Link’s pov: I didn’t know where I was going. But I already didn’t know. I slipped past students with ease, trying to find my way around the school. I wasn’t looking for a particular class; unless it was for an excuse. If anyone asked, I would say I didn’t know what classes I had. I found a tucked away corner where I could hide. Luckily, I settled in right by a heater, so I knew this could be a spot I could hide in multiple times. I fumbled through the front pocket of my bag until I found what I was looking for. I knew I should’ve saved it for later, but my stomach was louder than anything else. The last bit of bread I’d saved. I ate it in one bite. It satisfied my stomach, but not for long. A couple hours later, it was screaming at me again, but I ignored it. Mostly. I watched as students passed, laughing with their friends with their half full and clean backpacks. I tucked mine closer to my side and slipped one arm through the straps without thinking about it. Nobody saw me. Good. I went unnoticed for a while. Everyone seemed too busy with other things, so I stayed safe. Unseen. When the bell finally rang, the students scattered to their separate classrooms. I knew I would be seen if anyone came out, so I curled myself closer behind the trashcan. The heater thrummed steadily, as if trying to lull me to sleep. I couldn’t sleep. Not now. But it was so tempting. Every time I heard footsteps, I brought my bag closer to my chest. I received a few glances from passing by students, but only brief ones. Looks that stayed only long enough to know there was a person. I knew my goal. I was going to stay here until lunch, then slip into the cafeteria and hope that a teacher wouldn’t notice me. Bonus points if I could slip away with an extra snack. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and put one of my earbuds in. It was risky, but I didn’t know what else to do while I waited. No text messages. No notifications. I sighed in relief. Every contact I’d had I’d deleted. I didn’t need them anymore. They didn’t want to reach out to me, I didn’t want to reach out to them. I’d partially recoded my phone so that I couldn’t be tracked. I didn’t need any help from them. The bell rang again. Students came pouring out of classes, rushing to get to the next one. Stuffing my phone back into my pocket, I tugged my hood tighter over my face, trying not to be seen. I was ignored… Mostly. A Gerudo teacher must’ve noticed my anxiety. She walked over and crouched to my level. She had a faint smile on her face, but I noticed the worry hidden in her eyes. “Hey,” she said. Her voice was quiet and calm, “You can’t sit here, you need to be heading to class.” The fact that she was calm only made it worse. I pretended that I didn’t hear her. I stared at the patterns on the carpet floor. If I waited long enough, she would leave. But she didn’t. “Hey.” she said again. I didn’t respond. She snapped in my face. “Are you doing okay?” “Yeah.” I muttered. It barely came out. I wanted her to leave me alone. I didn’t need to trust anyone. It wouldn’t end well for me anyway. “Do you know where to go?” Her voice was quieter, as if she was trying not to spook a frightened animal. I shook my head before I could think about it. “I’ll go.” I said. “I was just-” She cut me off. “It’s okay. I’m the librarian here. I can take you there if you’d like.” Every muscle in my body stiffened. I wasn’t going anywhere if I could help it. I was fine, right here by this warm heater. The thought of moving made my stomach ache. I was too weak to move without intention. I told myself I was going to wait until lunch, and I intended to stay. But the thought of being somewhere potentially safer satisfied my brain. If I wanted to blend in, I would go with her. I stretched my legs out for a bit before I even attempted to stand. She backed up, giving me enough space to breathe. It was hard to stand at first. Not once, but five times she offered to help. Every time I said I was fine. When I finally succeeded, I put my backpack on with both straps. Just in case. She nodded. “Library’s this way.” I followed her, but far enough away that I could still run if I needed to. The hallway was mostly empty, but I was still tense. More \/
Habit. She opened the library door, waiting to see if I would enter. I hesitated, but made up my mind and walked in. It smelled like old books and something sweet- coffee. She walked back to her desk and let me decide what to do next. No orders. No commands. The closest thing I had to freedom right now. Choice. I sat down at a tucked away table, wedged between two bookshelves. I pulled the first book off the shelf and tucked my bag on my lap to seem like I’d been here to study. It was titled Ancient Serpents of Hyrule. Too bad. I already knew a lot about those dragons. But I read it anyway. It was surprisingly interesting. I learned a couple things I didn’t already know. I got comfortable enough that sleep began to tug at me again. I told myself I was fine, but once I rested my head on the bookshelf, sleep claimed me. While I was off guard and vulnerable.
