Author's Note: Dear Gods, that last chapter was vicious. It's still my favorite thus far, though. I know, I'm messed up. But this one is my new favorite...

Hawkpath: I know it was brutal. I just wanted to get rid of Saras, honestly. I did not like him.

Dia Newman: I agree fully.

On with this! Review!

XXXXXXX

One Year's Eternity

Chapter 10

October 5, 8:23 A.M.

I was lying in my bed watching Netflix on my 3DS. I was catching up on all the Arrow episodes I had missed, which was a lot. I got bored of lying there, so I got up and got dressed. I put on a shirt that Rachel had gotten me, it said "I don't need to 'get a life'. I'm a gamer. I have TONS of lives." She knew me all too well. She had also gotten me one that said, "I could be gaining levels right now". She had gotten me most of my gaming shirts.

I put on one of my Converse and grabbed my locket and my key necklace. I put them both around my neck. I then grabbed my MP3 player and earbuds. I hobbled out of my room, careful to not make too much noise because Midna was still sleeping, without my crutches. I didn't need them if I was wearing my new cast, which was much more padded. I walked down to the elevator.

"Don't you need your crutches?"

I looked ahead of me and saw that someone was at the elevator already. It was a boy, but I couldn't make out who- Link.

"Not anymore," I said back.

"How many days are left?" he asked me once I got to the button.

"It's supposed to be three days," I said.

"Good," he said. "I've about had enough of that thing, and I'm not even the one that has to put up with it."

The elevator opened and we both stepped in. We were silent until the seventh floor.

"Zelda," Link started, to break the silence, "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize," I replied, trying to not explode.

"Yes, I do," he said, starting to walk in my direction. He stopped in the middle of the elevator. "Don't tell me I don't need to. What I did was uncalled for."

"Link-"

"No, Zelda. I need to apologize. You have no idea how bad I feel." He was starting to walk towards me again. Fifth floor.

"Link," I said, stopping him with my outstretched arm, "you have no idea what I've been going through. I guess Midna hasn't told you yet."

"What hasn't Midna told me?" he asked, pushing my hand off his chest. Third floor.

"My father," I said slowly, "killed my best friend and himself."

He looked at the floor and backed away. Second floor.

"I'm… sorry to hear that," he said, head coming up slowly. "Now you have no one to go home to."

"That's not true," I said as we entered ground level. "I have Nabu."

"Nabu?"

"He's in town in you want to meet him," I said, exiting the elevator. "Do you?"

"Sure," he sounded uneasy.

I got out my phone and texted Nabu while exiting the building. I typed in Labrynnian.

There's someone else I'd like you to meet. Come to Lon Lon. We'll wait for you.

"Link," I said, stopping him before he got to the parking lot, "Want to get some breakfast?"

"Where?" he asked, turning around.

"Lon Lon. Nabu will meet us there."

"Okay then. I'll drive."

"No, really?"

My phone buzzed. It was in Labrynnian.

Sure. I'll be there in a few minutes.

"Let's go," Link said, getting into his car. "Don't want to be late."

"We won't be late," I said. "Nabu won't beat us there."

"If you say so," he said. We drove off and got to Lon Lon in about two minutes. It was down the street from campus.

"Good thing it's Saturday," Link said when we got there. He parked right next to the building. We got out and waited on the sidewalk.

"Zelda," Link turned to me, "I was going to ask you something."

"And what is that?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the road, watching for Nabu's bike.

"The night I… um…"

"Okay?" I said, impatient.

"You said you had never been kissed before. Was that true?"

I turned my head to face him. "Why would I lie about something like that?"

"Some people do," he said, looking at the road.

"I try my best not to lie to people," I said. "Especially my friends."

I feel like I just friend-zoned him so bad…

"Thanks," he said, facing me again. "I appreciate it."

I looked at the road just in time. Nabu came riding up on his bike and parked as close to us as he could. After he parked, I walked over to his motorcycle.

"Jraae, Nabu," I said. (AN: "Hello, Nabu.")

"Jraae, Zel," he said back. "Is this who you wanted me to meet?" he gestured to Link. He started speaking in Hylian.

"Yeah," I said, turning to Link. "Nabu, this is Link."

"Pleasure," Nabu said, offering a hand.

"Same," Link replied, finishing the handshake.

"Now," I said, "food?"

"Okay," Nabu said.

We had breakfast at Lon Lon. I felt like introducing Nabu to Link might have been a mistake. Since Rachel and Saras were now gone, Nabu was going to be overprotective of me. I thought that he would assume Link was trying to date me. I assumed that, too. Either way, they seemed to get along with each other nicely. Nabu was fascinated by the fact that Link was Shade's brother. He thought it not possible, but then worked out the similarities. It wasn't awkward, but kind of nice, seeing two of my closest friends get along so well.

After breakfast, Nabu headed back for Labrynna.

"Come back after Legends' break, okay?" I asked him.

"I'll try my best," he replied. We said our good-byes and he left.

"Touching," Link said, "you two are so close, yet you're not related."

"It's always been like that," I replied. I started heading for Link's car.

"How long is 'always'?" he asked, getting into the driver's seat.

"Since before I can remember," I replied. He turned on the radio in his car. It was on an oldies station. It was in the middle of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.

"Oh, Gods," I sighed. "I haven't heard this song in forever!"

"Forever is too long to not have heard this song," Link said. He turned up the volume a little and started humming it. I started humming, too.

We got to school by the time the song was over. It just started playing "Here I Go Again" by WhiteSnake as we parked.

"Darn," Link said, turning off the car. "Too bad that drive isn't longer."

"Waitin' on love's sweet charity…" I started mumbling the lyrics.

"Nice," he said. We walked to the dorms exchanging favorite oldies' rock songs and artists. His favorite song was the same as mine: "Livin' on a Prayer". Our favorite artists were different, though. My favorite was Van Halen, while his was The Rolling Stones. Once we got to the elevator, I felt as I did that night. That other part of me.

Don't let go of him. Don't push him away.

I knew Shade was no longer interested in dating and more concentrated in all the sports he was doing.

We entered the elevator and Link pushed the '9' button.

"That was fun," I said, resting on the wall of the elevator.

"It was," he said back. "It was nice meeting one of your friends from Labrynna."

Second floor.

"Well, if you're going there for Spring break," I said, "you're going to need to know more Labrynnian than you do now."

"Are you going to help me with that?" he said, walking towards me again. I didn't stop him this time.

Third floor.

"I can," I said, "if that's what you want."

"I could use a tutor," he said, getting very close to me, to the point I had to look up to see his face. "And who better than someone who lives there?"

Fourth floor.

"No one, really," I said.

He's close enough to kiss me.

"That's what I was thinking," he said. I couldn't look away from him.

What is wrong with me?!

Fifth floor.

My mouth was forced into a crooked smile. One that came with a slight laugh. He responded with a smile, too, but not just a normal smile. A caring, almost compassionate, smile.

Sixth floor.

He put two of his fingers under my chin to lift my head up. I didn't retaliate. He leaned in slightly.

Another kiss.

This time, I didn't push him away though. I didn't want to. I kissed him back.

The seventh and eighth floors passed by like nothing. We just stayed there until the elevator dinged to signal that we were at the ninth floor. He backed away before the doors opened.

Once the doors did open, he walked out slowly, me following him. He was about to go down the right hallway.

"Link," I said, grabbing his arm, "want to play some Smash?"

"Yeah," he said. We both headed down the left hallway to my dorm room.

Good thing it's Saturday.