Over one year had passed since the day Zelda received the Swirl and Air of the Wild from Link. The day she could've kissed him, but was pushed away violently by her own fears. Fears of what? She didn't even know, but she didn't want to focus on the past. Didn't she already make that resolution last year when she was a freshman?

Zelda was also glad that she had cut off that stupid deal she and Link made over a year ago. It was foolhardy to her, and she didn't want it to continue. Besides, Link had already won her over, so there was no point to the deal's existence anymore.

Now she was a sophomore in high school, being in the tenth grade. Midna, Link, and anyone else she remembered from last year still attended this school. Including some people she didn't like that much, specifically, Lana and Groose.

They're both bullies, and they're both very annoying. They'd be perfect together! Zelda thought mischievously to herself, spotting the blue haired devil the moment she thought of her. Zelda snickered quietly.

Lana never spoke to Zelda, and that's only because she didn't know how to. This was something Zelda was incredibly grateful for, because both Midna and Link always told her about how annoying Lana's voice sounded. ("It's kinda screechy and—wow, it's just terrible, Zelda!")

It had been a week since New Years Day, and everyone was back in school. New Years Day wasn't very exciting for Zelda, once again. Did people usually do things on that day? Because she never had. She was used to just staying at home with her parents and not even caring to watch the all drop in Central Hyrule Square, wearing pajamas and probably reading something stupid.

Midna had already texted Zelda beforehand that she would not be coming to school today, as she had come down with a terrible cold. After wishing Midna to get well soon, Zelda pulled out her Swirl and began to play it during lunchtime. She had nothing better to do, aside from eating, anyway.

Some of her peers stared at her, but she didn't see them. She was too focused on playing the game. Splatoon 2. She had played the original Splatoon when it was brand new and she held a lot of memories with it. You can imagine her excitement when the sequel was announced and then released.

While she was playing the game, someone sat down in front of her. Whoever it was must've been big, because Zelda felt the table shake underneath her elbows propped up on the table. She finally looked away from the screen and saw Groose sitting there. Not someone she expected, but at the same time, this wasn't a surprise.

What surprised her is that he signed the words, "Hello, Zelda! How are you today?" perfectly in sign language.

I thought he didn't know sign language?! But, who am I to assume that, I guess he does, Zelda thought, returning her eyes to the Swirl's screen after rolling them.

Groose was utterly shocked—how did that not win her over? Or at least get her to talk to him?

?????

He waved in front of her face, making Zelda groan in annoyance and look away from the screen in her hands.

"I'm trying to talk to you, you know," he signed to her.

Zelda sighed and sat the Swirl down. "I know. I'm trying to ignore you," she signed.

"Hey! I learned sign language just for you!" he signed with a shocked facial expression, and his words made Zelda think for a second, but that didn't last long.

"I am not obligated to like you!" she furiously signed back, immediately returning to her game. There was fire in her eyes as she played the game.

"Please talk to me," Groose signed again, looking as if he was about to burst into tears.

This guy! What a crybaby! A loser! A fucking fool! Zelda thought, shaking her head and grabbing the Swirl, along with her lunchbox. Her eyes started scanning the room for any open table she could flee to.

Why, oh why Midna, why did today have to be a day you're not here? And where the hell is Link?! Zelda thought angrily to herself, finding no empty tables to sit at.

Glancing to her left side, she spotted Link sitting beside Lana.

Of course, Zelda thought bitterly, approaching the table where Link sat.

Ooh, what if Link likes Lana all of a sudden? Zelda thought immaturely, and even mentally laughing at how childish she sounded. So jealous. Nah, nah. He definitely doesn't look pleased today. And he didn't. He looked about as dead as he usually did.

Link spotted Zelda out of the corner of his eye, his face lighting up when they made eye contact, but instantly dimming when he heard Lana gasp dramatically beside him.

"Zelda's back?!" Lana exclaimed, and Link shot her an angry look.

"What? Don't look at me like that," Lana complained. "She can't even hear me."

"Don't use that to your advantage," Link snapped quietly, but Lana barely heard him over all the commotion in the cafeteria.

Lana began to shoo Zelda away from their table, and Link grabbed his lunch tray and began to follow Zelda.

The blue haired girl was shocked. "Hey! Linkkk! Get back here!"

Link didn't answer.

