Now, the next task at hand was to get past her parents' questioning and any risk of them noticing her puffy eyes. Perhaps, if she were to walk slowly enough, the swelling would go down and she could avoid such problems. But it was just her luck that she could feel the familiar pull on her eyes with a blur in her vision.
Just walk quickly, she advised herself, walking as fast as her legs could carry her.
"Honey, what's wrong? You look like you've been crying." Mary Margaret's voice pulled Emma from her thoughts.
She hadn't even realized that she had made her way upstairs and into the apartment until she took a good look around. It was like she hadn't noticed that she had stopped crying, and a while ago, too, telling by the dried tears on her face. It wasn't like she cared, anyways.
"I'm fine." Emma shrugged and tried to push past her mother. She could feel the urge to break down rising with every breath.
"You aren't fine. Something's wrong. Please, Emma." The pixie-haired woman pleaded, but it was David who had pulled her back, letting the blonde escape toward the kitchen.
Emma tried her best to keep from any eye contact with the two of them as she shuffled through the fridge and pulled out a small container of kumquats before running off upstairs. As she ascended each step, she could hear the two of them urgently talk to one another.
She didn't care. She cared about nothing. All she wanted was Regina. But the teacher disappeared, no doubt hurt and alone. And that had only pulled Emma deeper into that pit that she absolutely despised. It was what she had tried to avoid at all costs and had never seemed to have a problem with it since meeting Regina.
But now, she was spiraling back down the mountain that she had tried so hard to climb. That ray of sunshine that spoke to her through the darkness had disappeared, leaving everything to close in around her.
"Maybe I'm just being stupid. We didn't even talk." She muttered to herself, pulling her phone from her jacket pocket before tossing the article of clothing aside. She checked the messages, just in case.
Nothing.
Emma looked at her phone expectantly before quickly pulling up the new message screen and typed something in.
I know that you're angry at me and I'm sure that you need time… But, please, Regina. I really want to talk to you. I want to explain. I'll give you all the time that you need, just please… respond to me.
But, upon reading what she had written, she deleted it. That sounded too damned desperate, for sure. She'd probably only turn Regina away if she were to send that message.
Tossing her phone aside, she lay back against her bed and sighed, placing the container of small fruit on her stomach as she dug her pocket knife out of her nightstand drawer. She must wait. She needed time.
Time.
Time was an enemy, and Emma's worst. She hated it more than anything, especially when it forced her to wait for something that she did not necessarily want to have to wait for. It was a ridiculous concept – time. But that was the only thing to do to pass the time and not think of the things that would bring tears to her eyes.
Well, it was working for a few minutes, until she had grown bored of insulting time and began to think of that woman. How could she be so stupid as to let her go like that? How could she be so stupid to go with Killian to the dance? She only had regrets. She regretted going to the Winter Formal at all. She regretted not moving away from that kiss fast enough. She regretted ever staying for lunch with Ms. Mills.
No.
No, she didn't regret that. There was no possible way that she would regret ever choosing that path. How could she even think about regretting something like that? It must have just been her mind and the bitterness of the kumquats controlling her brain.
She set the container aside and closed her eyes.
"Emma?" A masculine voice called from the doorway.
Her eyes popped open, head whipping to the side to see David standing there with a tentative look in his blue eyes.
"May I come in?"
"If you want the kumquats back, they're on my nightstand." Emma tossed onto her other side and brought the blanket over her head.
"Emma, what's wrong?" He asked, though his voice was calm and soft. She could hear footsteps as he made his way across the room to her bed. "It will make you feel better if you say it."
"No, it won't." Emma grumbled, curling up in her spot and tugging the covers tighter against her. "Nothing will make me feel better."
"What happened, honey?" There was a dip in the mattress as he perched on the edge of the bed, causing her body to roll into him.
Emma sighed and brought the blanket down, resting it underneath her arms as she gazed up at her father with large eyes, shimmering with unshed tears. "I fucked up."
"You fucked up how?"
"I hurt someone that I really care about without meaning to. I-it was someone else's fault, but sh- they didn't see all of what happened. And- A-and I fucked up, David. I fucked up so badly." Emma turned into the man's arms as the tears building up upon his arrival had sprung free, a terrible sob forcing its way out of her.
"Oh, baby." David held her close, a hand caressing the back of her head. "I'm here, Emma, I'm here for you."
She hadn't dared to respond. She couldn't. Instead, she squeezed him tighter, his musky cologne filling her senses as she buried her face in his shirt. It wasn't long until Emma could hear another pair of feet journey up the stairs, urgently moving as soon as they had hit the landing. Soon enough, the weight of Mary Margaret had dipped the mattress further down, and another set of arms were around Emma.
"What happened?"
"I don't know." David's response was a whisper. Emma had now calmed for the most part, although she couldn't help the soft sobs that escaped every so often into her father's shirt. "She said that she had screwed up. Something about her hurting someone by accident, but it was someone else's fault? That's all I got out of her."
Mary Margaret's lips pressed soothing kisses against honeyed locks. "It'll all be alright, Emma. We'll get through this."
"You don't know that." Emma's voice was muffled against David, but the woman must have heard her clear enough.
"And why not?"
"Because I fucked up everything. Up the ass, mind you. With a cactus. Covered in barbed-wire."
"Emma!"
"It's true! There's no coming back from this." Emma pushed away from her father and sat up to stare at the two with red, puffy eyes, tear-stained cheeks, and snot covered nose.
"It always gets worse before it gets better." She tried to reassure the teenager, but Emma only shook her head.
"I don't know if this will."
"Just give it time, Emma." Mary Margaret sighed. "David said that you had accidentally hurt someone?"
"Yeah…"
"Talk to them?"
"I've tried to, but she won't answer."
"Then wait. Give her time. Time is usually best in these situations-"
"I hate time!" Emma slammed the palms of her hands on the bed. "It only makes things worse!"
"Emma, honey, what I think your mother is trying to say is that, although time may be painful now, it will be worth it later, when the waiting is over." David cut in before his wife could protest the blonde's words. He knew how both his wife and daughter worked. If Mary Margaret were to go too far, and he knew when that point would be, Emma would only get angrier and clam up.
