Zell stayed at the garden, tried to stay out of everybody's way. He saw a lot of new people, a lot of new faces. He was still a teen, but he wanted to settle down with someone. No one would've seen that in him, but he wanted to hold someone at night more than anything. Anything he ever wanted. But he'd had never be a ladies man like Irvine, so he envied him in that way. In a weird way. Girls learned to like him, learned to love him. Zell had never fallen in love before, he was still a virgin. Wasn't a complete loser, he had kissed someone before. But only on a dare in his first year of SeeD.
He figured it wasn't his personality; he wasn't a bad guy to get along with. He was pretty easy to approach and talk to. He liked rock music, which wasn't a popular choice among the pretty preppy girls. He was into the cute punky girls anyway; preppies didn't give him a second look anyway. He liked girls who showed their individuality and uniqueness in anything that they wear. Chicks like that were hard to find like that at the garden, only girls with the I.Q. of -7.
'Too bad' he thought, as he made his way to the cafeteria to get a hot dog. Or at least try. Once he entered, he noticed the line was short. Unusual.
"Maybe they're already sold out' a thought shot across his mind, but he got in line anyway.
One by one, inch by inch, he made his way to the counter.
"You're in luck today, Zell." The cafeteria lady knew his name by heart by the countless times he lost his temper from being so close to getting a hotdog, then being sold out. "Last one; it must be your lucky day."
The hot dog was placed in his hand, and he was speechless. The first time in years, he finally got a hotdog. It must be his lucky day. "YES!" He jumped up and did a little victory dance. "Oo-ooo" He sang as he swung his hips.
The kids behind him all groaned and left the line. During his victory dance, he felt his self bump something from behind. He quickly turned around to see who it was and apologize. He stared down at a girl who was on the floor, with a hotdog lying on the floor next to her. She looked up at his scowling.
"Thanks a lot, idiot! You made me drop my hot dog. Now I have to get another fuckin' one!"
Zell was speechless. In one day, in one hour, in one five minute increment, he stared down at a beauty. She wore a black skirt, with black tights, and short black boots. Her forest green shirt cut across her shoulders and the long sleeves flared out at the end. To match, she had forest green streaks through her short choppy brown hair. A side part caused her bangs to cover up her left eye. Adding a nose piercing on the right side of her nose. She had to most deep, dark brown deer eyes.
"Well! Aren't you going to help me!" She yelled up at him.
Zell snapped back and grabbed her hand to help her up. She brushed herself off and took his hotdog, then took a bite.
"H-Hey! What do you think you're doing!" He had finally said something to her.
"Hey..." She mumbled with the hot dog bite still in her mouth. She pointed at him and then swallowed. "Shut up. You made me drop mine so it's only fair."
"But it's the last hotdog of the day!" He told this mystery chick.
"Tell it to the judge, buddy, 'cause I don't want to hear that crap! So stop whining."
He watched her finish the hotdog in front of his face. This looked like she did it intentionally. So he started to walk out of the cafeteria, but she stopped him.
"Hey, kid…"
"I'm not a kid! I'm probably older than you are!" He told her. "And…I have a name."
She crossed her arms; it seemed she was getting irritated. "Okay, so what is your name?"
He turned completely around so he could face her. "Zell. Zell Dincht."
She laughed a bit.
"What's so funny!" He asked her crossing his arms as well.
"Your name, that's what." She confessed, and her tone seemed to lighten up. "What kinda of name is Dincht?"
He was starting to get pissed. "Whatever. I don't have time for this." He started to walk off again.
"Hey, whoa, hey!" She started to run to run up to him, and walk beside him. "I'm only kidding! Only kidding!"
They started to walk out of the cafeteria, but he started to say something to her once they got outside the Quad.
He looked over to her. "What do you want?"
"Don't you wanna know my name?" She asked.
He rolled his eyes. "What's your name?" He asked.
"Pearl. Pearl Cambria." She told him.
Her name reminded him of one of his favorite bands.
"Nice name." He complimented her.
"I know, it's pretty sweet, ain't it?" She smiled at him.
He chuckled a little bit. "Why were you following me?"
"Because you're the only guy that has given me his hotdog."
He smiled, he had forgotten.
"Also," She continued. "You're the only one that'll talk to me. All the other fuckers around here won't take a second glance at me"
"Why?' He didn't understand.
"Why?" She repeated. "Look at me!"
So he did. She was a little shorter than he thought. She was very filled out in the chest are, but had the curves of an hourglass. Just how he liked it. Long lean legs for her height. She was fuckin' beautiful.
"Yeah?" He looked down at the ground. "You're beautiful I don't get it"
She laughed in a condescending way. "Ha! You're too cute. Don't you see, I'm different."
"So? You don't like being different?" He asked her looking up at her face.
She smiled and took a good look at Zell. "Ya know, you're not such a bad guy. Do you wanna meet up later?"
Zell was shocked, taken back a little. Pearl was very upfront and forward. All he could do was nod.
"Good, it's a date. Meet me here at eight, tonight." She turned around and walked away. "Bye." She gave a little wave.
