Life's Lessons on Stress

by Nona Mae King

  Chapter Three

  A Seldom Answered Question

  "Hey, Sally."

  I looked up from my book to the candidates that passed from the Training Center’s main section to the corridor leading to the main hall of Garden. It seemed like forever since I’d been one. I smiled. "Hi, Chloe. Hi, Amber."

  They waved and smiled before continuing on.

  I changed my focus back to my book--assigned reading by Seifer on networks and hackers--and kept on teasing Zell’s hair with my fingers. I sat cross-legged with ‘my rock’ as back support. Zell rested his head and shoulders in my lap, stretched out as he read a Timber Maniacs magazine. It was such a different picture than before my adventure with Zell started. Believe me. I liked this one much better.

  I moved my book and stared down at Zell with a goofy smile. He intensely concentrated on a particular article. This concentration slightly drew his brows together and made his lips move while he read. I smoothed his hair back from his face and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

  He looked to me with an instantaneous grin and lightly bopped the top of my head with the magazine. "Need me to move?"

  I shook my head. "Nope. You’re fine."

  "’kay." Zell went back to reading the article, and the serious expression returned.

  I smiled wider before again lifting my book and continuing to tease and stroke his hair as I read.

  "Hiya, Sally! Hiya, Zell!"

  Zell and I both looked over at the approaching Selphie, him pushing up onto his elbows and looking over his left shoulder to do so.

  "’Sup, Sephy?"

  Selphie moved to kneel by us, dressed in blue jeans and a pale yellow midriff t-shirt with a sunflower in the center. "I wanted to kidnap Sally away from you so that me and Rinoa can go shopping."

  I smiled wide, adjusting my position once Zell sat up. "That sounds fun!"

  She nodded, opening her mouth to speak just as Zell said, "Yeah it does. Can I come?"

  We blinked over at Zell in surprise.

  "What?" he asked.

  "We’re just gonna do shopping and make-overs, Zell. Girl stuff," Selphie told him with a sidelong glance toward me. "You don’t really want to go, do you?"

  Zell looked to each of us with an expression of hesitancy. To me it was the most adorable expression in the world. Why? Because I could tell he really wanted to go but didn’t know if it was okay to say so.

  "Well, I don’t know, I mean, well, why the hell not?"

  Selphie giggled. I just continued to smile at him. "Zell, guys never like going shopping with girls."

  Zell’s face twisted. "Why not? Don’t you try stuff on?"

  "Yeah, and that’s why guys hate it."

  "What? That’s dumb." He pointed at me. "You think I’m gonna pass up a chance to see her in a black mini or something? Tch! Hell no! I don’t care how long I have to sit my ass in a chair!"

  Selphie howled with laughter. I rubbed Zell’s arm, drawing his attention. "I don’t mind if you come, if you’re sure you want to be around us girls all weekend."

  He grinned. "Damn straight."

  I looked over at Selphie, who’d finally contained herself. "Is it okay?"

  "Oh sure. I don’t care. Rinoa probably won’t either." Selphie slapped her legs before pushing herself to her feet. "I’ll meet you guys in the parking lot in 30 minutes. Okay?"

  "Okay. Thanks, Selphie."

  She sent each of us a wave as she made her way from the Training Center. I looked over at Zell. "We better get our stuff."

  He helped me to my feet. "I don’t get the big deal with me wanting to go," he confessed.

  "It’s not a big deal," I assured as we headed out of the Training Center into the corridor beyond. "Like Selphie said, guys usually don’t like going shopping. I know my brother doesn’t. And with girls?" I shook my head and wrinkled my nose. "Forget about it."

  "Come on, Meg. It can’t be that bad."

  "Hours on end of looking at clothes with ‘ooh, isn’t this adorable?’ or ‘does this make my butt look big?’ or even ‘I don’t think this color goes with my burgundy pumps. You remember the ones?’" Zell howled, and I seriously continued, "Hour after hour of standing and walking? I’m afraid it’s not very exciting if you’re just a spectator."

  "Come on. You guys wouldn’t let me help? I can do those funny voices!"

  I giggled. "Zell."

  "Seriously though, Meg. Wouldn’t you guys let me help?"

  "With the shopping?" Am I really having this conversation?

  "Sure! Can’t I pick out stuff the same as you?"