The sheriff shifted on the bed; his eyes focused on Emma's face. "Just think about when enough time has passed, and you contact her. Things will get better, won't they?"
"Only if she wants to talk to me about what happened." Emma mumbled, eyes sliding towards the phone that she left on the nightstand. She kept her gaze there as the other two watched her with frowning, sympathetic faces.
"Would you like us to leave you alone?" David finally asked after a few minutes of silence. She only nodded and curled back up on her bed as she watched as both he and Mary Margaret stood, the latter picking up the container of small fruit.
"If you need anything, dear, don't hesitate to ask, okay?" Her mother whispered softly.
"I will."
"Goodnight, Emma."
"Try to have a good night, honey."
"Yeah. I'll see." Emma shrugged and watched them, frowning again, as they made their way to the door. Good thing that they didn't dare pry for more information or stay to bug her. They knew that something was off, and more than usual when she was in such a mood.
"Yes, she's upstairs."
"She might still be asleep."
"She had a rough night."
"Just poke her to wake her."
"Thanks." The last voice was different than the first two.
Emma sat up in her bed, eyes wide as the sound of footsteps coming closer only had her movements hastier. The time was sufficient for her to gather herself as the source of the footsteps appeared in her doorway.
"Graham?"
"Yeah. Where were you?" The man stepped closer to Emma's bed, stopping at the side with a quirked brow. "Your parents said you came home and went straight up here. Ruby and Belle tried to call you, but you wouldn't answer."
"I must have fallen asleep." Emma shrugged, her eyes falling to her lap.
"But you left early. I thought you were going to leave with Ruby and Belle?" Graham cocked his head to one side, thumbs in his belt loops. "They barely saw you at the dance."
"Well, I didn't see them."
"Did you even go?"
"Yeah. And it was the worst mistake of my life." Emma snapped, scooting to the corner of her bed. With a frown, her friend perched on the edge of the mattress and looked at her.
"Well, I knew that you didn't like dances, but I didn't think this much." His eyes skated over her bed, covered in blankets, and landed on her face after finding nothing to answer whatever question he had floating around.
"It's not because of that." The blonde rolled her eyes and brought her knees to her chest.
"Ruby said you went with Killian." Graham's brow rose once again. "I thought you were dating Regina?"
"I am." Emma guided her attention to her toes. Unclipped and boring.
"Oh…"
"I didn't fucking cheat on her, if that's what you think." She hissed, snapping her head up. "I told her that I was going with him. She was there, too, but as one of the chaperones. We- we were supposed to dance after Killian and I were done. Sneak out, y'know?"
"What happened?" His voice was quiet.
"Shit. I fucked up." Emma shrugged.
"Emma. What happened?" Graham repeated himself, this time, his voice not showing any sign of play. No dancing around the subject. Of course, that was Graham. When he wanted answers, he got them. Emma was glad that he could keep his secrets.
"Killian Jones happened." Emma snarled. "I even told him. I-I told him before we got into the gym."
"Told him what?"
"That I liked chicks." She muttered, tugging at a lock of hair. "He was joking when he asked, but I answered him seriously. I thought he had taken me seriously."
"What the hell did he do?"
Emma balled her fists and brought her gaze to meet with Graham's. "It was a slow song playing and he insisted we danced. I wanted to reject it, and I regret not doing it. And then he kissed me. Halfway through the song, he put his hands on my ass and kissed me."
"He kissed you? Is that what this is- Wait." Graham's eyes lit up as he put the pieces to this puzzle together and the full image lay in front of him. "You said Regina was there, right?"
"Uh, yeah."
"I take it that she saw-"
"Yes," Emma quickly answered, "and she ran off. I couldn't find her."
"You couldn't find her?"
"Yeah." She frowned. "I tried to call her, but she didn't answer."
And then she began to feel the familiar tug of tears and the blur in her vision.
"Emma…"
"I can't believe that I hurt her like this." Emma buried her face in her hands, taking several deep breaths to calm herself, easing the constriction in her throat.
"But didn't Killian kiss you? Didn't you stop it?"
"I tried. I did. I pushed him away. But she didn't see that, I don't think."
Graham leaned forward; his head tilted to one side as he stared at her with keen interest. "Didn't you tell her what happened?"
"I couldn't get a hold of her. She was gone before I even made it out of the gym." Emma shifted, inhaling deeply as she pressed her back to the headboard.
"Why wouldn't she answer you?"
"I-I don't know. She's probably hurt. The way we looked and that song- She probably thinks that I did it on purpose. She probably thinks I hurt her on purpose."
"Emma, calm down." He frowned and reached out to set a gentle hand on her forearm, giving it a squeeze. "Did you try contacting her after that?"
"Yeah. I sent her three texts." Emma grabbed her phone from the nightstand and woke it up. No new messages.
"And I called her twice. The first time, she didn't pick up. And the second, it was dial tone."
"Shit…"
"Yeah, shit. I fucked up!" Emma threw her phone across the room, causing it to break apart; the back flew away from the front, and the battery landed in one of her shoes. "I fucking love her and I fucked it up. How the hell am I going to survive knowing that she hates my guts?"
"Emma," Graham's voice was nothing but a mere sigh. His hand slid from Emma's forearm to rest on her trembling back. "You have to give it some time. More time. You're overreacting. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours, yet. I'm pretty sure you'd need time too, if something were to happen to you in a similar situation."
"Time! I hate time!"
"Yeah? Well, you'll just have to live with it! Time is a part of life and it's needed in order for things to progress. Let time run its course, and before you know it, things will start to get better. I know that it sounds like a load of bullshit right now, but trust me, it will get better."
Emma's eyes were as wide as saucers as she lifted her gaze to meet with her friend's. She could only nod.
"Good. Now, why don't you get your ass ready and come with me? Ruby, Belle, and I planned on doing some stuff today, but you won't know until you find out." He coaxed, scooting himself off the bed. "Leave that damn phone here, too. It's all broke anyways."
"What if- What if she calls?"
"Who cares! Do you want her to know that you've been wasting your life away at that phone for her?"
