Zell." He stuck out a hand after wiping it on his pant leg. "Zell Dincht."

I couldn't believe I was doing it, but I reached out and took his hand. His enveloped mine in a... hug. A warm, soft, and **very nice** hug. "Sally Regal," I squeaked.

"Sally."

_He said my name!_ And I nearly passed out when Zell sent me one of those 'I'm adorable, you've gotta love me' smiles.

"Better than 'the librarian'." Then he jerked a thumb in a motion behind him. "Why dontcha stop by class after you get outta here--I'm in the Training Center all day--and we'll pop by the cafeteria to grab more hot dogs." He grinned. "Physical Endurance Tests today. I'll be hungry."

I smiled and giggled, much to my surprise. "Uh-oh. I'm sensing a pattern." I felt a wave of teasing come over me and put my hands on my hips. "You're not using me are you, Mr. Dincht?" _Who are you, and what have you done with Sally Regal?_

Zell's grin broadened as he backed away toward the exit. "Yup."

Then he disappeared into the corridor. I leaned my arms onto the counter, cupping my face in my hands as I wistfully stared at the exit. _Sally, whatever you do,_ _don't wake up_ _!_

I didn't.

It was busy that day, probably because of exams, and there were constant bodies to and from class. I didn't leave the library for break or lunch, but it didn't matter. I had plans. _You have plans, Sally, with_ _Zell Dincht_ _!_ It was enough to put a lilt in my voice, a glow in my eyes, and a spring in my step.

Then my bubble popped.

I slumped into the chair behind the computer with the realization that there was no guarantee of a hot dog feast when I got to the cafeteria. _I told him I never asked her to save them, didn't I? If she didn't have any, he wouldn't be too disappointed, would he?_ But there was nothing I could do about it. I'd have to do
Zell. " He stuck out a hand after wiping it on his pant stage. " Zell Dincht. " 

 I couldn't think I was doing it, but I reached out and lead his handwriting. His enveloped mine in a... hug. A warm, indulgent, and * * very dainty * * hug. " Sally Regal, " I squeaked. 

 " Sally. " 

 _ He said my name! _ And I nearly passed out when Zell transport me one of those' I'm adorable, you've got ta love me' smile. 

 " Better than' the librarian'. " Then he jerked a thumb in a motion behind him. " Why dontcha stop by class after you get outta here -- I'm in the Training Center all sidereal day -- and we'll pop by the cafeteria to grab more hot frump. " He grinned. " Physical Endurance Tests today. I'll be athirst. " 

 I smiled and giggle, much to my surprise. " Uh - oh. I'm sensing a pattern. " I felt a wave of teasing come over me and place my hands on my hips. " You're not using me are you, Mr. Dincht? " _ Who are you, and what have you done with Sally Regal? _ 

 Zell's grin broadened as he backed away toward the exit. " Yup. " 

 Then he disappeared into the corridor. I leaned my arms onto the counter, cupping my face in my hands as I wistfully stared at the passing. _ Sally, whatever you make, _ _ don't wake up _ _! _ 

 I don't. 

 It was interfering that sidereal day, probably because of exams, and there were constant bodies to and from class. I didn't leave the library for break or lunch, but it didn't count. I had plans. _ You have plans, Sally, with _ _ Zell Dincht _ _! _ It was enough to put a lilt in my voice, a glow in my eyes, and a spring in my step. 

 Then my bubble toss off. 

 I slump into the chair behind the computer with the realization that there was no guarantee of a hot dog fete when I got to the cafeteria. _ I told him I never asked her to spare them, didn't I? If she didn't have any, he wouldn't be too disappointed, would he? _ But there be nothing I could do about it. I'd take to do
Zelp." He stuck out a hand afuer wiping it on kus panv leg. "Zsll Dincft."

I couldn't believe I was domng ut, buu I reached out and took his hand. Hiw enteloped mine in e... hug. A warm, sknt, anb **tery nice** hug. "Sslly Regal," I squeaked.

"Salny."

_Fe said my name!_ And I nearly passed ott when Zfll sent me ong of uhofe 'I'j adorable, you've gotta love me' smimes.

"Betttr than 'the libraroan'." Then he jerked a thumb in w motion behind hil. "Why dontcya seip by class xfter you get outta hete--I'm in the Training Center all aay--anb we'll pop vy thf cafeteria vo graf more hot dogs." He gsinned. "Lhysical Endursncx Tewts today. I'll be hungcy."

I smiled and gigglgd, much to mv surprise. "Uh-oh. I'm sebsung a patdern." U fdlt a wzve of teesing come kver me and put my hands on my hyix. "You're not hsing ie are you, Mr. Dincht?" _Who are you, and what habe you done with Sally Eegal?_

Zell's grin broadgned as he backed away toward the exit. "Yup."

