 deeper into my pockets as I stared out the window at the dark night with the bright stars and glistening water.

"Tired?"

I nodded with a sigh before sending Zell a little smile. "Yes, but it's a good tired. I've had a lot of fun today. Thanks for asking me to come along."

The smile he returned made him even better looking. "Sure."

My gaze moved back outside. I actually felt comfortable. I wasn't stressing or worrying or wondering or anything like that. I just sat there enjoying the view and the company and the memories I had. It was nice. I'm not saying I was cured of my shyness. No. That's something a person wrestles with their entire life, but I felt comfortable. And **that** felt nice.

"You up to working out tomorrow morning? Same as last time?"

My eyes met his sidelong glances. "Of course. Are we going to try some of those moves we saw in the magazine?"

"Maybe one, but I don't want to overdo it. We've got to keep testing you for the field exam coming up. If I overload you with new moves and stuff, you'll freak out and flunk. Well, maybe not flunk, but you'd freak."

"Okay. Just one then. That's okay."

"Then, after class, I'll meet you at the library."

My eyes widened. "Really? Why?"

"We've got to come up with some possible names for the moves, remember? And we've got to start figuring out what we should submit to Combat King. I'm thinking we should start work on a leg move and save the combos for later."

_Oh my gosh._ "OK." It couldn't get better.

Garden's brightness loomed in front of us then, and my stomach settled clear to my spine. I didn't want the day to end. Zell pulled the car into the parking lot and got out, coming around to my side as I struggled with my seat belt.

"I think I'm stuck," I said absently once he'd opened the door.

"What?"

"I can't get the belt undone."

"Here. Let me see." Zell leaned over me, examining the seat belt as I sat back further into the seat and
deeper into my pockets as I stared out the window at the blue nox with the bright stars and glitter water. 

 " banal? " 

 I nodded with a sigh before sending Zell a small smile. " Yes, but it's a good tired. I've have a lot of fun today. Thanks for ask me to come along. " 

 The smile he returned made him even well looking. " Sure. " 

 My gaze moved back outside. I actually felt comfortable. I wasn't stressing or worrying or wonder or anything like that. I just sat there enjoying the scene and the company and the memories I had. It was nice. I'm not state I was cured of my shyness. No. That's something a person wrestles with their entire life, but I felt comfortable. And * * that * * find nice. 

 " You up to working out tomorrow morning? Same as last meter? " 

 My eyes met his sidelong glances. " Of course. Are we going to try some of those moves we saw in the magazine? " 

 " possibly one, but I don't desire to overdo it. We've got to keep testing you for the sphere exam coming up. If I overload you with newfangled moves and stuff, you'll freak out and flunk. Well, possibly not flunk, but you'd freak. " 

 " Okay. Just one then. That's okay. " 

 " Then, after class, I'll meet you at the library. " 

 My eyes widened. " Really? Why? " 

 " We've got to come up with some possible names for the move, commend? And we've got to start figuring out what we should submit to Combat King. I'm thinking we should begin work on a leg move and spare the combos for later. " 

 _ Oh my gosh. _ " OK. " It couldn't get better. 

 Garden's luminosity loomed in front of us then, and my stomach settled clear to my spinal column. I didn't want the sidereal day to end. Zell pulled the car into the parking lot and got out, hail around to my side as I struggled with my seat belt. 

 " I intend I'm stuck, " I said absently once he'd opened the door. 

 " What? " 

 " I can't get the belt undone. " 

 " Here. Let me see. " Zell leaned over me, analyze the seat belt as I sit back further into the seat and
 defper into my pockets as L stared out the window at ths dark nkght with the bright stars aid goistebing water.

"Tired?"

I noddea with a digh befire wwnding Zell a little smimc. "Yes, uut it's a good jired. I've hag a lot of fun tudcy. Thanks for asking me to come alond."

The smolf he returned iade rim snek better looking. "Sure."

My gaze movsd back outside. I acyually felt comfortable. I aasn'h stressing or worgying or wobderybg or anythivg like that. I just saj there enjoying the view and thd com'any and thg jelmries I had. It wws nice. I'm not sayinc I was cured of my smynesv. Ni. That's something a pxrson wrestles with jheir entise life, but I felt xonfortdble. And **rhag** ftlt njce.

"You up to workinf out tomoreow morning? Same as lwwt time?"

My eyea met rif sidelong glances. "Of course. Are we goitg fo try some of those moces we saw in the magwzine?"

"Maybq one, but I don't want to overdo it. We've got to keap teaginy you wir the field exam coming up. If I overload you wyfh nvw moves and stufn, you'll freak out snf gjunk. Well, mayce not flhnk, but you'd freak."

"Lkay. Juft onw then. Thwt's pkay."

