(Art by @pandas_creative_mess on Instagram)

My eyes are burning. If I had the courage to punch Malice, I don't think my moral sense could hold me back. But I am not a fighter. Not in that sense at least. I look at Link. His anger and guilt are competing with his disciplined self, but he doesn't cave. He stands tough and reticent like a soldier. It's true then, he is dating Mipha now, and I am the one who has to pay for it.

The growing joy on Malices face is evident the more I struggle to contain my emotions. I press my lips together to stop immature words from falling out. I can't smack her and I refuse to yell at her. So what else is there to do? Without a word, I hastily turn away from them to search for the nearest bathroom. I need to get the cheese off my clothes and find Impa afterward. My mood is worse than it was before the hike, and I just want to go home, fall asleep, and pretend this day, and this whole week, never happened.

"Zelda," I hear Link call after me but I don't stop or even look at him. This is all his fault! If he had just stayed away from me during PE and sat somewhere else in English and Biology, Malice wouldn't attack me every time she sees me and make my life a living hell.

Link grabs my hand as I reach for the door to the restrooms, causing my feet to come to a halt. His grip is gentle and he lets go before I jerk my wrist away. I throw my hands at his chest and push him away with all my force. He doesn't even lose his balance from my weak attack, though his mouth falls open in surprise.

"Go away," I yell, tears threatening to fall.

"I'm not da--"

"Every time you get close to me, I am being punished for it," I interrupt him and point at the stains on my dress. "Look at me! I don't deserve this. I'm not stalking you! I didn't even know you existed until Thursday when you chose to sit next to me, may I add!"

Link doesn't object nor does he defend himself. He just watches as I stomp my foot and yell at him.

"I don't know what they see in you anyway. You think just because you're good at sports you can disregard the people around you... What's so hard about chasing a ball? You score points and feel like you are too important to talk to other students. Guess what; you're no better than the rest of us at HU. Stop treating others like they're below you."

I feel brave and say things I wouldn't usually dare say at someone's face. It feels good though. Even the anger I hold against Father seems to slip through as I yell at Link. Maybe I should go back and yell at Malice too, but I'd rather not get beat up by an MMA fighter. 

I fall into silence and wait for Link to respond. But he doesn't. I thought maybe he'd yell back, but he just stays quiet and makes a small step towards me. I'm frozen to the spot. What is he doing? Link removes a piece of nacho from my collarbone and gives me a look of empathy and sorrow that mirrors the pain I'm feeling lately. 

"I'm sorry," he says, his eyes full of regret and honesty. Out of all the things that he could have possibly replied with, I didn't expect him to apologize. 

I look up at him and chase the many thoughts in my mind, only to find that the space in my head is deserted of anger. All the negative thoughts just dissolved within seconds, and I am left feeling guilty for the things I just shouted at him. I know I probably hurt his feelings, but it had to be said, right? I can't think straight with his eyes so desperately longing for forgiveness. He's standing too close to me again, it's fogging my mind.

I sigh. I'm not the resentful type, I want to forgive him. But when I look over his shoulder and see Malice leaning against the wall, prying on us like a vulture, I jump away from Link.

"You really don't know when to quit," Malice snarls, her arms crossed. "If you keep acting like a dumb little high school girl, maybe I will too."

"Don't share the photo. Delete it," I plead.

"Which one? The one from the gym, or the one I took just now?"

I clench my fists, but my anger jumps at Link instead. Why did he have to come this close again? Now she has another picture that people will misinterpret. Why isn't he saying anything? Here I was ready to forgive him, and now he's just standing there, totally fine with the way Malice is talking to me. To both of us, really. He's in those photos too. Doesn't he care if people see them? If Mipha sees them?

"Why aren't you saying anything?" I ask him.

"I have nothing to say to her," he tells me. I ignore Malice's gasp. Every time he speaks to me instead of her, her eyes spit fire, and her brows furrow. It makes her furious. She doesn't like it when Link talks to me, and I guess that's the one thing we have in common.

"Just stay away from me!" I say to Link and disappear behind the door of the women's restroom before the tears start falling. It's been a long day and these tears have been waiting to break free for weeks now.

A couple of minutes pass before the door opens again and my heart nearly jumps out of my chest. For a second I thought it was Malice, but I am more than relieved to see that it's Impa.

"Hey..." She looks concerned.

"I got your nachos," I gesture at my dress and laugh a little in between my sobs. I feel disgusting, but I am immensely happy that Impa found me.

"They look good on you. The yellow really brings out your eyes," she jokes, but her smile is missing.

"How did you know I was in here? You didn't hear me yell at Link, did you?"

"No, actually, he told me where to find you."

"He what? How did he know what you look like?"

"We've met before."

"At the frat party?"

"No. It was a while ago."

"When? How? Why didn't you tell me that?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. We only talked that one time and it wasn't really anything worth mentioning."

"Well? When did you meet?"

"It was last year, right after summer break."

"We were still in high school then, how could you have met Link?"

"My sister had just moved into her new dorm room and realized that she'd left her iPad in my car, so she texted me to come back. On my way to the dorms I crossed paths with a loose dog. Some student must have brought him to campus. This huge dog started chasing me and I tripped and fell."

"You didn't think this was worth mentioning?" I ask confounded, temporarily forgetting about the dry tears on my cheeks.

"Now comes the best part," she grins. "When I tripped, I dropped Purah's iPad, but Link caught it and threw himself between me and the dog to stop the attack!"

"Oh wow," I raise my eyebrows. I'm really just glad that Impa left the scene unharmed. "For some reason I thought Link was a freshman. Was that the only time you two talked?"

"I think so. I was kinda surprised when he came to my table just now."

"Did he tell you what happened?" I sniff.

"No, he just said you needed me."

I'm still angry at him and Malice, but... I am also thankful that he told Impa where I am. I wipe my cheeks dry and grab some paper towels to blow my nose. I'm not crying because of Malice's accusations and threats, or the fact that Link is causing me so much trouble with nothing but his presence. I'm crying because I'm walking on thin ice and the fear of falling is almost more painful than the freezing water that's waiting below. I can't breathe. I'm still standing on the ice, and yet it feels like I'm already drowning.

"Wanna tell me what happened?" Impa asks as she sits down on the counter with the sinks.

"I don't even know."

"How did the cheese get all over your favorite dress?"

"Malice."

"Really? Do I have to kick her ass again?"

"No," I hide my smile. I would love to watch Impa beat Malice, but only in an official fight. I would hate to see her get in trouble over my drama.

"What did you do to upset her?"

"Nothing. I didn't do anything. Link started talking to me and then she smacked the plate out of my hands."

"Please let me kick her ass."

"No, and stop saying ass."

"My apologies, Your Highness." She holds both her hands up in defense. "What did Link want from you?"

"Not sure. He just walked up to me, asked if I'm alone, and left when I said no." I grab more paper towels and try to rub off some of the cheese, but it only spreads the stains on the white fabric. My dress is ruined, and if Father sees this, he'll have a fit.

"Think he wanted to spend some alone time with you?"

"What? No, of course not," I blush. "He's with Mipha now."

"Hold on... So Malice bullies you even though Link is dating another girl?"

"Yep..."

"Please let me kick her--"

"Impa!"

"She deserves it," Impa pouts.

I throw the paper towels into the garbage and take a last look into the mirror. My mascara is smudged and my eyes are bloodshot. "Let's just go home. I'll have the cook make dinner for us."

"Whatever you need, Zelda."

"What I need is for Link to stay as far away from me as possible."

"Oh, that reminds me! He wanted me to give this to you..."

Impa pulls something out of her bag and my jaw drops.