Hi everyone, it's Olivia (a.k.a Sparkles21) I would just like to first say thank you for all the amazing response that this fic has gotten for the first two chapters, we are all so grateful for it, so here is the third chapter which I wrote, I hope you all enjoy it as much as you enjoyed the other chapters!
xoxo
The next day was a hectic one for Regina, not only did she have to spend her day unpacking the few suitcases that she currently had with her, but she was also in the not-so great company of her mother who was transfixed on making sure that everything in her apartment was perfect down to the last touch.
"Mother do you really have to make sure that those photo frames are in a straight line?" Regina asked with a frown to her forehead as she watched her mother carefully in-line some family photos she had framed for her apartment.
Cora lifted her head for a quick second and let a sigh escape her strawberry coloured lips. "Of course, I do Regina. You don't want your first apartment looking a mess, do you?" she questioned rhetorically before she went back to work.
Regina huffed and rolled her eyes a little, it was too early in the morning for her to be getting into a discussion about photo frames with her mother, instead she let it go and grabbed a bubble wrapped ornament out of a suitcase to put on display.
She popped a few of the air-filled bubbles, giggling to herself as the noise that filled her ears satisfied her, she stopped when she felt a heated gaze on her and looked up to see her mother giving her a slightly scolding look. She tried to contain her laughter, her mother turning away to also hide her amusement.
Regina tossed the bubble wrap to the side and placed one of her favourite ornaments on the table. It was an ornament of a horse, one that looked very similar to her beloved horse she had back home.
"Okay, perfect!" Cora praised herself when the photo frames were in-line to her liking, her eyes then wondered over to Regina and she saw her putting a horse ornament onto the same table the pictures were on. "Should I help with that?"
"No," Regina said in a firm tone, managing a small smile as to not come off too harsh.
Cora let out a breath and nodded. "Okay, well I'll go and put the utensils away then."
As she went over to grab the box of utensils they brought over with them, Regina gave a stern look to her mother. "Don't take forever this time," she joked, arching an eyebrow in warning but still managing a smile and a chuckle.
"Very funny, dear." Cora rolled her eyes a little and let out a chuckle as well, she then walked off into the kitchen to do her task while Regina put up another ornament. It was another horse one, only this time a smaller version of the other one. As she set it down in front of the bigger horse she let her thumb glide over the glass mane, her facial features softening as she thought about her horse that she wouldn't be able to ride for a while.
"Regina," Her mother called for her attention. "Are you finished?" she asked as she eyed the two horse ornaments.
Regina watched her mother eyeing her ornaments and a deep frown set over her features. "Yes, but don't even think about rearranging them, mother. I like them exactly where they are."
"I was actually gonna say that I loved how you arranged them." Regina saw through her mother's lies but decided to ignore her. "Anyway, I thought we could put the empty suitcase away and go out and explore Oxford university. What do you say, dear?" Cora added, giving her a warm smile.
"Sure, why not?" She shrugged, bending down slightly to pick up a suitcase and put it away into her new bedroom.
Regina and Cora stood outside the apartment building waiting for the limo driver that picked them up from the airport yesterday. Regina was less than impressed on having to travel somewhere in a limo again, and this time it was to the university campus where a bunch of soon-to-be classmates would see her.
She stood with her weight shifted onto one foot with her arms folded, chewing onto her bottom lip anxiously. University was supposed to be a fresh start for her, a place where she wouldn't be seen as the spoiled brat as people assumed she was in High School, but her mother's ideal way of travelling was of course going to draw attention to her.
Regina sighed as she dropped her arms to her side and straightened up. "Mother can't we please take the bus or a taxi like every other person does? You're going to show me up if I'm seen arriving in a limo."
Cora scoffed. "A bus or a taxi?! I don't think so," she scoffed again as she shook her head in disgust. "Not only is that unhygienic Regina but we aren't working class so there is no need. We have a driver who can take us from point a to point b anytime we want."
Regina struggled to keep in her frustration but managed to anyway, however, she couldn't keep her eyes from rolling in annoyance. "Why did you have to come again," she murmured under her breath.
"Come again, dear?" Cora asked.
"Nothing." Regina sighed.
The limo pulled up in front of them shortly after and they both got in. The entire short ride over to the campus was uncomfortable for Regina, her mother was complimenting everything in the limo, saying how amazing everything was and how much better it was than 'dirty local transport'. Regina just got fed up with her and tried her hardest to tune her out.
Once the limo got to the campus she couldn't have gotten out of it any faster, hopefully she was fast enough to avoid anyone noticing her.
When her mother got out and thanked the driver she shot Regina a scolding look and shook her head. "I'm unimpressed by your attitude today young lady."
