So, hey guys! I know I thought I said this would take longer to update, but it suprisingly went really quick to write this one as I had a LOOOT of free weekend time to write and have spent the past couple of days thoroughly editing, though knowing how crazy band and AP classes are going to get, I know this isn't going to happen very often. But, anyways, here's the next installment of this story, and I hope everyone enjoys it. I've been getting some pretty positive reviews and thoughts about this, but as always keep the reviews and thoughts coming, as these are what gives me ideas on how to adress things that maybe aren't as clear, or to improve my writing, so I'd appreciate anything that anyone has to say! Mostly though, thanks for reading and enjoying this!

A/N: I really don't have one. I just felt like adding another little dealie where I could talk to encourage responses from readers!


"It's an E. Just hit the E. It's not that hard," I muttered as I glared across the choir room at the sopranos who weren't hitting their part correctly. A couple of them looked genuinely in pain as our director, Mr. Makar, sighed, finally looking as if he was going to give up altogether on trying to get them to sing their right note.

"Ladies, you must use your diaphragm, how many times do you need to be reminded?" he said in his high and squeaky voice, sounding more like a child than the grown man he was. I bit my lip to stop my slight laughter at the thought as I moved my leg around to try and stop it from falling asleep. Makar had been working with the sopranos for the past half hour, mostly trying to get them to sing up higher while the rest of us lowly altos were allowed to relax and "go over our parts." I had finished up my chemistry about ten minutes ago and was now sitting on the unsanitary floor, waiting for someone to realize that air support was really all it took to go up high, honestly. I want to go. Right now I thought as I looked at my phone, seeing we still had twenty minutes left of class. Great.

I ran a hand down my fishtail braid as I waited, hearing bits and pieces of a couple of the other alto's conversations. None of them really seemed to be anything of genuine excitement and I was about to text Dark (I was in quite a rebellious mood) right as I heard something that caught my attention and I turned slightly so I could hear the person's conversation without being super noticeable about it.

"No no, Link is the other one, the really cute one with blonde hair and dreamy blue eyes," a girl (freshman by the looks of her) with big eyes and freckles said as she giggled to her friend next to her. I bit my lip again as I looked down, trying not to laugh at how cliché her statement and manner was as her friend suddenly giggled a little nervously.

"But what about that one guy, the football guy. He's like, tall and like, has dark hair and is like, totally hawt!" she squealed, as I immediately assumed she'd just be one of those girls to use the term 'hawt' instead of 'hot.' I inclined my head to the side slightly to see who the girl was, noticing her long wavy brown hair that looked absolutely perfect with every giggle she laughed. Stupid freshman with perfect hair….

"Wait, do you mean Dark or that other one, his friend Clarke? Cause there's like, a big difference," the freckled one said critically as my eyes instantly widened at the mere mention of Dark's name.

"I don't know, they both look kind of the same to me and like, I don't' remember which is which," the ridiculously perfect haired one sighed as she literally flipped her hair just to have it be in the exact same spot it had been before. Really girlie, that was definitely not necessary I thought cynically as I scoffed at the freshman's overall annoying stupidity.

"Well um, Dark is taller, but Clarke is totes more buff," she explained, giving her friend a patronizing look. I snorted again, glancing back at the sopranos, who were still having major problems.

"That doesn't help. They're always together," the hair one sighed, flipping her hair unnecessarily again. I rolled my eyes, a little amused by their conversation and a little more invested in it than I probably should have been.

"No their not," the first one said with some superfluous sass as she rolled her eyes. "Dark's always with that one girl now, that junior with the blonde hair, that Zel-. " She froze and locked eyes with me, no doubt realizing I had been listening the whole time like a creeper. I felt my mouth open in surprise as I instantly turned to the girl sitting next to me, trying to make myself seem a little more inconspicuous. The girl had short blonde hair that almost seemed to glow in the room with light blue tips that on anyone else probably would have looked really stupid, but somehow seemed to work for her. Her pale blue eyes were looking dreamily off into the distance, no doubt as bored as I was and I noticed a dark purple cape she wore in addition to the uniform. She didn't exactly look like she was trying to strike up a conversation, but I could feel the freshman's stare on the back of my head as I immediately smiled at her, trying to be as amiable as I could muster.