  "Of course. I just never thought you’d want to."

  He wrapped an arm around my waist to draw me up against him. "Damn straight I’ll want to, Meg. If I see something I like, I’m gonna want you to put it on."

  I looked up at Zell’s mischievous twinkle and gave a knowing nod. "Yeah, and I know just what I’ll say to most of it."

  Zell’s grin didn’t fade.

  "Fine," I said. "Then you have to put on what I like."

  "Sounds fair," he agreed.

  My expression softened. "This is going to be fun." And how many years had I dreamed of shopping with Zell?

  He looked at me with a continued expression of seriousness. "You think we could look at colognes and stuff, too?"

  I blinked. "Cologne? But you don’t wear that. It makes you sneeze."

  He smiled. "Man. You know everything."

  I flushed and looked away. We turned onto the main corridor and headed for the dorms. "Not everything. I didn’t know you had that scar on your tummy. I didn’t know about the big freckle on your back by your left shoulder blade either."

  "Yeah, but you know everything else." He gave me a slight squeeze. "Actually, I wanted to get some for you. I guess they call it perfume, huh?"

  "But that’ll make you sneeze, too. Won’t it?"

  Zell shook his head, expression serious again. "Not if you get the oil stuff. Isn’t there body oil or something you can wear instead of that spray crap?" I nodded, eyes wide. "Cool. I’ll get you some of that. Something kind of, I don’t know, fruity or something."

  "Wow, Zell," I said softly. "I wish I could get some for you." I smiled suddenly. "Of course, I love how you smell already."

  He laughed. "So that’s why you always want to wear my stuff."

  I giggled. "Uh-oh. Caught."

  He pulled me closer, my back against his chest as his arms surrounded me. He nuzzled my neck. "Yep."

  Candidates and SeeDs alike halted all conversation to focus on us. I flushed molten while giving Zell’s arms a rub and an uncomfortable smile to the people staring. "Zell," I whispered.

  He kissed my neck, resulting in a shiver and goose-pimples for me, and then rubbed my arms as he stepped back. Laughter, chuckles, and whispers cascaded through the Garden corridor as he fell into step again beside me. I rubbed at my forehead as I stared down at the floor that simply refused to hide me in my, well, it wasn’t misery or grief. I was just embarrassed.

  Zell rubbed my back. "Sorry, kitten."

  I sucked it up and sent him a reassuring smile. "I’m not mad, sweetie. Promise."

  His expression softened. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen you mad."

  "What do you mean? I got mad when Quistis called you dense. Remember?"

  "That was mad? Hm. Seemed a little less than that to me."

  "Really? Huh." I shrugged. "That’s about as mad as I get."

  Zell tugged my ponytail and then rubbed my back again. "Fine with me." We turned into the side corridor leading to the dorms. "Say, speaking of mad--You still having issues with Fujin and Seifer?"

  "Fujin and Seifer?"

  "Yeah. With the pressure and the expectations and crap."

  "Oh. That."

  "Seifer being nice?" Zell pressed.

  I shrugged. "’Nice’ for you is different than for me."

  He laughed. "I guess that’s true. What about Fujin? Still breathing down your neck every seco
nd she can spare?" I cleared my throat. "Sally, if she’s harassin’ ya, you should tell someone. Me especially," he told me with a meaningful expression.

  I intertwined my fingers with his, but I kept my focus on the polished floor. "I will, but she’s not. At least, not really. She’s a little intense when she gives me my assignments, but I can handle it."

  "I know you can, Meg, but you shouldn’t have to. Geez. If she’d pull her head out of her ass--"

  "Zell," I scolded.

  He grinned. We halted outside my dorm room door. "Don’t let her push you around, or bully you, or anything else. Okay? You don’t need that crap."

  "I know, but it’s hard. She’s scarier than Seifer."

  Zell laughed and gave my hand a squeeze before releasing it and stepping off backwards toward his own room. "Yeah. I can see that." He pointed at me. "But you could take her, Meg. Trust me."

  I smiled and leaned back against my room door. "You want to meet in the parking lot?"

  "Nah. I’ll meet you here and walk you over."

  "Okay."

