Chapter 4

Tapping her foot nervously, Regina looks up and down the corridor as she sits patiently outside the Principals office for whatever reason she did not know.

"Hey? Everything okay?"

Glancing up, the brunette nods slowly at seeing her blonde roommate, almost friend. "I'm just waiting...she needs to see me" gesturing to the Principals door.

Emma frowns and sits beside her. "Oh..what about?"

Shrugging, Regina grips the bottom of her chair with her hands. "I have no idea..I just got called.."

Looking concerned, the blonde jumps up quickly as the Principal's door opens and the woman appears. Also standing, the brunette gulps.

"Miss Swan..how nice of you to keep Miss Mills company.." Miss Black smiles then gestures for Regina to follow her inside before closing the door sharply.

Pausing inside the door with wide eyes, Regina looks speechless towards her mother sitting on the opposite side of the desk.

"Regina..."

Biting her lip, the brunette looks slightly scared between the pair. "Mother.."

"I received somewhat of a worrying phone call regarding your..new found friendship with a certain girl in this school. I am here to give you some motherly advice Regina. Miss Black here, has kindly given you a chance considering your past behaviour and I do not want to see you ruin it by getting in with the wrong crowd again"

Dropping her mouth open, Regina shakes her head. "No. I know this was a huge favour to us but I will not stop being friends with someone because of their past reputation" looking over to Miss Black, the brunette looks apologetic. "I know you are talking about Emma and I remember what you said to me when I came here but..you know of my past and has given me a chance..why can I not give her a chance? She isn't how everyone sees her...she has a heart too. I'm just saying that if I didn't have the support I've been given then yes, I probably wouldn't be standing here right now. So why can we not support her?"

"Miss Mills..Regina, I understand you want to help her but until Emma can admit her problem, I nor your mother want to see you in trouble..neither does Miss West.."

Taking a deep breath, the brunette scoffs. "Miss West...of course.."

Cora stands up and approaches her daughter. "She wanted to help you..we all do...Regina I do not want to go through what I did before..I cannot lose you"

"I know, I'm sorry..please I will be careful but don't ask me to not be friends or even civil..she has no one else..who understands how..lonely you can feel..when you feel like.." Stopping, Regina looks down clearing her throat before looking back to the Principal. "May I go to class now please?"

Sharing a look with Cora, the Principal nods and opens the door for the brunette before continuing on her talk with her mother.

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Spotting the brunette exit her class, Emma jogs up to her and bumps her shoulder. "Hey, how did it go?"

Regina smiles upon seeing her then shrugs. "Okay..nothing to worry about. Where are you going anyway? Isn't there a protest or something you shouldn't be doing but do anyway?"

Laughing at her humor, the blonde nods. "Yes and no. I'm heading to class?.."

Raising an eyebrow, the brunette then frowns. "Really? Of your own free will?"

"Hey!" Hitting her arm playfully, Emma then takes her arm without thought. "Yes it is my choice to go to class..besides you will be there so it won't be so bad.."

Biting her lip, Regina looks in awe at her friend then watches as the blonde lets go of her and walks ahead into the classroom.

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Unfortunately for the brunette, this was not a class she was looking forward to as she was going to face Miss West, and right now, she did not want to face the teacher that has betrayed her to her mother and Principal. Giving her usual glare towards the woman, Regina again sits besides Emma and acts the perfect student as if nothing had happened. When class ended, she told the blonde she would meet her back in their dorm as she wanted to speak with her but knew that their teacher would want to talk to her.

"Regina..I see that my piece of advice was not taken into consideration.." The redhead teacher stated as the last student exited the classroom and she shuts the door.

"Why would it? I mean it doesn't make a difference, you would inform my mother and Miss Black either way.." The brunette responds coldly despite knowing this woman is her teacher.

"I had no choice, I'm concerned for you..even your mother agreed that she has noticed a slip in your behaviour and that you could be heading back to how you once was"

Shaking her head, Regina glares. "I had reasons back then..perfectly good ones"

Clasping her hands together as she sits at her desk, Miss West looks intrigued. "Care to enlighten me?"

"It is none of your business.."

"Well maybe if I understood your situation better, I wouldn't need to go to your mother or Miss Black.." The redheaded explains as she watches Regina begin to pace, agitated.

