A/N: Hey guys I'm back! Sorry for the whole deleting my account thing. I'm new to this and I was scared and overwhelmed by the reviews and stuff. I appreciated them and you guys are truly awesome, but I've always been nervous when people read my stories. Ever since I "deleted" my account, I haven't stopped thinking about the story I didn't finish. This story. I can't promise I'll be able to update all the time (you know, school and whatnot), but I will try my best to update at least once a month. Hopefully I'll make this as good as it was the first time around.

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time. Or Eggo Waffles. I just like both of them.

Chapter 1: Welcome to Hell

Regina Mills had never liked school. Okay, that's a lie. She used to like school. But now it was a never ending nightmare that she had to endure eight hours a day, five days a week, for a total of one hundred eighty days. Needless to say, she was grateful senior year was finally here.

She woke up early so she could style her hair the way she liked. Short and simple, it was much different from the long braids she once used to wear. As she walked to the bathroom, she saw the picture of her and Daniel from freshmen year. She stopped to look at it. Things had been so simple back then. She and Daniel were two fourteen year olds hopelessly in love, ready to tackle the challenges their first year of high school posed. But halfway through their sophomore year, Mary Margaret Blanchard killed Daniel in a hit and run. She got away with it too, all because her father was the chief of police. You'd think killing her classmate would have killed Mary Margaret's reputation, but her father managed to convince all of Storybrooke it had been Daniel's fault. Daniel's father and mother were so upset that they moved out of town before the funeral, and took Daniel's body with them. Regina had never been more heartbroken.

She sighed and set the picture back down. If only this small town weren't so corrupt, then Daniel would've gotten justice and Mary Margaret would've gotten the punishment she deserved. As Regina thought about the torturous events of the past, a small tear escaped her eyes. Immediately noticing it, she brushed it off. She would be strong today, just like she was every day. She had to be strong for Daniel. With that thought, she began to pain on her flawless mask of makeup.

Regina slipped into a sleek black dress she had picked out special for today. Everything had to be perfect. If there was one thing she was damn sure of, it's that she would look a hell of a lot better than Mary Margaret today. She slipped into her heels and grabbed her bag as she heard Mal's ringtone from her phone.

"Hey Queenie, I'm on my way." Mal said. Regina rolled her eyes. She had always hated that nickname. Ever since Mal started to take Latin, she had called Regina "Queen" or "Queenie" or "Her Majesty, Queen Regina." It had been funny at first, but Regina had quickly grown distaste for it. She wished Mal would just go back to calling her "Gina." Sure, Regina didn't like that one either, but at least it was better than "Queenie."

"Okay Mal. I'll be waiting outside." Regina said. Mal said a quick goodbye before hanging up. Regina looked at her alarm clock. Knowing Mal, she would be another ten minutes because she'd see the sunrise and want to take a picture. She had always been artsy like that.

Regina bounded down the steps toward the kitchen and nearly ran over her father in the process. Henry Mills was a short man with grey hair and a kind heart. He was Regina's role model and her rock. Although she looked like her mother, Regina liked to think she took after her father. After all, she had such an abusive relationship with her mother. It wasn't until her parents finally divorced that Regina was finally free from her mother's grasp. Well, except for the mandatory monthly visit. But she could deal with that because there was always someone there with her to make sure Cora behaved.

Henry had moved out of the way just in time and grabbed Regina to slow her down.

"Careful Regina. What's the rush? It's your last year of high school. Take time to enjoy the last year you have with your old man." He laughed. Regina looked at her father. She could tell he was holding back tears. Henry loved Regina and had always wanted what was best for her. But Regina and Henry both knew that when Regina left for college, Henry's heart would break.

"Okay dad I will." Regina smiled before bounding into the kitchen, where she found her usual breakfast of two Eggo waffles with cut up strawberries waiting for her. Just as she finished eating, she heard a loud honk from outside. Mal was here.

"Bye dad!" Regina called as she walked out the front door. Sure enough, Mal was sitting in her purple truck outside of Regina's house. Maleficent Page had been Regina's best friend since kindergarten. Through thick and thin the two had stuck together. Mal was one of the only reasons Regina survived Daniel's death.

"QUEENIE! I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN LIKE A DAY! HOW ARE YOU?" Mal screamed when she saw Regina, causing Regina to laugh.

"I'm fine Mal. How are you?" Regina responded.

"Ugh dead. I hate school. But at least it's our last year stuck in this town. Then it's off to Georgetown for me." Mal replied. "Have you applied anywhere yet?"

Regina inwardly groaned. College seemed to be the only topic of conversation nowadays. She was glad Mal already knew where she was going. But Regina missed the days when boys, fashion, and gossip about Mary Margaret were all they talked about.

"No. My mom wants me to apply to Yale and Harvard, but my dad wants me to stay close to home. There's just so many to choose from and I don't know which is right for me." Regina finally admitted.

"Have you thought about taking a gap year?"

"A what?"

"A gap year. A year between high school and college where you kinda just figure stuff out before deciding to go to college."

"Huh. I never thought about it. My mother would probably kill me if I tried to though." Regina said.

"All the more reason to do it." Mal winked, causing Regina to laugh.

The rest of the drive was peaceful, save Regina and Mal's tone deaf renditions of Havana, Galway Girl, and Bohemian Rhapsody. Regina was lost in her thoughts of what this year would be like. Would she pass all her classes? Could she survive Mary Margaret and her prissy posse of do-gooders?

