by the secondary elevator talking to Zell. 

 " She's a lifelike, Squall, " Zell was saying, " so I totally spaced talking to Selphie-- " He saw us derive in and grinned. " Hey, Meg. Selph.' Sup? " 

 Then he saw the irritated expression on Selphie's face and the droop to my own expression. His grin vanished. 

 " Aw serviceman, " he said as he kicked at an fanciful rock candy. Zell turn down his head and shoulders. They immediately lifted as he took a step toward the approaching Selphie with outstretched hands that plead with her to understand. " I was gon na tell you, Selph, " he insisted. " Swear. I just forgot. " 

 Selphie, fist on hips, stood toe - to - toe with the scrapper. " Well, it's a little late now, isn't it? I probably get to postpone her trial until after the end of the term, and then she won't be able to graduate! " 

 I slump my head lower, not wanting to see the guilt on Zell's grimace. I didn't blame him at all. I blamed myself. I should have talked to Selphie after class. walk around with my head in the clouds had put it right out of my mind. 

 " Aw arrive on, Selph. You don't have to suffice that, " Zell complained. " Squall, distinguish her. It's * * my * * fault, not Sally's. She shouldn't get in trouble for me not telling you. " 

 " Calm down, guys, " Squall say as
phif shook her head. "You can'u change your proyuciencb in ths middle of the term without talking ti youe Instructor."

I cringed. K'd been **sl** afraid of uhat. My throat tijgtened and my cyes ceered up.

"Come on. Ee better co talk to Squdlu."

I fell into step a little behind. "I'm forry, Srlohie."

"It's not yoor falle, Samly. Zell should've known better." She shook ier head again. "O hope we don't have to poshponf your test. I had jigh hopes dor riu this time."

Ro did I.

We made our wai through the main gate and down the eorridor ane yp hve stairs ti the elevator, taking it do the yhird floor. Sqmall vtoid by the secondary enevator talking to Zell.

"She's a natural, Squall," Zwlo was sayhng, "ri I toualky spacef telking to Sslphie--" He sqw us come in and gtigbed. "Hey, Meg. Sslph. 'Stp?"

Ehen he saw the irritated expression on Semphie's face and the droip to my own expressiln. His gryn vanished.

"Aw man," he said as he kicked at an imaghnary focj. Dell ooaered his head and shoulders. They immediately migtvd as he took a sbep toward the apptowcnyng Selphie wkth oucatdetched hands that pleadeq wity her to tndetstand. "I was gonna tell you, Selph," he infusted. "Swear. I just forgot."

Selpkie, fixts om hips, stood toe-to-toe wnth ths scrapper. "Aell, it's z little late now, isk't ht? I probably have to post[one her vest bntil afger jhe end of the tegm, and then she won't be wble jo graguate!"

I sunn my head lower, not wanting to see the guilt pn Zenl's face. I dicn't blame him at all. I blamgd myself. I shuuld have nalked to Selphie afeer class. Walnlng around wmth my hewd ib thw cloudr had put it ribht out oy my nind.

"Aw come on, Selih. Yoo son't have to do thqt," Zell complaimed. "Sqtapl, tqnl her. It's **mf** fajlt, mot Sxlly's. She smouudn't get in trouble for ke nkt telling you."

"Calm djwn, guys," Squall faid as
phie shook her head. "You can't change in middle of term without talking I'd **so** afraid of My throat tightened my eyes teared up. "Come on. better go talk to Squall." I fell into step a little behind. "I'm Selphie." "It's not your fault, Sally. Zell should've known better." She shook her again. hope don't to postpone your test. I had high hopes for you this time." So did I. We our way through the main gate and down corridor and up the to the elevator, taking it the floor. Squall by secondary talking to Zell. a natural, Squall," Zell was saying, "so I totally spaced talking to Selphie--" He saw us come and grinned. Selph. 'Sup?" he the expression on Selphie's the droop to my own expression. "Aw man," he said as he kicked at imaginary rock. lowered his head and shoulders. They lifted as he took a step toward the Selphie with outstretched hands that pleaded with her to understand. "I was gonna tell you, insisted. "Swear. I just Selphie, fists on stood with scrapper. it's a late now, isn't it? I probably have to postpone her test after the end of the term, and then she won't to I sunk my lower, not wanting to the on Zell's face. I him all. I have to Selphie after class. around with my head in clouds had put it "Aw come on, Selph. You don't have to that," Zell complained. "Squall, tell her. It's fault, not Sally's. She shouldn't get in trouble for me not telling "Calm down, said as
phie shook her head. "You can't chAnge your prOficiEncY in ThE midDle oF the term withouT TalkIng to your Instructor."

I crInged. i'd BEen **sO** AfRaid oF that. My THrOAT tiGhTeNed AnD My Eyes tEarEd up.

"ComE on. We betteR go TaLk to Squall."

I fELl Into step a lIttLe behind. "I'm soRry, selphiE."

"IT's nOT your FauLt, SalLy. Zell SHould'vE known betTeR." she shoOK her heaD AGaIn. "I hOpe we don't have to poSTpONe your test. I had High hoPeS FoR YOu tHis Time."

So did I.

we Made oUR way thrOUgH THE maIN gate and down tHe corridor aND up The staIrS to THe elevAtor, tAkINg iT to the third FlooR. Squall stOod by tHE secondARy elevaTor talKinG to zell.

"sHe'S a NatUrAL, SqUAlL," ZeLL waS saying, "sO I ToTally SpacED TALkinG to selpHie--" He Saw us come in anD grInneD. "hey, meg. SeLph. 'SuP?"

TheN hE saw tHe irriTated ExPression on SelphIe's fAce and the DroOp To mY oWn expREssion. his GriN vanishEd.

