Chapter one
Ring...Three hours left.
"Freak," Eric whispered.
Ring...Two hours left.
"Queer," Robin sneered.
Ring...One hour left.
"Dyke," Killian laughed.
Ring..."I want you to read the first two chapters of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by tomorrow," Mr. Gold announced to the class, "your dismissed."
As soon as those words left his mouth, Regina Mills grabbed her books and made a run for the exit. As she just about saw her freedom from Storybrooke High for the day, she ran straight into someone, sending them each sprawling onto the floor.
Regina's cheeks burnt crimson, as she quickly scrambled to pick the unfamiliar girl's books up off the ground, "I'm so sorry" she gushed.
The unfamiliar blonde sat up looking quite dazed and rubbed the back of her head, pulling her hand forward to check for blood, "I'm fine," she smiled.
Regina felt her heart melt at the sight of that brilliant smile. The brunette realised that this must be the new girl in their grade that she heard Killian and Robin talking about in History. She had to admit they were not wrong about her 'hotness level'.
She took in a shaky breath and quickly stood, handing the girl her books, "I'm still sorry," she whispered.
"Hey, it's fine, what's a first day without falling on your ass?" she laughed.
Regina let out a small laugh, and quickly made to leave.
"Hey," she called.
Regina turned around; feeling hope for the first time in a while, this girl had obviously not been told not to talk to her yet.
"You gave me your books," she smiled, showing her the pile of AP books.
Regina's blush deepened; she quickly walked forward and swapped them out.
"I'm Emma, by the way, Emma Swan."
Regina sighed, it was time to shut this down so she didn't drag this beautiful girl into the land of the social outcasts, "if you want to survive to graduation, I'm probably not the best friend to make," she said sadly.
Emma looked at her in shock, "let me guess you're too cool to have a friend like me," she sighed.
Regina shook her head vigorously, "no, of course not, quite the opposite. I would suggest talking to Ruby Lucas or Belle French, probably even the Nolans; they would probably be a better fit for you."
Emma gave her a small nod, very unsure how to respond.
Regina made to leave again, noticing the footballers were right on schedule on their way to practice, she really needed to get out of here, but Emma grabbed her arm, "at least tell me your name."
Regina saw Killian and Robin's smirks, and she quickly said, "Regina Mills," before tearing her arm away and running out of the school.
"A little tip, I wouldn't talk to her, if I were you," Killian said smoothly leaning against the locker next to Emma.
Emma sighed, ignoring the boy whose name she had no interest in learning and walked to the main office.
Robin smirked at the other boy, who just grumbled, "oh, piss off."
Regina let out a sigh of relief as she entered 108 Milfin Street, she finally released her tight grip on the unsuspecting books.
"Regina?" her mother looked at her strangely.
"Hello, mother," she tried to plaster on a fake smile, but her mother saw straight through it.
"What happened?" she asked angrily.
"Nothing," Regina defended.
Cora wiped her hand over her face, and actively tried to calm down, "if they hurt you again..."
"They didn't, I'm fine," she replied, pulling up her sleeves for empathises, and her mother winced at the scars.
But she still let out a sigh of relief and walked over to her daughter, "you have to tell me when they do anything to you, so I can report it."
Regina nodded, "can I go to my room, I having reading I must finish."
"What book?"
"To Kill a Mockingbird," she replied without thinking.
Cora looked at her sceptically, "haven't you read that book over three time?"
Regina bit her lip.
Cora offered her a smile, "if you don't want to go to the function at Town Hall, you could have just asked."
Regina sighed in relief again, and quickly hugged her mother, "thank you."
"We're having dinner at four."
Regina nodded and quickly went up to her room and pulled out a sketch book.
"Go and talk to your sister," Cora demanded as soon as Zelena walked in.
"Hello to you too," she laughed placing her travel bag in the hallway.
"Something happened at school and she won't tell me," Cora huffed.
"I'm back from college for one minute and you already want me to deal with your problems," she said dramatically while shaking her head.
