I Said No

I wake up before Link. It's 8 AM and he is sound asleep. He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping. I gently brush his hair out of his face, tempted to kiss his cheek. For once there are no bruises on his skin.

With every breath I inhale, butterflies dance in my tummy. Link is handsome, very handsome, but his big heart is what attracts me. Like the moon attracts the water, I am drawn to him. And now I realize how creepy it is that I am watching him in his sleep... I take his hand into mine and plant a soft kiss on his knuckles, waking him leisurely.

"I gotta go soon," I whisper into his ear.

He shakes his head and pulls me into a hug without opening his eyes. Even in the morning, half asleep, he is strong enough to keep me in place.

"You can stay in bed, Sleepyhead. But I have to make sure Father hasn't signed any adoption papers yet." I am scared to check my phone. The number of missed calls would only discourage me.

"Who are you calling Sleepyhead?" He groans and opens his eyes to look up at me. "I've already done my morning work out and showered while you were still dreaming about me. I'm technically just taking a nap right now."

"You have? I must have slept right through it."

"Mhm, I know it's hard to believe but I can be really quiet."

I free myself from his hug and get up. Having folded his hoodie and brushed my hair, I am ready to sneak out of the house. I hope none of Link's roommates are up yet.

"Stay in bed," I tell Link when he gets up with much effort.

"I drove you here, remember?" his raspy voice chuckles.

"Oh, right."

Now that he is up I notice that he is wearing a different t-shirt and sweatpants from last night. Did I really sleep though him leaving and coming back to bed? He grabs his keys and leaves the room first, making sure the hallways are empty. He grabs a banana from the kitchen on our way out and hands it to me when we reach the car.

"Breakfast is important," he says.

"What about you?"

"I had a protein shake earlier. I'll eat more when I'm back."

Link drives me back to the parking lot of Vah Rudania where my car is parked. He gets out with me to walk me to my car and waits for me to put my bag in the back. Unsure how to say goodbye after spending the night together I open the door to the driver's seat.

"I'm sorry that we have to postpone our date. Again," I say, looking at my trembling hands. "Today is going to be a challenge. I have to make things right with Impa and with Father." And with Pik, but he has to wait until Monday.

"You got your postcard?" he asks caring.

"It's in my bag."

The streets are so calm. The sky is free of clouds and the air is mild. It doesn't look like it but I feel a storm brewing. I guess my nerves are just taking over my senses. My chest is tight and nausea swirls up my throat every time I swallow.

"I can't do this..." I whisper. Link looks at me as if I have more to say but I don't.

"I think you are a lot tougher than you think."

I shake my head. "I don't think so."

"You stood up to Ganon for a girl that blackmails you."

"That wasn't tough. That was stupid."

"Definitely shouldn't do that again," he chuckles and shrugs. "Doesn't change my mind though. I believe in you."

My vision blurs, tears stain the asphalt. Why am I crying? I hug Link for a good minute. These aren't happy tears but they don't stem from sadness either. I am just overwhelmed. For months now I have been on a roller coaster of emotions. One moment I feel incredibly good, like last night, the next moment everything is falling apart and I find myself crying in a parking lot on a Saturday morning. I just want to feel okay for one day.

"Thank you," I squeeze him one last time before I get into my car. I roll down my window and look up at him waiting for me to drive off. "I just want you to know that... Everything you do for me, I don't take it for granted. I've made my fair share of mistakes, I know I was in the wrong and still am sometimes but... I don't know what to say other than thank you. I am grateful to have you in my life... I don't say that often enough but I think about it all the time."

"I..." he looks at his feet and scratches the back of his head. Did I put him on the spot again? I didn't mean to make things uncomfortable. A soft smile appears on his face when his eyes return to mine. "I think you should stay over more often."

"I'm sure Father would--" I bite my tongue. I see Link's point now, and Pik's. "I'd really like that," I say instead, not making any promises.

---

I don't even turn my car off when I reach the dorms, that's how eager I am to see Impa and move past this pointless fight. Card in hand I run to the door but it doesn't open. I don't have an access card the building and Impa surely won't open the door for me. I unlock my phone, ignoring all my notifications, and call Mipha. She says she'll be right there and only a minute later she opens the heavy glass door for me.

