11 - Torrid Affair
Emma's jaw hung open as she twisted in the passenger seat of Regina's black Mercedes.
"You slept with him?"
Regina just smirked, keeping her eyes on the road.
"Oh my god Regina! I'm so happy for you! And Tink owes me £5!"
"You are so juvenile!"
"You fuck one teacher and suddenly you think you're above us!"
"Emma!"
"So, is he good?!"
"I'm not recounting it to you step by step!" Regina said incredulously.
"I guess I'll just have to find out for myself"
"What does that mean?" Regina's tone was warning.
"I'm just saying if you really loved me you would share him!"
"You are unbelievable!"
"Miss Mills to the principal's office, Miss Mills"
As the tannoy chimed her name, a deep scowl flooded her features. She was on her way to history, the one class she genuinely looked forward to. Sighing she turned round and headed the other way.
The door to Golds office was flung open and Regina stormed in scowling.
"What do you want Gold?"
"Ah, Miss Mills, do come in" Gold smiled calmly, gesturing to the seat opposite his.
"I have a lesson now, so if we could hurry this up"
"Ah yes, history I believe" he said, smiling as if at some private joke.
She said nothing but stood in front of his desk, arms crossed.
"I want to offer you a deal"
The comment completely threw her, "a deal?"
"Did I stutter?"
Regina bit back her response, "What kind of deal?"
"Let's just say, I know something you may not want the rest of the school to know"
"Oh really?"
The girl in front of him had such a confident stance, eyes hard and mouth turned up at the corners in a know-it-all smirk. He was going to enjoy this.
"Yes, something involving a certain new history teacher? One Robin Locksley?"
It was brief but he saw the blind panic flash behind her eyes.
"I have no idea what you're talking about?" she said, rolling her eyes at him trying to act casual.
"Oh really? Did you enjoy your Friday night?"
Her eye widened a little, "No! It was parents evening!"
Her heart was in her throat.
"Look, we can do this dance all day, but then you wouldn't be able to go to your precious Locksley's class so I'll be frank. I know you and Mr Locksley are intimate, now if you don't want me to go to the board with that fact, you'll do something for me!"
Regina's face was pale, her shoulders tense and her arm lifted up in front of her stomach in a protective gesture. He would be lying if he said it didn't bring him any pleasure, to see the great Regina Mills powerless against him.
"Good, I'm glad you see my point of view. Now, I need you to get Belle to fall for me again"
Her mind reeled, "Wait Belle French? Again?"
"No time for details, do we have a deal Miss Mills?"
She stared at him for a long time, even in her current state not willing to give in without a fight.
"So glad you agree" Gold smiled, taking her silence as his answer.
"Now run along, I'm sure Locksley's worried"
Regina rushed out of the room and Gold smirked as he admired her going down the corridor.
She felt sick, her hands sweaty, heart racing. She rushed into the girl's bathroom, threw her bag on the floor and braced herself against the sink. She needed Robin. But should she tell him? No, you know what, breath Regina. All you have to do, is make Belle fall in love with Mr Gold. God, talk about the impossible. No, she was fine, Gold wouldn't talk. Not yet anyway! Okay breathe. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, schooling her features back to their usual position.
Robin had grown increasingly worried. The lesson started 20 minutes ago and Regina still hadn't returned from Gold's office. What if he knew? There's no way he could know! When she walked in, she apologised for being late and took her seat. He tried to read her, but she appeared to be avoiding his gaze. That worried him. The bell rung and he saw Regina taking extra time to pack up her stuff, until she was the only one left. He tried not to rush over to her, he was still in school! He would have to be careful.
"What was that about?" he asked, in a hushed voice.
"Oh nothing" she said, turning to him smiling, "Just going on about how I need to adhere to the dress code!"
Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely, so, my mother's out of town for a few days. Want to come to mine?"
"I want nothing more, but I've got Roland" he said, frowning, "How about you come over and I make you dinner? Me, you and Roland"
"Sound perfect!" she smiled, "I'll be there at 6?"
He smiled, knowing she had thought of Roland. As she headed off, he couldn't shake the feeling there was something she wasn't telling him.
Hearing a knock on the door, Belle looked up from her computer wiping away a tear.
"Regina? Hi" Belle said, looking a tad confused.
Regina rarely came into her office, if ever, always preferring to get on without asking for help.
"Hi Belle, I just um..." Regina stuttered, "I thought you looked a bit upset. I was wondering if you were okay."
"I'm okay thank you" Belle's lower lip trembled slightly.
"Let me make you some tea" Regina said, carefully closing the door behind her and going over to the kettle.
Belle looked down as it began to bubble and tried to stop the tears running down her cheeks.
"How do you like it?"
"Milky one sugar please" Belle said weakly.
"Hey Belle I need..." Leopold, Mary Margaret's obnoxious brother stormed into Belle's office chatting away.
"Belle's a little busy right now!" Regina snapped, stepping into his pathway.
"Regina! Looking damn good as usual!" Leo's eyes traced up her body and she roughly grabbed his chin, forcing his head up.
"My eyes are here!" she snapped at him, not letting go, "Belle is busy come back later"
Leo grinned at Regina, who tried not to gag at his stale breath. She grabbed his shoulders and spun him round, shoving him out the door.
"I love it when you play rough!" he yelled as the door was slammed in his face.
"Sorry about that" Regina said, turning a smiling at a bewildered Belle.
"Regina, is he bothering you? Because I can ask the teachers to make sure he..."
"No no, I can handle Leo! Anyway" she handed her the mug of tea, "If you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you"
Belle looked into Regina's warm brown eyes and tears she thought she had stopped welled in her eyes. She felt a hand on her arm comfortingly and she smiled.
"It's alright. Everything will be okay" Regina's voice was soft and she was struck by this new side to the girl she had never seen.
"It's Rumple"
"Who?"
"Gold"
Rumple? Regina stifled a giggle at his name but luckily Belle didn't pick up on it.
"We've been together for a few years now. He promised me he would change and you'd think I would have learned by now but..."
She didn't know why she was babbling about her love life to a student but something about Regina made her feel completely relaxed.
"What did he do?" her voice was measured, as she tested how much Belle was willing to open up.
"He, he cheated on me. He's done it before but he assured me it was the last time!"
It went against everything she stood for, pushing Belle one of the kindest people she knew back into the arms of someone who mistreated her. But she couldn't let Gold go to the board. What if Robin was arrested, what would happen for Roland? She was not going to be the reason he grew up with a father in prison!