"Yes!" Emma protested, scrambling from her spot to the edge of the bed where she nearly clobbered the man sitting there.
"Well, fuck her!"
She blanched and muttered, "I do."
Graham stood there for a moment before turning around to spot a pair of socks on the floor, the ones from yesterday, no doubt, and picked them up to toss at Emma's face, both his brows raised.
"Get ready. And if you're not downstairs in five minutes, I'm dragging you with me despite what you're wearing; with or without that phone." And with that, he was stomping out of the room.
Emma made haste to gather her phone first, putting the pieces back together to stuff the entirety of it in her sweater pocket. Luckily the damned thing didn't shatter. Her parents would have been pissed.
Nibbling on her lower lip, she quickly tried to find a pair of jeans to pull on and slipped the socks that Graham had thrown at her on as well. Her shoes were by the door, so it was easy to slip them on before jogging down the stairs to meet with Mary Margaret and Graham, chatting at the kitchen table.
"You threw your phone?" The Mary Margaret's stern question startled Emma at the bottom of the stairs.
"Y-yeah…"
"Why? Is it broken?"
"No. And I was angry." She slowly walked over to her mother, shooting Graham daggers on her way. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"You better not. I won't buy you another one."
"I won't." She repeated.
Graham stood from his spot, a smirk playing on his face as he headed toward the door with an expectant look.
"Don't stay out too late." Mary Margaret warned, gazing up at her daughter.
"No promises. I might stay the night with Ruby and Belle. I'll text you."
"Emma," Her mother sighed, playing with the mug of coffee in her hands.
"Graham's only here for these two-"
"Actually, I'm on winter break. I'll be here for a week." Graham interrupted, raising a hand. "So-"
"Thanks." Emma rolled her eyes, one arm crossing over the other.
Mary Margaret bit her lower lip before speaking, looking up at her daughter with those same eyes from last night. "You can stay the night, dear, since it'll be a school week next week."
"Yeah, only four days. Stupid finals," she muttered, but smiled and bent down to wrap her arms around her mom. "Thank you!"
"Yes, now go, before I change my mind."
"Let's beat it." Emma quickly made her way to the door, following behind her male friend as he made his way out.
"Where the hell were you?" Ruby immediately asked upon Emma and Graham's arrival to the room the latter had booked for his stay.
She and Belle were both sitting on the couch, looking at Emma with raised brows. Graham must have told them that he was going to retrieve Emma with the way they seemed so expectant for his arrival. Their arrival, she mended.
"Home."
"Come on. Why don't we go do something?" Graham suggested, gesturing his head toward the door. "We can go down to the docks like old times."
"Or go grab a bite at Granny's. I'm starving." Emma mumbled.
"Yeah."
"No! She's gotta tell us why she ditched us!" Ruby hoisted herself up from the couch and stalked over to Emma, glaring. Belle was soon behind her, nodding.
"I didn't even see you there," Emma retorted. "So, I left."
"You didn't look hard enough."
"We saw you." Belle was quick to add.
"Then why didn't you come to me?"
"Oh, honey, I'm pretty sure everyone saw you." The waitress laughed, gently shoving Emma's shoulder. "You were macking on Killian in the middle of the room. I wasn't going to interrupt that."
Emma growled and crossed her arms. "You should have."
"Let me guess, he did it without you wanting him to?"
"Do I really have to answer that or have you two already forgotten also?" She rolled her eyes, shifting the weight from one foot to the other.
"What do you mean?" Belle asked calmly, stepping beside Ruby now to give her friend a concerned look.
"I told Killian before we even entered the dance. He kinda asked the wrong question and I sorta said yes. But the thing that pissed me off, was that he kissed me anyways. And it just…" Emma trailed off, swallowing thickly at the memories that had happened afterwards.
"Is that why you went home so early, then? Did he upset you?" That was Ruby, taking a step forward as if to protect her.
"Yeah. Pretty much."
"I'll kill him." The waitress growled. "I'm sorry that I forced you to go with that perv in the first place."
"It's fine." Emma shrugged. "Can we just go eat and do something?"
"Emma wants to get her mind off things." Graham elaborated, stepping up from behind the blonde. "That's the only reason why I got her to come willingly with me."
"Fine." Ruby's eyes narrowed, focused on Emma who returned the look with a quirked brow.
"What?"
"You'll be telling me more details later. Count on that."
"I won't!" Emma smirked, quickly making her way toward the door. She could hear Ruby scoff and yell something at her, while both Belle and Graham laughed, the latter speaking.
"Look who put you in your place."
"She won't last," Ruby muttered, causing Emma to roll her eyes once again.
The four of them soon got situated in a booth, Ruby's replacement waitress – or so Emma liked to call her – took their orders. As they waited for their food and drinks, they began to reminisce with Graham. Most of it were things that Emma had talked with him about the weekend she went to Boston. How were his classes? Did he find anyone to date yet? How's the weather? What's your apartment like? Any new replacement friends?
Then he was asked about what they had done when Emma was up there, both Graham and Emma froze in their spots. Emma's doe-eyes stared blankly at Ruby, who had asked the question, as the man next to her did the same.
Hopefully they didn't look guilty, because they would get the wrong idea. She knew how Ruby's mind worked at times, and she would assume they had done something considering the way they had frozen in place just now.
"We went to watch a show and ate dinner." Emma quickly muttered. "And, uh, went to a shop. I bought a necklace. That one I told you I got in Boston?"
"Oh, the one that you're wearing now?" Belle tilted her head, a finger rising to point at the swan pendant around her neck, contrasting against the black sweater that she wore.
"Yeah." Emma nodded, a hand immediately going up to capture the small pendant in her hand. It was the only part of Regina she had, and believe it or not, had helped her keep it together some of the time because it brought back those great memories.
"That's all? Sounds boring." Ruby teased.
"We talked, really. Most of the time we stayed at the apartment and watched television." Graham added with a shrug. He played with the glass of soda set in front of him as the waitress had come back with the drinks. "We couldn't really go anywhere. It was busy as hell."
"It still sounds boring. Why didn't you go to any clubs or anything? Do something fun?" Ruby smirked.
