After a million requests for conflict... I'll give you a bit. This chapter may feel a little weird right now but I plan on pulling it all together in the next few more chapters. Happy Reading!
6.
"Alright, settle down." Regina snapped as she stormed into the crowded classroom, launching her coat onto the single empty table in the front of the room. Quiet murmurs died into silence.
"Whats got her panties in a knot?" Ruby whispered to her blonde sidekick.
"Uh… I'm not sure."
"I thought you said she was in good spirits when you left… this doesn't look like a good spirit to me… Maybe she is possessed."
"She was fine… Glowing even… but that was like twelve hours ago." Emma whispered a bit too loudly.
"Miss Swan, I will wait for you and Miss Lucas to finish your conversation." Regina said flatly, hands on her hips.
Emma's face burned as all the eyes in the room were suddenly focused on her. She lowered her head and stared down at her notebook while mindlessly flipping through the pages.
"I will assume that you are quite finished then." She glared before turning her back to the group. "Who can tell me the name of the main character from last night's reading?"
There was silence all around her. "Oh?" She chuckled, "No one can tell me her name? The author then… who wrote the book?"
Silence.
Smiling to herself, she bowed her head and took a deep breath. "In that case, I will have to give you this reading quiz. You don't want to read… I will make you read." She hummed, turning to face the room full of terrified looking people. "I try to make this class as interesting as possible but for some reason… It just isn't good enough for you lot." She cleared her throat. "Well, I guess you will just have to review for your exam by yourselves, as I won't have time to answer your questions during this period."
Taking the few short steps to her desk, she then fumbled around, digging a folder out of her bag. Dramatically flipping it open, she spoke without looking up. "Take out a sheet of paper and a pen, if I can't read your hand writing then you will not pass. I don't have time to translate chicken-scratch."
All around the room, pages were being torn from their bindings… it was an obnoxious sound. "Now… I want your name, the class number and the title of the book on the top right hand corner." She paused, watching frantic pens jetting across paper. "For those of you who have already forgotten, you read 'The Kingmaker's Daughter'… By Phillippa Gregory."
Slapping her open folder down in front of her, Regina leaned palms down on the front table and put most of her weight onto her hands. She looked up at Emma who had given her a quick smile before realizing that her attention was not wanted. Caramel eyes burned into hers, forcing her to look away. Surprised, Emma realized that there was a slight pain building in her throat, a knot. Oh no, what did I do? She thought, pushing away her pain.
"Question one… Who were the three sons of York? First names and titles will do."
Emma began scribbling down her answers; Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Edward the fifth. George, Duke of Clarence.
"Who were their parents?"
Ah shit… I know this… Neville… what the fuck is her first name?! Emma closed her eyes. Ooooh she smiled to herself while writing down Cecily Neville and Richard, Duke of York.
"Who was The Kingmaker and what did he do?"
Psht. Eeeeasy. Emma told herself. Richard, Earl of Warrick was The Kingmaker. He was right hand and councilor to King Edward the fifth and his father, King Richard before him. Warrick was a trader. He made boys who loved and trusted him into kings only to attempt to kill them off to put his blood onto the throne.
Question after question, Emma scribbled down an answer that she was confident in. She was lucky that she had read the whole series of books, when they were first released because god knows she didn't read anything the night before.
"Drop off your tests, here" she pointed, "on your way out the door… and make certain that you are ready for next meeting's test. Leave." Regina sighed, pacing the room.
Emma stayed back and watched as person after person threw down their paper and darted from the room. Ruby had left without so much as looking at Emma, or Regina for that matter. When the room was almost empty, Emma zipped her bag and slowly approached the front of the room.
"Hey, is everything okay?" Asked the blonde, while tossing her test onto the pile.
"Quite." Regina said, gathering her things, not looking at Emma.
"Are you sure? You seem a little upset… Did I do something?"
"How would you have done something, Miss Swan?" Regina stared straight through Emma's eyes.
"Then what is that look for? Seriously, what's going on?"
"If you would please, I have things to attend to." Regina hissed.
Emma stood staring at the woman who was now striding past her and almost to the door. "Regina… What the hell?"
"I believe you mean Dr. Mills, Miss Swan and I would appreciate you not speaking to me in such a tone, as I am your superior." She spoke in a firm voice that just about brought Emma to tears.
Regina needed no response from the blonde, she strode away without another word, leaving an obviously confused Emma standing in an empty room.
#
"What the fuck was all that?" Ruby asked, running down the hall after the blonde.
"I don't have a clue…" Emma shook her head.
"Jeff will be here shortly…" Said the brunette as they strolled down the hall.
"I'm walking home." Cut the blonde.
"Why would you walk when we have a ride?"
"I need to clear y head, dude. It's okay, I know my way home."
