10/20/17
~*~
Friday
(10:20 A.M)
Aryll pressed her lips together and sighed. "Fine... I was just showing Zelda where we were sleeping."
The girl had not looked at me since she had come in, even after Aryll gestured in my direction.
I bit the inside of my cheek, wondering if this would be my first cold shoulder of the trip.
"Come on Paya, she's nice, stop being so shy," Aryll laughed.
"I'm not shy!" she replied, but her retort came out as more of a fierce whisper.
"Ha, what about the time you hid behind me when that guy passed by in the shop?"
"He looked creepy!"
"Or the time-"
I smiled as I watched the two girls go back and forth. "Nice to meet you Paya," I said when there was a pause. "Don't you need to go, Aryll?" I asked.
"Yes I do!" she replied and ran out the door.
Paya finally turned to me. "Sorry," she said, her voice raising a bit in the middle of the word. "It is nice to meet you."
"Do I look scary?" I asked, a little concerned.
"No!" she replied quickly. "No, not at all. It's not you, trust me, I'm just-" She waved her hands, then brought one to her face. "I'm only nervous around strangers."
"Well, I'm glad I'm not the cause... I don't meet many people so I'm not good with first impressions."
Paya chuckled, though it sounded a little shaky. "Yeah, me... me neither."
"Should we go back down now?" I asked.
She nodded and led the way out the door. As she closed it I heard a sharp whistle. "Seag is a little indignant that we're keeping him upstairs."
"Why?"
"He's usually allowed to stay downstairs with everyone... But with all the food and people...and their dogs... it's best we keep him up there."
I paused on the step. "Dogs?"
Paya looked back up at me. "Yeah, some of our family have dogs they bring with them so... so that they aren't left alone."
I forced myself to keep going down the steps. I didn't have much experience with dogs...
"They're usually outside during the day... unless the snow is deep."
At the mention of snow, I felt a renewed energy. "Do you think it'll snow this year?" I asked as a spring entered my step.
Paya shrugged. "It usually does." She paused at the bottom of the stairs. "I've gotta get back to Grandma now. Nice to meet you," she said again, then joined Aryll in the kitchen.
I only had time to take one breath before someone called my name.
"Zelda!"
I turned to look. It was Colin. He sat in the center of the living room, right on the floor. Walking over, I knelt beside him. "Hi, Colin," I said.
"Will you play cards with me?" he asked, pointing to a deck that lay in front of him.
Me? You could not have picked a worse playmate. I pressed my lips together. "I don't know Colin..."
"Awww... why not?"
I shook my head in defeat. "Because I don't know how."
Colin jumped to his feet and stared at me in horror. "What? How can that be possible?"
A hand pressed down on my shoulder, and I flinched before I realized it was Link.
"What's Colin shocked about?" he asked.
"I don't know how to play any card games."
"What?"
I smiled, I couldn't help it. They were both so cutely indignant. Colin at my lack of knowledge, and Link at my parents. I raised a hand to meet his on my shoulder. "Well, I suppose you could fix that."
"I have little choice," he began. "Card playing is a part of life here," he finished as he sat down next to me.
Colin looked gleeful. "You're both gonna play with me?" he asked. "Awesome!"
But before Colin could even attempt to shuffle, a bell rang.
I flinched again at the sudden noise, and Link put his hand on my knee.
"It's the dinner bell. Breakfast must be ready."
I glanced down at his hand, finding it reassuring. "Breakfast?" I repeated. "Isn't it a bit late for that?"
"We have a later one because people are usually arriving from a long drive. Even though they've already eaten they are hungry again before lunchtime. So hence the second breakfast for everyone."
I nodded. "Makes sense..."
"Are you?" he asked.
"What, hungry?" I asked, and when he nodded I continued. "Yeah, a little bit."
Link stood up and offered his hand. I took it and he pulled me to my feet.
We both went to the counter. Colin's parents met him there, and Uncle Daruk was already sitting. Paya and Aryll were with their grandma behind the counter, still dishing up plates of food for everyone. The only new face that I saw was a short, young faced girl with a pixie cut.
I nudged Link and asked about her.
"That's my Aunt Saria."
"Your aunt? She looks younger than you."
"Yeah, and she's looked like that for awhile. She hasn't grown a centimeter for a very long time."
"How short is she?"
"Under five feet." He shrugged. "I haven't exactly measured her."
I chuckled and sat down next to Link at the counter.
"What would you like Zelda?" Aryll asked.
"Uh-" I looked at the counters, my eyes widening. There was so much food. "I'll have some bacon and eggs... and a pancake?" I replied.
Link's sister smiled. "Coming right up!" She used tongs and grabbed some bacon and a pancake, then spooned some eggs onto the side. "There's syrup, butter, and salt and pepper right there," she said, pointing with her free hand at several places on the counter, then slid the plate to me. "Want anything to drink?"
"Uhm..."
"We've got water, orange juice, coffee-"
"Coffee," I interrupted quickly. "Always coffee."
Aryll grinned. "You fit in just nicely here. What do you take?"
"Just a black americano, iced."
She raised an eyebrow.
Link laughed. "I know, I was surprised too."
Aryll smiled and shook her head. "And you, Link?"
"Sure, I'll take a coffee."
Aryll didn't ask how he wanted it, and she dished up his breakfast plate without any prompting and gave it to him before scampering away.
"... I love your sister, Link," I said, my cheek resting on my fist as I looked at him.
Link chuckled, and he wore a bright smile. "I'm glad. She's quite the ray of sunshine. Not exactly a stereotypical teen."
I had only bit into a piece of bacon before Aryll was back with both coffees. The cup she set in front of me had the words 'Praise Hylia' written on the front. I turned it around and saw that the back read 'She gave us coffee.'
I almost choked on the bacon but managed to swallow it with the help of Hylia's great gift.
~*~
(A/N)
Wow, my week flew by. With work, writing, editing, and Inktober, I've been busier than I think I've ever been. It's good though. I haven't pushed myself like this in a long time. I'm tired, and I have an even busier weekend coming up, but sometimes busy can be good. Regardless of how tiring.
I don't know about you, but when I'm busy, it's far less likely that I'll fall back into depression.
I've never had it that bad, and I know a lot of you have had it worse than me... But talking about it does make it less of an incurable problem. We don't have to fight alone. Don't keep it in the dark. Depression is a real thing, and it makes it hard to do anything. You have to move through your normal day like you aren't struggling.
A lot of people don't understand... but that's their problem,
You are not alone.
I hope this chapter brought you happiness