"Because I know Emma hates them. It'd be pointless." He shrugged, sipping from his drink.
Emma did the same, a wry look on her face. "Unlike you, Ms. I'll-Drag-Your-Ass-There-Against-Your-Will."
"You end up liking-"
Belle slowly shook her head, leaving Ruby's words to fade into the air. "It's too loud, Ruby. And Em only likes the food."
"True." The blonde nodded, bringing her burger close to her as it was given to her. "If there was one way to make me happy, it would be to give me food. I really like food."
"Yeah, we know." Ruby chuckled. "You always order, like, a jillion things when you're here."
"I have an idea about how we'll get Emma to feel better." Belle smiled widely. "Food. We'll have a food party tonight."
"And video games?" Emma peeped in hopefully. "Gaming goes good with food."
"Hell yeah, I'm up for that!" Graham whole-heartedly agreed, a wide smile on his face. "Then maybe I'll beat your ass at that game."
"Good luck." Emma muttered, shoving a few french-fries in her mouth. Ruby and Belle both shook their heads with an eye roll.
"You bitches will be playing with us. I have Mario Party, don't you worry." She smirked.
"What, so you can scream at us when you lose a mini-game? I don't think so." Ruby quickly shook her head, although a playful smirk was evident on her face.
"What? No! I don't do that."
"You go ballistic every time you lose and throw your controller." Belle quietly added in. "You bruised my arm last time."
"I won't do it. I promise." Emma pleaded, puffing out her lower lip to guilt them into it. "Do it for me. The sad, sad little Emma that needs all cheered up."
"Yeah, come on guys. Do it for puppy-dog Ems." Graham shoved the blonde's side teasingly as the two gave a collective sigh.
"Fine."
"Sweet!" Emma grinned. That should take her mind off the buzzing worries in it. Gaming usually helped, and a little ass-kicking would do her some good.
"That's so fucking unfair!" Emma screeched, throwing her controller across the living room of her apartment. Mary Margaret yelled a quick reprimand, but she hadn't paid any attention.
"You lost fair and square, Emma!"
"No, I did not! That fucker pushed me off!" Emma huffed, crossing her arms as she angrily sat back against the couch.
Ruby shook her head and smirked. "But that's the concept of the game."
"Stupid concept."
"My gods, you are a sore loser." Belle just shook her head as Graham had a party of his own, laughing like a hyena beside Emma.
"It's intense when we play those other games together. She bitches every time I shoot her." Graham continued to chuckle, patting Emma on the back.
"Mario Party is a friendship ruining game. Why did you guys let me play this?" Emma absently mumbled, going to retrieve the controller that Mary Margaret had picked up from the kitchen.
"Emma, mind your language."
"Sorry," Emma mumbled, heading back to the couch. "We should play something else."
"All games are winning/losing based; I don't think they're going to work out." Ruby flipped through the stack of game cases by the system, a brow quirked at her blonde friend. "So, it's either this or some I-Spy shit."
"That's Mary Margaret's." Emma shooed the brunette waitress away from the screen as she rolled her dice to move.
"I know a game that you might like that has no winning or losing to it." Belle mumbled from the other side of Emma, tentatively pressing buttons on her controller when it had become her turn.
"What is it?" Emma turned, suddenly curious as to what it would be. Of course, there were games like that, but most were boring as hell. She couldn't fathom why people would enjoy games where you search for things on a picture or whatever those games were about.
"It's for the computer." Belle explained, which had Emma rolling her eyes. If Belle was about to suggest she play one of those puzzle games… "It's called The Cat Lady."
"What?" Emma snorted. "That doesn't sound the least bit interesting, sorry. I don't want to play with herds of cats, or whatever the fuck."
"No. It's not like that at all. Really, it doesn't have much to do with cats themselves. I mean, you get to play a cat for five seconds, but it has a really beautiful storyline. I really think you should try it. I bet you'd like it."
"I don't know, Belle. The title itself is turning me off." She crinkled her brows.
"No, she's right. I watched her play it." Ruby twisted around to face the two from the floor and gave a wolfish grin. "There was a lot of blood and, in one scene, naked boobs."
"Boobs?" Emma smirked. "Blood? Now that sounds like my kind of game."
"Yeah, it's a horror game." Graham finally added. "I had seen some videos about it on the internet but haven't played it myself."
"Huh. Where do I get this from?" Emma asked, curious about this bloody, horror game. If it was as good as they said it was, she would surely enjoy it, right?
"I have a copy of it at home. You can have it." Belle smiled.
"Well, whenever we're done here, you can give it to me." Emma grinned. "But, right now, I want to finish this game and eat some dinner."
"I'll give it to you tomorrow. I don't want to go back to the house tonight." Belle muttered, focusing her attention back onto the screen.
"It's fine. It's something that I'll be playing by myself, anyways." She shrugged.
But for now, it was time to just enjoy this time with her friends and keep her mind off other things. It seemed to be successful as of now, which was good. She hadn't had one thought of Regina since going out with her friends – well, besides the thought of the necklace. Wait, she was thinking about that damned woman now. No. She needed to concentrate on trying to blow her friends off the screen.
Nothing else.
No Regina. No school. No dance. No yesterday.
All that mattered right now was winning this goddamn game.
It was Monday and Regina still hadn't returned any of Emma's calls or texts. Emma had sent one last message to the teacher on Sunday, but there was no luck for a reply. Now it was Monday and Emma still had Regina for her fourth period class. It would be the inevitable. They would have to meet face to face, although the blonde would be at the back of the classroom and Regina at the front.
Though, this was the opportunity for Emma to make amends with the teacher. She really wanted everything to go back to the way it used to be. Being apart from Regina had felt like a lifetime of haunting memories, forced to replay in her mind and an imagination to think up what Regina was going through, if anything. And that swan pendant that she wore only reminded her of the woman.
It was about time that she would confront the older woman. Three days has been long enough, she thought, and Regina should be ready to hear whatever she had to say. It was a terrible nagging feeling that had found itself embedded in Emma's gut that she had never been able to mend things with Regina before she had ever left. She wanted to tell her everything that had happened and explain to her what she had been building up in her head for three days.