  He winked at me and then turned and jogged away. I watched him and sighed, enjoying my pathetic mushy state. Selphie didn’t think my relationship with Zell was at all ‘mushy’. She thought it great, and she’d commented several times about how different Zell and I were. As in we had learned a lot from each other and had begun to grow. I knew it was the truth with me, but in my mind Zell would always be ‘perfect’. So what did I know about changes for good or worse?

  I sighed again with a happy shrug of my shoulders and turned to unlock and open the door of my room. Zack would say it’s disgusting how stuck I am on Zell, but what does he know? He’s been married twice! And he was barely 26. I kind of felt sorry for him, but I didn’t know what to do to help. Zack had always been the kind to keep his problems to himself.

  "Maybe that’s the problem?"

  I gave a slight shake of my head as I diligently packed the appropriate things into my back pack. I didn’t know how Zack would take my interest or concern. He was a great big brother--very protective--but he’d always been the one to take care of me. Do big brothers accept help gracefully? I had no idea.

  Tap-tap-tap-click-squeeeaak "You ready?"

  I smiled over at Zell as he stepped inside, backpack over one shoulder. "Nearly." I pointed to my desk. "Can you hand me my phone?"

  "Dude." He picked it up and examined the silver phone with wide eyes. "This is sweet. Phone and secure Network access?"

  I nodded and zipped closed my back pack. "Yep. Seifer just got them in Timber last week. Security-issue only, but I’ll let you carry it if you want."

  Zell shook his head and offered it to me. "Hell no. I’d break it and get you in trouble."

  "No, you wouldn’t, break it I mean. They’re pretty tough." I slipped it into the front pocket/pouch of my pack and then slipped into the shoulder straps. "Okay. All set."

  "Got your keys?"

  I patted my left pocket. "Yep."

  He turned and left the room, standing off to one side as he waited for me to shut and lock the door. Then he took my hand and we stepped toward the main corridor. We both stopped when Seifer rounded the corner and headed toward us.

  My hand tightened on Zell’s. "Uh-oh."

  He glanced down at me. "Calm down, Sally. You’re off the clock and we’re going out. You’ve got your phone so you can keep in touch. Chill."

  I bit my lower lip, only able to focus on Seifer’s stern face. I took on unconscious step backward and a little behind Zell.

  He focused on Seifer’s approaching figure. "Yo, Seif. ‘Sup?"

  "Regal. A word." He stopped in front of us, fists on hips.

  Zell regarded Seifer’s expression and stance as he said, " No can do. Selphie’s waiting for us in the--"

  "Dincht, I wasn’t talking to you."

  "Too bad. We’re off the clock and headed out to Timber," Zell responded. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at me. I couldn’t raise my eyes from their stare of the floor. "She’s got her phone, so call if it’s--"

  "Regal. Front and center."

  I twitched and started to move as ordered. Zell’s hold on my hand kept me back, and he moved a little more in front of me. "Step off."

  Seifer raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Or what?"

  Zell scoffed. "Don’t be an ass." He jerked another motion of his thumb my direction. "Why don’t you chill and let her have a day off?"

  Seifer smirked and lowered his arms to pull a mini-disc from his back pocket. He offered it forward. "I need this taken to Deling Garden and given to the security chief there. Is that too much to ask, Dincht?"

  Zell grabbed the disc case. "Geez. Next time try looking less like you’re gonna kill her."

  Seifer turned and strode back the way he’d come. I released a deep breath.

  "You ever heard of a courier," he mumbled. He faced me. "Come on. Let’s get out of here." He tugged me gently forward. "Damn. No wonder you’re scared shitless," he complained. "I don’t think he was ever that harsh with me or Squall. Well, maybe he was. I don’t remember." Zell looked over at me. "See what I mean about his sense of humor? Totally whacked out."

  I wordlessly nodded as my hand continued to clench and unclench Zell’s.

  "Sally." I blinked and shifted my focus from the floor to Zell’s face. He smiled. "Don’t stress, shy girl. It’s only a disc."

  My expression softened as I slightly nodded. "Only a disc," I repeated.

  He drew me close against him, a habit I thoroughly enjoyed, and rested our joined hands on my hip. "Fun. That’s it. Okay?"

  I nodded again. "Fun. Got it."

  He tucked the disc case into the lower side pocket of his black jean shorts as we headed for the parking lot. "You let me deal with the disc."

  I smiled down at the floor. Noooo problem.