Regina raised her hands up in the air before slapping them down onto her thighs in irritation. "What have I done?"
"You could've been politer."
"I'm sorry that I'm not okay with going to places in a limo, but it's embarrassing sometimes, mother."
Cora stepped closer to Regina and placed a hand on her arm soothingly. "Just think of it this way, darling, I'll be gone tomorrow so that means you'll be able to do what you like, that means you can take local transport whenever you want." Regina thought she saw her mother shiver at the thought but she ignored it.
She closed her eyes and she took in a deep breath, she then opened them back up and half a smile graced her lips. "I guess I can endure being chauffeured around for today."
Cora smiled brightly. "That's my daughter. Just think, in a few months time you may miss it."
Regina carried on smiling at her mother even though she doubted that she would miss being in a limo with just her, it was too quiet and sometimes awkward, she couldn't wait for the noisy buses she would ride on, the people she could potentially meet on them, and most of all it would make her feel like a normal person.
"Come on then, let's do some exploring of this place," Cora said with a hit of excitement, looking past Regina and up at the big university in front of her.
"Can't wait," Regina replied, genuinely just as excited as her mother.
Regina and Cora had spent the last two hours walking around the university checking it out, they both got familiar with the place and spent quite some time in the English Literature department, of course that was expected since Regina was an English Lit student.
Some of the lecturers where in their classrooms meeting students and their parents, Regina and Cora greeted them all because Cora thought it was best that Regina should make a great first impression on them all, even though she was likely only going to have one or two of them teach her.
On their way out they walked down the corridor that had all the law classrooms on.
"Tell me again why you didn't choose law or accounting or even science?" Cora casually asked for the hundredth time since Regina had told her mother that she was studying English Literature.
"Mother we have been over this," Regina began with an eye roll. "I've always been in love with poems and I'm passionate about literature."
Cora paused in the middle of the hallway and turned to her daughter. "I know darling, but you're such a smart and bright girl, you would've made a great lawyer." She sighed and shrugged. "But I suppose if you're passionate about literature than I can't persuade you to change subjects." She began walking again and Regina just followed her. She was exhausted from all the walking around she had been doing and really didn't have any energy to say anything to her mother, anyway if they started an argument that would mean she wouldn't be back at her apartment to take a nap anytime sooner.
As they walked towards the exit of the corridor that led to the outside there was a group of students hanging outside one of the classrooms. They were all gathered around a table that had a bunch of colourful flyers in three neat piles on it.
The students all seemed to be friendly with each other, talking and laughing about god knows what while also handing out a few flyers here and there.
"Look at that Regina," Cora told Regina with amusement laced in her tone, looking towards the group of students with a smile upon her face. "Those students are promoting science activities that will take place during fresher's week. Why don't you go get a flyer from them?" Cora nudged Regina a little but she stuck firmly to her place besides her mother, she had no interest in doing shit like that while she could be meeting new people and having an amazing time at fresher parties — but she couldn't tell her overprotective mother that, she would probably worry and decide to stay an extra week, so she kept her lips shut to make sure that did not happen!
Regina scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. "You just said that you can't persuade me to change subjects yet you want me to spend fresher's week with a bunch of science nerds."
Cora tutted. "Regina don't be so rude, I'm merely trying to get you to interact with some people and get you into a hobby, I want you to do something besides read books and go out partying till three o'clock in the morning during fresher's week."
Regina huffed but never answered back, her mother knew her too well, but she wasn't going to agree with what she said, after all she did want her gone by tomorrow morning.
Cora rolled her eyes at Regina, seeing as she wasn't moving anytime soon she walked towards the group of students to get a flyer.
Regina followed her mother with her eyes, groaning when she saw what she was doing. She watched as she was handed a flyer from a student and then began a conversation with him. He had brown hair and brown eyes and from the way he dressed all smartly Regina knew that he must be stuck up or wealthy, maybe both?
She could see that her mother had taken a liking to him, she watched how they both interacted with ease talking about . . . science? The university?
"Regina come over here," Cora called for her, motioning for her to walk over to her with her hand.
Regina's lips parted and she furrowed her forehead. It turned out that they must have been undoubtedly talking about her. Shaking her head and huffing out a deep breath she pressed her lips into a thin line and made her way over to her mother and the guy she was talking too.
"Daniel this is my daughter Regina," Cora said to Daniel and then turned to face Regina to say, "Regina this is Daniel, he's a new student here too. He's majoring in Science."
Regina gritted her teeth and tried her hardest to not roll her eyes at both her mother's not-so subtly way of pushing her towards a friendship or whatever she was trying to do and the nerdy guy's not-so shy glances up and down her body.
She grabbed the edges of her leather jacket and folded one across the other to conceal herself and to get the attention of . . . Daniel? Was that his name? To back off and stop checking her out.
