Please stop!

"Don't hit her," I gasp, just in time to stop Ganon's assault.

"Back off," he barks without looking at me, then pushes Malice against the wall.

Just looking at this guy gives me chills. Many bruises are scattered across his face but all I see are Link's injuries and the man who caused them. Ganon bites down on his bottom lip and tenses his jaw. He doesn't even care that I'm here, he's going to hit her anyway.

"I'll call campus security if you hit her one more time," I warn. My phone has no battery, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Go away Zelda," Malice hisses spitefully.

Antagonizing tramp, I glare at her. Doesn't she understand that I'm trying to help her?

Ganon's eyes hit me for the first time; they are bloodshot and dark, threatening me without the need for words. Every hair on my body stands up as his eyes rake my body up and down. He looks... disgusted.

"That's her?" he asks Malice.

I shake my head from side to side, clutching my phone so tightly that my knuckles are turning white. Ganon lets go of Malice and walks over to me. I stand my ground, involuntarily... I can't move. I can only hope that Urbosa will see us and interrupt, but we're in the dark, behind the building, far enough from the other athletes that we're practically invisible to them.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Ganon asks, towering over me. I don't look at his eyes, I don't dare. The thought of his Father being an actual criminal won't leave my mind. This guy is dangerous and he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near this campus.

"Ganon," I answer, scared to be wrong but even more scared to be right.

"Yes," his deep voice affirms. "I heard you met Karusa after their friendly game. Though it didn't take such a friendly ending now did it?"

My mind is racing. I shrug my trembling shoulders.

"Not as smart as daddy always flaunts huh?" Ganon sneers. "Karusa is our pitcher," he reveals and my eyes widen. "That's right. The one that has a fractured jaw because of Link. That guy is my friend."

The throbbing of my pulse in the back of my head is numbing my every sense.

"I wanted to pay Link a little visit to return the favor. But he doesn't seem to attend his own shitty parties. Which brings us here."

The back of Ganon's finger brushes over my cheek as he looks down on me. I lose the feeling in my legs as soon as he touches my face. I try to move my cheek away from his touch but his hand instantly holds on to my jaw, keeping it in place. My vision is going blurry from the fear rushing through my body. I didn't come here to fight Link's battle, I just wanted to make sure Ganon doesn't abuse his girlfriend. How can Malice stay with him despite his violence?

"You... don't hit your girlfriend," I tell him in a shaky voice, looking at Malice.

He brings my jaw back, forcing me to look at him.

"Think you're being sweet by speaking for my girl? It's actually really fucking rude. I suggest you stay out of it. And don't even try to threaten me with some fat guys in uniform again. Just makes me lose respect for little Miss Hyrule."

If I was brave or strong I would say so many things to him. But right now I am just trying to stand on my own legs. The last time I defended myself and slapped the man who kissed me, I was nearly beaten with a baseball bat. If I had taken Link's defense class seriously, maybe I'd be able to do something now. No, Ganon is way too tall and too strong. Link couldn't prepare me for something like this... Even Malice, a martial arts fighter, doesn't defend herself, probably because she would lose that fight.

"Let's just go," Malice says to her boyfriend.

"Can't leave yet, I have a very important message to give to Link. But I'm sick of running after that bastard. So..." He looks down at me without a glance of mercy in his eyes. "Congrats, you just earned the right to deliver my message. Next time you see Link," Ganon's hand draws back and reconnects with my cheek before I can process it, "you can tell him we're even."

I heard the slap, but the pain arrives delayed. My face begins to stings as if a million needles were poking it at once and all I can see is snow. When my vision returns slowly, I am down on the grass, pressing my hand against my pulsating cheek. Shit. That hurt. Is that blood I taste?

"You idiot," Malice hisses at her boyfriend. "She's gonna cry about it to her dad now."

"She better not." Ganon comes back to me and crouches down to whisper in my ear. "That wouldn't end well for you."

