Life's Lessons on Stress

  Chapter One

  The Spine of Spooky Doom

  I slumped onto my bed with a deep breath and kicked off my black flats. I brought a hand to my neck to rub at it with a soft moan.

  Tap-tap-tap "Meg? You here?"

  "Come on in, Zell." He opened the door and peeked in. I smiled. "You’re the best face I’ve seen all day."

  Zell grinned and stepped all the way around the door. "Need a massage, kitten?"

  I closed my eyes and rubbed harder at the throbbing muscles of my neck. "You have no idea."

  "Seifer workin’ ya pretty hard?"

  "And he’s even out of the office in Deling City," I complained. "Zell, I think I have the worst workstation in the whole Garden."

  "That sucks." He pulled my desk chair out from my computer desk and brought it closer. "Come on over here, Meg. I’ll give you an extra special rub down."

  I smiled a ‘that would be wonderful’ and moved to the chair.

  Zell helped me out of my uniform jacket. "You should tell Seifer about your back problems when he gets here tomorrow. Maybe he’ll get you another chair."

  His hands began their deep work of my muscles beneath my light blue knit tee. I closed my eyes with a deep breath. "And not get your massages? Not a chance--Ohhh."

  "Geez, Sally. You’re like a vise. You’re going to put yourself in the infirmary if you don’t watch it."

  I released another slow breath as I lowered my chin to my chest. Thoughts left with the tension.

  "Sally, I’m serious," Zell pressed as he gently worked on my neck. "If you don’t talk to him, I will."

  "Okay," I agreed absently. "Oh my gosh." I shivered.

  "Damn. Where’ve you been hiding that pocket of stress?" Zell mumbled.

  I smiled, barely. Zell’s hands and fingers pursued the stress and tension around the muscles of my shoulders and back with tenacity and gentle pressure combined. It was the most glorious experience after an intense day’s work. What amazed me was Zell’s ability to know exactly where to go and how firm to be. It felt awesome.

  His touch lightened, and he kissed the back of my neck. "There ya go, kitten."

  I sighed deep and stretched, watching him with a tired smile and crinkled eyes as he moved to sit on my bed. "Thanks, sweetie."

  "No prob, but I want you to promise you’ll talk to Seifer tomorrow. If your back goes out--"

  "I will, Zell. Promise." I moved to my bed and sat beside him. "Maybe I’ll get a note from Dr. Kadowaki?"

  "Good idea." Zell gave my arm a nudge. "You up to dinner in the cafeteria?"

  I shook my head and sent him an apologetic grimace. "I’m beat. Sorry."

  He brushed some hair from my face. "Don’t sweat it, kitten." Then he took my hand. "So, what do you want to do?"

  "Munch pizza while soaking in the hot tub?"

  Zell’s face brightened. "Hell yeah! That sounds awesome!"

  I giggled and stood, giving his hand a squeeze before releasing it and gathering my suit, towel, and t-shirt. "You want to go get your suit and meet me there?"

  "Nah. I’ve got an extra one at the infirmary."

  I followed him out of my room and locked the door behind me. Then I stepped up to wrap my arm around his waist as we struck out for the infirmary.

  Zell looked over at me. "Hey. You heard from Combat King yet about your submission?"

  "Nope."

  "Geez. What’s taking them so long?"

  "Maybe they’ve had a lot of submissions the past couple weeks?"

  "They should’ve at least sent you an email."

  "Maybe I have too many filters on my account," I offered. "Since the Trojan thing with Quistis, I’ve been a little paranoid. A lot of the kids have."

  "I guess I don’t blame ya. Better safe than sorry." Zell gave my shoulders a squeeze. "Well, you should definitely check with C.K. to see if they’ve sent you one. If they didn’t, then you can ask them why the hell not. If they did, you can ask them to resend it."

  "Good idea. I’ll call them tomorrow after I check my email."

  "Say. Maybe we could plan a trip on over there? You think?"

  I smiled over at him. "Could we?"

  "You think Zack could get us a tour of the place?"

  "Maybe. We could always ask."

  "That would be sweet." Zell held the door to the infirmary open for me. I reluctantly released my hold on him and passed through. He followed, closing it behind him. "If not, could we sit in on some of the T.V. shows?"

