packet at me. It ricocheted off my nose to topple onto the table--"I'm never serious."
I giggled and picked the sugar packet up from the table to chuck it back at him. He caught it. "That's good to know."
Zell tossed the sugar packet behind his back to hit it with his other hand, sending it plopping directly into my water. We repressed howls of laughter as I fished it out and hid it under my napkin, looking this way and that for any sign of witnesses.
"Being serious all the time just causes more problems," he continued with a slight smile as he lounged back in his chair. "I mean, I saw what it did to Squall--tore him up inside--and decided I didn't want that." Zell crossed his arms as he stretched his legs out in front of him. He met my gaze. "I'm not saying life's a joke waiting to happen. It's just not worth stressing over. Sure there's stuff that needs serious attention, like when we had to fight Galbadia Garden, or when we had to Assassinate the Sorceress, or things like that. But life is different." Zell shrugged, moving his gaze to his water glass. He uncrossed his arms and reached out to slowly rotate it. "Make every day count. That's my philosophy."
I felt as if I'd been inducted into a 'Zell Only' room. My soul soared. "I know the others at Garden really appreciate it. I know I do. It helps me laugh. It reminds me to laugh." Wow. Did I just say that?
Zell grinned as he raised his eyes. "Tell that to Quis next time you see her. She says I'm too dense to really understand what's going on and that's why I'm joking around."
I waved a hand with a wrinkle of my nose, moving my water glass to wipe up the water ring. "It seems to me she needs to take your philosophy to heart, like Commander Squall has."
Zell laughed. "She's just sore because Squall and Rinoa are working out. She didn't think it would last a month, what with the two being so different."
I blinked over at Zell. "What?"
"Quis' sweet on Squall, but I know she'd deny it," he told me. "She needs to get over it and go out with Zone. Geez. The guy's got it bad."
"Zone? From the Owls?"
Zell nodded. "Yeah. You know 'im?"
"Not very well, but enough." I giggled, sitting forward in my chair to rest my arms on the table. "We should plot a set-up."
Zell laughed. "Quis'd kill me, of course I'd do it anyway just to see the look on her face."
The waiter came with our order, so Zell and I sat up as they set the plates in proper order.
"We should do it," Zell told me suddenly. "Why don't we look him up while we're in Timber today?"
I giggled again and promptly shook my head. "Zell, I don't think--"
"How come? It'd be fun."
I adjusted my plate in front of me, spreading the homemade sauce onto the fish. "Because...."
He dipped his fries in his sauce and then pointed at me with them. "See? You know it'd be fun. Admit it. Setting her up on a blind date that she doesn't even know about? A perfect prank."
I sent him a couple glances. He met each one, and his smile widened each time. "OK," I laughed. "I admit it."
"Oh yeah," he exulted. "We're gonna get Quis good."
I smiled while giving a shake of my head, but I looked forward to the prospect of conspiring with Zell on anything.
7: Day Six - Timber
"Rock on!" Zell pointed at the train schedule as he looked over at me. "There's a train leaving in five minutes."
I set the magazine down and made my way beside him to look up at the schedule. "Oh my gosh. That'll leave us three hours to hang out in Timber before catching the next one. Perfect."
Zell grinned. Then he faced the window and knocked on the glass to get the guy's attention. "Yo. We need a ticket to Timber."
I reached into my inner jacket pocket to pull out my share, but Zell didn't turn to get it. He didn't even notice the action. He just paid full price and gave the guy a "Thanks, dude" before looking over at me and motioning toward the train station with a jerk of his head as he put the ticket and his wallet in a safe place.
I retracted my hand from my jacket pocket and swallowed hard as I sent him a timid smile. Sally, don't. I gave myself a nod and ascended the stairs into the station.
"Timber, sir?"
Zell nodded as he showed his ticket to the conductor, who motioned to the train directly in front of us. Zell smiled his thanks and then gestured for me to board first. I did with another swallow and another scold to stop making mountains out of molehills. His mother brought him up right, is all.
"I wonder if the SeeD cabin is available?" Zell asked as he passed me to use the ticket to unlock the door. The computer accepted the ticket, so Zell tucked it back into his wallet as he again motioned for me to go first. "You ever been in a SeeD train cabin before?"
I shook my head and entered the hallway of the train car.