"Hi," I said warmly to her with the smile. She continued looking forward as I tried getting here attention again and eventually waved my hand in the corner of her eye. The eyes then turned to look at me, their usual look of unawareness meeting me.

"Yes ma'am?" she asked in a melodiously high voice, her formal manner of speaking surprisingly me greatly. I was so surprised and thus forgot what I was going to originally say, so I was instead stuck with the first thought that came to my head.

"I like your cape," I blurted a little louder than needed, causing a couple more girls to turn back to me and glare as they spun back around again and continued their ever exciting conversations. The girl blinked slowly as she finally clasped her hands in her lap and cocked her head to the side to look at me.

"There is a 65% chance you are not being completely honest with me, but I shall still extend gratitude and tidings unto you," she merely said. I thought I noticed a sort of sad look in her eyes, figuring she was used to being made fun of, which was why she made the comment to me. Feeling sadness and the compelling need to apologize, I shook my head with a little more consideration than I probably would have used with anyone else.

"No no, I wasn't lying," I tried explaining as I noticed everyone else turning to look at me patently. I looked around, noticing that Makar had finally stopped working with the sopranos and was trying to do some ensemble work. He was standing in the front with his baton in hand, the other hand on his hip as he looked harshly at me.

"Ms. Harkinian, is there something you'd like to explain to the rest of these ladies?" he said in his squeaky voice as I noticed the two freshman that I had been listening to earlier laughing at me. I bit my lip and stood as dusted I my skirt casually.

"Only that I wasn't lying, sir," I replied, looking down at the ground. I glanced up to notice him pursing his lips as he shook his head.

"I see then. And so I shall tell you I am not lying when I say I need to see you after class," he said as I noticed some of the other girls start to talk amongst themselves, no doubt delighted that me of all people had gotten in trouble.

"Yes sir," I nodded as he turned back to the front and started talking to us all about what he had been working on with the sopranos, and how we all needed to practice more. From where I was standing, I noticed one of the girls, the first one with freckles, was looking back at me scornfully, no doubt in her mind mocking my inferior social standing in comparison to her. I glared back at her as she smirked and turned around, listening to Makar. He continued talking until the bell rang and the girls rushed out of the room. I stood standing in the room awkwardly as I watched them all file out, noticing the girl with the cape turn back to look at me, then they were all gone and I was left alone in the room with him.

He looked at me as he sighed and went to go sit at his desk. "Come sit Zelda," he said, motioning to a chair in front of his desk. I swallowed nervously and nodded as I scurried over and sat.

"You must know why I asked you to stay after class today Zelda," he said, looking at me firmly as I bit the inside of my cheek and shook my head.

"No sir, I can't say that I do. You know, I'd have to say this is probably the first time I've even done anything remotely not up to par with school regulations, I am so sorry," I apologized profoundly as he shook his head, surprising me with a small smile.

"No no, I'm not reprimanding you. I'm just trying to tell you know how much of an example I find you to be in the class, and how much you need to continue doing so."

"I'm not exactly sure I'm following," I admitted after a few seconds of awkward silence, a wave of confusion hitting me as I tried to understand what he was saying, though I gathered it was something of a more flattering nature.

He stood and started to slowly pace as he looked back to me. "Ms. Harkinian, you must know I've been a teacher here for a good many years, and this school choir has always done very well at competitions and festivals. The last couple of years though, the girls have stopped caring and doing well in said singing aspect."

"I'm, sorry sir," I said cautiously, not really sure where he was going with this. He looked at me with a sad smile as he continued shaking his head.

"It's not your fault. I actually in fact wanted to thank you for being one of the only girls this year that actually seems to care about music and theory, among other things. Have you ever privately studied?"

Only in the castle of Hyrule, ever heard of it Mr. Makar? I thought as I shook my head. "No, I haven't. I just, know how to listen is that's all I suppose."