  "I could call Zack tonight and ask if anything good is on," I said as I went behind the curtain to change. "Seems to me they’ve got some new shows on the line-up."

  "Or I could take you out to dinner and a movie," Zell offered from the curtained room beside mine.

  I stared at the t-shirt in my hands. "That would be even better." I set it slowly aside and changed into my swimsuit.

  "You want to do that instead? We can watch shows any time."

  "We could go to Combat King first, Zell. Instead of a movie." I set my clothes aside and took up the t-shirt again. "I’d love to see it, and I know you would too." I stared down at the shirt while biting my lip.

  Zell tapped at the curtain. "I’ll call the pizza place from doc’s office."

  "Okay."

  I heard Zell pad away and looked again at the t-shirt. Then I slowly and deliberately set it on my stack of clothes. I smoothed non-existent wrinkles from my pale pink one-piece and cleared my throat, tipping my chin up as I stepped up to, and past, the curtain. I could hear Zell placing the pizza order, so I stepped toward the hot tub and up the short ladder and over the lip into the tub, not noticing the temperature of the water for the conversation Zell had with the pizza place. I sat on the lip of the hot tub, only my legs below the knees in the water.

  Zell finished the phone call, replaced the receiver, and stepped from Dr. Kadowaki’s office. "The pizza’ll be--" Zell’s steps stopped the same time his voice did.

  I rubbed my palms on my thighs as a blush colored my cheeks. I looked over at him with a shy smile.

  He blinked, mouth open. Then he pointed. "Where’s beach bunny?"

  My smile widened. "Sleeping."

  Zell grinned. "Dude." He stepped up to the side of the hot tub and rubbed my stomach. "Look at your flat tummy."

  I giggled and pushed at him. "It’s all those crunches you make me do."

  Zell pushed gently back, then he gestured with both hands for me to stand. "I want to see that cute mark on your butt--Hell. I want to see your butt."

  "Zell!" I scolded, cheeks flushing crimson.

  His grin softened to an adorable boyish smirk. "Please?"

  I crossed my arms and looked away as I stood. "Oh all right." I bit my lip, waiting anxiously for his reaction. I felt like an idiot for doing it, too.

  "Hm."

  I looked over my shoulder at him. He examined my birthmark--or my butt. I couldn’t tell--with crossed arms and a scowl. "What?"

  "That’s got to be the sweetest a--er--butt I’ve ever seen."

  He reached out toward it, but I turned and stepped into the tub with an "Oh no you don’t."

  Zell grinned, leaning forward over the lip of the tub while wiggling his eyebrows at me. "Heh heh heh."

  My expression relaxed into a smile. "Zell, you goof. Will you just get in here."

  Zell stood to attention and saluted. "Yes, sir."

  Then he scrambled up and over the wall of the hot tub, splashing me in the process. He grabbed me around the waist and positioned himself onto the spa 'bench' with me sitting on his lap.

  "Zell Dincht," I protested half-heartedly.

  He wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin in the nook of my neck and shoulder as he sank a little deeper into the water. "What?" he asked.

  "Could you give me a little warning next time?" I rested back against him with a sigh. "Water in the eyes stings."

  Zell kissed my neck. "Sorry."

  I flushed and rubbed at Zell’s arms. "I guess it
’s okay."

  He adjusted his chin against my shoulder. "So, how’s your week been goin’? Besides the workstation from hell?"

  "Fine."

  "’Fine’?" Zell repeated. "That’s it?"

  "Uh, I guess." I bit my lower lip.

  Zell lifted his head and adjusted his position to sit beside me. He turned me to face him. "Sally?" he pressed

  I couldn't look up from the water. Not when I felt his eyes on my face.

  "Hey.” Zell brushed some wet hair from my cheek. “Kitten, what’s up?"

  "Nothing." I glanced up from the water as I tucked a lock of wet brunette hair behind an ear. "Much." Please ask.

  He raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly is ‘nothing much’?"

  "I, uh" But I didn't want him to worry. It was me. Something I had to deal with. I knew it. I sighed and lifted my head to meet his gaze. "Zell, don--"

  "Don’t tell me not to worry about it, Sally. You’ve been tied up in knots almost every day this week and last. What’s going on? It’s not just the workstation, is it?"