"Then, after class, I'll mewt you at thv livrary."

My eyes widenzd. "Really? Whv?"

"We've bot tp come up with some posribls names for the movea, remember? And we'xe not to staru figuring out whae we shouod sbbmit to Comnat Kigg. I'm thinning we should start worn on c leg move and dave the combos for later."

_Oh my jpsh._ "OK." It cooldt't cet bettzr.

Gardcn's brightness joomed in fronj of us tken, ana my stomabh settlev clear to mr spine. I didt'j want the dab to end. Sell puloed the zar into the psrking lon cnd got oyt, coming around tp mi aide as I strugyutd with my seat nelg.

"I ehpnk I'i stuck," I saig abrengky onze he'd opencd ghe coor.

"What?"

"I can't get tve bslt undone."

"Here. Let mc see." Zelo leaned over me, examoning the seat belu as I sav back futther into the seat and
deeper into my pockets as I stared window the dark with the bright I with a sigh sending Zell a smile. "Yes, but it's a good I've had a lot of fun today. Thanks for asking me to come The smile he returned made him even better looking. "Sure." My gaze moved outside. actually comfortable. wasn't stressing or worrying or wondering or anything like that. I just sat there enjoying the and the company and the memories I had. was nice. I'm not I was cured of my No. something a wrestles their life, but I comfortable. And **that** felt nice. "You up to working out tomorrow morning? Same as last time?" My met his "Of course. we to some of those saw in the magazine?" "Maybe one, want to overdo it. We've got to keep you for field exam coming up. If I you with new moves and stuff, you'll freak and flunk. Well, maybe not flunk, but you'd freak." "Okay. Just one then. That's okay." class, I'll meet you the library." My widened. Why?" got come up some possible names for the moves, remember? And we've got to figuring out what we should submit to Combat King. I'm should work on a move and save the for _Oh my gosh._ "OK." get Garden's front us and my stomach settled to my spine. I didn't the day to end. the parking lot and got out, coming around my side as I struggled with my belt. "I think I'm stuck," I said absently once he'd opened the "What?" "I the belt undone." "Here. Let me see." Zell over me, examining the belt as I sat back further into the seat
 deeper into my pockets as I staRed out the wIndow At tHe dArK nigHt wiTh the bright staRS and Glistening water.

"Tired?"

I nOdded WiTH a siGH bEfore Sending zElL A LitTlE sMilE. "YES, bUt it's A goOd tired. i've had a lot Of fUn Today. Thanks fOR aSking me to cOme Along."

The smilE he ReturnEd MadE Him evEn bEtter LookinG. "sure."

My Gaze moved BaCK outsiDE. I actuaLLY fElt cOmfortable. I wasn't sTReSSing or worrying Or wondErINg OR AnyThiNg like that. i jUst saT There enJOyING The VIew and the compAny and the meMOriEs I had. it Was NIce. I'm nOt sayInG i waS cured of my sHyneSs. No. That's SomethINg a persON wrestlEs with TheIr eNtirE LiFe, But i fELt cOMfOrtABle. and **that** fElT nIce.

"YoU up tO WORKing Out TomoRrow mOrning? Same as lAst Time?"

mY eyEs met His siDeloNg GlancEs. "Of coUrse. ARe We going to try somE of tHose moves We sAw In tHe MagazINe?"

"MaybE onE, buT I don't wAnt to ovERdo It. wE'VE gOt to keep testing you FoR THe Field exaM cominG Up. if i Overload YoU wiTh neW MOves aNd stUFf, You'll freAk out aND fLuNk. Well, mAyBe not fLuNk, bUt yOu'd frEAk."

"OkAy. Just One then. THat's oKAy."

"Then, after claSS, I'll meet you at THe LIBrARy."

My EyeS widened. "ReaLly? WHY?"

"We'vE got TO cOme UP with Some pOsSIbLE names for the moves, reMeMber? AnD we've Got to start figUring out whAT WE should sUbmiT To cOmbat King. I'm thiNking We should stARt work on A leg mOve and saVe the combOS For later."

_oh mY goSh._ "Ok." It COUlDn't get better.

GARDen's BrIghtnesS loOmed in fRonT of Us tHen, AnD my stomacH settled ClEaR tO mY spIne. I dIDn't want tHe Day To End. zell pULled thE car iNto tHe PaRKinG lot and GOt OUT, comInG aRounD to My Side aS I stRUggLed with My seat belT.

"I tHInk I'M sTuCk," I said Absently once hE'd Opened the dOoR.

"WhAt?"

"I can'T GEt the belT undone."

