Chapter 2
There was a dull thudding in my ears. I lifted my hand, but let it drop back down again as the thudding became ringing. When I tried to open my eyes, they felt heavy. I let out a groan and heard a low chuckle from somewhere near me.
As my hands regained some feeling, they groped at the soft sheets around them. The cloth seemed strangely familiar. Though my eyes still wouldn't open properly, I pushed myself onto my elbows and sat up hastily.
Pain ripped through my head, as if it had been set on fire. The air rushed out my lungs, and all the strength in my back disappeared. I let myself fall backwards, but when I expected to feel the soft pillow underneath me, I only felt a pair of strong hands, holding me up. They lowered my gently onto the pillow, and I heard another chuckle.
Taking a few deep breaths, I relaxed into the covers. Suddenly, my whole body felt light. My eyes fluttered open, and swerved in their sockets, taking in every aspect of my surroundings. Right in front of my eyes, a boy stared into my eyes. He wore a small smirk, his dirty blonde bangs hanging in front of his face.
I frowned. His face was familiar, but I couldn't recognise him. Seeing my confused expression, he chuckled and sat on the chair near my desk.
"What happened?" he asked joking. "I've always thought myself quite reasonable to look at." I smiled a little.
"Link."
"The one and only," he laughed. He sobered quickly, then gave me a dubious look. "Look, are you alright? You kind of, uh, passed out at school."
"Really?" I replied with mock horror. "I didn't realise."
"Seriously." He certainly did look serious. "Why did you faint? It… wasn't something I said, was it?"
"Nah. To tell you the truth, I haven't been feeling well all day."
"Did you take anything for it?"
"Yes." I frowned. "Maybe that was the reason..."
"What was?" he asked.
"I think I just figured out why they say not to take more than the two pills in eight hours."
"Oh."
There was a slightly awkward silence. After all, I didn't really know this guy. I looked around, taking in my surroundings properly for the first time.
"How did I get home?" I asked him, confused and also a tiny bit scared.
"I grabbed you before you fell, put you on my motorbike and drove you home," Link replied, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"... And how did you know where I live?"
"I looked in your diary. You know, I think you may be the only person who actually fills in that first page of your diary." He took in my slightly horrified look and smirked. "Don't worry, I'm not going to start stalking you. I don't stalk ugly girls."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Ugly am I?" I muttered. "Get out of my house."
"Just kidding, just kidding." He raised his hands as if to defend himself from my thunderous look. "But seriously, I'm not a stalker."
"Let's hope not."
Link grinned at me. I eased myself into a seated position, and when I my head didn't start to ring, I started to stand.
"Hey, maybe you should take it easy," Link urged, standing up too, his hands out ready to catch me if I fell. That was nice of him.
"I'm fine."
I took the stairs slowly at first, but when I didn't fall, I bounded down the last few. At the bottom I swayed slightly, having to hold on to the railing post for support. I felt Link's hand on my back.
"Take it easy," he murmured. I nodded in response, then walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Zel, you're awake!" Midna cried from the couch. "Hi Link."
"Hi," he replied with a smile. "And you owe me three rupees."
"Damn," she breathed, before getting up and stalking down the corridor into our fathers study.
"What were you betting on?" I asked curiously.
"How long it would take you to wake up."
"Who bet which way?"
He paused for a moment before answering. "Midna said you wouldn't be awake by the time your dad came home. I said you would." Midna walked back into the room and dumped three coins into Link's hand with a grimace.
"Sweet," he accepted, pocketing the money. I narrowed my eyes at him playfully, not being able to wipe the little smile off my face.
"What other money have you been nicking from my family?" I asked. He shrugged and grinned.
"Just that money, and this coin that I stole from your wallet." He plucked a rupee from his pocket, flicked it up in the air tauntingly and caught it again. This time I frowned at him.
"You went through my wallet?" I glanced around, noticing for the first time my bag lying open next to the couch. "You went through my bag?"
"...No. Well, not all of it! Just two of the pockets," he admitted.
"There are only three pockets! Which one didn't you go through?"
"The one that looks empty." I sighed and shook my head, causing him to grin more. I'd barely known this guy for half a day and already I hated him. Figuratively, of course.
