Regina Mills was a driven woman, It would not take long for one to realise that she always had a goal. Always had a reason, that she would seldom be wandering aimlessly. She stormed through the halls of Storybrooke high with pride. It had taken two years of her undying effort to get herself where she was today. Most would argue she was too young for the job, That someone older would be better suited and experienced to run a school.
However Regina was also a passionate woman and enjoyed teaching those willing to learn. If they were not the door to detention would be left open with a smile. Yes, she was heavily passionate about teaching the younger generation but she would not allow funny business in her school. The rules were In place for a reason and she expected every student to follow them.
Including her teachers. But of Course one particular teacher came to mind, One that frustrated her to no end with his lopsided grin and utter weakness towards the students. Robin Lockesly, the only teacher who had the stupidity to take her on, to disrupt her peace and tiptoe around her rules. If he didn't produce such bright children with high grades she would have fired him a long time ago.
And today she felt the exact same way.
Robin Lockesly rolled out of bed with a groan, He should not have drank that much last night. His body shook uncontrollably, While the pulsing in his head seemed to get more severe with every passing second.
He rocked slightly on the balls of his feet trying to regain the balance he had long since abandoned. His vision was slightly blurry due to sleep as he blinked repeatedly. He made his way blindly into the bathroom down the hall and proceeded to wash his face in a fruitless attempt to feel somewhat better. His mouth tasted like a brewery and his heart. Dear god, his heart felt shattered. Broken as it was those 2 short years ago on this date.
All he wanted to do was crawl back beneath his covers and shut the world out, for it was not his friend today. But duty called and so did his paycheck. He couldn't afford to miss work today, nor could he be bothered dealing with the principal.
With her sharp words and barely concealed rage. Her cocky attitude and that ANNOYING yet somewhat attractive grin. WAIT what??
Robin shook his head in confusion, Attractive?? He chuckled. The alcohol must still be circling his system, he thought.
There was no way. That woman was a white hot ball of fire that would burn anyone who looked at her wrong, Yet he couldn't deny, Physically she was a very beautiful woman.
But he cut those thoughts off at the stem because if he was late again she would surely have his head on a chopping block.
He had mastered the art of quick showering when he was 14 years old. So in ten minutes flat he was out of the bathroom and already pulling on his favourite shirt, It was a dark green button up (his favourite colour) with a simple black tie.
Due to his lateness he chose to forego breakfast, knowing his stomach couldn't handle it anyway. Although he did opt to bring his thermos which was filled to the brim with freshly made coffee. If he even stood a chance at surviving the day he would need a lot of coffee.
With a sigh he slammed his front door behind him and made his way down the front path towards his car. Throwing his papers (quite carelessly he might add) onto the back seat he slid into the drivers seat and started the engine.
Storybrooke high here he comes.
Today was just not her day. School Budgets, cut. Essays for her creative writing class, late. Not to mention she had the board on her ass over the significant rise in anti social behaviour and to top it all off, NO replacement for a certain English teacher who apparently felt privileged enough to not show up to work without the courtesy to call.
She was pissed, but more than that, Disappointed. Everything seemed to be going wrong despite the amount of effort she put in to ensure the school stayed afloat. She was also tired, Exhausted. She hadn't had a decent nights sleep in a while and it was becoming increasingly hard to keep up with the mounting pile of problems.
But she powered through because this was HER school, The fate of her students futures lay on her shoulders and she would be damned if she let a few problems get her down.
She was nothing if not determined and there were people who would pay to watch her fail and she wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
If his English class needed a substitute she would have to be good enough. It's not like she was unqualified, on the contrary. She just chose to take a different direction, English was ok but she found creative writing to be more therapuetic, a place to bleed her soul. A rare sort of a magic that by a flick of a pen a whole world could be either created or diminished, there was something beautiful in that.
She sighed then rose from her desk gracefully. Grabbing her coffee cup she made her way out of her office with haste and she walked towards the English block. Upon nearing the room she could already hear the avid chatter of idle teen gossip, she rolled her eyes. Just because they were teenagers didn't mean they had to be so juvenile.