"I just had some family issues..or none family issues depending on how you look at it.." The brunette responds before rubbing her head frustrated.

Raising an eyebrow, Miss West looks uncomfortable. "Involving your mother?"

Shaking her head, Regina stops pacing and looks over. "My father Henry..or..not my father..as I found out a year ago"

"Oh..."

"I took it kind of hard. My father and I were a lot more close than my mother but then he got sick and died..that was when she decided to tell me he wasn't really my father and everything..spun out of control and I turned to-"

"Drugs..." Miss West finishes for her having been informed by Miss Black as have the other teachers to keep an eye on the girl's behaviour.

Regina winces slightly at the word and nods. "I'm not proud of it but I felt like everything I knew..believed in, it was a lie..I just..wanted to forget for a short while but its addictive and once you start..its extremely hard to stop..which is why I have been going mad about this whole Emma situation because I want to take my control back and with her I can. When I'm with her even if its just sitting in class not even talking, I feel myself again. I don't want to..take drugs when shes around"

Looking regretful, the redhead stands to approach her. "Regina, I am sorry for what I did but I was and still am worried about you. I thought I was doing the right thing.."

"You don't need to worry, I'm no one special..thanks for the concern but I know what I am doing. Emma is my friend..and right now that is what I need" the brunette admits then reaches for her books. "I better get going..got homework"

"Of course.." Strolling up to the door, Miss West opens it for her. "If you ever do need to just talk though, my door is always open"

Nodding, Regina goes quiet. "Thanks Miss West"

"Zelena..when its not class time" the woman smiles as she holds onto the doorframe.

The brunette smiles back then heads out to go back to her dorm.

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Glancing through the door to see if Emma is there, Regina smiles on sight then walks inside. The blonde rolls over her bed and sits up on view and smiles back. "So what did you wanna talk to me about? Was everything okay with West? She can be a pain, she cornered me yesterday about us and.."

"No its fine..we talked and its not a problem...besides that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about.." The brunette confesses as she goes and sits beside Emma on the bed. "I want to be honest with you because the whole starting over thing..its getting to me"

Frowning, the blonde turns slightly to face her with worry. "Getting to you? What are you saying, you don't want us to be friends now?"

"No thats not it..I just..I felt conflicted before but these past couple of days have been great and..honestly I cannot stop thinking about before with..us and..I wish we could be more like that..however there are two things standing in the way"

Biting her lip, Emma looks intrigued. "Go on..."

Looking at her, Regina suddenly gets nervous. "Well..one..being that it all depends on how you feel..about us..about me and the other being that I want to be completely honest with you regarding my past before anything else happens"

The blonde nods understanding and places her hand on the brunette's arm for support. "Okay..but for the record the first thing, you don't need to question it..because there is no way I would say no to an us or you"

Attempting a smile, the brunette takes a breath. "You might not say that in five minutes..you see, I also have..a reputation..that I'm not proud of. An escape. Like you, you go out and stay out, do what you want. Me? I...I used to..take stuff..to get out of my head, literally.."

Surprised, Emma opens her mouth speechless. "Oh..I..I never would have put you down as the type.."

"I don't want to be that type but..last year, I learnt that my family..had lied to me and I lost control..my father died and my mother decided to tell me that he actually wasn't my father and he also knew but brought me up as his..I loved him dearly and now its a lie"

Slowly taking her hand to reassure her, the blonde shakes her head. "I'm not agreeing with it and it must have been terrible, being lied to, but don't let it ruin your memory of him Regina. Whether you were related or not, he was your father..he raised you and loved you just like I can see you loved him"

Getting teary, Regina grips her hand. "You're right but it hurt..and so I ran and did what I did.."

"Are you still.."

"No. I got help and away from them people which is why I was sent here.."

"Did you do anything..that you..regret while on.."

Knowing what she is asking, the brunette shakes her head. "No, I didn't lose my senses completely and that is something I will not jump into lightly..it will be with someone I care about.."

Smiling in relief, Emma moves closer and wraps an arm around her shoulders. "I am so glad you said that.."

Tilting her head up to look at the blonde, Regina watches her for a moment then leans up to kiss her cheek. "Thank you for listening"

"Anytime" the blonde gives a grin then kisses the top of her head while keeping her in an embrace. "I will always be here for you if you need me"

A/N: something tells me its not going to be all happy happy...