Who We Are; Zelink, Modern (The Legend Of Zelda)

Change (12)

Zelda had done what she was told. She had waited for hours in the attic; going through everything Link had ever said and done... every laugh coming just a little too late... his explanation earlier that day... how he had reacted when she talked about his name.

Link... she had trusted him, and her trust was not so easily won. Now...? She probably wouldn't trust anyone ever again.

"It's just what those ancients believed."

"It's a fairy tale."

"It's impossible."

If he doesn't believe the old stories...then that makes me just another rich kid.

"....Why do you care?" he had asked. Why had she cared? She felt so stupid. So mistaken. She wanted scream, but at the same time she wanted to cry. She couldn't; not while hiding.

"They'll do anything to end the line of the royal family. I won't let that happen to you." Had that been a lie? But no... she had slept in the same room as him. He could have easily killed her then....but he hadn't. The voice had said that he was the enemy. Why was he the enemy? What purpose could he possibly have to pretend to be her bodyguard? How could he be an enemy, and her safe guard at the same time? The voice in her head hadn't lied to her, it couldn't lie to her, as much as she wished that it had.

"Is this your boyfriend, Blondie?"

"Yes."

"Wouldn't want your boyfriend to draw too much attention to himself."

"Thanks for helping," he had said with a smile. "Girlfriend." How could that smile have been so fake.

"I was just thinking you'd make an epic girlfriend."

"We are dating. You should hurry along so my girlfriend can finish her homework so we can go out."

"I'm glad they think we're a couple."

"It's a good explanation for why I escort you home. And why I'm so protective of you." So protective...

When he had reached out a hand and tucked a blonde lock behind her ear. When he'd drawn back his fingers and brushed them against her cheek and then trailed her jaw line. How she'd felt her face heat up. How she felt towards him.

I was such a fool.

"Aww that was cute."

"It just sounded like a wife."

Such a fool.

"I didn't have my girlfriend to save me this time."

Such...

"I'm sorry for prying. You're allowed to keep your secrets, and I felt... guilty for driving you out into the cold like that."

"Thanks for the apology."

... a fool.

After two hours of the stuffy attic, thinking such thoughts, she could take it no longer. She teleported down, praying that no one was there to see her. She warped into an empty hall and she released the breath she had seemed to be holding for the last hour.

She just wanted to curl up in her bed and sob; to forget that anything had happened. Maybe drown her sorrow in some ice cream. Or maybe just drown. But the hurt in her heart was too deep for even that frozen delight to heal. Plus she was in danger. She didn't know from where... Link had to have had some reason to lie to her, be it good or bad. He couldn't have been working alone. At this point she couldn't trust anyone, not even her staff.

Zelda had her purse on her, and that was all that she needed. She had to get to the bank, cash all she could, and then ditch the cards. She couldn't leave a digital trail anywhere, she never knew who could be looking for her. She walked slowly out of the hall and made her way towards the front door of the school. She met no resistance, which instead of making her glad, made her turn around and go back the way she had come. They could be watching the entrances. "Always be vigilant. Always be cautious. Taking the time to be overcautious will always be better than wishing you had once you're in deep trouble," she recited.

"Yeah, well, I didn't listen to that advice did I. I let myself believe some stupid lie..." Zelda turned into the gym and then into the showers. She climbed up to the window and peered through the distorted glass. She couldn't see anything, so she slowly opened it and looked again. Nothing. She warped through the wall and then crouched behind a bush. Again the coast was clear, but she wasn't about to let down her guard.

After several minutes of creeping around buildings, she made it to the road. She brought out her scarf and then wrapped it around her head, disguising her all to obvious head of blonde hair. As she walked down the street a car slowed down. She stiffened as it stopped beside her and then she looked in the window as it rolled down.

"Oi, blondie, what are you doing? I watched you come from the school."

Zelda's eyes widened. "U-uhm."

"You were creeping around like you'd stole something."

Zelda frowned. "I didn't steal anything."

"Sure you didn't."

"I'm serious! I-" She paused as she looked down at her backpack, a new idea forming in her mind. Maybe she'd have enough cash. "I'll give you fifty bucks if you drive me out of town."

His eyebrows knitted together. "Why?"

"Does it matter? Do we have a deal?" she pressed as she looked over her shoulders.

He shrugged and unlocked the doors. "Alright."

Zelda sighed in relief and climbed into the truck. "But if you try anything I'll take you out again and steal your car."

Groose nodded and sat up a little straighter.

Zelda smirked slightly. So he had learned a little something. "What were you doing near school?"

"Was just crusing..." He glanced sideways at her. "You in some kinda trouble?"

"Is that concern? From you?" she scoffed.

"What? I haven't messed with you in awhile," he said as he shrugged. "Link told me to never come near ya again. Had a gun too. I figured I shouldn't get involved with anything like that again."

"What?" she said. "He had a gun? At school?"

"No... he came to my house."

Zelda's eyebrows knotted. "What in Din's name..."

"So why you running town without your protective boyfriend?"

Zelda shook her head and looked out the window. "I guess he's the reason I'm leaving. I broke up with him and he wasn't happy about it. He recruited a few friends and they were watching the school..." She amazed even herself at how good she could lie convincingly. Using her sadness from his betrayal to fuel her story. "I just need to get away from him."

The driver was silent for awhile as they passed by a field. "Listen... I'm sorry for bullying down on you like I've done. But I ain't into that anymore."

Zelda looked over at him; shocked. "What made you change?"

"Well I think it was partly being threatened with a gun but... I also realized that the way my life was going... wasn't where I wanted it to go."

She nodded and smiled. Some changes aren't so bad...