Hyrule Academy: A Zelink Story

Too Distracted

Zelda's POV

Friday is off to a good start. I haven't seen Malice since I arrived on campus about 10 minutes ago. I need to change for my PE lesson but, one of the only changing rooms here are to the right of the main reception. The men and women's changing rooms are surprisingly close. They're around the corner from one another. They're the only rooms in this singular corridor, apart from the ones at the ends that lead outside or back to the direction of the main reception, where I came from. There's also another room further down that must be the coach's office. Do all the PE teachers use this room? Or do they each have their own? I know Urbosa does. Do they use this one to have meetings and discuss things together? That doesn't matter. I need to get ready.

I enter the women's changing room and immediately see how big it is. There's a lot of benches and hangers to the right and the left wall is lined with tall, light grey lockers. There's a door near the back that must lead to the showers. I like that it's separate from the normal changing area; it allows for some privacy. I don't know why I expected it to be much smaller. There must be a lot of students that use these rooms. The only other changing rooms I'm aware of are the ones in the Zora Dome, but they're specifically for the swimming students, or groups that aren't a part of the academy sometimes practice there and attend clubs outside of student hours.

The system is quite strict, but with good reason. It's one of the only things I appreciate about father. He knows how to keep things in order. How dare Malice think that I'd convince father to step down in any way. He worked hard to be where he is now. Sure, we have always been well known because of our family's legacy, but father has maintained the strength and honesty that a great leader requires and has kept the overall support of the people of Hyrule. No one can take his place, nor should they.

Stop thinking about Malice, Zelda. I finish getting changed into my white long sleeved shirt and black tracksuit bottoms and carefully place my things in the locker I've been assigned. It's another cold morning so I'm glad I found these clothes at the mall, yesterday. I'm about to leave, when I stop at the sound of someone clearing their throat behind me. There's a woman who looks to be the same age as me, maybe older by all the makeup she's wearing and the way she is scanning me with her beige eyes, looking very judgmental. She flings her long, dark brown hair over her shoulder. I feel uncomfortable. I see two other girls sat behind her. I guess they're a group. They all look kind of similar with their highlights and long ponytails.

..."Um... may I help you?" I shuffle my feet, feeling very awkward. She steps closer to me. I take a small step back.
"You're Zelda? Rhoam's prestigious daughter? What a joke."
..."Excuse me?" My eyes narrow as she sniggers.
"By what I've heard about you and what you've got up to in your first week here, I just expected... more than this. I thought you'd be an actual challenge." What is this woman even saying? She's trying to be mean, but I don't fully understand her points.
"May I ask who you are, exactly? And why you're saying these things to me? We don't know each other." All three girls laugh.
"You're so innocent, aren't you? You make me gag. I don't know what Link or Malice see in you. Wait, actually, I do." She smiles. Link? Malice? Why is she mentioning them? I still don't even know who she is. So many questions.

"Look. I don't know you, nor do I want to at the moment. I need to attend my lesson." Before I can turn around, the girl grabs my arm.
"What's the rush? Can't even be bothered to speak to us for a few minutes? Are we not worthy of your time?" I see where she's going with this. She thinks she's talking to a spoilt, self-centred girl who's father has provided her with everything she could ever want. I sigh. I hope this means she isn't actually mean and is just trying to stand up to me. If I tell her I'm not like that, will she be nice to me?

"No, that's not it. I just have a PE lesson to go to, but we can talk afterwards, if you'd like." I smile warmly at their slightly surprised faces. It slowly drops as they burst out with laughter once again.
"Are you serious?! You really are pathetic. You think you're better than us? You think we want to get to know you? You're not worthy of our company. You have so much wealth and fame and yet, you choose to enter our academy and think you can just fit in? I don't think so. I thought you would fit into our group, but you're not even on our level. Why don't you just stay in your own lane and take your weak ass and get out." Okay, so she's just a mean girl. I've tried to be nice and she's responded with unneeded insults.