She was glad that it caught his attention and made him look down shamefully with a hint of embarrassment to his face. Not long after though he was coughing and holding out a hand for her to shake. She took hold of it and shook it when she felt her mother's eyes burning a hole through her.
"Nice to meet you, Regina." His mouth broke into a wide smile as he greeted her.
"You too," Regina replied with disinterest in her voice, a sigh slipping from her lips.
"I was just asking Daniel about all these wonderful science activities that are taking place next week, he said anyone is allowed to participate. Won't that be lovely for you to do, Regina?" Cora piped in when she saw that Regina and Daniel's conversation was going nowhere.
Regina looked at Daniel and saw his grin brighten at the thought of spending time with her, and then she looked at her mother and saw how she was also smiling, nodding her head slightly to egg her on.
"Mother I already told you that I'm not interested in science," she repeated herself, she swore she told her mother that moments ago, did she not?
She watched her mother's face fall in disappointment but she never argued further with her, which was a change for once, she also watched out of the corner of her eye Daniel's smile drop from his face. Regina thought is was pathetic, she didn't even know the guy and he was already fascinated with spending time with her. Then again so was that annoying guy from yesterday. Was something in the water that made them practically drool over her and possibly other girls? Or were they just assholes that wanted to get laid by the first girl they laid eyes upon? Whatever it was she was not interested in either of them.
"Well, even though you're not interested in Science, Daniel here seems like a nice young man, maybe you two could get to know one another?" Cora said with encouragement and a bright smile, she then informed Regina a bit about Daniel that insistently made her know why her mother liked him so much. "Daniel's parents happen to be on the university board, and his great-grandfather was the founder of Colter Riding Academy."
"That's nice to know," Regina stated plainly. "And even though I would love to hear more about Daniel and his family history—" Sarcasm laced her tone but she quickly dropped it when she was given a warning glance from her mother "—don't we have to get back to my apartment so we can be there for when the rest of my stuff arrives?"
Cora sighed and nodded her head. "I suppose we do." She then turned to Daniel. "It was so nice to meet you."
"You too," he replied with a smile, the smile turning to a beaming one when he looked at Regina. "And you as well. I hope I see you around here again, it would be a shame if I never talked to you again."
Regina shifted from one foot to the other but stayed silent, all she did was give him a somewhat friendly smile and hoped that would be enough for him.
She saw the faint pink coloured blush that made its way up his neck and onto his check, clearly her friendly smile was enough.
"Goodbye." Cora waved him off and walked down the rest of the corridor with Regina tagging behind.
"All I'm saying is that you could have been politer and talked to him more."
Regina let out a breath of aggravation and swung the limo door open and practically jump out as fast as she could. She proceeded to walk up to her apartment building while fishing for her keys in her back pocket.
"Regina Maria Mills," Cora called out in a firm tone, catching up to Regina. "This is what I'm talking about when I tell you that you should be politer, you just cut me off in the middle of a conversation."
"It wasn't a conversation, it was you telling me off," Regina said frankly, finding her keys as she walked into the lobby of the apartment building and going straight for the lift, pressing the button to open it. When the lifted opened she walked into it followed by her mother who pressed a button that would send them up to the floor Regina's apartment was on.
Cora stepped in front of Regina so they could be looking at each and she put her hands-on Regina's biceps gently. "I was merely helping to find you some friends, and I like that young man, he seemed nice. Very nice for you," Cora said in a very suggestive way, giving Regina a bright smile.
A frown set over Regina's features, she didn't like what her mother was implying, she let out a scoff and rolled her eyes as she shook her mother's hands off her. "You like him because of his wealth," she stated.
"That's not the only reason, I'm not that inconsiderate Regina. I'm simply looking out for you and making sure that you don't end up with somebody like that hooligan of a neighbour you have," Cora sniped, moving from her space in front of Regina to the side of her. "There's an odd smell about him. I hope he's not on drugs," she cried out, quickly placing a hand over her stomach at the sickening thought. "I don't want you to be in an environment like that!"
Regina combed her hands through her hair. "I'm not interested in him and I'm never going to do drugs."
Cora let out a deep breath from within her, a sign of relief spread across her face. "That's good to know. I do worry about you sweetheart, and I would hate—" Cora's phone rang, the sound of the ringtone cutting her off. She reached into her bag, pulled out the phone and answered it just as the lift doors opened.
Regina stepped out of the lift and was about to walk down the hallway but she was stopped by her mother. "Regina that was the driver on the phone, I left my purse in the car, I'm going to go back down and get it."
"Okay." She nodded and turned back around as the lift doors closed shut, she walked down the hallway and got close to her apartment when she was hit full force by something, or more like someone. And not only that but that someone must have been holding water because that was what went all over her right arm that was thankfully covered by her leather jacket.
