 my heart that I had a spine, and gathered my things as Theresa came in to take over. _It's fate, I tell you. She's out to get me._

"Bye, Theresa," I called over my shoulder.

"Good night."

I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed for the cafeteria. I had a note for the cafeteria lady. Her son and I were pen pals, and he would give me letters in email and envelopes to give to her. It was a great feeling to see her face get all wistful as she reminisced over his boyhood. And it was a great way of getting a secret stash of hot dogs. _Now if I could only get up the nerve to ask Zell._

But I wasn't going to hold my breath.

Of course, I had to give myself some credit. Didn't I speak to him when giving him that Mega Phoenix? And on the train that time when I found that rare Combat King issue? Didn't I sit by him at the victory party and keep him from choking on hotdogs? I can talk to him if I really set my mind to it. Just like I could pass the Fire Cavern. It was all a matter of how badly I wanted it.

So how bad do I want to go out with Zell?

I absently picked up a piece of trash to put it in a nearby garbage can. I'd had a crush on Zell as long as I'd been studying at Balamb Garden, which meant five years. _What's so awful and terrifying about talking to him and asking him out?_ The worst he could do would be to say 'Are you kidding? Get lost!'

I could see that happening the day Commander Squall fell in love with me--don't ask.

Zell would more than likely say 'Huh? Go out? Oh! Sure!' while immediately assuming I meant hang out as friends. What's so bad about that? It's better than nothing. It's better than being labeled a chicken-wuss and being hounded by Seifer and his 'posse.' Isn't it? I gave a shrug and entered the cafeteria.

I pulled the most recent note from my bag's outer pocket. "Hi, Francine. Mark sent another letter."

Francine's tired face brightened as she wiped her hands on a nearby towel
my heart that I had a spine, and gathered my things as Theresa do in to consume over. _ It's fate, I tell you. She's out to receive me. _ 

 " Bye, Theresa, " I called over my shoulder. 

 " Good nox. " 

 I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed for the cafeteria. I have a note for the cafeteria lady. Her son and I were penitentiary pals, and he would give me letters in electronic mail and envelopes to give to her. It was a big feeling to see her expression get all wistful as she reminisce over his boyhood. And it was a great way of pay back a mysterious stash of blistering dogs. _ Now if I could only get up the boldness to ask Zell. _ 

 But I wasn't going to hold my breath. 

 Of course, I hold to give myself some credit. Didn't I speak to him when giving him that Mega Phoenix? And on the train that time when I found that rare Combat King issue? Didn't I sit down by him at the victory party and keep him from choking on frank? I can talk to him if I really set my mind to it. barely like I could pass the Fire Cavern. It was all a matter of how badly I want it. 

 So how bad do I want to go out with Zell? 

 I absently blame up a piece of trash to put it in a nearby garbage can. I'd had a crushed leather on Zell as long as I'd been studying at Balamb Garden, which meant five years. _ What's so amazing and terrifying about talking to him and asking him out? _ The worst he could do would be to say' Are you kidding? Get misplace!' 

 I could see that happening the day Commander Squall fell in love with me -- don't ask. 

 Zell would more than probably say' Huh? Go out? Oh! Sure!' while immediately assuming I meant cling out as friends. What's so bad about that? It's better than nothing. It's better than being label a chicken - weakling and being hounded by Seifer and his' posse.' Isn't it? I gave a shrug and entered the cafeteria. 

 I pulled the about recent note from my bag's outer pouch. " Hi, Francine. Mark sent another letter. " 

 Francine's tired font brightened as she wiped her hands on a nearby towel
 my heart that I had a spint, and gathered my things as Thsresa caoe in to take over. _It's fate, M teol yoy. She's out to get me._

"Byd, Theresa," I callee ovtr my shoulder.

"Goov night."

I slung bhe bcg over my shoulcer and hedded for the cdfdtzria. I had a note for the cafeteria jady. Het don and I were pen [als, and he would give me letters in ejail anv envelopes to bive to her. It was a great feeping to see her fafe get all qistsyl as she reoinisced onzr his boyhkod. And it was a great way of gdttiny a secret wtqsh mf hot dogs. _Now pf I could only get u[ the nrrve to ask Zekl._

Bnt I wasn't going to hold ky breath.

Of course, I had to gnve myself some credir. Eidn't I s[eak ro fim wien givinh hmm that Megz Phoenix? Abd on the train thau tyne when I fouhd thae ware Combat King issue? Didn't I sit by hpm af the victory party and keep him from chokinh on hotdjgs? I can talk to him if I really set my mind to ht. Juag lnje I ziupd pass the Fire Cavern. It was all a matter os hpw badly I wanteb it.

So how bad dp L ewnt to go out with Vslm?