"Thanks Mipha," I enter the building at a fast pace and walk up the stairs with her.

"How are you?" She begins small talk. I don't want to be rude but I don't have time for chit-chat.

"I'm fine, you?"

"I'm good. A little nervous about today's swim meet. You look nervous too, are you sure you are alright?" she asks softly.

"Just a little stressed out about school, nothing to worry," I assure her.

"Have you tried meditating? It's been proven to reduce stress and pain. It can also heighten levels of patience and--"

"I'm sorry," I interrupt her, "I'm in a bit of a hurry, so..." Hopefully one night was enough time for Impa to cool down.

"Oh, no, certainly, go on," she smiles and heads to her dorm room on the next floor while I stay on the freshman floor.

I practically sprint to Impa's door and knock twice. The door swings open and my shoulders fall into disappointment when Impa is not the face that greets me.

"Good morning, Zelda," Paya murmurs.

"Is Impa here?" I already know the answer.

"No. She said she won't be back until Monday."

"Do you know where she is?" I press.

"Um... Impa told me that if you stop by I should tell you that she doesn't want to see you. I'm sorry."

"I know she doesn't want to see me but I have to talk to her. Do you know where she is?"

"Mh..." Paya avoids my desperate eyes. "I really shouldn't say..."

"Paya, I beg you, please, where is she?"

"She..." Paya hesitates and picks at the skin around her nails. "She went home for the weekend."

"Home? To her parents' home?"

I'm already halfway down the hallway by the time Paya affirms my question. I head back to my car and don't waste a minute. On my drive to the suburbs I don't listen to music. Overpowering thoughts and the pounding of my racing heart is all I hear until I reach her neighborhood.

Impa's father is mowing the front lawn when I pull into their parking lot. He recognizes me and turns the lawn mower off, greets me with a smile, and walks over to my car before I'm ready to get out. I can only assume that Impa did not tell her parents about our fight, otherwise this man probably wouldn't be walking up to me with a huge grin on his face.

"Zelda, what a pleasant surprise. I haven't seen you since..." he ponders and I decide to help his memory.

"Since graduation."

"That's right. Did I ever tell you how much I liked your speech? It was touching and very well written."

"Why thank you, that's... very kind of you." I hardly remember my speech.

"So! How have you been? How's your father doing?"

"We're both doing fine," I lie and fake a smile. "I apologize for the unannounced visit. Is Impa home?"

"She is upstairs. You can go on inside, I still have to water the plants after I've mowed the lawn, but I'll join you guys as soon as I'm done here. I want to know all about your college experience so far."

I nod at him and walk up to the porch while he continues his gardening. Before I reach the doorknob, Impa opens the door with a flinty expression.

"You have some nerves coming here," she hisses. "I told you I need space."

"No, what you told me is that you don't want to be friends anymore..."

Luckily her father can't hear us through the sounds of the lawn mower.

"Impa, I'm really sorry about everything. Just let me explain," I want to step inside but she blocks the entrance.

"I told you I don't want to talk."

"Please, there's got to be something I can do," I beg.

"You can leave me alone," she says and slams the door in my face.

"I wrote a postcard," I try to open the door but she locks it just as I twist the door knob. Knocking and quietly shouting at her doesn't do the trick so I just slide the card under the door.

Impa opens the door again having picked up the postcard. She looks straight into my eyes as she rips it apart and shuts the door anew. An Involuntary gasp falls from my lips and I clench my fists.

"I made one mistake! Stop acting like a child and talk to me!" I hammer against the door. She has to at least let me explain that I made a promise to Link.

"It wasn't one mistake!" Impa cries from the other side. "I just had the absolute worst week of my life and you weren't there for me!"

"I didn't know!" I defend myself.

"That's the problem! You didn't know... Whenever you don't feel good I know. Because I care!"

"I care too! You know I do! Just open the door."