"She'll talk to you," she defended.
"Ever considered that it was a good thing?" she asked with a tilted head.
Cora considered this for a moment, "well there is a new girl in town."
"Awww..." Zelena cooed, "my baby sister has a crush, I'm definitely talking to her."
Cora sighed and walked away to finish dinner as her eldest daughter ran up the stairs.
Regina smiled as she added the final pencil stroke to the blonde girl she had been sketching, only to have her attention torn away by a knock on her door. Before she could call out, Zelena entered and she instantly snapped her sketch book shut.
Zelena raised her eyebrow at the sketch book.
"Your back," Regina smiled, trying to distract her; she quickly ran forward and hugged her sister.
Zelena returned the hug, but continued to look at the book that her sister had hastily thrown on the bed.
"Didn't mom tell you, she asked me to come to the function tonight?"
Regina smiled, she would be insulted if she wasn't so relieved, "how'd mom know I wouldn't go?"
"You're very predictable," she reasoned as she finally extracted herself from the hug. She slowly began to make her way over to the bed. "For example, you hate being social, you bottle up your feelings, and you only smile while drawing if you like what you drew."
"I always like what I draw," she tried.
Zelena shook her head, "I meant if you like the person you drew."
"Zelena, please don't," the younger sister almost begged.
Completely ignoring her she reached down to pick up the book, only for her sister to run full force and jump onto her back. Zelena let out a shriek as they both fell to the floor with a thud, the sketch book falling just out of her reach.
Regina quickly pinned her down to floor, and they each heard the sound of high heels hitting the staircase as Cora burst into the room.
"What is happening?" she asked.
"I'm finding out what's wrong with Regina," Zelena replied casually.
"How?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"By looking at the sketch book," she answered as if it were obvious.
Cora nodded and walked over to the leather bound book.
Regina let out a groan as she released her sister, "mom, please don't."
Cora nodded again and handed the book to her youngest daughter, "if she doesn't want you to see it, then she just have to show you," she scolded.
Zelena let out a sigh of frustration, "so she wrestles me to the ground, and I get in trouble."
Cora nodded, "maybe you should try simply asking her about her day as I had suggested."
"I told you, nothing happened," Regina tried.
"Liar," Zelena countered.
"Fine," Regina sighed, she supposed it couldn't hurt to tell them a half truth, "Killian called me a dyke again."
Cora's face contorted in anger.
"So?" Zelena asked.
"Zelena!" their mother shrieked.
"He does that every-day; you told me that it doesn't bother you anymore. So unless you drew a spectacularly violent picture of the football captain, I can guarantee that it's the girl."
Regina let out a huff of resignation, and opened the book to reveal a picture of Emma.
"Holy shit, she's hot," Zelena laughed.
Cora looked at her and shook her head, "don't you have a boyfriend?" Regina laughed.
"Yeah, but I'm starting to understand you a lot better, little sis," she answered.
"Well, I suppose if there's nothing wrong I should go and finish dinner, ten minutes," Cora smirked, before leaving her daughters to talk.
"Did she talk to you?" Zelena asked instantly.
Regina nodded, "I ran into her and I gave her the wrong books."
"You already have a meet cute?" she giggled.
Regina shook her head, "I told her there's no point talking to me."
Zelena sighed and walked over to her sister, "Gina, you can't keep pushing people away?"
"When she finds out, she won't to talk to me anyway. What's the point of delaying the inevitable?"
"So some footballers are ridiculously fixated on your sexual orientation, that shouldn't stop you from making friends. Besides, how do you even know that she's straight?" she replied with a small shoulder nudge.
"Because I'm not that lucky," Regina sighed as she lay back on her bed.
"Well, maybe you're due," she laughed.
"I doubt it."
A/N I got this idea from a fic by Rosesdancinginmymind called 'Notes' I would definitely recommend trying it out, the major difference is that I changed Regina's relationship with her family. I just like the idea of them being supportive :) Would appreciate reviews, and let me know whether you want me to continue this :)