She pushed the classroom door open with ease and as she did the classroom fell silent. She internally smirked, at least they still had respect.
"Mr. Lockesly is apparently pre occupied. I will be teaching this class today." She told the students with a monotone voice.
"Pay attention and we won't any issues." She flashed the students a quick smile and sat herself down behind Robin's desk. Cringing slightly upon noticing the clutter that came with it. Multiple piles of books threatening to teeter over the edge, Multiple post it notes stuck around his computer screen and a god awful snow globe collection displayed proudly along the front of his desk. How he worked effectively amongst the disarray of his desk she didn't know, But it was one period. That's All, then she could return to the comfortable tidyness of her own office. She placed her glasses on carefully and stood before the class of students.
"Today I would like you all to write a short passage about something you enjoy. " She said obviously.
"Until I'm able to decipher exactly what Mr. Lockesly had planned for your lesson today this shall keep you busy. But work silently." With that she was back in his chair casually flicking through his lesson plans in hope of finding something useful to teach the students.
His computer was so unorganized it was impossible to find anything, his work ethic truly baffled her.
Across the room a couple of students started to stir.
"Where do you think Mr. L got too?" Killian Jones whispered to a blonde girl beside him. His on and off again girlfriend, Emma Swan.
"Who knows? Now shh I'm tryna write here." She whispered back harshly.
"But don't you think it's a bit weird? He's never been late. Not once, So what's different today?" Killian muttered, unable to let the situation go.
"I Don't know Killian, Now zip it. I don't wanna be on the receiving end of Miss Mills' rage today okay?." Emma told him through gritted teeth.
He was great, really. But she enjoyed English and his constant whispering down her ear became quite the distraction from time to time.
"You're adorable when you're irritated." He teased with a smirk, The blonde shook her head in annoyance and carried on writing. No way was she getting detention because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.
He nonchalantly placed his hand on Emma's thigh and the blonde jumped slightly, Pushing him away from her roughly.
"Knock it off unless you want us both dragged to detention!" she hissed, Sometimes she wondered what she saw in him. He was quite annoying.
"What is going on down there?" Regina roared across the classroom, Truth be told she'd noticed them talking for minutes until the situation seemed to escalate.
"uhm nothing Miss Mills, Killian was just reading me his passage." Emma stuttered, Hoping the quickly formed excuse was enough to fool her principle. It was not.
"I suggest you stay quite from here on out." Regina told them,
"Hands to yourself Mr. Jones." She finished, giving him a stern look over the rim off her glasses and Emma snickered quietly to herself.
Suddenly the classroom door opened unexpectedly and a very tired looking Mr. Lockesly walked in.
He looks like shit. She thought as her gaze travelled over his ragged hair and the rings around his eyes. Nevertheless she rose from his desk and walked slowly towards him, Coffee in hand.
"Nice of you to grace us with your presence, I want to see you in my office at the end of first period. I trust you have a good excuse." She trailed and then she swaggered off, Leaving him even more confused and irritated than he already was.
That bitch. He thought as he shuffled towards his desk. He placed his papers down gently and turned to address his students.
"Sorry I'm late. Had a bit of a rough morning. So lets start off with some reading shall we?"
For the most part the class cheered, some however looked confused, incredibly so.
"You good Mr. L?" Killian asked with a hint of concern. Ever the intuitive.
"Fine. Thank you Killian. Now let's all grab a copy of Misery and continue from page 23." Robin said sternly, Trying to get as comfortable as possible in his chair.
It was going to be a long day.
He was right, he was very much in for a long day. His first period was an hour yet somehow being in that classroom made him feel like he'd slipped into the land that time forgot. He found himself even more irritated and tired than he had woken up. He should've taken a personal day, was kicking himself now that he hadn't. He should have stayed home, where he could mourn and hate the world without unwanted attention.
But now he was walking slowly towards her office, to no doubt take the full brunt of her anger at his tardiness. His hands were sweating, His heart beating erratically in his chest as he finally approached her door.
