Kathryn persuaded Regina and Belle to bring their lunches outside, telling them they had to enjoy the day because it wasn't raining. They sat on the grass, watching a group of jocks toss around a football. Well, Kathryn was watching Freddie toss around the football - Belle was making notes for her homework and Regina was looking around for her sister and Killian.
"Who's that?" Regina asked suddenly, breaking Kathryn's concentration.
"Huh?"
Belle looked up from her notebook to see what was going on. Regina was pointing over to the steps leading into the school. She could see Killian talking to a blonde girl, someone she didn't recognise.
"No idea," Kathryn muttered before turning back to Freddie.
"Is it Ashley?" Belle asked, squinting as she tried to see the girl in the distance.
"No," Regina shook her head. "I don't think so."
"So what? I thought you weren't supposed to talk to him, what does it matter who Killian hangs around with?"
"Zelena will care."
"Zelena didn't care when she came and told us to make sure you stay away from him," Belle pointed out.
Regina frowned. "She told you too?"
"Yep."
The idea of her big sister bossing her around was one thing. Zelena bossing her friends around was another. Regina resolved to have a word with her as soon as she saw her. She didn't say another word, but watched as Killian and the blonde sat on the steps, talking. She wondered if Zelena knew who she was.
Emma's first class (technically anyway, as she had skipped the timetabled first) had gone well. She had slipped into the room nice and early, getting a seat by the window and going completely unnoticed by the teacher. The other students had noticed her, but not said anything - waiting for her to introduce herself, she guessed. Killian had compared their schedules, showing Emma which ones they shared and each agreeing to save the other a seat if they were first to the room. During their hide-out in the basement, Killian had shown her some of the janitors secret rooms. He explained that Leroy, one of the janitors, didn't mind him going down there as long as he didn't touch anything. There were tables and chairs set up for the janitorial staff, which was now down to two or three people due to lack of applicants for the jobs, and plenty of space for them to just hang out. He explained about being held back a year, and said that Leroy understood he sometimes needed some space. Emma was surprised, she asked why and he explained about his lack of attendance at the exams and failing most of the coursework. He quickly assured her that he was going to pass them this year. Then Killian quizzed her on her favourite bands and tv shows, and Emma asked about the possibility of having fun in such a small town.
Her next class was Spanish, another one on her own, but this time the teacher saw her unfamiliar face and came over to talk to her. She wanted to know how much of the language Emma knew, testing her out with a few questions in the language. As the room filled with the other students, all of whom seemed to be staring at her, Emma felt more and more nervous. She stumbled over her answers, wondering if they would ever end. Eventually the teacher gave nod, as if satisfied, and told Emma she would see how she did in the end of week exam, implying that a bad grade would get her sent to a different class.
Emma kept her head down for the entire lesson. She stared at the textbook, listening as the others gave their answers and avoided being called upon by the teacher. At the end of the class, she grabbed her things and sped out of the door. Part of her wanted to flee to the basement, but she knew that Killian was in the next class and as least with art she could lose herself in the drawings.
Tossing her Spanish books into her locker, she watched a group of girls walk past, ones she vaguely recognised from her Spanish class. They stared at her, but didn't speak. Emma closed her locker and took a look at the map Killian had drawn on the back of her timetable.
"Make any new friends?" His familiar voice asked a moment later.
When Emma looked up, he was leaning against the lockers facing her. "I hate languages."
He laughed, "Art is that way."
A brunette girl walked by, brushing against him as he moved away from the lockers. They both apologised at the same time, but when she recognised him she quickly looked away and kept walking. Emma frowned. The girl was familiar.
"That was rude," she commented, following Killian down the hallway. "Who is she?"
"Regina Mills. Year below us."
"She was in my Spanish class."
"Yeah, she's practically fluent and her mother wants her to keep it that way. She'd be in the year above but her sister's in that class so the teachers suggested leaving her just one year ahead."
"So you know her sister?"
"Zelena Mills. Same mother, different father. They were raised together, I don't think Zelena ever knew her father, he might have died before she was born or something. Regina's dad treats them both as his girls though."
They reached the art class.
There was no time for Regina to talk to her sister straight after school. Zelena had music lessons and by the time she arrived home their mother was there, so any kind of private conversation was out of the question until after dinner. As soon as that was over and their mother allowed them to return to their rooms, Regina followed her sister up the stairs.
"Can I talk to you?" she asked.
"Sure, come on in."
Zelena went over to her desk and began opening the textbooks for her homework. Regina hovered in the doorway, listening out for signs her mother was coming up. She pondered how to begin.
"I thought you should know… Killian has been hanging around with the new girl at school."
"You know we're supposed to stay away from him."
"He's probably only doing it to make you jealous."
"How many times do I have to tell you? We were never dating, and Killian can hang around with whoever he wants."
"He asked you out, loads of times."
"And I told him that we could only be friends. Now, do you have anything important to say?"
"I know you like him too."
Zelena sighed. "Regina you're too young to understand…"
"I'm sixteen in a few weeks."
"Then start acting like it!" Zelena snapped at her.
Hurt, Regina turned and ran to her own room. She lay on her bed and began to cry. Nothing made sense. She wished Zelena would explain why she wouldn't date Killian, when it was obvious how much they loved each other. She wished her mother hadn't told them to stay away from him. She wished and wished for things to go back to the way they had been just a year or two ago.
Zelena didn't come and apologise until it was nearly time for them to go to sleep. It was a short, one-word 'sorry' and Regina just nodded to acknowledge it.