"HOLY -" Mal screeched as she slammed on the breaks and honked the horn. Regina was jolted out of her day dreams as she saw what almost caused them to crash. It was a guy with brown hair, with the most dazzling smile she had ever seen. It almost took her breath away.

"EARTH TO REGINA. COME IN REGINA. I KNOW THE DUDE'S CUTE BUT STOP DROOLING HE COULD'VE KILLED US." Mel yelled in her ear, snapping Regina out of her daydream. The boy outside must've heard, because he blushed before heading into the cafeteria.

"I wasn't staring." Regina muttered.

"And Mr. Gold and Ms. French aren't secretly dating." Mal said sarcastically as she pulled into her spot and parked the car.

Mal and Regina walked into the cafeteria, arms linked together. To the freshmen, they looked like the most powerful, badass girls in the entire school. To the seniors, they looked even deadlier and more stunning than normal. The two smirked as they noticed all the attention they were getting. They sashayed to their seats in the back of the cafeteria and began tapping at their phones, waiting for the bell to dismiss them to homeroom. They hadn't sat down for a minute before someone approached them.

Regina groaned out loud this time when she saw who it was. Mary Margaret Blanchard.

"Regina dear, you should know your skirt length is a little too short for our school's standards. And your shoulders are a bit exposed, so I hope you weren't planning on taking that jacket off. Otherwise I'd have to report you to Principal Heller." Mary Margaret informed Regina. Regina rolled her eyes.

"Oh dear lord Mary Margaret. Could you stop bothering me every time I violate a goddamn dress code? Get a life." Regina spat at her.

"Well I see you're in a better mood than our newest student." Mary Margaret huffed.

"What new student?" Regina asked. Mary Margaret pointed across the cafeteria, through the crowds of sophomores and freshmen at a girl with fiery red hair and pale blue eyes, who was pushing her way through the cafeteria.

"Out of my way munchkin!" The girl spat in a freshman's face as she pushed them aside.

Regina looked at the girl. She looked so familiar. Where had she seen her before? Oh who cared? Regina looked back at Mary Margaret.

"Rumor has it she's nineteen and failed out of her last school. She lives with foster parents because her real parents abandoned her in the woods. And apparently, she's got a wicked temper. Just like you Regina!" Mary Margaret smiled sweetly.

"Oh I can tell she and I are going to be great friends." Regina smiled in response at Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret, now fuming, turned around and walked away so she could go rant to Ruby Hood.

Regina turned back to look at the red haired girl again, but she was gone. Whatever. Regina was sure she'd see her again before the end of the day.

Regina and Mal continued to check out Instagram and Twitter on their phones before the bell rang. All the students swarmed to the front office, where the home room lists were posted. Regina was room 108, Ms. French's room. She looked at Mal, who was frowning. Regina followed Mal's gaze.

Regina Mills: Room 108, Ms. French.

Maleficent Page: Room 316, Mr. Gold.

Regina looked back at Mal, with tears in her eyes. How was she going to get through home room this year without her best friend? Mal held her gaze.

You'll be fine Regina.

But what if I'm not Mal?

Regina, it's you. You're strong. You can do this. You'll be fine.

If you say so.

Now you're being overdramatic. Just like me.

I did learn from the best.

Mal smiled and offered Regina her arm. Together they walked to the center of the floor before they unlinked arms and went their separate ways. Regina walked to her home room with her head held high. She could do this. She could do this. Oh who was she kidding? She couldn't do this! She felt dizzy all the sudden as she bumped into someone.

"Oh gosh I'm so sorry." Regina apologized.

"It's okay." A thick British accent replied. Regina looked up.

"Oh my God." She whispered. It was the same kid Mal nearly ran over this morning.

"Oh it's you." He laughed.

"Listen, I'm sorry my friend nearly ran you over this morning...and if you heard her after that...she was just messing with me." Regina said quickly as she blushed.

"So you don't think I'm cute?" He asked, raising his eyebrow playfully.

"I never said that." Regina said cheekily, staring into his eyes. They were a dazzling shade of blue. As she stared into his eyes, the warning bell for home room rang.

"Crap!" Regina rolled her eyes.

"Is that bell bad?" The boy asked.

"It means we have less than two minutes to get to home room. They won't care if we're late though. It's the first day." She shrugged.

"That may be true, but I'm new here, and I don't plan on making bad first impressions." The boy explained as he started walking away.

"You've done a good job so far." Regina said, causing him to blush. "Where are you headed?"

"Room 109, Mrs. Potts."

"Oh you're right next door to me. Come on, I'll show you." Regina said and grabbed his arm. They ran through the crowd of students pushing toward their home room and arrived at rooms 108 and 109.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye..." Regina said, waiting to hear his name.

"Robin. Robin Hood. I'm Ruby's cousin." Robin said as he extended his arm. Regina shook it gladly.

"And you are?" Robin asked. As Regina opened her mouth, the bell rang.

"Late. It was nice meeting you Robin. Hopefully I'll see you around." Regina said as she walked into home room.

"Wait! What's your name?" Robin called to her.

"You'll find out before the end of the day. I guarantee it." She called back, not even bothering to look over her shoulder.

Maybe Mal was right. Maybe this year would be okay. And if not, at least she had lunch and her afternoon classes with Mal to help her survive. Plus, Robin might be a new friend she could trust...maybe even something more.

Regina smiled happily as she sat down in her assigned seat at the back of the room. However, her thoughts were interrupted by the loud exclamation from a voice to her right.

"Oh you have got to be shitting me." The voice exclaimed.