He nodded back understandingly. "Yes, it's amazing the kind of wonders that listening can do in music. Music is about ten percent doing, and ninety percent listening. However, this is all I wanted to discuss with you, and to merely remind you of how much of an example you are to the rest of these girls. And of course, I expect this to be the only kind of behavior from you I will ever have to disciplinarily deal with."

"Of course," I said as I stood and realized how absolutely awkward this whole discussion had been. Only to me this happens I thought as I swallowed and start hurrying out and turned, remembering to try and be polite. "So I can just, go?" I asked carefully as he nodded and I hurried walked out the room, grabbing my bag on the way. As soon as I closed the door I sighed and was about to walk to a nearby bench to sit when I felt someone grab me from behind, their strong muscled arm holding me around the waist. I struggled as he pulled me into a little alcove in the open hallways not very far from the choir door. Once there, the person released me as I spun to see Dark, grinning at me as I smacked him on the arm.

"You know, a guy never appreciates these school uniforms until they see a beautiful person wearing them," he commented, no doubt trying to woo me back over and being highly successful at it as my heart started beating quickly. I could feel myself blushing as I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my cool.

"Well I'm glad someone appreciates sexism," I said as he laughed and sat down on the concrete ground. I sat down next to him casually, trying to be as modest as could be possible in the conforming short skirts as I situated myself. Satisfied, I looked up to him, noticing he had been watching me the whole time.

"You know, when you focus really hard, your face scrunches up a lot, it's pretty cute," he smiled as I bit my lip, wondering if I could ever tire of his showering comments. Doubtful, extremely doubtful.

"I'm pretty certain it is not as cute as you claim, but thank you anyways," I said as I warily watched the halls, wandering if anyone passed by, if they would see us at all.

"I might be biased, but I don't lie. Well, except about this," he admitted as I gave him a skeptical look, "but this is different. You asked to be secret."

"It's more convenient. I don't need people discussing my life just because it also involves you," I said as I grinned in remembrance. "Oh, and speaking of publicized love lives, I would personally like to let you know that you have a fan club," I laughed as I thought of the two girls in choir. He however looked at me and rolled his eyes as he put his face in his hands.

"I think I know who you're talking about and… This isn't funny Zelda!" he protested as I started to laugh louder, amused by his expressions.

"I find it very funny. What's not amusing about unrequited love, honestly? And, your face!" I put my hands on my face to try and muffle my loud laugh from bouncing in the nearby hallway.

"Well, I'm glad it makes you laugh at least," he said as I looked up at him though my fingers, seeing he was truly smiling instead of being angry like I assumed he'd be. I subdued my laughter and looked at him curiously.

"And the thing is, I know you're genuine about that," I commented as he smiled and shrugged, taking my hand to start and draw on it like he had last night, the mere touch making me slightly shiver through my whole body.

"I'm always genuine when it comes to you." He looked up at me and inclined his head to the side. "Are you cold?"

"No! No. I'm perfectly fine. Fine. I'm great." I tried smiling genuinely as he looked at me doubtfully and shrugged.

"Okay then, if you say so. Where are you off to next?"

"P.E.," I said, my heart sinking as I thought of the harassment I was sure to have today. Dark looked at me and nodded casually. He looked as if he was going to say something else, but shook his head slightly and didn't say anything at all, greatly arousing my suspicions as I pursed my lips and looked at him suspiciously.

"Yes, what is it?" I asked him as he shrugged and looked at the wall behind us.

"It's nothing," he said indifferently as I rolled my eyes and moved myself so I was in his direct line of vision, my hands on his knees for support.

"Or you know, you can just tell me so I don't have to do anything to provoke you into telling me," I suggested as he looked at me, his pondering face morphing into a smug grin.

"Like what? I'm a little curious what you were planning to do to me."

"You know like, stuff." I shrugged and shook my head as I moved back away. "I'm not going to do anything now though, so you should just tell me what's bothering you and we'll be good."

He looked around the alcove space as his mouth looked like it was trying to think of how to say whatever it was he wanted it to. I merely sat patiently until he eventually made his way back to me and ran a hand though his hair.