Link settled down on a chair next at the dining table, put his feet on the table and started scribbling on a piece of paper. Well, didn't he look comfortable.
"Uh, I have a question," I said.
"Shoot, sweetheart," he replied without bothering to look up.
"Don't you have to a home to get back to? I mean, aren't your parents waiting for you?"
"Nah, no one's home tonight anyway."
"So what were you going to do all night?"
"Nothing much, really. There's a party in the west district which I was thinking of going to if I couldn't find anything better to do."
"Whose party?" I asked politely, though I wasn't really interested.
He shrugged. "I don't really know. A friend of a friend of a friend or something. But I really don't think I'll go. I'm most likely to just get beaten up by some jerk for getting in his way anyway." I shook my head in amazement. They know what's going to happen to them, yet so many people still go to these parties. But I guessed a lot of people were the actual ones who did the beating up.
"So... you're not really doing anything tonight?"
"Nope."
"So… why don't you stay for dinner?" I offered. Link looked surprised for a second, then grinned.
"Sure. Thanks."
"You're very welcome."
(xxx)
Over the next hour or so, all of the awkward pauses between us vanished. I was the sort of person who couldn't keep her mouth shut for more than ten minutes if there was even one person who would listen. And whilst Link was also a very keen talker, he also turned out to be a very good listener.
"How often do you cook?" he asked, his eyes on the knife I was using to chop onions.
"A few times a week, usually, but since I'm going to be getting home earlier now, I'll probably do it a lot more," I replied, scraping the onions into a pot. They sizzled in the hot oil until I stirred them around, added some garlic and turned the heat down.
"We have home economics as subject this year you know," he pointed out. I nodded and smiled.
"Yeah I know. I'm looking forward to an easy subject." Not to mention that most subjects were going to be easy this year.
Midna strolled into the room, holding some books in her arms. She sniffed the air appreciatively.
"Smells good, Zel," she commented.
"You say the same thing every time," I grinned.
"I'm not lying, I just can't think of any way to say it." I snorted and kept stirring. Link leaned over as she passed and yanked something out of her arms.
"I'm borrowing these," he said, opening the packet of coloured pencils and going to work with them on the paper he'd presumably been drawing on for the last hour.
"Hey, that looks pretty cool!" Midna exclaimed, looking over Link's shoulder.
"Why thank you."
"What is it?" I asked. Midna grabbed it from Link and held it up so I could see it. A black and white scene, which I quickly recognized as the view from my bedroom window... except different. I smiled.
"I'm almost certain that there aren't usually dragons outside my window. All the good stuff seems to happen whilst I'm unconscious," I joked.
"It's such a shame you missed them," Link replied easily, taking it back from Midna and starting to colour it. There was a knock at the door as I went back to my cooking.
"It'll be dad," Midna said, walking down the corridor to get the door.
"Feet off the table," I said quietly to Link who grinned in response but thankfully complied. I heard Midna rattling off about her first day as dad walked up the corridor slowly. As he entered the room he took a deep breath and grinned.
"I'm starving Zel," he said, grinning.
"Dinner'll be ready soon." I saw him turn his eyes on Link, who regarded with surprise. "Dad, this is Link. A friend." Link stood up and smiled at my dad politely, waiting for the older to hold out his hand before they shook.
"It's nice to meet you, sir," he greeted. "I'm a friend from school."
"Really? I haven't seen you around before," Dad replied.
"No, dad, this school. East Hyrule High school," I corrected.
"Oh." He looked surprised for a second. "It's very nice to meet you too, Link."
"He's staying for dinner. That's cool, right?" I asked him, though I already knew he wasn't going to say no. No, he was too happy that I'd made a friend for that.
"Of course, of course. I'll just duck upstairs if you two don't mind. I've got a phone call to make. Call me down when dinner's ready, Zellie."
"Will do."
Link waited until my father had disappeared upstairs and we heard the door close before he grinned.
"Your father's a teacher, huh?" he asked. My back was to him now, but I could hear the amusement in his voice.
"How did you know?" I stared at him, suspicious for a moment. "You were just kidding about that stalker stuff, right?"
