Hello, everyone, and welcome to my third story here on FanFiction! Before we start, I just want to say a quick thank you to everyone who has read, favorited, and reviewed my other stories since I posted them - I am so, so grateful for your kind words and support, and I apologize for the long time it has been since I last uploaded. However, I am back again with another Zelda fic, but this time it is one that is far less happy and sweet than the other two. The idea for this story came to me while listening to "This is Gospel" by Panic! at the Disco, primarily the piano version. If you want, you can listen to that while reading, but it is by no means necessary - I just thought that my inspiration would be an interesting little tidbit to share with you. :) Without further ado, I hope you enjoy the story!
We need to talk, so meet me at our usual spot ASAP. Zelda's eyebrows were furrowed, and her lips were curved downward in a frown as she read the text message for the umpteenth time. As her sky blue eyes glazed over the words, her mind feared only the worst. The sender of the text message was never so serious and abrupt - in fact, Link was one of the goofiest, most down to Earth people Zelda had ever met. Plus, the text message itself felt like a cliche build up to bad news, so she tried her best to mentally prepare herself as she abandoned her homework on her desk and stood up, put on her Converse, slid her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, and headed downstairs.
"Mom, I'm going to meet Link for a little while!" She exclaimed.
Her mom's reply came from a different part of the house - most likely the kitchen, since Zelda could her the clinking and clanking of metal pots and pans. "Okay, honey! Just try to be home for dinner, alright?"
"Will do!" The teenager answered before stepping outside and retreating from the front porch of her family's home.
Zelda walked down the street and turned right, starting on her way to the park that Link had suggested she meet him at. Because it was the midpoint between their respective homes, the young couple often hung out there in their free time. The park was a nice, quiet place, fitting for study dates or picnics. In addition to the times that they spent there together, Zelda also liked to visit the park by herself whenever she was frustrated or upset and needed to be alone. For all of those reasons, it had quickly become one of her favorite places in town.
As soon as she arrived, Zelda immediately started looking around for her boyfriend. After calling his name out a few times, she eventually found him seated on one of the swings, hands tightly gripping the chains as his eyes were focused on the sky. Zelda drew in a breath as she slowly approached him, the grass crunching under her feet with every step. She made her way over to the swingset and, with a slight hop, perched herself on the swing next to Link. Link finally snapped out of his trance upon Zelda's sudden appearance, and he looked over at her with a small smile on his face.
"Oh, hey." He greeted her with a nod. "Thanks for coming out to see me."
His girlfriend sighed as she held onto the chains of her swing. "Well, when you send me a text that ends with the acronym "ASAP", it's kind of hard to ignore it. What's going on?"
Link bit his lip as he lowered his gaze to the ground. "About that… Well… There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about, but I don't think you're going to like it."
"You don't know that," Zelda insisted, but Link simply shook his head.
"Look, Zelda… We've been together for awhile now, and it's been great. I've loved getting to spend so much time with, and I'm glad you were my first kiss and all that. But, lately I've started thinking a lot about the future, and…" Link trailed off, finding the next part of his speech difficult to say.
"And?" Zelda repeated, urging him to complete his thought.
He made eye contact with her once again, and Zelda instantly felt concerned as she saw the tears that were forming in his sapphire blue eyes. "And I think we should break up."
"What…?" Came Zelda's hushed reply as her mouth went agape in shock.
"You have no idea how hard it was for me to decide to do this," said Link. "The last thing I wanted was for either of us to get hurt, but I really think that's the direction we'll be heading if we stay together."
The blonde girl swallowed the lump in her throat as she mustered the courage to speak. "But why? You just said that you've been happy with me as your girlfriend… Why does that have to change?"
"We're drifting apart, Zelda. For awhile now, I've been trying to ignore it, but it's time to face the facts. We've gotten so busy with school, work, and getting ready for college that we don't have time for each other anymore. Besides, in a few months we'll be going to different colleges on opposite sides of the country, which will only be making matters worse…" Link explained as Zelda sat next to him in disbelief.
Link sighed as he drew patterns in the dirt with his sneaker-clad feet. "Actually, no - I promised myself that I was going to be honest with you, so I shouldn't lie. Everything I just said, that's not the whole reason I want for us to break up… The rest of the reason is that I don't think I'm in love with you now."