"It's been weeks since we've had a full conversation and even then all you talk about is yourself. For months we haven't spent more than five minutes together. I needed you and you weren't there. It wasn't one mistake, Zelda, you hurt me over and over and didn't even notice it."

"I wanted to hang out last night but you didn't show up," I tell her irritated. "You could have said something when you weren't feeling good. I would have been there for you, don't act like you don't know that!"

"How dare you blame this on me?" She barks back.

"I'm not blaming you, I--"

"I was a mess last night and you couldn't have cared less!"

"Excuse me? I was just as much of a mess! You literally ended our friendship over this-- this bullshit," I whisper in a harsh tone.

"Yeah well... I didn't mean any of it."

"What? You've got to be kidding me," I try the doorknob again. It won't budge.

"I wasn't myself last night. I felt bad for saying those things so I called you afterward but you brushed me! I don't even want to know what you were doing with him while I was feeling sorry for you!"

How does she know that I was with Link..? Maybe Daruk told her? I don't even know what to say. I'm furious and it's taking everything inside of me not to scream at her while her father is right around the corner.

"Just go away Zelda! I don't want to deal with this right now."

"Come on Impa, just open the door," I say much calmer and gently hit my forehead against the door. I slide down the wall and sit against the door, watching the quiet street as I wait for Impa to say something.

A familiar car stops at the sidewalk. I have to look twice because I don't believe my eyes.

"Father?" I gawp in bewilderment as he rolls down his window. I quickly pick up the pieces of the postcard and hide them in my bag.

"Zelda, where were you last night? Why did you not call me back?" he asks in a grim tone. Now that I think about it, he probably only called me once. All the other missed calls must have been from Impa... This couldn't possibly get any worse. His timing is remarkable. He gets out and walks up to the porch.

Impa's father turns off the lawn mower to join us at the door. If I could, I'd hide from both of them. Why couldn't Impa have just opened the door?

The two men greet each other with a handshake. How did Father know where I am? And why is he here? How does he always pop up at the most inconvenient moments?

"Zelda, I do not want to repeat myself. Where were you all night?" Father asks impatiently. What am I supposed to say now? I can't tell him I stayed at Link's house. Should I say I stayed at Urbosa's?

The door flies open and all eyes turn to Impa.

"She was here with me," she tells my father.

"Is that true?" he asks her father.

Impa and her father exchange a flying look before he answers.

"Indeed. Zelda was here. Come to think of it, I probably should have informed you about it," he tells my father. I can't believe he just went along with it. He holds Father in high regards and lying to him was probably not something he enjoyed.

Father raises an eyebrow. He does not look convinced. I hope he doesn't take my phone away again. Or worse; blame Impa's father for any of this.

"You were here all night?" Father asks me.

"Yes," I reply, dodging his eyes.

"You didn't go anywhere else?"

"No, Father, I was here all night."

"But your phone said..." he stops himself and shakes his head. "Did you have your phone with you all night?"

"I actually didn't have my phone with me last night," I say. I would rather have to listen to him telling me I'm a mess who can't take care of her personal items than to tell him that I deliberately avoided his phone call.

"Keep your phone with you at all times, Zelda."

"I will," I lower my head.

His blue eyes aim at Impa's father. "And yes, you should have informed me," he says in a passive aggressive voice, not even blinking.

"Thank you," I mouth to Impa but she just stares back at me more fuming than before. How mad can she really be? She just made her father lie to mine to save me. This only proves that she is still looking out for me. I think she wants to stay mad at me but can't. We have been best friends for as long as I can remember. There is no way she isn't secretly hoping to spend the day with me.

"Okay," Father gives in. Can it really be? Is he going to just drop it? "Let's go, Zelda," he demands, turning his back at us.

"If it's alright with you, I was hoping to stay another night. I deserve a day off," I dare say to him.

"Out of the question." He starts walking back to his car. I don't follow. Only when he reaches the street does he notice that I am still standing on the porch.

"Zelda," he growls, trying to be subtle. I don't move.

"Don't dawdle. Grab your things, we are leaving."

"No, I'm staying," I tell him.

"Don't disobey me. You're going home with me. We have matters that need to be discussed."

"I said no."