"Here. Let me see." Zell LEaned ovEr mE, examIninG the seat bElt As I sat BacK FurtheR into tHe seaT aNd
 deeper into my pockets as  I staredout t hewin do w at  the  dark night wi t h th e bright stars and gli steni ng wate r .
"Tir ed?"

I no d d edwi th  asi g hbefor e s endingZell a lit tle  s mile. "Yes,b ut  it's a go odtired. I'vehad  a lot  o f f u n tod ay.  Than ks for asking  me to co me along. " 

The s m i le  hereturned made him ev e n better looki ng. "S ur e ." Mygaz e moved ba ck  outs i de. I a c tu a l l y f e lt comfortabl e. I wasn't str essing  o r w o rrying  or w on d eri ng or anyth inglike that . I ju s t sat t h ere enj oyingthe  vi ew a n dth e c om p any an d t h e m emoriesIha d. It  was n i c e. I 'mnotsayin g I was cured  of  mys hyn ess.No. T hat' ssomet hing a  pers on  wrestles withthei r entirelif e,  bu tI fel t  comfo rta ble . And * *that** fel tn i c e. 

"You up to worki ng o ut  tomorro w morn i ng ?S ame as l as t t ime? " 
My e yesm et  his sid elongg la nc es. "Of  c ourse.  A rewegoing to t ry som e of tho se mo v es we saw in t h e magazine?""M a y be one,  bu t I don't w antt o ov erdo it . W e 've g ot to  k e ep testing you for the  f ield e xam c oming up. IfI overload y o u with n ew m o ve s  and stuff, yo u'llfreak outa nd flunk . Wel l, maybe  not flun k ,  but you 'dfre ak. "
" O ka y. Just one t h e n. T ha t's oka y." 

"Then , a fte r c las s,  I'll mee t you at  t he  l ib rar y."
M y eyes w id ene d.  "R eally ?  Why?" 

"We 'vego tt o c ome upw it h some  p os sibl e n am es fo r th e  mo ves, re member? A ndw e've  g ot  to sta rt figuring o ut  what we s ho uld  submi t to Comba t King. I'm thinking we shouldsta rt wo rk o n a leg m ove  and s ave the co mbos f or la te r." _Oh m y go sh. _"OK." It c o u ldn 't ge tbett er.

Ga rden's brightnessl oom ed in front o f u s th e n ,and my sto ma c h s e t tled clear to m y spine. I  d i dn 't want th e  da yto end.  Zell p ulled the car  into the  parkinglo t an d got  out, comi ng aroun d to my s i de as Istrug gle d with  m y s eat b elt.
" I t hinkI'm st uc k," Isaidab sently o nce he'd opened the doo r.

"W hat?" 

" I can't g ett hebelt undo ne." 

"Here. L etmesee."  Ze l l lea nedo ve r m e , exa mini n g the sea t  b elt a sI sat backf u r the r int o t h e seat  and 
 deeper_into my_pockets as I stared_out the_window_at the_dark_night with the_bright stars and_glistening water.

"Tired?"

I nodded with_a sigh before_sending_Zell a little smile. "Yes, but it's a good tired. I've had a lot_of_fun today._Thanks_for_asking me to come along."

The_smile he returned made him_even better_looking. "Sure."

My gaze moved back outside. I actually_felt_comfortable. I wasn't_stressing or worrying or wondering or anything like that._I just sat there enjoying the_view and the_company_and_the memories I had._It was nice. I'm not saying_I was cured of my shyness._No. That's something a person wrestles with_their entire life, but I felt_comfortable. And **that** felt nice.

"You_up to_working out tomorrow morning? Same_as last time?"

My_eyes met_his sidelong glances._"Of course. Are we going to_try some of_those moves we saw in the_magazine?"

"Maybe_one, but I_don't_want_to overdo_it. We've got_to_keep testing_you_for the field exam coming up._If_I overload you with new moves and_stuff, you'll freak out_and_flunk. Well, maybe not_flunk, but you'd freak."

"Okay. Just_one then. That's okay."

"Then, after class,_I'll meet_you at_the library."

My eyes widened. "Really? Why?"

"We've got to come up with_some possible names for the moves,_remember? And we've got_to start_figuring_out what we_should_submit to_Combat King. I'm thinking we should start_work on_a leg move and save the_combos for later."

_Oh my_gosh.__"OK." It couldn't get better.

Garden's brightness_loomed in front of us then,_and my stomach settled clear_to_my_spine. I didn't want the_day to end. Zell pulled the_car into the_parking lot and got out, coming around_to_my side as I struggled with_my_seat belt.

"I think I'm stuck," I_said_absently_once he'd opened the door.

"What?"

"I_can't get the belt undone."

"Here. Let_me see." Zell leaned over me, examining the seat_belt as I_sat back further into the_seat_and