Three days was too long. Way too long.
And so were three more periods.
Emma only hoped that everything would turn out alright. She didn't think she could handle whatever life that lay ahead of her if Regina were to brush her off. It was painful enough being in this purgatory.
And that answer was still two hours away. An agonizing two hours that Emma wished didn't have to be there. But she had to do math instead of talking with what mattered most.
"Emma!" Mr. Spencer's voice had her jumping in her spot, feeling as if she had just been smacked as the thoughts had immediately dissipated.
"Uh, yeah?"
"Can you answer the question on the board instead of spacing out in my class?" The male teacher pointed to a complicated looking problem on the board and Emma nodded, although she had no idea what the hell they were even doing. Perhaps it wasn't for the better to space out during class like she had intended.
Slowly, she got out of her seat and walked toward the front of the room. She could feel all eyes on her, even a few whispers as she walked by. She pulled her concentration from them and focused on the board.
"Any day now, Swan."
Killian.
Emma tightened her grip on the marker in her hand at the sound of his voice and tried her best to ignore him as she started with the problem. Whatever the hell she was doing, she was doing it correctly.
Of course, they were reviewing. Wednesday was the start of semester tests, after all. This was just something from earlier on in the year. She probably learned it on one of those days she had decided to space out. Regina really had pulled her attention away from classes.
Soon enough, she was finishing up the problem with a confident smile.
"Thank you," Mr. Spencer spoke and retrieved the marker once again as he prepared the next slide.
"Congratulations, Swan, you got one right."
Emma froze in her spot, eyes sliding toward the brunet with a smile on his face, and shot him daggers. "So?"
"Just cheering you on. No need to be a crocodile." He rolled his eyes, chuckling at something that someone had said beside him.
Shaking her head, Emma proceeded back to her seat. She wasn't going to play his game today, because if she were to, she would just blow up in his face and, really, she didn't want to do that, at least in front of an entire classroom.
"But I'm sure she wouldn't mind chomping on you some more." A girl from that sat in the spot in front of Emma giggled.
"I bet she'd do it right now if she could." The boy sitting next to Killian put in his two cents. Emma frowned.
"No. She's a carpet-muncher, she would be on the chicks in here." Another boy, the one that sat beside Emma, was quick to expose.
Suddenly, the girl that sat next to Emma and the one in front seemed to gasp with disgust, and she could just hear it, as they moved as far away from her as possible.
"That's disgusting! I want to change seats, Mr. Spencer!" The brunette squealed from beside Emma, who rolled her eyes.
Really, though, why did they always think that one would immediately hit on them? That girl wasn't even Emma's type. And, for some reason, it had just clicked in Emma's mind that they knew she was gay.
Killian. That traitorous bastard squealed out her secret, and now everyone knew; or at least everyone in this class.
"What's this fuss now?" Mr. Spencer growled from his spot at the desk, looking up to the girl who had spoken his name.
"I don't want to sit next to the lesbian." She whispered the word as if it were dirty.
Emma scoffed and crossed her arms tightly over her chest, shrinking down in her seat as the teacher stood up from his desk, eyes boring into the blonde's skull.
Mr. Spencer didn't even respond to the girl. He only pointed to an empty desk at the front of the classroom, which had the teenager out of her old seat in a matter of seconds.
"Thank you. I don't want her to try anything on me."
"What the fuck makes you think I would want anything to do with the likes of you?" Emma couldn't help but to sneer, slamming her palms on the desk. "With any of you? This is just so fucking ridiculous! It was just fine before. I wasn't hitting on you."
"Emma, will you lower your voice before I send you to Mr. Gold's office?" The teacher warned, staring with harsh eyes at her.
"Excuse me for trying to stand up for myself!" The blonde balled her fists. "What a school system. Let the bullies bully and yell at the victims for growing a pair."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" The boy next to a quiet Killian had spoken.
"What the fuck does that even mean?"
"Emma Nolan!"
"Do you even hear this jerkoff?" Emma hissed, then stood up from her seat to gather her items.
"I bet she'd like it." The girl in front of her added.
"Emmett?" Another jeered.
"Oh, just fuck you! Being a lesbian doesn't mean I want to become a fucking guy."
"You'd like to screw me, I bet." That girl spoke, a smirk on her lips. "You'd like to just lick my va-"
"You wish." Emma quickly threw out, backing up towards the door. "I hope you're happy, Killian. I hope it was worth it."
"Emma, wait!" Killian was starting to get out of his seat now, but Emma shook her head and opened the door.
"Save it, asshole." And she was gone, marching off toward the office. At least it would be a lot safer there than in that classroom.
Why on earth had she ever trusted that damned boy with her secret? She should have known he would blab it. And he couldn't deny it, either, because he was the only one of a select few that knew.
That's all Emma could keep running through her mind as she made her way down the hallway. But before she had even made it to the office, the bell had rung, and students were filing into the hallways. Well, that saved the silly explanation for leaving that class. She could just head to her third period, instead.
And the thought of that sent her heart thrumming in her chest. Only one more period before she was in Regina Mills' class. Gods, she couldn't wait to see that woman again, and hopefully to see her beautiful smile, as well. She really needed it.
She really needed to get her mind off everything. If she wouldn't, she would probably break down at some point during this period with all of what had happened. The emotions building inside of her from second period and the bullies there were stored in a dangerous place. Emma was lucky that she hadn't broken in class.
It was a good thing that she had walked out of the room before she had been pushed passed her limits. She couldn't afford a call to her parents who would, no doubt, question her as to why she would do such a thing. She didn't want them to find out that way. For them to find out, it would be best for her to sit them down. But, seeing as to how nothing bad had happened enough for a call, she didn't have to worry about it. Instead, she could clear her mind. They could run today.
And run she did. Emma had let every worrisome thought melt away as she ran around the gym, although, it would have had a more calming effect on her if she were to be outside. Unfortunately, it was too cold and too snowy outside for them to use the track. She didn't mind, just so long as she could run.
By the end of the period, she was exhausted, but her mind felt pumped and ready to take on the next period, thinking up how to start a conversation with Regina.