"Yes, yes! But it was kind of obvious the way he looked at me. I could just feel his eyes boring into my untucked shirt and dirty shoes." He shivered. "It's not my fault they're dirty, anyway. I mean, just because I haven't cleaned for a year or so... I just haven't gotten 'round to buying some polish stuff and besides, it shouldn't matter if my shows have a couple specks of dust on them," he ranted on. I snickered. It was definitely more than just a couple specks of dirt. His shoes were pretty much caked in mud, which must've been from at least six months ago, because it was the middle of summer now.
"Take 'em off near the front door. It'll stop him staring at you," I said.
"My shoes or my shirt?" I threw a tea towel at him.
(xxx)
"Are you ever going to tell me what recipe you use for this?" Dad asked, stabbing some more pasta onto his fork.
"Never," I replied, shaking my head.
"But what if one day something happens to you and me and Midna are starving to death, and the only thing we feel like eating is your pasta and we don't know the recipe? Then what?"
"Well, if you were starving to death, I'm sure you would settle for anything, not just my pasta."
"…wow, you've started thinking sense. What's happened to you, Zel?"
"Hey, shut up!" I objected. Link laughed.
"So you weren't always insane?" he asked me.
"Ganging up on me isn't fair!"
"Aw, don't worry Zel, we still all love you," Midna consoled caustically.
"Shut up!" was the only lame retort I could come up with. All three of them were laughing at me now. Wonderful.
Dad asked Link about his plan after school whilst I was scooping ice cream for dessert. I couldn't refrain from rolling my eyes. It was the same question he asked every single one of my friends if he had the chance.
"Well," Link replied. "I just want to be human, you know? Do my part for the world, even if it is small. And then, if I still have the time, graphic designing sounds interesting."
"It sounds like you've thought about this," my dad noted with an approving nod.
"Well, year ten sort of provokes these sorts of thoughts."
"In you maybe," I commented. "Ice cream, Link?"
"Uh, the chocolate one looks good."
"So you're a chocolate man, huh? So's dad," I said with a smile. "Some people say it means that a man is soft if he likes chocolate ice cream."
"I disagree. I think it just means that we're too weak for the double coffee blast that you're eating."
"Finally! Someone who agrees with me!" Dad exclaimed. "You have no idea how hard it is living in a house with these two girls."
"I don't think I'll spend too long pondering over that scary thought," Link answered. I rolled my eyes. Coffee ice cream was nice.
Link truly won his way into my father's heart by offering to help with the washing. My old man hated cleaning dishes, as did I, so I was glad to have some help.
"You wash, I'll dry," he said, picking up a tea towel. As he picked up a soapy bowl he leaned a little closer to me. "And I only like chocolate ice cream because I raised my younger sister. Little girls happen to be huge fans of chocolate ice cream."
"You raised your sister? What about your parents?" I asked.
"They died about a year after she was born," Link replied, his voice a little quieter. His smile had turned into a grimace and he attacked a bowl with the tea towel much rougher than necessary.
"So you pampered her all her life with chocolate ice cream, huh?" I teased, doing my best to lighten the mood. "What a big brother you are!" Link chuckled and sent me a thankful look, which I returned with a smile. "Where is she tonight?"
"She's staying over at a friend's house, whom of which I disapprove very much but she whined and cried until I let her go," Link sighed.
"Do you two live alone?" I asked, laughing.
"Yep. We've always lived alone, though until last year, we had a foster parent who looked in on us from time to time."
"Where's the money coming from?"
"We're not huge spenders. We live off the money our parents left us, and I do a lot of odd jobs around the place to earn a little more."
"Odd jobs meaning...?"
"Handyman stuff!" he laughed. "Fixing cars, bicycles, hairdryers, that sort of stuff. Nothing else, I swear."
I grinned, handing him the last plate to be dried. "So who does the cooking in your house?"
"What do you count as cooking, exactly?" he asked cautiously.
"Why, what do you eat?" I snickered.
"Uh, grilled cheese sandwiches... baked beans on toast... pasta out of a bottle... the occasional bit of roast cucco..."
