Life's Lessons on Stress

  Chapter Two

  Presents of Presence

  SPLUT

  I twitched and looked to my right. The newest edition of Combat King now lay on my workstation. My focus lifted, and I blinked. "S-Sir?"

  "Page three," Seifer said simply, coffee mug in hand.

  I looked back to the magazine. Did someone leak some info I didn’t catch? I swallowed hard as I reached out for it. Is there a new code being used for that faction in Deling City? I opened the magazine to page three--I blinked and drew it closer.

  "Good job."

  I focused wide eyes up at him. He smirked, as usual. "Th-thank you, sir."

  "I need that Deling City work-up before lunch."

  I nodded. "Yes, sir."

  He strode away, meeting Fujin half-way to his office. I looked back down to the article. Oh my gosh.

  "Yo, Meg!"

  I looked up again and brightly smiled. Zell jogged toward me waving the most recent Combat King. "Hi, sweetie."

  Zell sent Seifer and Fujin a grin and wave, ignoring their dark glares. He stepped up to my workstation and leaned against it. "Featured submission, Sally," he exclaimed. "That rocks!"

  I sent Seifer and Fujin a quick glance. Fujin headed away. Seifer glared at us. I met Zell’s smiling eyes. "I can’t talk long."

  "I know. I just wanted to tell you as soon as I got it." Zell motioned to my copy. "How’d you get that? I’ve got your copy here." He pulled it from the back pocket of his dark blue jeans.

  "Seifer gave it to me." I sent the Sub-Lt. Cmdr. another quick look. He leaned over one of the other security stations with occasional glares our direction. I looked back to Zell.

  "Seifer? He doesn’t read C.K.." Zell shrugged and then it back into the back pocket of his jeans. He smiled down at me as he stood. "Congrats, Sally. We should majorly celebrate."

  I nodded. "Okay."

  "How about dinner in Balamb?"

  "Sounds great." I sent yet another quick look to Seifer. He straightened from overseeing a particular security issue and glared straight at me. I turned and met Zell’s gaze. "Zell."

  "Yep. I know." He chucked me gently on the chin. "See ya later, kitten."

  "Bye."

  Zell moved toward the elevator, giving Seifer yet another grin and wave as he went. I smiled as I watched him go; then I turned back to my computer with a sigh. The previous weekend when Zell and I had gone to Combat King’s main publishing house, I’d had no idea I would even get published. They’d “lost” my submission--never a good sign. Luckily, Zell had brought his copy of what we had sent in. He had then given it to the publishing editor at the end of our tour of the place, all the while impressing upon the man how important it would be for them not to lose the packet.

  Featured submission? The thought gave me goosebumps. I hadn’t ever hoped to be ‘featured’. Zell got featured. Almost always. Well, I guess he did here too. Kind of. After all, I listed him as co-creator of Quick Silver. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way. We were partners. I definitely didn’t mind sharing the credit. I should get him something with the money.

  My mind immediately balanced between gift possibilities and finishing up the Deling City work-up requested by Seifer. I hadn’t ever planned something special or bought a gift for a guy. I guess I could talk to Rinoa or Selphie? They know Zell.

  I gave a nod and saved my progress, finishing the report a few minutes later to print it out and set it within a report cover. Then, still planning my ‘something special’ for Zell, I gathered up my couple other projects for him and headed for his office. Does Zell wear chains or rings? I wrinkled my nose. I didn’t remember seeing him wear jewelry of any kind. Ever. Maybe that could be the gift? A pair of rings? But that sounded almost too much like a wedding set. Except Squall and Rinoa have a pair of rings, don’t they?

  I gave a shake of my head and sighed just as I entered Seifer’s office.

  Seifer looked up from his desk. "Regal. Perfect." He produced his hand for the report.

  "As requested, sir." He flipped through it. "And here’s the synopsis of security regarding Commander Squall’s terminal." Seifer looked up. I continued. "And the requested activity reports for intra-Garden exchanged information." I opened the bottom report and turned to page five. "There’s a lot of activity between Trabia and the new Garden outside Deling, but it doesn’t look too suspicious."

  Seifer raised an eyebrow as he slowly reached forward to accept the reports.

  "I’m still checking all the IDs of the new grads and candidates for appropriate security access, sir. I should have it done before going home today."

  He set down the reports and regarded me with a smirk. "Good job, Regal."

  I flushed--you’re a brown-noser, Regal--and saluted. "Anything else, sir?"

  "No, you’re working too fast."

  My eyes widened. "Sir?"

  Seifer picked up the reports. "As you were, Regal. Dismissed."

  "Yes, sir."

  I about-faced and exited his office. A ring. I should definitely get us a ring. I stepped toward my desk. There’s got to be a place in Balamb that has things like that. Maybe I could ask his mother? I sat at my desk and absently continued my duty of checking the student IDs. She’d know where to go and what he’d like. I smiled. Maybe she and I could plan a secret trip to Deling City tomorrow? I giggled, my attention still carefully balanced between my plan and my duty. Maybe I should do something like a dinner to give him the ring? Or a picnic on our beach? I wrinkled my nose. No. It should be something more--

  "Regal."

  I twitched and looked to my left and up. "Yes, sir?"

  "Office. Now."

  I paled and stood. "Yes, sir." He looks mad, I think.

  I preceded Seifer to his office, cringing when he closed the door behind him. Did I miss something in my reports? I cited all my sources, didn’t I? I bit my lower lip. He sat in his chair and retrieved two familiar reports from the left side of his desk. He slid them across the desk toward me. One was the work-up of Deling City. The other was the report about the intra-Garden requests.

  I looked up to meet Seifer’s hard gaze. "Sir?"

  "Give more detail on those requests mentioned between Deling and Trabia."

  I took up the reports. "Yes, sir." I saluted and turned.

  "Tonight."

  I halted. Toni--Tonight! I faced him. He didn’t look up from his desk and the reports there. I sighed. "Yes, sir."

  I exited the office with a feeling of dread. There was no way I could complete the project before needing to leave at five. I would need to stay until at least seven or eight. I continued to stare down at the reports and sighed again. Then I made my way to my desk and slowly sat. Nuts.