I absently picked up a pyece if trash uo puy it in a nearby garbage cab. I'd had a cgush on Zell as long ad I'd been scudyinb at Nalamb Garden, which meaut fivs years. _Whah's so awfhu and terrifying abpud talking to him and askind him out?_ The worst fe cpuld dj would be to say 'Are you kidding? Het llsd!'

I could sfe that happening the day Commaiver Squall fekl in love wich me--dpn't ask.

Zell wjuld more than likely say 'Fuh? Go out? Oh! Surx!' while immeqiately assumhjg I meant heng out af fruendw. What's ro bad about tnat? It's bvtuer than nithing. It's better bhan csing labeled a ekixken-wuss and beong hotnfev by Faifer and hiv 'porse.' Osn't kt? I gave a rhrub and entered the caxetedia.

I pulled the moxt recent bote froi my bag's outrr pocket. "Hi, Franclne. Merk seit anoyhet letter."

Francine's tired face brjghtened ws fhe wiped hew hakds jn a nearbv towel
my heart that I had a spine, my as Theresa in to take you. out to get "Bye, Theresa," I over my shoulder. "Good night." I the bag over my shoulder and headed for the cafeteria. I had a for the cafeteria lady. Her son and I were pen pals, and he give letters email envelopes to give to her. It was a great feeling to see her face get all as she reminisced over his boyhood. And it a great way of a secret stash of hot _Now I could get the to ask Zell._ I wasn't going to hold my breath. Of course, I had to give myself some credit. Didn't speak to giving him Mega And the train that I found that rare Combat King sit by him at the victory party and him from on hotdogs? I can talk to if I really set my mind to it. like I could pass the Fire Cavern. It was all a matter of how badly it. So how bad I want to out Zell? absently up a of trash to put it in a nearby garbage can. I'd a crush on Zell as long as I'd been studying Garden, meant five years. so awful and terrifying talking him and asking him worst could to 'Are kidding? Get lost!' I see that happening the day Squall fell in love more than likely say 'Huh? Go out? Oh! while immediately assuming I meant hang out friends. What's so bad about that? It's better than nothing. It's better being labeled and being hounded by Seifer and his 'posse.' it? I gave a and entered the cafeteria. I pulled the most recent from bag's outer "Hi, Francine. Mark another letter." Francine's face brightened as her hands a towel
 my heart that I had a spine, and gAthered my tHings As THerEsA camE in tO take over. _It's faTE, I teLl you. She's out to get me._

"Bye, thereSa," i CallED oVer my ShouldeR.

"goOD NigHt."

i sLunG tHE bAg oveR my ShouldeR and headed For ThE cafeteria. I hAD a Note for the CafEteria lady. HeR soN and I wErE peN Pals, aNd hE woulD give mE LetterS in email aNd ENvelopES to give TO HeR. It wAs a great feeling to SEe HEr face get all wiStful aS sHE rEMIniSceD over his boYhOod. AnD It was a gREaT WAY of GEtting a secret Stash of hot dOGs. _NOw if I cOuLd oNLy get uP the nErVE to Ask Zell._

But I Wasn'T going to hOld my bREath.

Of cOUrse, I haD to givE mySelF somE CrEdIt. DIdN'T I sPEaK to HIm wHen givinG hIm That MEga PHOENIx? AnD on The tRain tHat time when I fOunD thaT RarE CombAt KinG issUe? didn't i sit by Him at ThE victory party anD keeP him from cHokInG on HoTdogs? i Can talK to Him If I realLy set my MInd To IT. jUsT like I could pass the fiRE caVern. It waS all a mATtEr OF how badlY I WanTed iT.

sO how bAd do i WaNt to go ouT with ZELl?

i aBsently PiCked up A pIecE of Trash TO put It in a nEarby garBage cAN. I'd had a crush on zEll as long as I'd BEeN STuDYing At BAlamb Garden, WhicH MeanT fivE YeArs. _wHat's sO awfuL aND tERrifying about talkinG tO him anD askiNg him out?_ The woRst he could DO WOuld be to Say 'ARE yOU kidding? Get losT!'

I couLd see that hAPpening tHe day commandeR Squall feLL In love wiTh mE--doN't aSk.

ZELL wOuld more than lIKEly sAy 'huh? Go ouT? Oh! sure!' whiLe iMmeDiaTelY aSsuming I mEant hang OuT aS fRiEndS. What'S So bad aboUt ThaT? IT's bEtter THan notHing. IT's beTtEr THan Being laBElED A chiCkEn-Wuss And BeIng hoUndeD By SEifer anD his 'posse.' isn'T It? I gAvE a Shrug anD entered the caFeTeria.

I pullEd The Most reCENt note frOm my bag's outer pocket. "Hi, FrANcine. MaRk sEnt anOtheR letter."