"Sounds lovely," I muttered. "You've been looking after your sister all this time and you haven't learnt how to cook?"
"Uh, no. I can do meat, but that's about it. Aryll can cook though! And thank the Goddesses for that, because a person can only eat cheese on toast so many times in his life."
"So you're looking forward to Home Ec. huh?"
"Sure, it's an easy subject. And I wouldn't mind being able to cook something new, either."
We wandered into the living room, where Midna was setting up a game of Monopoly morosely. She looked up and her eyes brightened a tiny bit.
"Zel, will you play with me?" she asked eagerly. I coughed, trying to hide my face. I hated monopoly.
"I'll play," Link offered. Midna glanced at me, then smiled at Link.
"Thanks." I took a seat in my favourite chair, picking a book off the table in front of it. Link and Midna sat on the couch, already squabbling on what player they would be.
I was engrossed in the book within moments. I didn't notice anything else around me, completely captured in the twisting plot.
"The Magician's Guild. Is it any good?" Link asked, snatching the book from my hands and leafing through it.
"Sure. It's a good read," I replied. "Now give it back."
"You've read it before?"
"Yes. Many times." I sighed at his dubious look. "I like it!" I retorted defensively.
"Hmm..." Link held the book up, reading it with apparent interest. Supposedly reading it with interest, anyway.
"You're holding it upside down," I said dryly.
"Yeah, and?" Link replied. "Reading upside down is a skill that I'm trying to develop."
"Can you read even when it's the right way up?" I asked jokingly.
"Just for that, you're not getting this back." Within a split second, he had jumped over the back of the couch and scampered upstairs. I ran after him, yelling whatever threats came to mind.
I swear I ran through the house three times, the first round trying to catch Link, the second and third searching everywhere for my book. It held the prime spot in my bookshelf, and I liked it that way. Cursing colourfully, I gave up, plopping back into my seat and crossing my arms huffily. I studiously ignored Link, who was sitting on the couch, grinning profusely. He threw a wad of money tied with a rubber band at me.
"Come on," he urged. "A quick game of monopoly before I go." I continued looking away from him, but begrudgingly replied,"Whatever," and moved closer to the table.
(xxx)
Nearly an hour later, our game of monopoly came to a close. For monopoly, an hour was a really fast time. Actually, it was some of the most fun I've had playing monopoly in years.
Much to my amusement, Link had bought everything he had landed on early and then ended up nearly broke in about twenty minutes. After I had refused him a loan, he turned his begging eyes on Midna. With a little help from my younger sister, who happened to be quite the monopoly mastermind, he had earned much of his fortune back, but not before my properties had far surpassed both of theirs.
"I win," I chirped happily. It had been years since I had won a monopoly game, especially against Midna. Link glanced at the clock, then grimaced.
"It's later than I thought," he muttered. "Guess I'll be riding home in the dark." Standing up, he stretched his arms up above his head, then moved towards the door. As we wandered down the corridor, we heard frustrated oaths coming from my fathers study. I held back a chuckle.
"Dad," I called. "Link's leaving." There was an unruly grunt, the thump of of objects tumbling to the floor and another oath. My dad stumbled out, glaring at the room behind him and favouring one foot.
"Have a good night, Link," he said, shaking hands with my new friend again. "It was very nice to meet you. I'm glad my Zellie has a friend." I narrowed my eyes at the use of my nickname.
"Thanks for having me, sir," he replied, then turned to me. "Thanks, Zelda. The food was awesome."
"No problem. And, uh, thanks," I said quietly, hoping Dad wouldn't take too much notice. We followed him out the door, standing on the driveway. Dad let out a low whistle as he spotted a red bike leaning against the curb.
"An Epona, huh?" he commented. "Nice ride, that." Link turned back to us, grinned broadly as he swung his bag onto the other shoulder and pulled his helmet on. He gave a little wave as he sped down the street. His parents must have left him some inheritance, I couldn't help but think.
"How did you meet him again?" Dad asked as closed the door behind us.
"He's in my class, Dad," I replied with a roll of my eyes. I had to hold back a sigh. I guess he really was in my class. I cursed the reception lady under my breath. "I'm going to bed now. Something about today really took it out of me."