"What the fuck!" she barked out, snapping her head to the side to look at the culprit. "You again!" She gritted her teeth when she saw none other than her next-door neighbour; Robin. "Are you trying to make it your life mission to knock me on the floor?!" She gave him a glimpse of her fury with a flash of her eyes, they pierced into him, much like her mother's did whenever she was angry at someone.
"Whoa!" Robin held out his hands. "It was an accident, I was in my apartment, I can't see through doors, besides, you're not the only one who got wet, so did I." He motioned to his top half of his body that was clad in a simple plain white t-shirt that was now all see through thanks to the big wet patch in the middle.
Regina scoffed and looked down at her leather jacket, she was lucky that it was waterproof and no damage was done. It was Chanel and the last thing she wanted to happen to it was it being ruined, especially since it was her favourite one.
"I'm sorry for ruining what looks like an expensive leather jacket," Robin told her sincerely.
Regina could hear by the tone of his voice that he genuinely was sorry but that didn't stop her from looking up at him and throwing daggers his way for a minute, only for a minute though because it didn't take her long for her eyes to soften slightly. He did say sorry. But it was still Chanel. "You didn't ruin it. It's fine," she assured him.
"Good. That's good. I'm glad your jacket didn't get ruined, but I can't say that about my t-shirt." Regina watched him pick at the wet patch that clung to his body like a second skin, she then watched him with wary eyes as he then started to pick at the bottom, which shortly after turned into him pulling it over his head, stripping his chest free of clothing.
The water left a shiny, slick residue behind, making the very nice toned body he had stick out more, but before Regina had the chance to ask him what the hell he was doing, a booming voice was heard from the end of the hallway.
"What on earth is going on here?!" Regina's head snapped so fast towards here mother so was surprised that it didn't break. She saw her charging down the hallway, both hands attached securely around the strap of her bag.
Regina stepped a whole step back away from Robin, almost bumping into the wall behind her. Her heart hammered in her chest, it felt like her mother had almost just given her a heart attack. She literally just came out of nowhere, like a ninja. Her mother always told her she had eyes in the back of her head and to watch was she was doing, seems like she wasn't kidding.
"Was this young man causing problems, Regina?" Cora asked when she got close to Regina, giving Robin a scolding look for being half naked before she looked at Regina and ran her eyes all over her to see if she was hurt.
"Nothing that he hasn't done already, except for this time he didn't just nearly knock me to the ground but he also got water on my jacket." Regina crossed her arms over her chest as she gave Robin an annoyed glance.
"I said sorry," Robin told truthfully, looking between Cora and Regina.
Cora just scoffed and rolled her eyes, walking away from Robin and towards her daughter's apartment. Regina followed behind her, leaving Robin on his own. As he went to pick up the water bottle that was on the floor due to colliding with Regina he heard her mother call out, 'put on a shirt!'.
The next day arrived slowly for Regina but it was here and she was feeling conflicted. Yesterday she couldn't wait for her mother to leave, especially with her nagging about where to put all her ornaments and pictures, and it just got worse after the incident with Robin because just a couple of hours later all her transit stuff arrived, meaning she got all her furniture.
Her mother was a pain in the ass when it came to where her furniture would go, and she was thankful that she would only have to put up with her for less than twenty-four hours, but when the time came for her to say goodbye to her she could feel a lump forming in her throat.
Even though she did have great times with her mother and bad times with her too, she was still going to miss her very much.
"Don't forget to clean the apartment, you don't want roaches. Make sure you don't stay out too late or get too drunk. Maybe get your key cut so you have a spare just in case you lose your original one, oh, and make sure—"
"Mom! I'll be fine. I promise. Please don't worry," she interrupted. She gave her mother a smile, hoping that she would see past the sadness that was in her eyes.
Cora breathed out and nodded. "Okay. I trust that you will." She then placed a hand over her mouth as she took in her daughter's presence for the last time until the next time they would see each. "Be safe, sweetheart."
"Of course, I will be, don't worry."
Regina and Cora hugged each other, her mother placing a kiss to the side of her head as she squeezed for longer. They held each other for another couple of minutes before both letting go.
"Now go, you'll miss your flight if you don't and this will only get sadder," Regina said in a whisper, afraid that if she spoke any louder it would come out all croaky.
"I love you," Cora whispered back, placing another kiss to her temple.
"I love you too." Regina waved off her mother as she went through a set of double doors that led to airport security. She stayed there for a few minutes even though he mother was no longer in sight, she just stood there and took everything that just happened in a short amount of time in. She was now on her own in another country, and although she had butterflies in her stomach at the thought, she just couldn't wait for a new adventure.