"Do you want to come to the game Friday? It's the first home game and I'll be there playing and you could be there watching and they're going to be really easy to beat and I'd like you to be there but you don't have to if you don't want and well, will you come?" He said this all very fast and looked at me eagerly almost, then looked the other way again, then back to me. I grew amused just watching his inner conflicts as I looked at him and grinned, wondering if it was possible for him to be even cuter than he was being currently. However, I sobered my face up, masking my giddiness that he actually cared enough to ask me to be there with an expression of indifference.

"Oh I don't know, football's not really my thing," I shrugged, internally cursing myself that I wasn't a better liar and that Dark would see right through it. His face instantly fell as he nodded though, looking the other way.

"No it's cool," he said as I started laughing and put my hands on his face so he'd look at me, causing his eyes to slightly bulge.

"You're so silly," I giggled, "of course I'll come for you if you truly want me there."

"I, I do," he grinned as the bell rang and I instantly sprang up. He followed suit and looked at me with longing eyes.

"I need to go," I explained with a sad smile as he nodded, shuffling his feet on the ground.

"Of course, you go. I'll, probably text you or something," he said as I nodded and hurried down the hall to get to the gym. I got to the door in record time as I went in and hurried to get changed in the locker room.

I had always had a very strong certain point of view when it came to my dreaded next class period. My personal opinion about gym was that there was a law irrevocably decreed in some twisted universe that no matter what, all school gym clothes had to be unflattering in some way shape or form, Castle Academy being no exception. Despite our super classy colors of maroon and grey, the gym shirts were a bright yellow that combined with the shorter than I preferred black shorts, made everyone look like the early beginnings of a bumblebee. As I sat on the bench lacing up my shoes, I noticed some of the more popular girls in my class eyeing me as if I was something to dissect. I stood up and glared at them all as I spun on my heels to walk out the door and go sit on the bleachers like the good student I was. As I sat, I noticed more eyes on me than typical as I rolled my eyes and started examining the short gym shorts, wondering why feminism even happened in the first place if this is what we were inevitably forced to conform to.

"All right ladies, take a seat," our teacher boomed as my head snapped up, taken me out of my musing as he turned around to look at us from the middle of the gym, a standard gym teacher clipboard in his hand. Everyone else filed to sit on the bleachers with me as I noticed whoever had sat next to me was awfully close. I turned, only to see Clarke looking at me with a grin as I rolled my eyes and scooted a little farther away.

"But Mr., Mr. Bo? Do you want all the guys sitting too?" a timid looking freshman asked as he cautiously looked around, his poor cheeks more flushed than normal. Bo glowered as he walked up to him, causing the boy to look down ashamedly.

"All of you guys are ladies as far as I'm concerned; especially ones that ask questions like a pansy, so go sit. Now!" he barked as the guy hastily nodded and collapsed on the closest part of bleacher he could find.

"You look lovely today," Clarke murmured softly as I turned, surprised he had spoken to me as he was currently looking over at a group of overly giggly girls to the side of the gym, no doubt wishing to not be seen publically associating with me at all.

"Thanks. It's the braid," I muttered as he half-grinned, making me for some reason grin also. I was about to say something wittier to make him laugh again right as Bo started pacing in front of us, staring intently at each person he passed.

"Now that we're done answering stupid questions, we can get on with today. We'll be playing volleyball again, but against different teams than last week. Clarke." He looked over at Clarke, raising his eyebrow at him oddly as I mentally realized we were really close again.

"Coach?" Clarke asked, not noticing the look Bo was giving the both of us. He looked at me and half-raised an eyebrow as his face went back into its standard scowl.

"You're team against Keet's," he appointed as a tall senior boy stood and flipped his Beiber hair to the side. The teams started rising as Bo read off two other opponents and looked up from his clipboard to me.

"Harkinian, this ain't no picnic," he snapped as I suddenly remembered I was on Clarke's team, which is how this whole harassment deal started in the first place.