"Alrighty-then," he said with over-cheerfulness. He walked back into his study. "Good night. I'll be in to check on you soon."
I rolled my eyes again, because I couldn't help it. My father still came into my room and tucked me into bed every night. And, as much as I hated to admit it, I liked it that way.
Laying down under the covers, I squirmed uncomfortably for a moment. Stuffing my hand under the pillow, I pulled out a book and sheet of paper. I shook my head, smiling as I recognised the book, the same one that Link had stolen from me earlier. The piece of paper glowed faintly in the darkness, barely any of its original whiteness showing. A mystical point of view of what I saw from my window.
Somehow, tomorrow didn't look so bad anymore.
(xxx)
I cursed as best I could with my blanket over my mouth at the sunlight that filtered through my blinds. Morning meant school again, and I had learnt that school wasn't really anything to look forward to since about grade six. And today was like my second first day in a row.
I walked into the office again, noting that nothing had changed since yesterday. I hadn't really expected it to, but a little bit of tidiness would've gone a long way. The reception lady glanced up at me as I approached her desk.
"I think you sent me to the wrong class yesterday," I told her, thoroughly wanting to take out my frustration on someone. "Apparently, I'm meant to be in 10E, not B."
"I'll call the co-ordinator. You can discuss your problems with him," she replied monotonously. Problems? Problems? I didn't have problems. That lady was my problem...
I went to lean against a wall, my face showing signs of annoyance. A person walked right past me, talked to the receptionist, then left, and I was again left alone.
Finally, a tall, balding man walked into the building, carrying a large stack of papers in his arms. He had the appearance of someone who's lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time, and a slightly pointed, beak like nose. He smiled at me as he approached.
"Zelda Harkinian, I take it," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet you." When he held out his hand, I took it and shook it firmly before letting go. "I hear you went to wrong class yesterday."
"I didn't go to the wrong class," I interrupted. "I was sent there."
"Alright... So, today, you'll go to the correct class. Yesterday you went to 10B?" I nodded in affirmation. "Well, today, you'll go to 10E. Come on, I'll show you the way." He gave me a huge, cheery smile before starting down the corridor.
I did my best to follow the co-ordinator's stance and stand tall as I followed him down to the other side of the school but I'm afraid that it didn't completely work. As I passed the locker bay I noticed a few people from my class yesterday. I made a pitiful attempt to smile, but I'm certain it turned out to be more of a grimace.
The building we entered was centred around along, wide corridor with classrooms either side, a teachers' office on one side and a room of computers at the end of the corridor. Outside the first classroom on the left, the co-ordinator stopped and turned to me.
"This room will be your new homeroom," he informed me matter-of-factly.
"Uh, thanks, Mr..."
"Daniels. I apologise for not introducing myself earlier. I guess I'll see you later on the day too," he said, turning around and opening the door of the classroom.
"...later?" I mumbled.
"I'm your English teacher for this year," he replied with unconcealed enthusiasm and a huge grin. I noted to avoid him. Excited teachers were almost always frightening.
When he walked in, I followed hesitantly a few steps after. My bag was still slung across my shoulders and I did my best not to trip over my feet. Mr Daniels was in deep conversation with the teacher already, nodding happily. The other teacher's eyes flickered to me before he stood and beckoned me forward.
"Hi Zelda. I'm Mr A, your new home group, math and science teacher."
"Hi," I muttered back half-heartedly. He had a grey beard and moustache, dark hair and a good natured face, though his eyes were hard. I could feel eyes boring into my back and it was not a welcoming feeling.
"I believe you have a locker in the other locker bay?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "At recess, I'll get someone to help you to move your books into this locker bay, with the rest of the class. For now, take a seat." There were several empty seat around the classroom, and I had my eyes set on a solitary one right at the back of the room when someone called my name.
"Hey, Zelda right? Why don't you come sit next to me?" A girl with bright green hair pulled out an empty chair next to hers, causing much of the class to look upon her with confusion. Their gazes did seem to soften a bit though, I noticed. There was reason to respect this girl, apparently. "I'm Saria, by the way."
"Nice to meet you," I returned.
