"No, I... How..." I peer at the image on the screen. It really is a photo of Link. "I swear, I have no idea why there's a photo of Link on my phone. I don't have a boyfriend. I don't even know him."

"Is that so?" Father exits the photo and shows me the chat it belongs to. Of course it's Impa who sent the photo with the caption *Your husband is waiting*

I slap my forehead. I really have to set a passcode for my phone. I can't believe Father would just read my messages! He has overstepped a line. I take a deep breath and clench my fists. My poor heart is like a bomb that's been ticking for years and the countdown will finally hit zero. I'm going to call him out for all the wrong he's done, for all the frustration and pain he's caused, and for all the dreams he's terminated, but one simple word defuses my ticking heart.

"Sorry," he says and looks me straight into the eyes. What? "I didn't mean to go through your messages. I just saw the text and as your Father it is my responsibility to keep you safe. So..."

"I promise, I don't have a boyfriend. I'm not even thinking about...that. I am fully focused on school, you have to believe me."

"I do." He says to my surprise and returns my phone to me in a sigh. "When I checked your major today... I also checked your grades..." he struggles to find the words but he finally looks at me and shows a faint smile. "Your grades are perfect. You have a 100 on every single assignment."

It shouldn't come as a surprise that my grades are good, but the fact that Father acknowledges my academic performance has my jaw drop. If it means that much to him, I should take advantage of this opportunity.

"Your words honor me," I say, my shoulders stiff and rigid. I skipped nervous and went straight to petrified. I hope he'll hear me out this time. "I will major in political science and graduate with a 4.0 GPA," I promise him and his eyes stare widely in excitement and pride.

"Zelda, that's--"

"If you'll allow me to double major in biology," I cut him off.

Silence floods the room as Father's fingers comb his beard. Is this the calm before the storm? Is he going to take my phone again and scold me for my audacity? He looks like a human calculator, reviewing my future like a tough math equation. I can't believe he's actually considering my proposal. All my life he's told me that research and natural sciences are a waste of my intelligence and time, and now my happiness has finally become a component of the equation.

"A 4.0?" he asks dubiously. I give a confident nod.

"I will get a 100 on every test if you'll just let me study biology simultaneously."

Silence returns for a moment and I can hear my pulse throbbing in my ears. He finally nods. My heart skips three beats and I force my face to hold back on a cosmic smile. I don't want him to think that this isn't serious to me.

"I'll check your grades daily," he warns. "As soon as you fail to maintain our terms, you'll drop biology."

"Deal," I say without hesitation. I'm sure I'm dreaming. "Thank you, Father!"

"Not so fast. There must be rules."

"Name your terms."

"No more lies. And on school nights you must be home by 10 PM."

"Done." That's nowhere near as bad as I was expecting.

He stops on his way out and gestures at my phone. "Oh, and no boyfriends."

"Of course."

Once I'm alone I lie on my bed and check the rest of the notifications on my phone; Urbosa was asking how the talk with Father went and if I needed anything, and Impa's first message was that photo of Link followed by her seat number and some stickers she sent before I joined her for the game. 

I scroll back up to the photo of Link and zoom in a little. His posture shows discipline, his mien is serious with his eyes aiming straight ahead, not allowing any distractions to break his focus. His arms are crossed behind his back and his chest looks toned even through the jersey. I see why others find him attractive, but from what I can tell he has absolutely no personality.

*Father agreed to the double-majors!* I text her back and put my phone away. No more distractions. I'm so far ahead in all of my classes that I don't have any homework to work on. I spend my night rereading Wuthering Heights and fall asleep before 11 PM.

✤ ✤ ✤

By the time I get up in the morning, Father is already gone. It's supposed to get really hot today so I step into my closet and grab a cute top and some shorts that go along with it. It's finally Friday and I only have two classes; marine biology at 9 AM and health at 2 PM. I usually study in between those classes, but since I'll be double majoring soon I will probably have to fill those free hours with more classes.

Everyone on campus seems to be in a cheerful mood. Looks like both the soccer and the swim team won yesterday's rivalry. I'd live a happier life if simple things such as the victory of a sports team could lift my spirit so easily. But then I'd also be miserable after every loss too. I suppose everything has its downside. 

After my first class I visit the Students Success Center to change my major. I didn't think it was this easy to just change the course of my entire future. The academic advisor must have noticed that I clearly didn't make this decision out of joy because she keeps asking me if I'm sure about this. I give her a friendly nod each time and we look at my schedule together.

My new schedule isn't too bad, except for the physical education class that replaced my health course. I hated all gym classes in high school but if this is the only way to make my dreams happen I can hardly refuse. My day goes fairly decently, that is until I enter the gym for my new PE class.

There are still a few minutes left before class starts and the first thing I do is walk up to the coach to introduce myself and let him know that I am joining his class. I always strive to make a good first impression, I'll need any plus points I can get to pass this class so I ask him if I can help with anything. Appreciative of my help he tells me to grab the volleyball net from the equipment room.

I do as I'm told and walk to the back of the gym where I enter the storage area. It's dark in here and I don't know where the switch is but I see the rolled-up net hanging on two hooks at the wall. I make a step toward it when I'm startled by a person appearing from behind the heavy crash mats. I gasp and seize my heart before it can jump out of my chest. I immediately recognize the guy in front of me, it's Link carrying a volleyball in his left hand.

"You scared me," I breathe and he looks confused, almost as if he is questioning what I'm doing back here. Oh no, is he in this class too? Please no.

"Congratulations on your victory yesterday... Er... I just joined this class today," I say, hoping it will clear the confusion on his face and make him say something, but he remains silent.

"Right, you don't talk to people," I say harshly and step aside so he can leave the equipment room. He stays put and watches as I struggle to remove the net from its hooks. It's a bit high up and hard to get a good hold. I try wiggling it a little to make it fall into my grip but it seems stuck. Two more hands reach for the net.

"What are you doing?" I hiss at Link and tug with more force.

"Helping," he answers unexpectedly. So he does speak.

"You're just making it worse," I say and pull so hard that the net comes flying off abruptly and I plunge to the floor, followed by Link! He lands on top of me, along with the rest of the volleyball net.

"Everything okay back there?" I hear the coach call for us.

"Get off of me!" I cry in a quick whisper and push Link's chest away from mine. It really feels as firm as it looked in the picture Impa sent. His rose cheeks highlight his apologetic expression.

I don't want to imagine what will happen if the teacher finds us like this! This is so inappropriate! Link tries to get up but we're entangled in the net. A flash of heat overcomes me as I panic more. My nose strokes the edge of his jaw as I try to crawl out of this mess, but my shoe is stuck in one of the square holes of the net. This can't be happening!