"Nope." Ruby smiled, playfully socking Emma in the arm. "If you're walkin then so am I."
Arching a brow, Emma looked to her friend. "Fine but I don't want to talk about it."
"Talk about what? What's to talk about?" Ruby went on, sarcastically. "I don't have any questions to be answered."
"Shut it, Ruby. I'm serious… I just want to go home and go to sleep."
They walked in silence, Emma leading her way through her usual path home; down a few side streets. Before she realized where she was, Emma had led Ruby right by Regina's red brick house. Staring at the ground in front of her, the blonde practically sprinted past the building. They were almost in the clear when the sound of laughter pulled their eyes to the front door.
There stood a laughing Regina, grasping the arm of a beautiful brunette in a shimmering golden shirt. Emma's heart stopped, she had accidentally locked eyes with the older woman and instantly regretted it. Regina looked very similar to a deer in the headlights of a speeding vehicle but she quickly recovered, turning back to her company. She looked to be chatting with the woman.
The blonde's face drained of all color and she was suddenly light headed. She stared at the women for a moment longer, she was rendered immobile. For what seemed like hours, she stood there, mouth agape, pale as a ghost. The spectacular smile of Belle turning to leave pulled Emma out of her tunnel vision. Looking back down, she began jogging down the street, leaving Ruby staring at the women standing in the doorway.
When Ruby realized that she was standing there like an idiot; she shook her head, waving at the women watching her and darted after her friend. "Em, wait up."
She had stopped at the mouth of the street, the blonde just stood in the middle of the road, staring up at the sky, willing hot tears not to fall. She was silent. Don't you do it. Don't you fucking do it, Swan. You don't know… It was a one-nighter, she isn't worth the tears. You knew this was going to happen!
"Was that Belle?" Ruby panted, bringing the blonde out of her frantic thoughts.
"Of course it was Belle… I'm so stupid." Emma squeaked, thrusting her face into her palm, dramatically.
"What are you talking about? You aren't stupid!"
"She compared me to Belle last night… I didn't really think much of it but now I can see that they are obviously together…"
"Maybe they aren't…"
"You saw how happy she was… they were touching, for fuck sake! Regina hates to touch people."
"Em, maybe they are just good friends… calm down, you don't know the situation." Ruby offered.
"Yea, yea I do. She is probably sleeping with half of this town… I don't know why I care… I don't. I don't care at all." Emma whispered, walking away from her friend. This time, Ruby didn't go after her.
#
"Hey, yea, It's me. I'm standing down here by Chip'n Potts, come get me. Emma ran off. I'll explain when you get here." She mumbled into her phone. "Alright, bye."
Ruby leaned against the side wall of the building for close to five minutes before a fancy grey and purple sports car rolled up beside her. "Get it, let's go find her." Jefferson called out the window.
As the brunette dropped down into the passenger seat, she started popping off what had happened. "Mills was like super pissy today. Emma was with her like aaaall night and she said when she left, Mills was in a good mood… iono. But so she blew up on us in class and then let Emma have it after class when she tried to talk to her." She paused, filling her lungs with air. "And then we were walking home and passed the fucking Mills Manor and she was out front, laughing with Belle of all fucking people…"
"Wait… Belle, our Belle?!" Jefferson cut in.
"Duh, Jeff. How many Belle's do you know? I mean it isn't exactly a popular name around here…" She shook her head.
"What were they doing?"
"Shut up and let me finish!" She snapped. "So Emma sees them and then darts the fuck off like an antelope who just saw a giant ass lion and here I go running after here. She was seriously like almost in tears when I got to her. Apparently Mills compared her to Belle last night before they fucked and now Emma thinks that Mills is with Belle… She took the fuck off and I know better than to follow that bitch when she's like that."
"Emma fucked Mills?"
"Damn it, Jefferson! You are such a fucking man! Did you hear anything I said?!"
"Hey, I get it. Blondie is upset, we will find her. She probably went to Killi's you know she loves to cry to him."
"Yea, let's start there."
A short drive later, they pulled up in front of a rickety looking dark washed, wooden cabin. Jefferson slammed his car into park and jumped out of the door. "What if she is here?" He turned and looked at Ruby.
"Then we will take her home."
"And do what, help her drowned her sorrows?"
"uh, no. Have you never been around a sappy drunk girl? Shit ain't cute." She laughed, shaking her head in a type of disbelief.
"Alright well… let me know the plan, when you figure it out." He whispered, approaching the front porch.
"You make it sound like we are heading into a hostel situation."
"Weren't you the one who just asked me if I had ever been around a pissed woman?"
"Not in those words… She isn't going to be drunk… it's only been like a half hour."
Jefferson turned to give the girl a skeptical look before knocking on the door. "We are at Killi's if you recall… He can get you fucked out of your brain in twenty seconds."