Mr A came around with my new timetable. I almost groaned gazing upon it. Maths and then English. Just what I felt like for the first two periods of the day. English had always been one of my favourite subjects, but now that I had met the teacher... I wasn't so thrilled.
Leaning back in my chair, bag dumped at my feet, I took the chance to glance around the room. No one was really paying any attention to me anymore. Everyone was still discussing holidays. Like any other school, there was distinct friendship groups around the room, judging by seating arrangements. The only two who didn't look amiable toward each other were the apir at the back of the room. Both girls sat as far from each other on the side of the table, one doodling with a tiny smile on a sheet of paper, the other staring blankly at the wall.
I heard a familiar voice near me and turned to see Link coming in the door, talking to Kafei who I recognised from yesterday. He gave me a smile as he took a seat. As the bell rang for the official beginning of class, I couldn't help but sink lower into my seat. I was bored already.
Maths first period was a breeze. Algebra and I had always been friends and this work was easier than a lot of the stuff I had done last year. I had finished all the assigned questions well before half the period was over. Glancing over at Saria's book, I realised that she had just started working on the fourth question. It almost made me laugh, but I felt it a safer decision to not.
The clock had ticked 1639 times before I bothered to avert my attention from its hands.
"Holy Nayru, you've finished already!" Saria exclaimed.
"Yep. Easy."
"Sir, Zelda's finished already!" she called loudly. I sighed. Mr A came and leaned over me as he grabbed my book and checked over the questions.
"And you didn't use the answers?" he asked dubiously.
"No sir. I was using Saria's book," I replied, rolling my eyes.
"… alright. Next class I might give you something else to do." He strode away and took his seat behind his desk again.
"Smart ass," Saria muttered after a moment. "Now you have to help me," she insisted, shoving her book before me. I rolled my eyes again.
(xxx)
When the bell finally rang, I stalked out the door and towards my locker, cursing a little under my breath. No point in replacing my books, since I had to move all of them into the other locker bay anyway. I waited for the locker bay to clear out before I walked in.
My bag was on my shoulders and the books all stacked up in my arms as I took a wobbly step. Placing one foot in front of the other, I managed to wobble down the path behind a mound of books.
A teacher looked at me funny as I did my best to walk past her.
"Thanks for the help," I muttered cynically when she was out of earshot. I stepped on an object that probably shouldn't have been in the middle of the path, crashing to the ground with my books mostly landing on top of me. Luckily this area was pretty much deserted, meaning less people to stare at me and my clumsiness. I blamed the books.
Standing up, I brushed myself off, al the whiles glaring at the books with distaste. I had half a mind to just leave them be and go and find somewhere solitary to sit. I shook my head and bent down, starting to restack them anyway. A pair of hands appeared to aid me.
Looking up, I recognised the face and smiled. It was weird that his face invoked such a reaction in me.
"Thanks, Link."
"No problem," he replied, standing up with the majority of my books in his arms.
"Here, give them to me," I said, indicating that he put them on top of the little stack already in my arms.
"No way. You're arms will break trying to carry all of these on your own. Either your arms, or your neck," he insisted, starting to walk toward the locker bay which I had been moving to.
"Which locked is yours?" he asked, gazing at all the spare lockers around the dusty old place. I took a fleeting look at the number written on my hand, then at the lockers.
"That one, down the bottom." I pointed to an empty locker.
"Cool, that's the one under mine!" Link urged the locker door open with his foot and staked the books on a shelf neatly. I sat on my haunches next to him.
"You'd better not drop anything on me," I warned. He grinned for a moment, but replaced it for an innocent look before turning to me.
"Me? Drop books on you? What on earth makes you think that I would do that?"
"I have my suspicions," I mumbled, resisting the urge to stick my tongue out at him.
"All done!" he exclaimed proudly. I nodded. It had taken the two of us only a few minutes, but if I had been on my own it surely would've taken me all of recess and cost me a couple of good bruises.
"Link!"
"Yes?" he turned to me.
"Wasn't me," I replied. Two boys walked into the locker bay, one of whom I recognised to be Kafei.
"Oh, hi," Link greeted easily.
"Where did you disappear to?" the shorted of the boys asked.