Or if Emma would be able to say anything at all, because when she walked through that door to her fourth period Creative Writing class in Ms. Mills' room, she saw her, and her breath caught in her throat. It had been the first time in three days that she had seen that woman, and she still looked as gorgeous even if her hair was mussy and her eyes underlined with dark circles.
Emma frowned as she made her way to her desk at the back of the room. Regina didn't seem to pay any notice to her presence. Usually, she gave her a smile. That was just another strike to the current reality. Was she really going to ignore her?
With a soft sigh, Emma let her gaze lower to the paper that had been left on her desk from the previous English class. This would be the most unbearable hour of all, Emma had concluded.
Even though she was where she wanted to be, she still had to wait and watch as the brunette with the sad, chestnut eyes stood in the front of the room, helping the class review for the semester exam. With every step that she took and every word that she spoke, Emma could sense the weariness in them, and the way that her tone had changed.
No one else probably noticed, but Emma knew Regina, and this wasn't her. This was someone that had another thing taken from them. She was weighted with demons that were dragging her down; the same ones that Emma had tried so very hard to pick off. It had all ultimately failed in the end, for it was her own fault that they had returned. Only now could Emma hope that she would be able to remove them once again and help Regina back up.
Emma was bound with regrets once again by the end of the period, each one squeezing her heart tighter in her chest until she just could not breathe. As the students filed out of the room, she remained, watching as the teacher made her way over to her desk without a word, or even a look, in her direction. She had avoided any eye contact all class period.
Emma closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before standing up, slowly making her way over to the brunette. "Regina?" Her voice was hoarse as she spoke, nothing but a croak as it came from her lips.
"What is it?" The teacher impatiently asked, eyes focused on the paper in front of her, although she wasn't exactly seeing it.
"We need to talk."
"We have nothing to talk about."
"Please?" She pleaded, tears already drawing themselves to her eyes.
But that had her removing her reading glasses and setting them aside before looking up at Emma, eyes glistening. "So, what? You can hurt me some more? I may be a masochist, but even I have my limits."
"Of course not, Regina, It's- I don't want to hurt you. Believe me on that." Emma tried, dragging her chair over so she could sit in front of Regina.
"Well, you- you have." She looked away, her voice trembling with each word, and each one had stabbed a needle into Emma's heart. "And I can't talk to you right now."
"It's been three days, Regina." Emma sighed, leaning back in the chair. "Three days and I- I can't breathe without you. It hurts so much to be apart from you. It's really- it's unreal how much you mean to me. And I want you to trust me when I tell you that I love you."
"Emma." Regina slowly shook her head.
"Don't you love me, Regina?" Emma honestly asked.
"Of course, I love you, Emma." She half-laughed, half-cried. "In fact, I love you too much."
"You should let me tell you what happened, Gina." Emma urged, her voice a soft whisper. "If you love me as much as you say, you will let me, because I find it hard to even live with knowing that you could possibly hate me."
"I-I could never hate you, Emma."
"Then let me please explain."
Regina sighed at her simple plea and Emma tentatively brought her hands up to grab the teacher's, which had her face etching with a debate that had clearly started in her head. Her eyes flickered with hope, and then hurt. But Regina spoke, squeezing her hands. "Fine."
"R-really?"
"Please, Emma," she said, a sure look in her eyes.
"I told you, uh, before the dance that I accepted Killian's invitation to the Winter Formal. Really, I didn't want to go, like, at all. But Ruby insisted and so did Belle, since they were going and wanted me to come. So, since he had always been crushing after me, I accepted it." Emma started, her gaze locked with Regina's and never leaving as she played with the older woman's olive fingers, then continued as she recounted what all had happened that night.
The blonde just shook her head and finally let her gaze fall to their hands, where Regina had started to play with Emma's own fingers, anxiously lacing them with her own to gently tugging on them or separating them between her own. She remained silent as she soaked up what Emma had just said, only continuing to play with her fingers as she did so.
Then she released Emma's hands and set her hands on her own lap. Emma's heart sunk at the gesture, her hands balling up.
"I don't know what to say." Regina finally mumbled.
"You don't have to believe me; I guess. But I swear I'm telling you the truth. And I'm- I'm sorry… I can't even blame it all on him, you know? I'm the idiot that decided to go with him. I'm the idiot that let my friends convince me to go in the first place."
"I believe you, Emma." Regina reached out to take one of Emma's hands to cradle it in her own. "And I know it isn't your fault."
Emma looked at their hands for a moment before gazing back up to meet Regina's. "And I am so fucking sorry for everything. I hurt-" Tears drew themselves to her eyes once again, this time they didn't stay within their boundaries, instead, they spilled down her cheeks in warm, crystalline streams. "I-I hurt you…"
"Don't be sorry, sweetheart." Regina squeezed Emma's hand before releasing it, using her free hands to wipe away the tears that didn't cease to stroll down Emma's ruddy cheeks. "Don't cry... It's alright."
"A-are you sure?"
"Shh, shh, I am…" Her voice was a soothing hum.
"He's an asshole." Emma shook her head, sniffling her nose to keep the snot from dripping out. "I wish Friday never happened. He doesn't know how to keep a fucking secret, either."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing." Emma shook her head once again and stood up to take the few steps between them. "Can I- Can I just have a hug?"
"I think we both need one."
"I've wanted to hug you ever since entering this room." Emma wrapped her arms tightly around the now-standing Regina as she engulfed the teenager into her arms, that familiar spicy perfume filling Emma's senses and relaxing every nerve that had been on end since the start of the weekend. All events were gone at the snap of a finger.
"Is that so?" Regina whispered against blonde locks; one hand tied up in the mane itself as the other landed on Emma's ass. And that one squeezed, which had Emma smiling. She liked it when Regina touched her ass. It was hers and hers only. No one else's.
"I always know when you need a hug. I get a strong urge to give you one, and it only grows stronger the longer I have to wait." Emma purred, pressing herself closer to the brunette. "And you really needed one today. My poor Gina looked so sad. I feel like shit for making you feel like that."
"I feel the same for putting you through this senseless ordeal. I shouldn't have ignored your messages. I just needed time for myself to think." Regina murmured sadly into Emma's ear, her body slightly rocking back and forth.