"Ganon!" Malice shrieks. Too late. Link has torn him away from me and thrown him to the ground. Without restraint, he punches Ganon over and over.

"Link!" I breathe, struggling to find my voice. This is bad.

My eyes dart to Malice, who has a phone attached to her ear. Why isn't she stopping them?

"What are you doing?" I ask her panicked, pain courses from my jaw up to my eye.

"Calling security," she answers in a quick whisper.

I get up, still dizzy from the hit, and run over to tear the phone out of her hand and toss it into the grass.

"What the fuck!" she snaps.

"Link could get expelled if you call security now," I rush over to him while she picks up her phone.

Ganon flips Link over and batters his rib.

"Tad late, buddy," he laughs at Link, aiming for his injuries. "That pretty girl over there already paid your debt."

"Stop, please stop!" I plead but Ganon doesn't listen.

How much more can Link's body take? He is covering his face to shield himself from Ganon's fists. How can I help him? What can I do? I'm terrified of Ganon, his fists could break bones, but standing on the sidelines is torture. Every punch in Link's stomach is a punch in my heart.

"Get off!" I push Ganon, barely enough to nudge him, but his head snaps in my direction. This tiny distraction is all it takes for Link to win the upper hand. He kicks Ganon off and climbs back on top. They could face worse than an expulsion... They could get arrested for this.

"You have to stop!" I cry and pull Link off.

For the fraction of a second he doesn't recognize me, his eyes are hectic and wide, searching my face for something.

"Go!" I push him away. "Go home!"

He shakes his head, ready to risk everything just to strike another punch.

"Don't be stupid!" I whisper aggressively. My words are harsh but I'd say anything to get him out of this situation. If I have to hurt him, I am willing to do that to protect him. Because if he stays any longer he will lose everything; his scholarship, his spot at HU, his career... "Go home!" I demand again and give him another push.

I look at Malice. She looks worried, angry, and sad, but her arrogance masks it when our eyes meet. She looks down on me, redirecting the anger she felt toward Ganon. My eyes return to Link. His chest is jumping up and down, the wounds on his knuckles are all ripped open again, and his eyes hold on to me like an anchor. His torso is slightly bent, he must be in so much pain. Seeing him like this hurts more than the slap from Ganon. I ignore Ganon coughing on the ground. I don't want to look at him again. Ever.

"Please," I beg Link, who is still torn between me and Ganon. "Walk away. Now."

He finally nods at me. I let out a sigh of relief. We have to get away from this scene as quickly as possible. Let Malice clean up this mess.

"I'm so sorry," I mouth to him before I turn on my heels and hurry back to Urbosa waiting by the empty keg.

"Didn't I tell you to wait here?" she teases, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

I am too distracted to reply. When I look back, Malice is trying to help Ganon up but he pushes her away. Link is heading downhill toward the streets. I worry about him. If Urbosa wasn't in the picture I would run after him and make sure he's taken care of. I wonder where he's going. He can't stay here and he refuses to go home. With his body so wounded I already know whom he'll visit tonight...

"Ready?" Urbosa asks, pulling my eyes to her. "Oh my, Zelda," she gasps. "What happened to your face?"

"Huh?" I touch my cheek softly and wince. That hurts a whole lot more when I touch it. I've never been slapped before.

I hide that side of my face behind my hair and give her a nervous smile.

"Yeah, no, I... There was a mosquito on my cheek and I slapped myself on accident. It's nothing."

"A... Mosquito?"

"Mhm," my lips are pressed into a thin line and I nod. I am beyond furious and hiding it is not the easiest task right now. Ganon... what an appalling swine. My throat feels on fire and I can't relax my fists. "I'm ready, let's go," I say as calmly as I can.

...

Urbosa drives up to her house by the beach. I haven't been here in a while and underestimated how big the property is. She owns a whole section of the beach; her yard is literally of sand. The paycheck from HU is not enough to afford this house but her family in India is quite wealthy and supports her life in the states.