He took a moment to appreciate the golden plague screwed onto the door, three simple words that could turn a student white as a sheet.
Regina Mills, Principal.
And right now he was loosing It, but he took a deep breath and knocked firmly on the door.
A few seconds passed before he heard her reply.
"Come in." He currently had shivers down his spine as he opened the door slowly and slipped inside.
She didn't look up. She didn't need to. Apart from the fact she had asked him there she could already tell. The aura he surrounded himself with was enough for her to recognise it was him. The air was thick, when she finally raised her head to meet his eyes she was met with nothing, numbness. As he silently took a seat opposite her.
This wasn't like him.
She took a deep breath and removed her glasses, setting them carefully on the desk before her as she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, finally regarding his prescence.
"What is going on with you?" She asked him carefully.
No sly remarks today? Maybe she doeshave a heart. Robin thought, then instantly felt guilty. It wasn't her fault, It was nobody's fault really and he had no business hating her because his life was a Shit show. She was just doing her job.
"Nothing much, yourself?" Yes. Humour. Laugh to keep from crying. He thought. He couldn't tell her, She wouldn't care about his problems she only cared that he was late. Because she was his boss, nothing more.
"Glad to see You're late and funny. Mr. Lockesly. I don't know how the previous principal ran this school but I can tell you I don't allow teachers to come and go as they please and beside some other minor issues this is not like you. Care to explain?" I'm giving you a chance, take it. She thought, She knew he wasn't rude and she also knew that he loved his job and the students he taught just as much. That man sitting across from her wasn't his usual self. His grin ( That she hated by the way) sans from his face, the sparkle in his eyes, diminished. Not to mention the fact he looked like he had the hangover from hell.
Was she right to worry so about her employees? It's not like they were friends, they didn't hang out after work or meet up for a drink on the weekends. So why did she feel so guilty? Why was she worried about his well being? She just didn't know.
He took a deep breath, refusing any form of eye contact as he wracked he brain for a suitable response, he came up empty. What was he supposed to say? How could he tell her? That everything he loved was gone, That even 2 years on his heart still yearned for a soul that no longer lived? That today of all days he just needed to drown his sorrows and forget about life's cruel tricks for a day?
"You see uhm." Robin stuttered as he tried to find the words and Regina rolled her eyes. Well she was no saint.
"It's a particularly tough day for me, For reasons I'm not all too comfortable sharing." Robin told her slowly. He hoped she'd accept that he wasn't ready to talk about it.
"I might be stern sometimes, but that's only because I have to be. It doesn't mean I'm not reasonable Rob- uhm Mr Lockesly." She countered seeing the anguish in his eyes, he could feel the awkwardness vibrating off of him. Could practically see him squirming in his chair.
"I thought I would be able to handle it." He told her honestly with a sigh, Because he did. He was an adult. He could deal with his own shit. Or so he thought before he drank his entire weight in alcohol last night. He had surprised himself. He didn't feel like Fun Mr. Lockesly today, He didn't feel like everybody's favourite teacher. He didn't even feel like a person.
"Go home, I'll have Miss French cover your classes. I'm sure she won't mind." Regina told him COMFORTINGLY? She was surprising herself.
Robin was shocked. He had seen angry Regina, Had seen tired and irritated. Had even heard a laugh once but this was unchartered territory. In the whole two years she had worked there he had never seen this soft a side of her.
Maybe there's more to her than you think. He found himself thinking as he offered her a grateful yet weak smile.
"I'll schedule it now, Go home and get some rest. You look like you need it." This time he met her gaze, if only for a few seconds. His exhausted blue pools meeting concerned brown.
"Thank You Regina." He was quite aware she despised being regarded by her first name at work but this time she didn't correct him. This situation was different, Because it was personal.
"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning." She threw accompanied by a wide smirk, and there she went. It was back to Principal Mills in a few seconds flat but Robin was ok with that. She was more human than she had everybody believing.
He left her office feeling slightly lighter, even though his day was soon to get worse he was grateful for the time in which he had to work through it. It was time to face his demons.