"You didn't want to talk to me. I understand. I would ignore someone if they did that to me, too; Or string them up by their tits."
"Oh, Emma." Regina cracked a smile, and it was that smile that brought one to Emma's own. There it was. She had been yearning to see that gorgeous smile that could brighten her day within a matter of seconds, no matter how horrible it might have been.
"You should stay with me for the rest of the day," Emma hummed, resting her head on the older woman's shoulder, her smile never fading. "There are too many assholes right now after the biggest one of all."
"Is something wrong out there, darling? You had mentioned something about Killian unable to keep a secret?" Regina tilted her head slightly to press a kiss to the side of Emma's head.
"Yeah, Killian told somebody that I was gay. And it got around, because in my second period class today, it was an absolute shitstorm. Mr. Spencer didn't do shit about it when a girl asked to be moved." She sighed, grabbing onto Regina's shirt as she balled her hands into fists.
Just the thought of earlier had her emotions set back on the roller coaster. Emma could feel the constriction in her throat as she spoke again. Her rage was causing her to shake at the memory.
"They wouldn't stop saying things. Killian just sat there. I just walked out. The fucking teacher didn't even care at all that they were saying these things. He yelled at me for defending myself." Her voice rose a couple of octaves, and as it had, she could feel Regina's arms tighten around her.
"I will have a word with him." Regina growled, rubbing soothing circles against Emma's back as the first sob released itself into the teacher's shoulder.
"I want to hurt them all so badly!" Emma cried, her grip tightening. "Maybe then they would fucking get it that I'm the same old me."
"Honey. Hey, my swan."
"They all deserve to burn!" She hissed, another sob wracking her body.
"Emma." Regina pulled away from the embrace, her hands moving to touch Emma's cheeks, cupping them with gentle palms. "Calm down, sweetheart. I understand that you are angry at them for saying these things. I have been there. But you are better than them, and you are happy with who you are, aren't you?"
"Of course, I am. I have you." Emma tried to even her breath, sniffling her nose several times in the process as she gazed into Regina's loving eyes.
"You have something that they don't." Regina whispered, ducking her head to press a chaste kiss to Emma's lips. "And I want you to keep reminding yourself of that. Remind yourself that, sure, they can say these hurtful things about your sexuality, but at least it had given you something that's worth it. That's what I do. I remind myself of you when I'm feeling low."
"I'll remember that." Emma looked down, shame suddenly filling her for reacting in the way that she had toward those people. "I would never change who I am. I was born this way for a reason."
"Good." Regina said, the sweetest smile on her face. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Emma replied.
Regina made her feel like she was the luckiest woman on earth.
"I really- I really just want to squish you." Emma could help but to comment, the largest smile that she could muster was displayed on her face.
"Please don't," Regina chuckled. "It would hurt."
"I'm sorry." The blonde giggled also but tried to keep it as quiet as she could so she could hear Regina's own laughter. "But I just have these feelings and all I can currently translate them is to squish the hell out of you."
"I have those same feelings, dear." Regina laughed again. "But I tend to keep them to myself."
"Well, I honestly wouldn't mind if you squished me. I like it." Emma gave her a cheesy smile, bursting into laughter when the brunette just shook her head.
"I can think of other ways to show you how I feel."
Those words went straight to her core, no stops, no turns. She knew exactly what the older woman meant by that, and, of course, it would only leave the blonde flustered in her spot.
"You're blushing."
"Yeah, well, you would, too." She let her gaze fall from Regina's face to find the computer behind her suddenly become so interesting.
"If we weren't in school right now, I would make an effort to show you just how much I really feel." The back of Regina's hand ghosted over Emma's cheek and the blonde's breath hitched, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. Her head tilted towards the hand, reveling in the tender caress that it gave.
"It's unfortunate, because that skirt of yours could have made everything far easier." Emma mumbled, opened her eyes with a smirk on her face. The woman in front of her had rosy cheeks, although wore a smirk that could have any villain put to shame.
"If you come over tonight, we will see just how easy this skirt will make things." Regina purred, her tone dropping a couple octaves. "Lock the door and sit down."
"What?" Emma blinked at the sudden command but didn't defy what the older woman had said as she quickly made her way to the door, locked it, then proceeded to find her seat. Regina was soon sitting down as well, her sharp, brown eyes focused on Emma's scrunched face.
"How much time do we have left in this period?"
"About, uh…" Emma swallowed thickly as she lifted her eyes to the clock on the far wall. "About half."
"Then we have plenty of time to eat." Her hands were on Emma's thighs in a matter of seconds, which had Emma slightly squirming, pressing them together to ease the sudden ache thrumming there. Regina wore a devious smile, her eyes sparkling with something almost sinful.
"Gina…?" Emma breathed, her heart rate speeding up incredibly as the brunette let that teasing little tongue of hers slide slowly across her moist, pink lips.
"I'm starving. Did you bring any food?" And, suddenly, she was sitting up, all evidence of what had just happened suddenly gone and replaced with a friendly smile.
"I, uh, sandwich?" Emma turned around and quickly fumbled with her bag, pulling out a small container with two plastic-wrapped sandwiches inside. She quickly opened the plastic, fingers shaking as she retrieved one of the sandwiches to hand to the awaiting teacher.
"Thank you, my swan." Regina seized Emma's wrist and gave her knuckles a few soft kisses.
"I know it's not much. I wasn't really concentrated on making lunch this morning."
"Anything from you is a wonderful treat, Emma. Lest it be a dinner from a five-star restaurant to a simple lunch consisting of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I will love it regardless." She gave Emma a toothy grin.
"Fuck, do I love you?" Emma's cheeks burned, her eyes fluttering to the sandwich in her hands as a sheepish smile lightly graced her lips.
"I love you, too," Regina replied, her voice rich, like honey.
Emma was quiet for a moment as she smiled, those words striking something deep within her heart. "Gina?" She licked her lips, shifting herself forward in the chair.
"Yes, dear?" Regina gazed up from taking a bite of her sandwich.
