A Much Needed Hero

Chapter 7: Truth

[Link]

Link drummed his fingers on the table. Zelda was late, twenty minutes late. He was worried about her. She hadn't answered any of his texts or calls. The only reason he wasn't totally freaking out was that he had seen her car in her driveway when he'd gone home last night.

Link pulled out his phone, debating if he should call her again or not.

The sound of the library door opening drew his attention, and he smiled with relief as Zelda entered. However his smile quickly turned into an expression of concern. There was something off about her. She walked stiffly, as if every step hurt, and her hair was styled so it covered the entire right side of her face. Her hoodie's hood was pulled down so far he could barely make out her eyes.

"Hey," Zelda mumbled as she sat down across from Link.

"Hey." Link cleared his throat not sure how to proceed. "Is everything all right?"

Zelda kept her head down, refusing to meet his eyes. "Actually everything isn't all right."

"Oh?"

"I..." She hesitated. "I don't think I should tutor you anymore."

"What?" Link gawked at her.

"And I don't think I'll be coming to lunches anymore either."

"Wait-"

"And I don't think..." Zelda swallowed, her voice shaking. "I don't think we should be friends anymore."

"Woah, slow down." Link reached across the table and placed his hand over her's. She tensed but didn't pull away. "What's going on."

"I just told you what's going on."

"So all of the sudden you want to stop being friends?"

Zelda paused. "Yes..."

"I don't understand." Link stared at her, wishing she'd pull up her hood so he could see her face. "Did I do something wrong."

Zelda looked up at him for the first time since she'd entered the room. "No, of course not." Her lip trembled. "It's just better for both of us if we're not friends. Trust me."

Link sat back crossing his arms over his chest. "Well... I won't allow it."

"This isn't a request."

"You might not want to be friends with me, but I still want to be friends with you."

"Link please you're not making this easy." Zelda rested her head in her hands, and for the briefest of seconds her hair shifted.

Link drew in a sharp breath, and leaned forward. "Zelda what happened to your face."

She tensed and pulled her hood farther down. "Nothing."

"You never wear your hair like that."

She chuckled awkwardly. "What do you mean? My hair always looks like this."

"Pull your hood up then."

She drew back. "W-what?"

Link shrugged. "If nothings wrong then why is your hood pulled down like that?"

Zelda paused and after a few seconds she lowered her hood. She kept her head down though when she spoke. "See nothing is wrong."

"Can you look me in the eyes?"

Zelda slowly raised her head, meeting Link's gaze. "Are you happy now?"

"No." Before Zelda could stop him Link leaned across the table and swept her hair behind her right ear.