Only a couple of cars are left in the lot where my car is parked. One of them being Father's. It's late and there's a good chance that he'll be here any moment. I look over to the building where he would be coming from but I can't spot a single person, which tells me that we have a few minutes to say our goodbyes. 

We stop to look at one another. Link's bruises are not as prominent anymore and his lip has almost fully recovered too. Those lips... I would love to kiss them, but I can't. Not now, not here. 

"You look much better than you did on Monday," I say, looking at the cut beneath his eyebrow.

"Unacceptable," Father's voice startles us.

Link and I jump apart and look around but find no one. 

"No, no, no, you listen," Father says, bringing my eyes to his car. He is sitting in the driver's seat, mostly hidden in the dark, scowling at the speakers. His window is turned down to a small gap, allowing us to listen to his phone conversation. 

"Would the first week of October work then?" He asks and rubs his temples while the other person answers in an indistinct but surely grumpy voice. "Just send me an email with the details," Father sighs and ends the call. 

The moment Father hangs up, he notices Link and I standing next to my car. His door opens before either of us can react and out steps a tall, bearded man with a dazzled face.

"E...evening Father;" I stammer and hide the soccer ball behind my back.

"Why aren't you home?" He asks me and peers at Link.

"I... I was... We were watching the soccer game. Not Link and I, Link was playing, I was watching with I...Impa," I say honestly. I'm so nervous, I'm sweating. "That's the truth, Father," my shaking voice pleads for mercy.

"Impa?" Father questions and takes a look around.

There's no one in sight but the three of us. Why did I park my car so close to his? I'm an idiot. Granted, I didn't know I was going to have company when I'd return and this parking spot is very close to the library.

"She left," I explain. I wouldn't believe me either if I was Father. But I must convince him. "I swear, she was here.... Just a minute ago she was here, b... but she left and I'm about to go... to drive home. We can call her, she'll confirm it!"

Link remains silent even when Father glares at him full of disappointment.

"What were you doing with that boy, Zelda?" He pinches the bridge of his nose and exhales dramatically. "Link..." he starts but I am too nervous to let him finish. I won't allow Link to be yelled at again.

"Nothing!" I nearly shout at him but there's nothing but fear behind my voice. "You have to believe me, he was just--"

"Zelda, we have an agreement. No lies," he reminds me.

I inhale a broken chunk of air but fail to speak. I desperately need to act normal right now and protect Link and our... whatever it is we have. I utterly resent how my body behaves in panic. For the love of Hylia, just this once, give me the confidence I demand. 

Link bows his head to Father with his arms aligned to his sides. He speaks calmly.

"I escorted your daughter, Sir."

"Did you now?"

"Yes, Sir," he says, his head still bowed.

"Shouldn't you be home? The game ended nearly an hour ago."

"A woman should not have to walk alone at night," he says.

I hate how much of myself I see in Father right now.

"Please, Father, Link was just..."

"Get in the car, Zelda," Father demands. He doesn't like it when I interrupt people, but I am in this conversation too...

I hesitate but oblige. Once I'm seated, Father closes the car door for me, turns his back to my car, and talks to Link in private. I can't hear them, but that might be a good thing. It means that he's not shouting at the poor man who only tried to help. I roll down my window but still can't hear their conversation. Father has his hands behind his back and when he turns his head slightly I can see that his mien is serious but not tainted by anger. Link stands tall and firm like a soldier, providing the respect Father's ego desires. 

Link gives a final nod before Father returns to my car. I hide the soccer ball behind my seat just in time. Link looks back at me when he walks away but my vision gets blocked and hinders me from sending a "Please forgive my father" look to Link.

"What did you say to him? I swear he didn't do anyth--" I begin when Father reaches my window but he raises his hand to silence me.

"That's quite enough. Drive home now," he sounds exhausted. Shouldn't he be yelling? What does he know, what did he see? What did he say to Link and what did Link say in return? Did he say anything at all? 

"No," I persist, suddenly feeling braver than I probably should. "Not until you believe me. Link didn't do anything."

"It's fine," he sighs. 

Pardon me?

"It... It is? What did you say to him?"

"I thanked him," he says in an indifferent tone.

"You...Th... th...You thanked him?" Those words sound strange coming from Father. I almost want to pinch myself to test if this whole day is just a strange dream.

"I have a lot of respect for Link," Father says, and I believe him even if it is odd to hear. "He is not only a talented young athlete but a very loyal and responsible man. Last week, Coach Steen informed me that Link shielded you from rather dangerous balls in Physical Education. Now he is walking you to your car as any decent man should. He is protecting my greatest treasure, and for that I thanked him."