"What…?" Came Zelda's hushed reply as her mouth went agape in shock.
"I'm so sorry, Zel. So, so sorry…" Link murmured. "But it's true…"
Zelda blinked back her own tears as she glanced over at him. "If that's the case, then did you ever love me?"
"Yes," Link answered. "I know for a fact that I did at first, but over time, those feelings just kind of faded away…"
"Oh, my gosh…" Zelda whispered, closing her eyes as she tried to resist the urge to cry.
Her attempt was soon proven a failure, however, as she soon began to sob. "This isn't happening… Please tell me this isn't happening…"
"I really didn't want things to end this way, you know. But I knew I had to do something soon, or else things would be messy…" Link reassured her, but this did little to quell Zelda's sadness.
Link frowned as he realized his lack of success. From the start, he knew it would be difficult, but it wasn't until they were sitting there talking that he realized how difficult. As his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend gradually became undone next to him, his mind was in a frenzy as he tried to figure out what to do. He'd obviously expected Zelda to be upset by his news, but it'd broken his heart so much worse now that she was crying. Link hated it when Zelda cried.
The next thing he knew, Link was alone on the swingset. Zelda had gotten up, and was walking away without another word. As soon as Link realized what she was doing, he called out to her, but Zelda ignored him and kept walking. Link proceeded to step off the swing and run after Zelda, catching up with her in the end.
"Hey, wait up!" He said, causing Zelda to turn around and look at him. "Don't go."
"Please leave me alone, Link…" Zelda mumbled as she wrapped her arms around herself, hoping to find comfort in addition to the cardigan she was wearing.
Link gulped as he reached out to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hey… I know you're angry and sad, and you have every right to be. But just hear me out, okay?"
"I have heard you out, and now I'm done." The other blonde replied, speaking in bitter tones. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really should be getting home. Dinner will be ready any minute, and I promised my mom I'd be home in time to eat with the family."
"If you love me, let me go," Link said, moving his hand to grasp Zelda's arm. "I know it hurts, and believe me - it isn't easy for me, either… But you have to move on…"
Zelda sniffled as she nodded. "I know… It's just so hard. I've spent so much time on this relationship, and now you're asking me to give it up? That's going to take some time."
"I understand that - take as long as you need." Link reassured her as a few cheeks proceeded to roll down his cheeks. "But when all of this is over, I think I'd still like for us to be friends… If you're okay with that."
Zelda stated simply, "Of course. In the end, I think I'll want that as well."
"So, it's settled then. Back to square one it is," Link joked, allowing himself to smile for the first time since Zelda met him at the park.
"I guess so," Zelda agreed.
Link smiled wider. "But I promise that I'll be the best friend you could ever ask for, okay? It's the least I can do."
"Thank you… I really appreciate that," Zelda smiled, too, as she stepped forward with her arms open, gesturing for Link to hug her.
The male accepted the invitation, and Zelda and he were locked in an embrace for several moments; eventually, they broke apart the hug, and Link smiled as he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, if we're finished here… I guess I'll head home. My mom was making dinner, too, when I left."
Zelda waved at him as he started to leave. "Bye…"
"Wait, didn't you have to be getting home, too?" Link asked, a confused expression on his face.
"Technically, yes, but I think I might hang around here a bit longer…" Zelda answered.
"Zel, are you sure you're okay? I don't have to leave just yet if you're not -"
"No, I'm fine - really. Just go, okay?"
"Well, alright… See you in school, then, I guess."
"See you…" Zelda bid him farewell once again as Link left for good.
In that moment, the purpose of the quiet park switched to the alternative, as Zelda was left alone with her thoughts. When she told Link that she would be alright, she'd thought that she meant it. But, as soon as he was out of her sight, Zelda couldn't help but revert to her previous state of sadness. As she went to sit by herself on one of the park benches, more sobs managed to escape her lips, and they didn't stop, despite her best efforts. Once she was sitting, Zelda drew her knees to her chest and covered her face as she tried to console herself. Yes, she was going to be okay - perhaps not for awhile, since Link had been her first love, but eventually she would be over him.