"Sorry I, sorry" I muttered as I stood and hurried over to my team's court. I noticed someone's (most likely Clarke's) eyes on me causing me to look around, even though I found no one. The rest of my "team" was already standing in a circle that I awkwardly joined in right between two particularly buff guys that both rolled their eyes once they actually acknowledged me. I had never noticed before that I was the only girl on this team until right now, making me both internally curse my natural bad luck as well as my overall unwarranted hatred from the coach.

"Okay guys," Clarke began, looking at all of us, his eyes lingering on mine as he continued his speech. "This is what we're going to do: you two in front," he motioned to the tall muscled guys who merely nodded, "and everyone else I don't really care where you go. Zelda in the back though."

"Why?" I asked with irritation, knowing fully well I would probably end up getting smacked in the face by some stupid jock running back to get the ball that couldn't bother to notice me. The other guys smirked as they took their places, leaving just me and Clarke looking at each other as I crossed my arms over my chest tersely.

"It's the place of least contact, and you can't hit the ball to save your life," he smirked as I narrowed my eyes, pouting my lip just a little bit.

"I could if I really wanted to you know."

"No you couldn't. Just trust me, I know what I'm doing with this." I sighed and realized how much of an effort it was to make a fuss about it as I merely shrugged went to stand in the back left corner, hoping not to have my nose broken by the end of class. It was only then I realized that Clarke had also situated himself right next to me as I crossed my arms in front of me again, wondering why gym of all places had to be my personal hell.

The ball was suddenly in the air and I instantly uncrossed my arms, ready for when I would have to dive out of the way. However, I was surprised that anytime whenever the ball came anywhere close to me, Clarke instantly leapt at it, always hitting it back so that I virtually had nothing to do at all but just stand there, looking as enthusiastic as I felt. Each time he got it, I shot him an appreciative look, even though he never noticed me as he was too focused on the game. As I let my mind wander after one such chivalrous occurrence, I suddenly started to begin wondering who was winning, right at the moment that I briefly noticed the guy in front of my backing up for a ball. My mind comprehended the information slowly until he had successfully backed up to me and, true to my prediction, elbowed me in the face. I landed right behind where I was standing on my butt, rubbing my face where the direct contact had been.

"Ow," I muttered as I put my hands behind me to prop me up as I looked up and noticed Clarke right in front of me, extending his arm to me.

"Here Zelda," he said impatiently as I noticed the other guys on the team looking down at me insultingly. Gritting my teeth together, I stood up (by myself) and dusted off my shorts, glaring at the guy in front of me, his pompous poof of red hair bouncing stupidly as he flipped his head back.

"I'm fine," I said crossly to Clarke, who looked at me a little insulted. I would have been more concerned about offending his feelings, but I decided I couldn't be bothered by him as I walked up to the red-haired guy and lifted my index finger up to him in reproof.

"What?" he said deeply, as he was no doubt trying to intimidate me with his tall stature and loud voice. I however, was not fazed, deeming it quite pathetic to be afraid of a guy whose hair had more volume than mine.

"You need to watch it. You almost fractured my nose," I said, hitting him in the chest with my finger as he looked down at me with a smirk.

"Or you just got in my way because you really wanted an excuse to touch my perfectly chiseled chest," he grinned wickedly as I crossed my arms in front of me, not amused.

"Please, as if I'd lower myself to a guy who obviously uses a Bumpit."

He glared at down at me, cracking his knuckles with intimidation. "This is all natural baby."

"Right, because that is about as natural as your so called stunning and 'natural' physique." I glowered and was about to add something else when I felt someone grab my shoulders and lead me backwards.

"Let go," I snapped as I spun around to Clarke's face, staring at me with disapproval.

"Don't make him mad, Groose has a lot of anger issues," he tried explaining as I scowled at him and shifted my weight to one side for more comfort standing.

"I'll keep that in mind," I rolled my eyes as he looked like he was going to say something else, when suddenly Coach Bo was next to us both, glancing between us accusingly.

"Problem ladies?" he asked with a sneer as Clarke sighed and shook his head.

"No Coach, none at all. Zelda just hit her head on the gym floor and I was trying to have her go sit down so she didn't get a concussion."