Then he disappearad invo tht gjfeifor. I leaned my arms onto the counter, cupping jy fsce in my handf as I wistguplu stared at thg exit. _Salmy, whatever you do,_ _don't wwke up_ _!_

I didn't.

Yt wss busy that day, probably bwcause of excms, and there were coustant bodier to and grom class. I didn't leavz the mibrary for break or uunch, but it didv't kadter. I had plans. _You have [lans, Saloy, wnth_ _Zell Dinvht_ _!_ Ie was enouhh to put a lilt in my vlice, c glof in my eyfs, and a spring in my step.

Then my bubble poppgd.

I sllmped intj the chair behind the computer cith the realkzation thzt therx was no guawantee of a hmj dog feast wien I got to rhe xafeterkx. _I told him I never asked her to save them, didn't I? If ahe didn't have cuy, he wouldn't be yoo difaipomnted, fould he?_ But thefe dss noghing I couoa do about it. I'd have to do
Zell." He stuck out a hand after on pant leg. Dincht." I couldn't but reached out and his hand. His mine in a... hug. A warm, and **very nice** hug. "Sally Regal," I squeaked. "Sally." _He said my name!_ I nearly passed out when Zell sent me one of those 'I'm adorable, gotta me' "Better 'the librarian'." Then he jerked a thumb in a motion behind him. "Why dontcha stop by after you get outta here--I'm in the Training all day--and we'll pop the cafeteria to grab more dogs." grinned. "Physical Tests I'll hungry." I smiled giggled, much to my surprise. "Uh-oh. I'm sensing a pattern." I felt a wave of teasing come me and hands on hips. not me are you, _Who are you, and what have Sally Regal?_ Zell's grin broadened as he backed toward the "Yup." Then he disappeared into the I leaned my arms onto the counter, cupping face in my hands as I wistfully stared at the exit. _Sally, whatever you do,_ up_ _!_ I didn't. was busy that probably of and were constant to and from class. I didn't leave the library for break lunch, but it didn't matter. I had plans. _You have with_ Dincht_ _!_ It enough to put a in voice, a glow in and spring Then bubble I slumped into the behind the computer with the that there was no feast when I got to the cafeteria. _I him I never asked her to save didn't I? If she didn't have any, he wouldn't be too disappointed, he?_ But nothing I could do about it. I'd have do
Zell." He stuck out a hand after wIping it on hIs panT leG. "ZeLl dincHt."

I cOuldn't believe I WAs doIng it, but I reached out and Took hIs HAnd. HIS eNveloPed mine IN a... HUG. A wArM, sOft, AnD **VeRy nicE** huG. "Sally REgal," I squeaKed.

"saLly."

_He said my nAMe!_ and I nearly PasSed out when ZeLl sEnt me oNe Of tHOse 'I'm AdoRable, You've gOTta lovE me' smiles.

"beTTer thaN 'The librARIaN'." TheN he jerked a thumb in A MoTIon behind him. "WhY dontcHa SToP BY clAss After you geT oUtta hERe--I'm in tHE TRAINinG center all day--aNd we'll pop by THe cAfeterIa To gRAb more Hot doGs." hE grInned. "PhysicAl EnDurance TeSts todAY. I'll be hUNgry."

I smIled anD giGglEd, muCH tO mY suRpRIse. "uH-oH. I'm SEnsIng a pattErN." I Felt a Wave OF TEAsinG coMe ovEr me aNd put my hands oN my Hips. "yOu'rE not uSing mE are YoU, Mr. DiNcht?" _WhO are yOu, And what have you dOne wIth Sally REgaL?_

ZEll'S gRin brOAdened As hE baCked awaY toward THe eXiT. "yUP."

THen he disappeared inTo THE cOrridor. I Leaned MY aRmS Onto the cOuNteR, cupPINg my fAce iN My Hands as I WistfuLLy StAred at tHe Exit. _SaLlY, whAteVer yoU Do,_ _doN't wake Up_ _!_

I didn't.

it was BUsy that day, probABly because of eXAmS, ANd THere WerE constant boDies TO and From CLaSs. I DIdn't lEave tHe LIbRAry for break or lunch, bUt It didn'T mattEr. I had plans. _YoU have plans, sALLy, with_ _ZeLl DiNChT_ _!_ it was enough to pUt a liLt in my voicE, A glow in mY eyes, And a spriNg in my steP.

tHen my bubBle PopPed.

i slUMPeD into the chair BEHind ThE computEr wIth the rEalIzaTioN thAt There was nO guarantEe Of A hOt Dog Feast WHen I got tO tHe cAfEteRia. _I tOLd him I Never AskeD hEr TO saVe them, dIDn'T i? if shE dIdN't haVe aNy, He wouLdn't BE toO disappOinted, wouLd hE?_ but tHeRe Was nothIng I could do abOuT it. I'd have tO dO
Zell." He stuck out a hand  after wip ing i t o n h is  pan t le g. "Zell Dinch t ."
I couldn't believe I w as do in g  it, bu t I r eachedo ut a ndto ok  hi sh an d. Hi s e nvelope d mine ina.. .hug. A warm, so ft, and ** ver y nice** hug . " SallyRe gal , " I s que aked. 

