Aerith turned the ignition off, sitting in her car parked in the driveway of her parents' house, her mind still going over the highlights of her dinner with Zack.

"College, huh? What for?" Zack asked. "I mean, um, what are you gonna study?" he hurriedly added when he realized how his question could have sounded.

"Business." Aerith replied promptly. "Maybe international business even."

"I… think that's great." Zack took a sip of his water. He didn't want any wine, and he doubted this was the kind of place that served pop. "So are you gonna start your own business when you graduate?"

"I haven't decided yet." Aerith's answer came out almost condescendingly, since she hadn't even seriously thought about going to college, it just sounded good. Her plan was to work her way up the corporate ladder at the department store chain she worked at. "What about you?" she quickly changed the subject before she embarrassed herself more with the act she was putting on. Thankfully Zack didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, college isn't my thing." Zack said. "I've got everything I need already."

"Like what?" Aerith was curious. How could he possibly be content with his life already?

"I've got my own mobile pad, get to surf whenever I want, and I work on cars whenever I need some clams." Zack explained.

Aerith digested that quietly as their meals arrived. He sounded almost as much of a lazy bum as Reno, but he at least had a worthwhile skill. "Do you have your own auto … " she paused, unexpectedly shy about saying the word body to him, her memory of Reno's only skills pestering her again.

"My own garage? Nah, but I suppose that'd be nice." he admitted with a hesitant grin.

Aerith smiled back at him, relieved that he wasn't a bum after all.

"So, uh, thanks for the chow." Zack said as they left Mario's. "You didn't have to, but it was nice. So you think we're even now?"

"Yeah, I think so." Aerith agreed. "Thanks for letting me do it."

"So I guess I'll see you around." Zack mumbled, feeling unsure of what to do next. This wasn't a real date, but it was, and his usual rules weren't any help.

"Yeah." Aerith felt awkward too, now that it was over. They both just stood there for a few moments until Zack took a step towards her.

"So where's your car?" he asked. "I'll walk you to it."

"Oh, it's right over there." Aerith pointed.

"You ever been to the Seafood Shack?" Zack asked casually just to say something as they walked to her car.

"I don't think so. I've heard of it though." she told him when they reached her car. "Good night."

"Good night." Zack felt back on familiar ground now, and went to kiss her before leaving, but his timing was off, and when she bent her head down to get the keys out of her purse and dropped them, he ended up losing his balance when he tried to correct himself. He accidentally grabbed at Aerith to regain his balance, and another diner who just arrived in the parking spot next to Aerith mistook the scene.

"Thief! Thief!" Ellie Beasley yelled, reaching into her purse for the pepper spray and macing Zack before he or Aerith could stop her.

Aerith got out of her car and headed inside, not surprised that her parents were waiting for her in the living room.

"How was dinner, dear?" her mother asked first.

"He was late, just wanted a burger, and he got maced in the parking lot." Aerith told them with a smile. "Good night, Mom and Dad." She went to her room before they could ask her more questions and got into her favorite pajamas. She couldn't sleep though, she just curled up in bed, thinking of the embarrassment of dealing with the police while the paramedics took care of Zack. And when she kissed him as an apology, she felt a definite spark. Which was probably why she promised to go to the Seafood Shack on Friday to make up the macing to him. "I still owe him after all." she muttered before falling asleep.