"But I'm all fine, really," I interrupted, glaring at Clarke as Bo made an unusual expression and nodded, looking at us both.

"Right then. Harkinian, you go sit. Stone, if there's a problem, come straight to me first, got it?"

"Yes Coach," Clarke (apparently Stone) nodded as he went back to the court. Bo started walking away as I sighed crossly and followed him, trying to keep in step with his large stature.

"Coach, Coach! Coach Bo!" I called as he finally turned around and frowned at me. I swallowed and crossed my arms, trying to make me seem more capable to function in society and gym.

"Well, what do you want?" he asked ad I nodded and quickly begun to speak.

"Really Coach, I assure you I am of able body to still play, honestly. I didn't even hit my head and really, I'm fine," I explained as he his stare bore into me, making me wish I hadn't spoken at all and enjoyed the free getting out of P.E. day I could have had like any other normal teenager would have done.

"My word is final. Just go change and sit down like a good little girl, and don't question me again," he barked as I nodded and hurried to the locker rooms. I got changed slowly and went to sit on the bleachers, noticing the looks I got from everyone else who were no doubt thinking I had invented some absurd way of getting myself out of the physical activity. Let them think what they want to I deliberated, though that didn't lessen the uncomfortable feeling I had from under everyone's scrutiny. Nevertheless, I was very happy when the bell rang and I shot up, ready to go enjoy myself in my ever fun class of expressing the written word. As I walked out the gym, I noticed Clarke watching me walk, making me blush as I tried to keep my head high and hurry to my next class where I could hide and he wouldn't see me being very affected by him.

While at journalism, as I was typing my story (on the ever pressing story on the debate of what the student body was planning for homecoming), I started thinking about what I was going to do for Friday. Obviously, I had promised to attend the game, but at what cost? Would people think me suspicious there, gathering the facts that over the past three years, I had never attended any sporting event even as trivial as a swimming match? Would I be harassed there like I had been today, and was I really willing to put myself through that? And most importantly really, if I was going to go, who would I go with?

Malon was going out of town Friday afternoon for her cousin's wedding, so she wouldn't be an option. Dark would be playing in the game, which also didn't help. So with those options, the only person left was….

RRRRIIIIINNNNNGGG!

I stood and made my way to the cafeteria, strategically avoiding all human contact as I struggled with the final clasp on my bag. As I went in the doors, I walked and sat at a table, waiting for its usual occupant to get there also.

"Zelda?" a voice asked as I turned around on the bench to see the face of Link, looking at me inquiringly. I grinned and nodded with a shrug as he sat down, cocking his head to the side.

"Hey Link! I was wondering if I could sit with you today and eat. That being, if you don't mind of course," I said as he blinked and shook his head with a half-grin.

"No, why would I care, honestly?" he asked as I laughed and spun so I was sitting more comfortably. I set my bag on the area next to me, getting out my lunch and setting it on the table. Experiencing the curious sensation of being watched, I looked up at him, noticing he was giving me a very apprehensive look.

"What?" I laughed awkwardly as he shrugged and shook his head.

"I didn't say anything."

"But you were giving me the look."

"'The' look? So now we're putting definitions on looks?" he asked with puzzlement as I spread my lunch items on the table around me and peeked up to him.

"Well you know, it's just, just a look. Like an 'I'm not going to say what I'm clearly thinking, but I'm going to pretend I wasn't thinking said thing in the first place' look," I tried explaining as his eyes scrunched in confusion.

"That's a specified look? Wow I'm apparently really behind in the times," he mused as he took a bite of the snack-bar food of a potato casserole looking thing. I monitored his expression carefully, trying to tell if the strangely colored food was edible or not.

"How is that, stuff?" I asked watchfully as he looked up with a shrug. He finished chewing as I self-consciously took a bite of my peanut butter and boysenberry sandwich, looking up at him as I was eating.

"It's actually pretty good, for school food and all. Want to try?" he asked as I swallowed, my curiosity definitely piqued.

"Sure?" I laughed as he got some of it on his fork and held it over the table. I leaned forward and bit it off his fork, surprised by how good it actually was. Swallowing, I was about to remark on it when I noticed a girl walking by that looked at me pretentiously, making me feel embarrassed that I had somehow done something wrong.