  I turned and leaned back against the hot tub. Zell draped an arm around me. "I’m just too sensitive," I confessed softly. "Too jumpy."

  He rubbed my arm. "Too sensitive? About what?"

  "My assignments." I played with a water bubble. "The people in the office. Who knows?"

  Zell regarded me a moment before prompting, "Sally, what’s wrong?"

  I sighed deep, resting my head into his shoulder when he adjusted his arm around me. "I’ve been doing a lot of internal investigations of people in the Garden Network."

  "Trying to find out if any of the rebels have a mole?"

  I nodded. "It’s kind of stressful to be under constant supervision."

  "By Seifer?"

  "And Fujin."

  "They always want up-to-the-minute reports?"

  I nodded again. "And they ask questions and give orders."

  "And want instant results and perfection." Zell kissed my head as he drew me closer. "Poor kitten."

  I released a deep breath. "I just need to get used to the attention."

  "Kinda pushin’ ya hard, huh?"

  "Way outside my comfort zone," I whispered.

  "Don’t sweat it, Sally. You’ll do okay. Hell. You’ll do better than okay. Look how good you’ve done already? It’s been almost four weeks and you’re still on security."

  "I guess Seifer’s pessimism is getting to me."

  "That’s where I come in."

  I giggled and rested my head against him again. "Yep. Lucky me."

  Zell chuckled and rubbed my arm. "Just keep at it, Sally. Seifer wouldn’t have had you go on board if he didn’t think you could handle it."

  "I know." I sighed. "It’s just I want everything to be perfect. When I make a mistake. . . ."

  "Yeah. I know. You feel like crap."

  "It’s humiliating."

  "Especially with Seifer." I somberly nodded. "Well, don’t kick yourself too hard, Meg. You’re still learning. Seifer knows it, even if he can be an ass sometimes."

  I looked up at Zell. "And people say you’re dumb."

  Zell chuckled. "Hey. I’d be the first one to say I can be pretty dense. It’s just you’ve got me thinking about stuff I never had to before. Squall did the same thing to Rinoa."

  "I hope you don’t mind," I said quietly.

  "Are you kidding?" He lightly stroked my hair with his hand and fingers. "It’s a blast to talk about stuff and not get my head blown off with a dirty look."

  "Just checking."

  "You do that a lot."

  I yawned. "Yep."

  "Uh-oh. Kitten’s about to fall asleep."

  His light stroke to my hair beckoned the nap even faster. Maybe I should purr? "Maybe," I mumbled.

  "Pizza’ll be here soon."

  "Oh yeah." I straightened and sent him another smile.

  Zell caught hold of my hands with a "Come here, you," and drew me close. "I’ve been wanting to do this all day."

  My face flushed. "I like it when you say things like that. It makes me feel all fluttery."

  "Fluttery’s good," Zell commented, matter-of-fact.

  I nodded with a soft giggle.

  Zell pulled back, smiling down at me as he caressed my cheeks with the back of his hand and then his fingers, occasionally smoothing some hair from my face. Tears pricked the back of my eyes, and it had to be the most glorious attack of warm fuzzies I’d ever had.

  His lips twitched as he lightly stroked the skin under my chin with the side of his finger. "Man," he whispered.

  I closed my eyes as his lips touched mine, and Zell kissed me like he lived; taking it as it went, only going so far as I did and then stepping a little over the line. If I didn’t follow, he stayed at my line without complaint. But this time I pushed down my hesitation and followed when his lips and mouth moved gently against mine. That was the only challenge he asked of me. Once I went, he didn’t push another. That blossomed my love and brought tears as my arms tightened around him.

  Zell pulled slightly back, leaving two brief caresses of a kiss as he went. He smiled down at me as his arms adjusted their hold. "Booya."

  I smiled, flushed, and giggled as I lowered my eyes.

  "Dude. You’ve made me a Mega Phoenix junkie," he said softly.

  I laughed, pushing at his chest as I met his gaze. His arms released me, so I went to sit across from him. I continued to smile just as he did, and our knees occasionally touched. "Welcome to my world."

  Zell leaned forward, resting his hands just past my knees. "I like it here."

  I flushed darker but I followed his lead and leaned close, crossing my arms and holding them against my abdomen. I rubbed his nose with mine, closing my eyes as I whispered, "So do I."