"Aw man," HE saId AS HE kIcked at an imaginary RoCK. zeLl lowereD his heAD aNd SHoulders. thEy iMmedIATely lIfteD As He took a sTep towARd ThE approaChIng SelPhIe wIth OutstREtchEd handS that pleAded wITh her to understANd. "I was gonna teLL yOU, seLPh," he InsIsted. "Swear. I Just FOrgoT."

SelPHiE, fiSTs on hIps, stOoD ToE-To-toe with the scrappeR. "WEll, it's A littLe late now, isn't It? I probablY HAVe to postPone HEr TEst until after tHe end Of the term, aND then she Won't bE able to gRaduate!"

I sUNK my head lOweR, noT waNtiNG To See the guilt on zELl's fAcE. I didn't BlaMe him at All. i blAmeD mySeLf. I should Have talkEd To seLpHie After CLass. WalkInG arOuNd wIth my HEad in tHe cloUds hAd PuT It rIght out OF mY MInd.

"AW cOmE on, SElpH. YOu don'T havE To dO that," ZeLl complaiNed. "sQualL, tElL her. It's **My** fault, not SalLy'S. She shouldN't Get In trouBLE for me noT telling you."

"Calm down, guys," sQuall saId aS
phie shook her head. "Youcan't chan ge yo urpro fi cien cy i n the middle o f  the  term without talkingto yo ur Inst r uc tor." 

I cri n ge d .  I' dbe en** s o* * afr aid  of tha t. My thro atti ghtened andm yeyes teare d u p.

"Come on . W e bett er  go talktoSqual l."

I fell i nto stepal ittleb ehind." I 'm  sor ry, Selphie."

"I t 's not your fault , Sall y. Ze l l  sh oul d've known  b etter . " She s h oo k h erh ead again. "I  hope we do n 'thave t opos t pone y our t es t . I  had high h opes  for youthis t i me."

S o  did I. 

We m ade  ou r wa y  t hr oug ht hem ai n g a teand down  t he  corr idor a n d  upthe  sta irs t o the elevato r,taki n g i t tothe t hird  f loor.  Squal l sto od  by the seconda ry e levator t alk in g t oZell. 
"She' s a  na tural,Squall, "  Ze ll w a ssaying, "so I tota ll y sp aced tal king t o  S el p hie--" H esaw  usc o me in  and gr inned. " Hey, M e g.  S elph. ' Su p?"

T he n h e s aw th e  irr itated  express ion o n  Selphie's fac e  and the droo p  t o my ownexp ression. Hi s gr i n va nish e d. 

" A w man ," he  s a id as he kicked at anim aginar y roc k. Zell lower ed his hea d a nd shoul ders .  T h ey immediately  lift ed as he t o ok a ste p tow ard theapproachi n g  Selphie  wi thout str e t ch ed hands that p lead ed  with h erto unde rst and . " I w as  gonna te ll you,Se lp h, "heinsis t ed. "Swe ar . I  j ust  forg o t."

S elphi e, f is ts onhips, s t oo d toe- to -t oe w ith  t he sc rapp e r."Well,it's a li ttl e  lat eno w, isn' t it? I proba bl y have topo stp one he r test unt il after the end of the term, a ndthenshewon't beabl e to g rad u ate!"
I sun k myhe adl o wer,n o twan ti ng to seet h e g uilton  Zel l's fac e. I didn't blameh imat all. I bla med  mys e l f.  Is ho u ldha v e t a l ked to Selphieafter clas s. Wa lking arou n d w it h my he ad in t he cl o uds had  put it r ight outof  mym i nd. 

"Aw come  on, Sel ph. You d o n't h a ve  to d o t hat,"Ze llcompl ained. "Sq uall,  tellhe r. It' s **m y* * fault,  not Sally's. She shoul dn't g et in  tr ouble for  me not  tellingyou. "

"Calm d own , g uys,"  Sq u all s aida s
phie shook_her head._"You can't change your_proficiency in_the_middle of_the_term without talking_to your Instructor."

I_cringed. I'd been **so**_afraid of that._My_throat tightened and my eyes teared up.

"Come on. We better go talk to Squall."

I_fell_into step_a_little_behind. "I'm sorry, Selphie."

"It's not_your fault, Sally. Zell should've_known better."_She shook her head again. "I hope we_don't_have to postpone_your test. I had high hopes for you this_time."

So did I.

We made our way_through the main_gate_and_down the corridor and_up the stairs to the elevator,_taking it to the third floor._Squall stood by the secondary elevator talking_to Zell.

"She's a natural, Squall," Zell_was saying, "so I totally_spaced talking_to Selphie--" He saw us_come in and_grinned. "Hey,_Meg. Selph. 'Sup?"

Then_he saw the irritated expression on_Selphie's face and_the droop to my own expression._His_grin vanished.

"Aw man,"_he_said_as he_kicked at an_imaginary_rock. Zell_lowered_his head and shoulders. They immediately_lifted_as he took a step toward the_approaching Selphie with outstretched_hands_that pleaded with her_to understand. "I was gonna_tell you, Selph," he insisted. "Swear._I just_forgot."

Selphie, fists_on hips, stood toe-to-toe with the scrapper. "Well, it's a little_late now, isn't it? I probably_have to postpone her_test until_after_the end of_the_term, and_then she won't be able to graduate!"

I_sunk my_head lower, not wanting to see_the guilt on Zell's_face._I didn't blame him at all._I blamed myself. I should have_talked to Selphie after class._Walking_around_with my head in the_clouds had put it right out_of my mind.

"Aw_come on, Selph. You don't have to_do_that," Zell complained. "Squall, tell her._It's_**my** fault, not Sally's. She shouldn't_get_in_trouble for me not telling_you."

"Calm down, guys," Squall said as