"Ms. Hyrule," the professor says in a calm voice and I see Link's head being the last to turn towards me. "Your phone?"
I notice the buzzing coming from my backpack and quickly dive my hand inside to find my phone. Someone is calling me but I decline before I can see the name on the screen.
"I'm sorry," I apologize to the professor and to the class as I clutch my phone.
I don't need a mirror to know that my face is glowing red. How embarrassing... This is the first time my phone rang during class and I will make sure it was the last. As everyone returns their eyes to their books I can feel that one person still has their eyes on me. In a subtle motion, I turn my head toward my shoulder to look behind me. Link is silently looking back at me. Did he hear my name? He must have. Now he knows who I really am. Another person seeing my family's fame and wealth when looking at me. I wonder if he just noticed me for the first time.
I turn back, determined to focus on class, unlike Mipha, who is doodling hearts into her notebook. And not the human hearts we are discussing. I can feel the annoyance weighing on my shoulders again but I shake it off, knowing that I will pass every test with an A, no matter how many distractions I have to endure.
I make it through the entire lab without wasting another thought on Link or Mipha. Or anything unrelated to Biology. That was my last class for the day, so I have time to stop in the hallway to see who called me. Just as I unlock my phone, Link passes and our eyes meet again.
He doesn't say anything, his eyes just attach to me as he walks out of the classroom and down the hall. The way he looks at me brings the order in my head to crumble. He doesn't smile, but he doesn't look angry either. I can't pinpoint what he's thinking and it's driving me mad. I am the first to look away, back at my phone.
I have one missed call and three new messages from Impa. I'm a little annoyed, she knew I had a class and still bothered to call me. My anger is replaced by fear when I read her messages.
*SOS*
*Answer your phone!*
*Your dad found out!*
In hopes that this is just a misunderstanding, I call her back with a horrible trembling in my hands.
"Zelda!" She answers quickly.
"What do you mean he found out?" I ask worried.
"He knows about your major!" My heart sinks to my stomach. "I walked past him when he was talking to one of the politics professors about your grades, but the professor was confused, obviously, and told him that you aren't in any of his classes."
"This is bad," I whisper into my phone. "This is really really bad."
"I'm sure he's checked your major by now. He seemed really mad."
"This is bad," I say again.
"Where are you right now?"
"Biology," is all I manage to say.
"I'm coming, stay where you are."
Impa hangs up and I feel the floor moving like ruthless waves beneath my feet. Panic is slowly kicking in but my mind is fighting to keep calm. I've never lied to Father, not like this. I'm scared of the consequences. Although I'm sure he won't expel me I still fear the argument we'll be having at dinner.
On days like these I miss Mother painfully much. I don't have many memories of her, but I remember that she always encouraged me to follow my heart. Ever since she passed away, her best friend Urbosa has been there for me when I had problems or heartaches.
Without thinking, I walk away from the classroom and head over to the track. I need to see Urbosa right now before I break down crying. Urbosa is the coach for the track and field team; one more reason why I was so excited to attend HU. She's quite amazing at her job, I know that every student that encounters her loves her, even if they don't have her as a coach. It's easy to spot her, even from afar, due to her striking height and her long, flaming red hair.
As expected, she is standing at the side of the track with a stopwatch in her hand, cheering for the athletes.
"One more lap," she yells at the student passing her. "Finish strong!"
Having reached the bleachers, part of me wants to turn around and leave. I hate to bother others with my problems, and I see that she's busy with practice, but before my mind can catch up, I've called her name.
She turns around with a happy expression. "Little bird," she says merrily, "what a pleasant surprise."
"I wasn't sure if you were at practice, I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Don't worry, you are never a bother." I try to project a smile. "Is something the matter? You look very concerned."
"Er," I rub my arm and look at my feet. "It's nothing."
I need her advice and comfort, but I tell her I came to watch her team train instead. I find a seat on the empty bleachers. The metal is hot from the sun and I shift uncomfortably, trying to rid my thighs of that burning sting.
"Great job," Urbosa speaks to her team and places her hands on her hips. "Five-minute break everyone!"
As the athletes drink some water and find rest in the shade, Urbosa steps off the track and onto the bleachers. She sits down next to me and gives me a smile full of empathy.
"So, what's on your mind, little bird?"
I can't help but smile a little. Mother was the only one to call me by that nickname and hearing that Urbosa calls me that in her comforting voice makes it feel as if Mother never truly left. My hand plays with the locket on my necklace. It has a picture of Mother inside and I never take it off. Ever.
"It's..." I bite my bottom lip. "It's not really a matter of five minutes."
"A lot can be said in five minutes. Talk to me."
"I just had a bit of a rough day I suppose."
"It's more than that," she says, convinced. "You always hold your necklace like that when you're worried about something."
I let go of the locket and look up at Urbosa. "Oh."
"So?"
"Well... Er... Remember how I told you that I was majoring in biology?"
"Of course."
"Yes, well, the thing is... Father thought I was majoring in political science."
"Oh, Zelda."
"And now he's found out that I'm not doing what everyone is expecting of me and I am too scared to go home to face him."
"You haven't talked to him yet?"
"No, he just found out about an hour ago," I say and my head is buzzing. I hide my eyes behind my hands. "I don't know what's waiting for me at home."
Urbosa strokes my back.
"Biology is my passion! Why can't he accept that? Oh and now my biology classes are ruined too!"
"Why is that?"
"There's this guy," I groan and hug my knees in distress. "He's disturbing the whole class! Even my project partner, who is usually super studious, was utterly distracted today. And he's in my English class, too!"
"What does he do? Does he talk a lot?"
"No," I give an annoyed chuckle, "he doesn't. But everyone else does. Wherever he goes, everyone is always talking about him. It's really getting on my nerves!"
At that very moment, I hear a large group of girls on the track giggling loudly and I look up from my knees to find the source of their silly behavior. Urbosa gives a hearty laugh as we both spot Link walking past the track.
"I think I know who you're talking about."
I don't reply. My eyes are glued to the boy walking alongside the bleachers. He is carrying a gym bag and when our eyes meet once again he stops walking. Why did he just stop? I quickly look away, but not two seconds later my eyes are drawn to his again. He's still looking. Should I stare back or ignore him? Usually when people look at me for this long they're judging me for my reputation, but with him, it's different. He doesn't look judgmental at all. Why can't I read him? And why does he keep looking at me like that? Like he's trying to figure me out.
"What?" I suddenly yell at him in anger. "Stop staring at me!"