"They're pretty cool. Come on. I'll show you." He proceeded to the next cabin, motioning inside once the door opened. "Check it out."
I entered, opening my eyes wide at the lush carpet, the cushy couches, and everything else that was too incredible to believe. "Oh my gosh."
"Sweet, huh?" Zell sat, settling into one of the couches as he spread his arms along the back. "One of the perks of being a SeeD." He placed his ankle onto his knee. "Try it out."
I worried the inside of my lower lip as I self-consciously shrugged out of my jacket. Then I made my way to the other couch and sat down, setting my jacket carefully to my left.
Zell continued to watch me with a smile. "Do it. You know you want to."
I met his gaze. "Do what?"
Zell's smile widened to his ever-familiar grin. "Come on, Meg. You know."
I flushed, but my determination to play innocent didn't waver. I shook my head. "No, I don't. What are you talking about?" Sit next to you and hold your hand? Darn right I want to!
Zell scoffed and stood, moving--to my horror--to sit beside me after moving my jacket. "Come on. No one's watching. Do it. It'll make you feel better."
I clenched my hands in my lap and stared at them. "No. I-I can't."
"Fine. I'll do it for you."
I closed my eyes, waiting with bated breath for his hand to hold mine--then the seat suddenly began to move. My eyes opened sharply, and I looked to my left. Zell was bouncing on the couch--while seated--two, three, four times before he stopped.
He looked over at me and wiggled his eyebrows. "See? No alarms or sirens or security barging in. Now you do it."
I giggled, both with relief and adoration, and surrendered to his insistence to give a couple self-conscious bounces. He was right. It was fun.
"Don't you feel better?" Zell asked, laughing.
I giggled again and nodded. "Makes me feel about four years old."
Zell lounged back and, just as they had before, his arms spread out across the back of the couch. He stretched his legs out in front of him as he released a deep breath. "Man. It seems like a million years since I've been here."
I so wanted to curl up beside him, resting my head against him and closing my eyes as I listened to his voice as he reminiscedI looked away and carefully scooted a little further back into the couch, very aware of his arm directly behind me. "I bet it does. A lot's happened since then."
"Tell me about it. I'm an Instructor!" He laughed. "Never thought it'd happen."
I looked over at him. "How come?" He was such a good one. A natural teacher.
"It was taking too long to get to SeeD," Zell said, and the smile faded from his face. "Quis'd been an Instructor for a year already by the time I took my field exam."
My throat tightened, and I felt the tell-tale burning in my eyes. I'd never seen him look that way before. Do I want him to keep going? Or do I want to cheer him up? I wanted to do both. I wanted to take his pain and make him smile. "You want to talk about it?" I asked quietly, and I was afraid the question would make him push it away and move to something more fun.
"Don't know," he said with a shrug. "Didn't know it bothered me. Don't know why it does. I mean, I'm a SeeD now. Been an Instructor for almost
three years. What does it matter how long it took?"
"For what it's worth," I said softly, "you're a really good Instructor. I've watched a lot of your classes in the Training Center." Zell looked over at me, still with that same serious expression, and I couldn't believe I had confessed that. "That's probably why I did so good in the Fire Cavern. What you taught stuck."
Zell smiled before reaching over to give my ponytail a gentle tug. "Thanks, Meg. I'm not saying I'm a bad Instructor. They'd tell me if I was."
I smiled softly, still holding his gaze. "Good." Maybe I can tell him on our way back from Timber?
"And how long've you been watching my classes? I should charge extra tuition."
I flushed and looked away. "It's the only place close to the library where I can get fresh air." I cleared my throat. "Your classes are always fun to watch, too." I changed my gaze to my hands and picked at a non-existent hangnail. "If they weren't so full all the time, I probably would have signed up." Yeah, right.
Zell gave my ponytail another gentle tug. "You should've asked. I woulda made room for you."
Yeah, you probably would. I smiled, sending him a brief glance. "Thanks." Maybe I will.
"Hey, no prob. What're friends for?"
"Yeah," I said with a slight sigh. There was yet another tug on my ponytail. I looked over at his smiling face. "What?"
"No stressing, Meg. Remember?"
Giggling, I leaned back, forcing myself not to straighten again when I felt both the warmth of his arm near my neck and when my ponytail brushed against the same arm. Relax, Sally. "Okay, okay. If you're bound and determined to take away all my fun,