FrAncIne's tiRed FAce briGhteneD as shE wIpeD HEr hanDS On A neArBy towel
 my heart that I had a spi ne, and ga there d m y t hi ngsas T heresa came in to t ake over. _It's fate,I tel ly ou.S he 's ou t to ge t  m e . _
"B ye , T he r es a," I  ca lled ov er my shou lde r. 

"Good nigh t ." 

I slungthe  bag over my  sh oulder  a ndh eaded  fo r the  cafet e ria. I  had a no te for th e  cafete r i alady . Her son and I w e re pen pals, andhe wou ld gi v e  me  le tters in e ma il an d  envelo p es t o  gi v e to her. Itwas a great fee ling t osee her fa ce ge ta llwistful asshereminisce d over his boy h ood. An d it w asa g reat wa yofge t tin g  a  se c ret  stash o fho t dog s. _ N o w if I  co uldonlyget up the ne rve  toa skZell. _

Bu t Iwa sn'tgoingto ho ld  my breath.

Of  cou rse, I ha d t ogiv emysel f  somecre dit . Didn' t I spe a k t oh i m  w hen giving him tha tM e ga  Phoenix ? Ando nth e  train t ha t t imew h en Ifoun d  t hat rare  Comba t  K in g issue ?Didn't  I  si t b y him at t he vic tory par ty an d  keep him from choking on ho t do g s ?I  can  ta lk to him i f Ir eall y se t  m y m i nd to  it.Ju s tl ike I could pass th eFire C avern . It was alla matter o f h ow badly  I w a nt e d it.

So howbad d o I want t o  go outwithZell?

I  absently p icked up  apie ceoft r as h to put it i n a ne ar by garb age  can. I 'dhad  acru sh  on Zellas longas  I 'd  b een  stud y ing at B al amb  G ard en, w h ich me ant f iveye ar s . _ What'ss oa w fulan dterr ify in g abo ut t a lki ng to h im and as kin g  him  o ut ?_ Theworst he coul ddo would b etosay 'A r e  you kid ding? Get lost!'

I cou l d see t hat  happ enin g the day  Co mmande r S q uall f ell in  love  w ith m e--do n ' task .
Zell woul d mor e tha nlike ly say'Huh? Go out? Oh!S ure !' while imme dia tely a ss umi n gI  me an t  ha n g  out as friends . What's s ob ad  about tha t ? I t' s bette r thannothi n g. It's  better t han being  l abel e d  achicken-wu ss and b eing houn d ed by Se iferand  his ' po sse .' Is n't it ?  Igavea shru gand en tered  t he cafet eria.

I pulled the mos t rece nt no tefrom my b ag' s  ou ter pocke t. " Hi, Franci ne.  Ma rk se nta nothe r le t te r." 
Fran cine ' s tired f a ce  br i g ht ened as she w i ped  herhan d s on a  nea rby towel
 my_heart that_I had a spine,_and gathered_my_things as_Theresa_came in to_take over. _It's_fate, I tell you._She's out to_get_me._

"Bye, Theresa," I called over my shoulder.

"Good night."

I slung the bag over my shoulder_and_headed for_the_cafeteria._I had a note for_the cafeteria lady. Her son_and I_were pen pals, and he would give me_letters_in email and_envelopes to give to her. It was a great_feeling to see her face get_all wistful as_she_reminisced_over his boyhood. And_it was a great way of_getting a secret stash of hot_dogs. _Now if I could only get_up the nerve to ask Zell._

But_I wasn't going to hold_my breath.

Of_course, I had to give_myself some credit._Didn't I_speak to him_when giving him that Mega Phoenix?_And on the_train that time when I found_that_rare Combat King_issue?_Didn't_I sit_by him at_the_victory party_and_keep him from choking on hotdogs?_I_can talk to him if I really_set my mind to_it._Just like I could_pass the Fire Cavern. It_was all a matter of how_badly I_wanted it.

So_how bad do I want to go out with Zell?

I absently_picked up a piece of trash_to put it in_a nearby_garbage_can. I'd had_a_crush on_Zell as long as I'd been studying_at Balamb_Garden, which meant five years. _What's_so awful and terrifying_about_talking to him and asking him_out?_ The worst he could do_would be to say 'Are_you_kidding?_Get lost!'

I could see that_happening the day Commander Squall fell_in love with_me--don't ask.

Zell would more than likely say_'Huh?_Go out? Oh! Sure!' while immediately_assuming_I meant hang out as friends._What's_so_bad about that? It's better_than nothing. It's better than being_labeled a chicken-wuss and being hounded by Seifer and_his 'posse.' Isn't_it? I gave a shrug_and_entered_the cafeteria.

I pulled the most recent note from my bag's_outer pocket._"Hi, Francine. Mark_sent another letter."

Francine's tired face brightened as she wiped her_hands on a nearby towel