Zelda felt a headache coming on the more her stupid little brain decided to overanalyze Lana and Link's relationship.

The two sat back at their normal lunch table, with Zelda glad that Groose had miraculously disappeared.

Thinking about Groose again made her insides twist up, and not in the good way. Not in the way she felt around Link, no. It felt more painful and uneasy.

Zelda stood up and sat next to Link instead of in front of him, showing him the Swirl and the game she was playing.

His eyes lit up at the console, which he took from Zelda's hands after noticing her gesture towards him. Link had no idea how to control the game, so Zelda helped him every step of the way.

Lana looked over her shoulder to see Link so close to Zelda, which caused jealousy to boil up in her veins. She let out a small shriek, startling anyone who was sitting at her table.

"Lana, who're you mad at?" Cia, her older twin sister asked.

"Zelda! That stupid, stupid girl in our grade," Lana complained. "She's getting all lovey-dovey with Link over there," she mocked

Cia looked over her shoulder to spot out the two lovebirds, indeed smiling with each other while Zelda taught Link how to play Splatoon 2.

Though, Cia didn't really want to get tangled up in this mess. Besides, if Link did have a thing for Zelda, there was nothing Lana could do about it. Cia knew that well, but Lana acted so immature compared to her, that she didn't.

Lana stared at Cia in disbelief once she got no response from her. "Cia! You're not gonna say anything?"

"How am I supposed to reply to that?" Cia snapped back. "I don't particularly care about your 'love' problems. If Link likes her, then let him be!"

"Why would he like her, of all people? I've heard rumors that Link used to bully her. Bully her!" Lana yelled. "Why would she even like him after that?"

"People change and so do feelings," a quieter member at their table, Sheik, said. "Zelda seems more mature than you, Lana. Maybe she has moved on," they suggested.

"I sure wouldn't!" Lana spat. If someone bullied me relentlessly in the past, I'd hate them forever!" She let out a huffed breath and crossed both arms over her chest.

"But you're Lana, not Zelda," Sheik retorted. "That's how you'd perceive it. Zelda's different, so obviously... You know." They rolled their eyes, not even bothering to finish their sentence.

Lana's mouth gaped open at their words, which quickly turned into a facial expression full of anger.

"I can't stand you guys!" Lana exclaimed, grabbing her lunch tray and beginning to walk to another table. "I'll find someone who really understands me!"

Sheik looked over at Cia, rolling their eyes again before returning to eating their lunch. Cia grinned to herself, knowing now that Sheik was a good person behind all of their quietness.

Lana stomped over to find another table, when she noticed a freakishly large red pompadour poking out from behind someone else's head. It quickly caught her attention, and she stormed over there to see Groose crying.

"Hey, pompadour dude! Why're you crying?" Lana questioned the weeping man, sitting her lunch tray down and sitting in the chair just in front of Groose.

"Oh!" Groose exclaimed, surprised to see another human sitting in front of him. "No reason..."

"Who cries for no reason?" Lana asked.

"Emo's, but I swear—I'm not emo," Groose said, sighing and lifting his hands away from his face, revealing his red, puffy eyes. "I guess—I guess I'll tell you."

Lana listened intently.

"I've been in love with Zelda Harkinian ever since I first laid eyes on her in middle school. She has yet to notice me until last year, and I completely failed at wooing her then!" Groose explained, choking up on his sadness. "But...the world is so unfair, dammit! She's always hanging out with that Link guy! I can't believe I ever called him my friend. Not anymore, after he STOLE—"

"Hey, hey! Calm down, idiot!" Lana shushed him, holding her hand out and lowering it once Groose shut his mouth. "I think we can help each other." A mischievous grin coiled into her lips.

Groose's eyes lit up. "He—help? As in—"

"Yes! I like Link, and you like Zelda, right?" Lana asked, to which Groose nodded as his answer. He was starting to catch on, at last.

"Well, if we work together, we can separate them. Everyone else thinks I'm crazy for doing this, but you don't, right?" Lana questioned again, and Groose just nodded once more.

"Then—then let's do that!" Groose cheered happily. "Wait, so, what's your name?"

"Lana," she answered. "And you?"

"Groose!" he exclaimed happily. "And what's our plan?"

Lana grinned mischievously once more, already coming up with a foolproof plan to make Link hers and for Zelda to be Groose's.

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