"Good huh?" Link grinned, oblivious to the scene that had just passed. I plastered a small smile on my face and merely nodded, trying to play it cool.

"Oh yeah, it was tasty," I said as he continued smiling and eating. I chewed my sandwich, wondering how to best ask him about Friday when he suddenly looked at me, his head slightly tilted to the side.

"What is it?" he inquired knowingly, giving me a slight patronizing look as my eyes widened, shocked by his revelation.

"How did you do that?" I asked with shock as I thought: Maybe I am getting really easy to read…

"Natural intuition and amateur guessing openly revealed by your statement," he grinned as I scrunched my eyes in irritation to myself. Or not.

"Well, aren't you just a Sherlock then?" I grumbled as I bit my sandwich as he slightly frowned, making me feel slightly guilty. I swallowed my sandwich and pride as I looked up to him, knowing I needed to get over it.

"Want to go to the football game Friday?" I asked quickly as Link stared at me with surprise.

"I have to admit, I was not expecting that," he noted as I bit my lip and nodded.

"I'm full of surprises," I laughed nervously, wishing he had just answered in a direct way so I didn't have to ask again. "But um, was that a 'yes' or a 'no'? Or of course you don't have to come at all, it's cool."

"It was more along the lines of an 'I'm not quite sure yet.' This is moderately unanticipated though," he said as I merely nodded, "and one has to wonder why you're asking now of all times, and whether this has the certain influence of a particular tall football player in its question or not."

I blushed in spite of myself and shook my head violently. "Of course not. Whoever you are referring to, I'm sure that this thought comes from the validation of a claim that is completely inaccurate. I would not be going to a game just to see someone play, that's totally lame. I'm just, trying to branch out you know," I paused, trying frantically to think of a good excuse, "be a teenager." Smooth Zelda, that's totally believable.

Link seemed to be thinking the same thing as he looked at me skeptically but merely shook his head. "Well, if that is the case then yeah sure, I'd love to go with you."

"Oh thanks Link, you are truly the best," I grinned as he shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'd wait to shower me with the compliments for a little while."

"I feel you should still be complimented. Oh, and I have to warn you, I don't know anything about sports, so I'll probably be asking you what happens every five minutes or so. You still willing to do this?"

He set his fork down and smiled kindly at me. "Really Zelda, I got this. You will have the most of everything explained to you, don't you worry."

I laughed and propped my elbow on the table and gazed at him. "Friday will be a lot of fun; I can already tell."

He grinned in a very cute boyish manner that made my heart flutter a little at the mere recognition of him being mildly attractive. I had forgotten how easy it was to just be with him. "Yes, it will," he said as I laughed, taken out of my thoughts, and continued eating, my prospect about Friday greatly increasing the more time I spent with him.


I reread the line from my book again, my wet hair causing me to shiver from the slight breeze in the room, as well distract me from concentrating because I was so cold. As I set my book down to go turn off the ceiling fan I turned on my bed, ready to stand just as the door opened and Malon walked in. She closed the door, froze when she saw me, and acknowledged me as she immediately went to her side of the room.

"Hi," I said with confusion as she turned around and shrugged.

"Oh, hey." She continued putting her stuff away and was now walking around the room at record pace.

"Um, the shower's free," I said with a small laugh as I threw some of the damp hair on my shoulder for emphasis.

"That's good to know." She looked at me and nodded as she started getting her clothes together. I frowned and stood up, confused by her uncharacteristic frigid behavior.

"What's wrong, did you have a bad day or something?" I asked, trying to uncover the truth despite how uncooperative she was being. She set her stuff on her bed and put a hand on her hip, her bright eyes vivid with wild anger I could clearly see from across the room.

"Actually not. I was having a really good day, until I got back here," she said as I swallowed, very hurt by her comment.

"Well gee thanks, don't you just know how to make a girl feel welcomed," I retorted, my eyes narrowing.

"Oh, really?" She laughed bitterly and rolled her eyes. "I'm really going to get a riot act from you? That's rich."