"Do you think that you could, uh, come into my second period class?" She hesitated, though there was hope welling within her as she awaited the answer.
"For what?" Regina asked carefully, recollecting what Emma had told her about that very class.
"Never mind. Forget that I asked. It's stupid, anyways. I know that you can't."
"Tell me why." Regina left no room for arguments, her visage stoic, though the jelly on the corner of her mouth took away from the serious expression.
"I don't want to go back. I only have tomorrow in there before the semester tests, which wouldn't be as bad since it should be quiet. But, if you were there, I know that I could get through the period." Emma carefully put her words together, her fingers pressing into the bread. "Being with you makes me feel like I can do anything, and with you there, I wouldn't have to care what they would say about me."
"But what business would I have sitting in there for an entire period?"
"None. That's why I shouldn't have asked, because it was stupid." She shrugged, taking a large bite from her sandwich.
"No. It's not stupid, my love. You have given me an idea."
"I did?"
"Yes." Regina nodded, sitting back in her chair with a smile. "I can pull you out of class, if you wish. You are only reviewing, correct? You're good at math, I don't think you need to sit in there for an entire hour, do you?" When Emma quietly shook her head, she continued. "I will make up a bullshit reason for you to come down. My second period class is large, but you could sit at my desk."
"Would you really do that for me?" Emma asked, sitting up.
"If you would like me to, dear. But I cannot promise anything. I would have to get someone in here to fill in for the time that I am gone." Regina only shrugged, smiling at the blonde who had started to tear up.
"Thank you, Regina. It- it really means a lot that you would do that."
"You are my, uh, girlfriend after all. I want nothing more than for you to be happy."
Emma brought a hand up to rest on the brunette's soft, olive cheek and gazed into those eyes, like a swirling sea of coffee, both rich and pure. It was a beautiful sight; wondrous, warm, and inviting. Emma found herself frequently captivated by the twinkle in those eyes that sent her heart thudding against her chest in a rapid tattoo.
Her body, like a magnet, slowly leaned towards Regina's body in an attraction that could not be stopped. She could feel the older woman do the same until both were mere inches apart, their lips parted with heavy breaths. Emma could feel the tingles already, coursing through her body in a pleasant pulse, descending from her head to her toes.
"My beautiful swan." Regina whispered just before she closed the distance, her lips capturing Emma's in a slow, tender kiss.
And then the bell rang, though the two failed to pull apart. Emma didn't care whatsoever about that damned bell. She would rather be late to sixth period than have to give up a kiss with Regina. It was the sweetest thing where every cell in her body buzzed with excitement, her toes curling ever so slightly in her shoes as the older woman tilted her head to deepen the kiss.
Emma's fingers curled into raven locks as she pressed her upper half into Regina, whose hand had found itself on the blonde's cheek. A soft moan formed in Emma's throat as the burning in her lower belly seemed to flare to life the more Regina moved to kiss her, tongue filling the blonde's mouth with the taste of peanut butter. Everything was so much sweeter when mixed with Regina, Emma absently thought, her hands moving slowly along the older woman's back. Then one of them had found its way to Regina's chest, covering one of the mounds of flesh over the soft silk.
"Emma," Regina groaned breathlessly, back arching into the teenager's touch. Emma growled softly and proceeded to knead the brunette's breast through her shirt, the kiss turning into frantic desperation. "Oh, gods, please. I-I need you."
"Yeah?" The blonde muttered against the brunette's cheek as she let that hand fall to Regina's hip with the other, sensually sliding them down her thighs to the hem of her pencil skirt, then back up, pulling the fabric with it.
"Yeah." Her grip on Emma's hair had tightened, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps as the blonde's hand slid up the inside of her thigh, disappearing under the skirt.
"Good." Emma smirked, pressing a kiss to Regina's cheek before soon trailing her lips down the side of her neck. "Spread your legs for me."
Regina did just that, her knees on either side of Emma's own legs. She smirked and continued to kiss her way down the brunette's neck, stopping at the crook to tease the skin with her teeth as her fingers did the same, gracing the surface of Regina's satin panties.
"Fuck me," Regina pleaded, her hips bucking into Emma's hand.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Emma whispered against Regina's heated, olive skin. "It's risky."
"I know. We should really stop." Regina's fingers tried desperately to grasp at Emma's sweater when the blonde pushed the panties aside to tease the teacher's entrance with a finger.
"Yeah." Emma nipped at the older woman's skin, a digit slowly pushing itself into Regina, causing her hips to buck and grind against it for more pressure.
"Oh," The brunette gasped, her nails digging into the black sweater now.
Beeeeeep.
"Shit." Emma puffed against her lover's neck. "That was the end of the passing period. I need to go. I already missed Friday."
"Fuck!" Regina hissed, leaning back against her chair as the blonde slipped her digit out and brought her hands to herself. "You will definitely owe me, darling."
"Oh, the makeup sex will be worth the wait." Emma gave the panting teacher a sly smile just before sticking her finger in her mouth. "Get yourself off if you need to, or hold it, I don't care. But I'll be sure to make you come until you can't think straight."
"You are evil, Emma." Regina huffed, pulling her skirt down.
"No, Gina, you are. You're the Evil Queen, after all." The teenager let out a guffaw as she picked her bag up and slung it over her shoulder. "Make sure you get yourself nice and horny for me, okay? I'll see you after school."
"Oh, dear, I already am all hot and bothered. I just need you to extinguish the fire between my thighs." Regina watched as Emma shook her head, walking towards the door.
"I will, don't worry." Emma winked and unlocked the door but had stopped short. "I, uh, need a pass."
"Right." Regina purred, pulling out a stack of pass papers from her drawer to make on out for the blonde. "Should I put in 'fucking the teacher' as the reason for tardiness, or…?"
"I don't think that's a wise idea." Emma chuckled, taking the pass from the teacher as she handed it to her. "Although, how accurate it would be."
"Not exactly." Regina shot the student a sardonic look.
"Oh, shut it." Emma stuck her tongue out before whipping around to the door once again.
"Put that tongue to better use, my dear." She heard behind her, which had the blonde smirking to herself and shout behind her as she left the class.
"Don't worry, I will!"