"Oh, I see..." she nods into the phone. "Well, I just thought to inform about it since she was supposed to be home by 10 PM."

Tense, I rub my sweaty palms against each other. The suspense is making me nauseous. How will Father react to me staying with Urbosa after we fought this morning?

"Okay, you as well," she ends the phone call just as she parks the car in the garage.

I just remembered that I left my car on campus. Now I'll need another ride tomorrow morning, great... I blame Ganon, he just won't leave my mind. If I wasn't so scared of him, I would march over to his house and tell him what I think of him. If I knew his address that is.

"What did he say?" I ask with a sour taste on my tongue.

"He said it's fine, he isn't even in California."

"Huh? Where is he?"

"He's in Seattle over the weekend for business. Oh, and he also said that the curfew only applies to school nights. So you wouldn't have been late today."

"Oh."

An odd assembly of relief and more disappointment fills my stomach. He didn't tell me he was leaving for Seattle this weekend. But I'm happy to know that I don't have to worry about the curfew on weekends anymore. I was so sure he said I have to be home by 10 PM every day. Maybe I misunderstood the other rules too? I should ask him about them when he's back, on the other hand I don't want to risk suspicion on the whole boyfriend part. Maybe I'll just ask about the grading terms. A 100 on every assignment does sound rather ridiculous.

"Just a heads up, Riju is currently living with me," Urbosa says when we walk up to the front door.

"Really? I haven't seen her in years. How old is she now?"

"She's 12 but she sure doesn't act like it."

"Does she misbehave a lot?"

Urbosa laughs. "Not at all. She behaves like an adult. I'm quite proud of her."

"She has always been very mature."

Stepping inside is like entering a portal to India. Decor, plants, fountains, and the smell of spices fill the living room with culture. Everything is so silent that the calm sea can be heard from the open glass doors. A large bookshelf of dark wood stands against the stone wall, only it's not filled with books but with trophies, medals, pictures, and the pair of shoes Urbosa was wearing when she set the new world record for the longest long jump at the Olympics in Australia many years ago.

"Riju is sleeping in the guest bedroom," Urbosa says in a low volume, then turns on the kitchen light. I take a seat at the counter and rub my tired eyes.

"You can have the couch for the night," she tells me and opens the fridge. "Hungry?"

"Not really."

"Thirsty?" Urbosa wiggles a bottle of red wine in her hand and smirks at me.

"That's a trick question, right? Father set you up for this."

"One glass is healthy. My mother always used to share a glass of wine with me on special occasions."

"Me sleeping over is a special occasion?" I laugh.

"Having you here is always a special occasion."

"I'm good, but thank you."

Urbosa shrugs and grabs one glass from the cabinet. She fills it halfway. I wonder if my life would have been very different if I had lived with Urbosa after Mother passed. Would I be the same person?

"We never finished our conversation about Link," Urbosa grins and takes a sip from her wine. "Why was he looking for you?"

"I don't know. Maybe he had a question about our biology homework?"

"Mhm," she smirks at me. "Why are you blushing then?"

"I'm not." My cheek is probably just read from Ganon's slap. "I don't care about Link," I add.

My heart stings. I want to take that back immediately. Lying to Urbosa feels wrong but I had to say that to protect our secret, I said it to protect Link, to protect myself. It still hurts to utter something so far from the truth.

If I had grown up living with Urbosa, perhaps I would have already had a boyfriend. Maybe I too would have become an athlete. Maybe I would be happy. Brave. Honest. Maybe... Maybe it's not too late for any of those things.

"Actually," I take a slow breath. "That's a lie."

I can't look at her. Not when I tell her that I lied to her. She has never abused my trust, she of all people does not deserve to be lied to.