"What are you talking about?! Why are you being as temperamental as a Disney heroine?" I expected her to laugh from the inside joke we had, but she merely continued glowering at me.

"And calling me temperamental too? Wow, the self righteous act is really in full swing tonight isn't it?"

I immediately remembered what Clarke had said yesterday involving the same thing and glared at her, wondering what her damage was. "I am not self righteous," I said scathingly as she laughed again just as bitterly as before.

"Whatever. I don't need to deal with you right now." She grabbed her stuff and walked over to the bathroom.

"Don't you go in there yet!" I almost screamed as she spun around and put her hand on her hip again.

"Now what?" she glared as I swallowed, trying to keep my calm.

"I, I don't know what your deal is, but I think you at least owe me an explanation why you're so angry with me, as that's why I assume you're giving me this cold shoulder."

She rolled her eyes and set her stuff on the bathroom counter, then came back out to look at me. My heart was pounding in anger and alarm as I looked up, trying to be as strong as possible so I didn't end up cracking and crying right in front of her.

"I think it should be obvious, even to you Zelda," Malon said coldly as I shook my head violently, sending a slight spray of water everywhere.

"If it was, I don't think we'd be having this problem. Please just, talk to me," I slightly pleaded, hearing the pathetic begging in my own voice that she must have heard too, as her mouth pursed but she talked anyways.

"I was just surprised to see you here, that's all."

"I live here," I said with confusion, not seeing what she was getting at. However, this seemed to make her a little madder as she narrowed her eyes again and started to slightly yell.

"Well you know, lately you could have fooled me with that, because as of the last few days, I really haven't seen that much of you. One day you were with Dark, then with Link, then with whomever else in hell you hang out with, and then of course, typical you were not there at lunch either."

"I can explain that! I was with Link because we're going to the game on Friday together and I was working out the particulars at lunch," I said meekly, trying to keep in the tears that readily came whenever anyone was making me feel the slightest bit guilty.

She looked at me and I noticed the beginning of tears in her own face as she half-laughed and shook her head. "Unbelievable! I've been asking you to go to a game for three years now, and you've never said yes! But lo and behold, in walks a guy and you are all ready to go."

"It's not like that at all! We're just friends! I thought you knew me better than that!"

"You know, I'm beginning to really think about how well I actually know you. This, behavior lately is not like the old you. The old you was always around. The old you always mocked guys openly instead of messing around with two of them behind their backs at the same time. The old you actually told me things instead of keeping me in the dark. The old you didn't stay out to all odd hours with people, at parties, or at dinner, or whatever else your new 'popular' friends do at night. I'm, I'm starting to really wonder how you can even stoop so low to associate with me right now." By this time, we both had tears on our faces as she glared at me and wiped off her face as best as she could.

I wiped away one of my own tears and sniffed as I looked up and shook my head. "How can you even say any of that Malon? Of course I don't think like that, how can you even think I'd ever be as petty as that?"

"I don't know what to think anymore! Don't you get that?!" She wiped her face again and bit her own lip, something she never did. "You're just, you're morphing into one of them, I can tell. And just, I don't know what to think about you anymore."

"Malon," I pleaded softly with a quiet sob as she shook her head and rushed into the bathroom, where I heard her own sobs through the door. I went and sat on my bed, staring blankly at the wall in front of me.

"Oh Goddesses what have I done," I said, the tears streaming readily down my face as I fell into my pillow, allowing my unavoidable sadness to carry me into much needed sleep.


So NOW what are people's thoughts? Do you guys feel Malon was justified in her reaction, that Clarke was as creeptastic as usual, and anything else that might have popped up? I'm sorry if this chapter seemed like a lot of things happening at once, but it was more of to get the feel of Zelda's normal day and of course, some story progression. I was going to originally have the ever eventful football game at the end of this chapter, but I felt it'd be at a better place for the next chapter, so look forward to some football, Zelink conversations/fluff (even though I really don't like that term), and how Castle Academy gets on their school pride. Hope you enjoyed and can't wait to see you all next time!