"Er... So... So you believe me then?"

"You promised not to lie. For now I have no reason not to believe you."

I've never seen Father act so... reasonable. It makes me wonder... Perhaps I could at least be a public friend of Link's. If we could be seen together, not as a couple, but as two students talking and sharing a table during lunch, that would make things a whole lot easier. But... People would talk. A rumor involving Link is not just gossip taking place in the hallways... With his status and fame I wouldn't be surprised if the word would spread not only nationally but globally. He's a public figure, a celebrity. The whole world watches closely and talks about every little thing he does.

"You aren't getting attached to him, are you?" Father asks and I choke.

My eyes widen and it takes my heart five rapid beats and the skipping of another five before I can exhale and suffacate the butterflies in my stomach. I finally vocalize a response.

"I certainly am not."

"Good. Stay focused on your grades. Boys are temporary, transcripts matter a lifetime."

Ouch. 

"Why would the coach even tell you about those balls? It wasn't that big of a deal," I ask to change the topic. A sudden dizziness ripples my body, what if the coach told Father about the awkward incident in the equipment room?

"He told me about it, asking if we could get Link on the volleyball team or sign him up for the upcoming MMA tournament, but Link has other priorities at the moment. He is our most valued player and I put my faith in him. This year we will beat Lorule Academy."

"Are you still on bad terms with Lorule's chancellor?" I ask him and watch as his eyes light up with fury just like Link's did when I asked about Ganon.

"Bad terms..." he puffs and combs his beard with his fingers. "You could say that. That man doesn't only want to beat us in every aspect, he wants to own us."

"Figuratively?"

"Literally. Ganondorf wants to actually own the school and its properties."

"Did you say Ganondorf?" I gulp... That name...

"Yes, the chancellor."

"Do you know who Ganon is?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"Ganon? Why? Did he bother you?"

"No. I have never met him, I've only heard stories." One story, to be precise; how Link beat him up at the pier. 

"Stay away from that kid. He's nothing short of troublesome."

"Who is he?"

"Ganon is Lorule's pride, Ganondorf's unpleasant, disgraceful son. And I can't even blame the kid for turning out like that when he was raised by a compuslive liar and criminal. Father and son are both very appalling people, but one is an adult and should know better."

Oh no... Not only did Link get into a fight with the son of another school's chancellor, but with the descendant of a lawbreaker. I need to know how dangerous that family is and in how much trouble Link is. Those bruises Link carries on his skin are not the result of a simple disagreement between two guys, those bruises are a threat. 

Out of all the schools, it had to be our biggest rival. Link could get into a whole lot of trouble if this came out. It may have happened off-campus but Link and Ganon were both gravely injured.  I'm rather surprised that neither of them pressed charges.

"What happened between you and Ganondorf?" I ask Father but he shakes his head.

"That's enough for today. I'm drained," he tells me and steps away from my car.

I ignore his decision to just drop this conversation. "What makes Ganondorf a criminal? Is he dangerous?"

"I'll see you at home," is the last thing he says before he shuts his car door.

I drive off campus, followed by Father. When we pass the pier I want to pull over and see if Impa is at the arcade. I worry about her. I haven't checked if she has replied to my message yet. When Father mentioned the upcoming MMA tournament I thought that perhaps it was the reason for Impa's sudden departure. She might be stressed out about it. I hope it's just that. I have to make sure Impa is okay but I can't check my phone while I'm driving and with Father on my tail I can't pull over either... 

Once I have my car parked in the driveway I check my phone. Still nothing. I call Impa but it goes straight to voicemail this time so I hang up. Father is already inside by the time I get out of my car.

"Have you eaten?" He asks when I enter the house and put my shoes away.

"Hasn't the cook left already?" I ask him.

"He has," Father ponders.

"It's fine, I'm not hungry," I say and head upstairs.

I try to call Impa again but she doesn't answer. After my shower I try again, still nothing. I don't even know who her roommate is, and even if I did, I probably wouldn't have her number to check up on Impa.

I walk over to my desk and open my diary. When my whole world is caving in, this is where I find comfort. Writing my worries down will help me deal with them, but I can barely finish the first sentence before I pick up my phone again.

"If you're part of the problem, hang up. If you're part of the solution, leave a message," her voice instructs followed by a beep.

"Impa, call me back." I add "Please," to sound calmer.

Hours later I lie in bed with my head pulsating from the many thoughts it's trying to juggle. I check my phone. It's already past 1 AM and I still haven't heard from Impa. It's late, but I call her anyway.

"If you're part of the problem," I hear and hang up.