"Uh, yeah, I was helping Zelda move her stuff."
"Oh, her. The new girl, right?" he turned to me and stuck out his hand snobbishly. "I'm Vaati Winds."
"Hi," I replied back. It was weird having people introduce themselves to me and I not having to tell them my name in return.
Standing so close to me, I realised he was almost a head shorted than me. His hair was a strange shade of purple, long enough to almost touch his shoulders and spiked up using liberal amounts of styling mousse at the front. Some lay flat along his forehead, giving him a childish but sinister look.
"Come on," Kafei ruged, shoving Link's elbow impatiently. As soon as he sadi it, Vaati strode past him and out of the locker bay. Link gave me a smile before begrudgingly following his friends.
"What's up with you guys?" I heard him asked as soon as he was out.
"No what's up with you?" Kafei challenged. "Hanging around with a loner…"
"Well, duh, she's alone. She's new, and she doesn't know anybody else. Besides, what's wrong with talking to her and helping her find her feet?"
"Oh, nothing, just that if everyone else finds out the Link, the all loved Link, hangs around with trash, all respect gone, dude.
Vaati sounded exasperated and angry.
"Trash, huh? You are both insane. If hanging around with sluts is all you want to do for the rest of your life, go head and do it without me."
"I'm sure many girls would be offended at what you just said. Let me remind you that you have always been around with us too," Vaati answered harshly.
"Not anymore, guys." A few moments later, I saw Link storm past the locker bay furiously, hands balled into fists.
(xxx)
Third and forth period were as boring as I expected them to be. I noticed that Link was sitting with another group now, but looking jovial as ever. I couldn't help but smile at lunchtime when I saw his two friends apologise to him and saw the three of them walk off together. It made me feel a little lighter too.
A little belatedly, I realised that I was now alone. Again. I stared at the sandwich in my hands, fruitlessly wondering how many different bits I could break it down into. At least that would be something to at lunchtime, right?
Two girls walked into the locker bay. One glanced at me, then whispered to the other. Turning around, they obth stared at me. Meeting their gave levelly, I kept my mouth shut.
"You're the new girl huh?" One of them finally spoke.
"I guess so."
"I'm Irin, and this is Senra, who you already know." I nodded. Senra was the quietest girl in my class, barey ever saying a word. Irin was in a different class.
"You… want to hang around with us?" Senra offered. A little surprised, I nodded.
"Sure. Thanks." It would be nice to be in some company. Beats dissecting a sandwich at all cost.
"Awesome. Come on," Irin urged. I spent the rest of lunchtime meandering around the school with my new acquaintances.
(xxx)
My dad opened the door a few moments after I'd knocked on the door. He greeted me with a smile.
Inside, I dumped my bag on a chair, trudged into my room and sat down to study. A few minutes later my father walked in.
"You started studying early today," he approved.
"Well, if I want to get four hours done today, I'd better start some time, right?" A slight note of annoyance crept into my voice involuntarily.
"Hey, you have to study hard to get back into Hylia High School. They don't hand scholarships out to just anybody. And you know that if you want to do well in life, getting a good schooling is the first step." I sighed deeply. I had heard this before, many, many times.
"I know."
At the end of last year, he had abruptly decided that, as he no longer had a job, he couldn't afford to send us to Hylai High, which is why he moved Midna and I here, to East Hyrule High. He insisted, however, that I study ike crazy and get back into Hylia High, or a school just as good as it on a scholarship. He had already submitted all the forms. He hadn't even asked if I had wanted to do all these exams.
Of course, every time he asked if I wanted to move back, I just shrugged. Somehow, that had translated into a firm yes for him.
Preparations had begun as soon as the New year had stuck. Six hours every day during the holidays, and he still expected me to do four after school. Torture knew no bounds.
Authors Note
Well, this chapter is up a little later than I expected, but that's only because I lost the whole thing and had to rewrite it all. Enough excuses.
Thank you to everyone who left a review.
Quokka, I used your idea for the bike. Thanks.
Well, I hope you like it. It is a little longer than the previous one, but that's good, right?
The next chapter should be up in about a week.
Please leave a comment, I really like comments.