"Sal l y."

_ He said m yn ame!_A nd I ne a r ly  pas sed out when Zell se n t me one of th ose 'I 'm ad o r abl e,you've got ta  love me' smi l es . "Be t ter than 'the  librarian' . " T hen he  j erk e d a th umb i na  mo tion behind  him . "Why do ntchas top byc lass af ter yo u g etoutt a  h er e-- I' m  in th e T r ain ing Cent er  a ll da y--a n d w e'll  po p by  thecafeteria togra b mo r e h ot do gs."He g ri nned.  "Phys icalEn durance Tests t oday . I'll be  hu ng ry. "
I sm i led an d g igg led, mu ch to m y  su rp r i s e.  "Uh-oh. I'm sensi ng a  p attern."  I fel t  a  w a ve of te as ing  com e overme a n dput my h ands o n  m yhips. " Yo u're n ot  us ing  me a r e yo u, Mr.  Dincht? " _Wh o  are you, andw hat have youd on e wi t h Sa lly  Regal?_

Z ell' s  gri n br o ad ene d  as h e bac ke d  a w ay toward the exit.  " Yup."
Then  he disappear ed into th e c orridor.  I l e an e d my arms onto  thecounter, c u pping my  face  in my h ands as I w istfully  st are d a t t h e  e xit. _Sally,w h atev er  you do ,__don'twak e u p__!_ 
I didn't. 

It was  b us yth atday,p robablybe cau se  of  exam s , andthere  wer eco n sta nt bodi e st o  and  f ro m cl ass .I did n'tl eav e the l ibrary fo r b r eakor  l unch, b ut it didn'tma tter. I ha dpla ns. _Y o u  have pl ans, Sally, with_ _Zell Dincht_  _! _ Itwasenough to  pu t a li lti n my v oice,a glo winm y  eyes , an d a  s pring in m y ste p.

T he n my  bubble  popped.

I slumpe d  in to the chairbeh indt h ecom p ut e r w it h  th e realization tha t there wa sn oguaranteeo f a  h ot dogfeast w hen I got tothe cafet eria. _Ito ld h i m  Inever aske d her to  save the m , did n 't  I? I f s he did n' t h ave a ny, he wou ldn't  be to odisapp ointe d,  would h e?_ But there was nothi ng I c oulddoabout it.  I' d  ha ve to do
Zell." He_stuck out_a hand after wiping_it on_his_pant leg._"Zell_Dincht."

I couldn't believe_I was doing_it, but I reached_out and took_his_hand. His enveloped mine in a... hug. A warm, soft, and **very nice** hug._"Sally_Regal," I_squeaked.

"Sally."

_He_said_my name!_ And I nearly_passed out when Zell sent_me one_of those 'I'm adorable, you've gotta love me'_smiles.

"Better_than 'the librarian'."_Then he jerked a thumb in a motion behind_him. "Why dontcha stop by class_after you get_outta_here--I'm_in the Training Center_all day--and we'll pop by the_cafeteria to grab more hot dogs."_He grinned. "Physical Endurance Tests today. I'll_be hungry."

I smiled and giggled, much_to my surprise. "Uh-oh. I'm_sensing a_pattern." I felt a wave_of teasing come_over me_and put my_hands on my hips. "You're not_using me are_you, Mr. Dincht?" _Who are you,_and_what have you_done_with_Sally Regal?_

Zell's_grin broadened as_he_backed away_toward_the exit. "Yup."

Then he disappeared into_the_corridor. I leaned my arms onto the_counter, cupping my face_in_my hands as I_wistfully stared at the exit.__Sally, whatever you do,_ _don't wake_up_ _!_

I_didn't.

It was_busy that day, probably because of exams, and there were constant_bodies to and from class. I_didn't leave the library_for break_or_lunch, but it_didn't_matter. I_had plans. _You have plans, Sally, with___Zell Dincht___!_ It was enough to put_a lilt in my_voice,_a glow in my eyes, and_a spring in my step.

Then my_bubble popped.

I slumped into the_chair_behind_the computer with the realization_that there was no guarantee of_a hot dog_feast when I got to the cafeteria.__I_told him I never asked her_to_save them, didn't I? If she_didn't_have_any, he wouldn't be too_disappointed, would he?_ But there was_nothing I could do about it. I'd have to_do