He gave a small wave back.
Zell walked up to his stereo and pressed play, then turned up the volume to his liking. You could hear it start. Soft guitar with a soft tapping on the symbols.
Let's go down now
Into the darkness
Of your thoughts
Hurry up now
We're waiting for
Us to fall
I fall to pieces now (I fall to pieces now)
A broken mirror (I fall to pieces)
In your life
the silence in black and white
Falling forward as she walks toward the light
Zell laid down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He wondered what Pearl had in mind tonight. She was so beautiful. He wondered what she though of him.
I KNOW
I'm outside of your window
With my radio
Maybe he should talk to someone about it. Like Squall. He didn't know the first thing about girls. He sat strait up in his bed. What was he gonna wear? How was he gonna act? What if they were to get alone? He wouldn't know what to do. Sure, he kissed some other girl, but that was just a peck. He needs help.
I sleep with
One eye open so
I can see you breathing (I sleep with one eye open)
I follow your chest home
Until I, (so I can see you breathing)
I can see you, I can hear you
Breathe in
Exhale
He needed major help. So he pulled out his cell, and dialed a number. He listened to it ring.
"Hello." Said a familiar voice.
"Selphie? It's Zell."
"Yeah, I know. My phone tells me whose calling. So, what's up?" What's that noise! Turn down your music! I can barely hear you!"
Zell reached for his stereo and did what she said to do.
"Selphie, I have a problem. I-" He started but she cut in.
"Problem!" She said in shock. "What kind of problem! Never mind, you can tell me when I get there!"
"Selphie, no, wait!" But she had already hung up. "Selphie?" No answer. "Damnit." He hung up. So he turned back up his stereo, and waited for Selphie's visit.
The song ended.
A date. Date. That word seems to echo on Zell's mind over and over. If you had looked up the word DATE in the dictionary you would find things like: a particular month, day, and year at which some event happened or will happen. Or even the desciption of the fruit on a date tree. You would also find to go out socially. That seemed easy enough. Be social. Go out together and be social. Can't be too hard, Zell thought.
Not long after that, there was a small knock and then a rush.
"So what's the problem!" Selphie asked standing above the bed. Her face was all red, probably from running.
"Well…,it's uh, it's a girl." He rubbed the back of his head and stared at the ground.
Selphie sat down next to him. "A girl?" She questioned, having a small frown on her face.
"Yeah, I met this chick, and we have a date tonight. But I don't know a thing about chicks. I was kinda hoping…well, if you could help me out."
She forced herself to smile. "Sure. About what?"
"Um, well, one thing is, um…how should I act?" Zell looked up at her with a blush on his face.
Selphie couldn't help but smile. She was in love with Zell, but no one knew. Not even her teddy bears. She tried it out with Irvine, but it didn't work. She couldn't go against her feelings for Zell. She had always wanted to tell him, she had so many chances. And now he likes someone else. Her chance was now gone.
"Well, just act like yourself. Be talkative, but not too talkative. You know what I mean."
Zell shook his head. "I'm so pathetic."
Selphie shook her head. "Don't say that."
"Yeah, but I have another problem."
"What's that?" She asked.
"I don't know how to french kiss." He told her.
She suddenly busted out laughing.
"It's not funny!" He told her. "And don't you tell anyone about this!"
She was still laughing. "Yeah, yeah, sure."
Zell gave her a conspicuous look.
"Okay, okay, I promise I won't tell anyone."
"Okay." He said. "But you have to help me. You're the only one that can."
Selphie thought for a second, and then the greatest idea hit her. "What's her name?"
"Pearl."
"Pearl?" She repeated. "As in the new girl with the green streaks?"
Zell nodded.
Selphie knew who she was. Always trying to pick a fight with the preppy girls, going around cussing up a storm. She was kinda like a female Zell. She thought they were probably meant for each other.
"Okay, just pretend I'm her and kiss me."
Zell gave her a weird look. "What! Are you sure?" Zell thought Selphie was cute, he didn't mind for her to be his first kiss.
Selphie nodded, she was more sure than ever.
Zell leaned in close to her face, and Selphie began to close her eyes. He watched her, and he did the same. He could feel her breathe on his lips. He licked them and pressed them against hers. She sucked on the bottom of his, and he made a mental note on that. She slipped her tongue between his lips to give him a clue to open up. Which he did. Their tongues were playing, kinda like tag. It started to get intense and Zell leaned forward to get closer to her. But he leaned a bit too far. Selphie started to fall off the bed, and she took Zell along with her. Her shriek was muffled by his mouth.
They landed on the ground loudly and painfully. "Ow…" Selphie muttered, and then opened her eyes to see Zell's piercing blue eyes. He was right on top of her. This was all too real for her.
"Uh…" Zell got up slowly onto his knees. He face was face was red. "I-I'm sorry. I got lost in the moment." He looked at the ground.
She got up and brushed herself off. "I got to go. I hope everything turns out good tonight." She rushed out of the room.
"Wait, Selphie, don't go!" But it was too late; she was already out the door. "Damn."
