The Runaway ~ Chapter 5

Instructions

Zelda’s Pov: The bell rang for the last time, signalling that school was out for the day. But I wasn’t going back home right away; I was going to the library, to see if that boy was still there. Just as I suspected, he was there. He looked up only briefly to know that I was there. I waved, but I don’t think he saw. He was too busy putting his book back. Or trying to avoid eye contact. I slid a piece of paper across the table to him. “If you need it.” After he’d left so suddenly, I’d written my phone number down. Just in case. He didn’t even look at it as he stuffed it in his pocket. I supposed he would read it later. Or throw it away. I hoped he wouldn’t. “What’s that for?” He mumbled. “I’m fine on my own.” Before I could say anything else, he slipped past me and out the door. He seemed to be in a bit of a rush. I wondered why. “Wait!” I called, chasing after him. He walked faster. I gave up trying to reach him. Not because I couldn’t, but because he seemed to need space. I waited until he was out of view before I continued walking. I got on the bus and sat in my usual spot. I put my earbuds in and put on my playlist. I was a huge Flaming Koroks fan, but they hadn’t made a new song in a while. Ever since the lead singer ran away, they… kinda broke up. Too bad. He was a great singer. Really cute too. I was going to go to one of their live shows, but the week before they were performing, he left. Nobody knows where he went. Just took his most prized possessions and left. They think he’s gone for good, but nobody knows for sure. He went missing six months ago. Each one had a different Korok mask they wore on stage. His was the triangle leaf one. Every member wore theirs off to the side when they were performing. But he was known to fully put his on sometimes. I was lost in thought when I saw the boy out the window. We were passing by the city, and he seemed to not have anywhere to go. I was going to get off the bus and talk to him, but the bus started to move again. Once I got home, I set my bag by the door and flopped onto the couch. I scrolled, hoping to find some news about the Flaming Koroks that was positive. I found none. “Rough day?” My mom asked. “Yeah.” I muttered. I checked my phone again. No text messages from a new number. I thought he threw it away, so I put my phone in my pocket and headed to Purah’s. She didn’t live too far from here, but my mom stopped me before I could leave. “She has the flu right now. Don’t want you to get sick too.” She said. So I wandered into the kitchen and got myself a snack. I packed some extra in my bag in case I saw that boy again. If he wanted it. I found a video that the lead singer posted a while ago. Once I listened to his voice, it reminded me of something. He sounded so familiar to the boy I’d met earlier. I told myself it was coincidental. Then my phone buzzed. I got a text that said, Hey. That’s it. Just hey. Then I got another text. Please delete my number. This was a mistake. There was no doubt about it. He texted me. He actually texted me. I would never, ever delete his number if I had the choice, but the way he’d worded it made me listen. I deleted it, but I didn’t report it as spam. That way, if he texted again, I would see it. And he would. I was sure he would.