"I care about Link, deeply," I admit, holding my necklace tightly between my fingers. "I didn't treat him right when I first met him, I was too scared of Father to allow Link to come close to me. But we have spent a lot of time together since then, some times were coincidences, some were deliberate. He has helped me out a couple of times, he was there for me when I needed him and... And well... to be frank he brings out the worst in me but he also makes me want to be a better person. I want to be close to him. It's all I can think about. I want to make him smile." At this point I'm sure I am in fact blushing. "And he has expressed the same for me."

Urbosa takes a breath to say something but falls silent. A few seconds later she has assembled her thoughts and speaks calmly.

"Well," she takes a very unruffled sip. "I think you would make a great pair."

"We're not... No, Urbosa, we're not dating. I have to follow Father's rules: No boyfriends."

"First of all, I said you would make a great pair, not you are. And secondly, I said pair. Not couple."

"What do you mean by that?" I ask shyly.

"The two of you are very similar but just different enough to complete each other perfectly."

I am quick to dismiss her idea with a short laugh. "We have nothing in common."

"Nothing?" Urbosa leans against the counter and smiles. "The two of you are tenacious and most diligent. You are both exceptional students, dedicated to giving your best every day. You work under tremendous pressure, striving to maintain a public reputation and exceeding the expectations put on you while thousands of pairs of eyes watch every step of your way. Little Bird... You think nobody can comprehend what it is like to be you... but I think Link can."

I don't say anything in response. Her words need to sink in for a moment. I've always see Link as the complete opposite. Not even counting our hobbies or, well the lack of it, Link is strong, so free, and seems to handle the pressure just fine. Of course he has told me about his fears of failure, and I suppose that is something we have in common, but he is a much better fighter. Not just physically, but mentally. I feel myself getting closer to my breaking point every day while he seems so collected.

"He doesn't have to be a boyfriend," Urbosa concludes. "He can just be a friend, have you ever considered that?"

"I have considered being Link's friend and hang out with him in public... But there are complications that make even just a friendship impossible. He's famous and anywhere near campus, so am I. We get recognized, whether we want to or not. Rumors would spread if we were to be seen together and Father would believe those rumors over his own daughter."

I place my head on the cold surface of the counter and close my eyes as I am imagining all the horrible things Father will say to me tomorrow night.

"I wish Father would just let me live my life the way I want. I am trying so hard to please him, but the destiny he chose for me is not my own. I want to follow my heart and make my own decisions for once."

"I hate to see you this stressed," Urbosa walks around the counter to rub my back. "Have you considered making an appointment for counseling?"

"I don't need a therapist, I have you to talk to."

"Yes, and my door is always open, but we have more resources on campus. Deku is a professional. He is better at giving advice without being biased.

"Biased? I thought you're on my side," I lift my head.

"I'm not on anybody's side," she says.

"Yes, you're either on mine or Father's."

"No, Zelda. Both you and your father have valid points. Your father wants order, you want freedom. But sweetie, rules are just as important as freedom. It's important to find the balance. It's a paradox humans have started wars over. I do believe a compromise can be found however. You will have to talk to your father about that. But I wasn't even referring to that. I was more so talking about school and your social life. You can always talk to me, I am hear to listen, but I'm not trained in helping, I can only do so much. I think talking to Deku is a fair idea. You have nothing to lose. If you don't like it you don't have to go again."

"I am more comfortable talking to you," I tell her.

"Well, that does make me happy. I appreciate your honesty," she smiles. I know her smile isn't real. Not fully at least. She wants me to talk to a professional but I am not comfortable with that and I do hope she understands that.

"I'm exhausted" I yawn. "It's been a really long day and my body aches. I think I'm going to call it an early night."

"I will grab a blanket and pillow for you."

Urbosa leaves the kitchen. I get up and follow into the living room.

"Urbosa?" I say when she places a folded blanket on the armrest.

"Yes, Little Bird?"

"Thank you... For listening. And for letting me stay the night."

"You're welcome here at any time," she gives me another warm hug and wishes me good night.