After a noisy protest from rusted hinges, the door swung open. "Bloody fucking time." A shaggy, black –headed man blurted, pointing over his shoulder. "Have you any idea what it's like being around this woman when she is off her head?" He whispered, hurriedly.
"I live with her, Killi, I know what I'm dealing with." Ruby shot, storming past him.
"I haven't a clue whats going on here… she hasn't said two words since she got here…" Killi said, looking to Jefferson.
"Yea… she is having a rough time. Crushes and such."
"Ah. I should have known… who?"
"That isn't for me to say, man." Jefferson shook his head.
"She came banging up on my door, marched into my house… I think I am allowed to know."
"I'll let her tell you then."
"Tell him what?" Ruby huffed, coming up behind them.
"Who this secret lover is." Killi smiled.
"Uh-huh. Aaaaanyway, princess is fine.. and sober, thankfully. We are gonna head home soon." Ruby hummed.
Emma, red-faced and arms crossed, came walking in from the back room. "So, I was going to catch you up later tonight but I'm not really in the mood for stories at the moment. I'll just tell you that I had sex with Regina." She mumbled, locking eyes with Killian.
"Bloody fuck, thats awesome luv!" He laughed, offering up his hand. "Put er there for that one."
"Yea."
"Wait... what is all this then?" He asked, tilting his head. "Why all the dramatics if you got what you wanted?"
"Saw her with another girl."
"So what? She is a popular lass, you can't expect her to just drop everything for you... She probably has a laundry list full of girls."
"I know." Emma mumbled, looking around the room.
"You said you bedded her last night, then?"
"mhm."
"Then what the hell is with the childish attachment? You haven't had time to work up all these obvious feelings..."
"I have had years, Killi. Fucking years."
"Just go talk to her."
"Cant."
#
"Robin, seriously… I wish you could have seen her face, she was so hurt." Regina whined, leaning against the smooth, tan marble of their kitchen counter.
"Why don't you just talk to her? Why were you so mean to her, anyway?"
"It has been a day, I'll tell you. I got my ass reamed by Sydney first thing this morning… Apparently I am too friendly with my younger students… I'm supposed to strike the fear of God in them or some such nonsense. He literally sat in the back corner of the room and studied me through my first three classes. Studied me! I have tenure for Christ sake. He had no right…"
"Hey… deep breaths. Calm down." Robin said coolly, circling around to where she stood. "He can't tell you how to teach your classes… and he certainly cannot dictate how you treat people."
She massaged her temples roughly, looking down. "Yes, I know. It's just… He pisses me off. I mean I got him that job and now he tries to look down at me like… I don't know. And Emma… God."
"Now, what's going on there?" He asked, jumping up to sit on the island across from where she stood.
"Where?"
"There… With Emma… you didn't tell me how yesterday went, yet."
"Oh… Well, some idiot dude tried to beat her up and drag her to his car, I kicked him it the face… it was cool. She was shaken up but she hid it pretty well… and then…"
"No, no. What? Someone attacked her?"
"Victor… you know him… pre-med."
"The creepy guy, that walks the streets at all hours?"
"Yup. He apparently got released from his program and he has been randomly attacking people… last I heard he was in jail."
"Do you realize how strange that whole situation sounds?"
"You should have been there… it was ridiculous." She chuckled.
"I'm sure. Finish your story, darling." He waved his hand around, getting her going.
"Oh so, we came here… had a nice chat, learned a few things about each other's literary preferences…" Her voice trailed off, she could feel her cheeks beginning to burn.
"And?" He cocked his head to the side. "Are you BLUSHING?!"
"I think I may be coming down with something." She mumbled, shaking her head.
"Yea the love bug, looks like."
"Shut up, you queen."
"I will assume that you had sex, which usually happens when you bring ladies around… was it good?"
"I, um… well… I enjoyed myself." She looked around awkwardly for a moment before meeting his gaze.
"She dominated you?" he gaped.
"Oh yea," She blurted, unintentionally. She recovered quickly. "Because she refused to bottom..."
"Whaaaaat?" he laughed. "She is awfully femme to be a top."
"Don't even start with that stereotyping crap." She warned. "She got off on her own… claims to be a true top."
"Oh. Haha. We both know what that means."
"Yes, I know. Insecure, but she refused me flat out… It's been a looong time since I've been turned down."
"I know. That is so funny." He smiled, teasingly. "The great sex queen, Regina Mills, turned down by a girl on the first run."
"I'm warning you, boy." She hissed.
"So scared, darling… so… scared. Please don't hex me with your lesbian witchery." He sobbed, mockingly.
Meeting his eyes, Regina shook her head as a final warning.
"So what does that mean for you? Are you going to keep this one?" He asked, leaning back on his elbows.
"I really enjoy her, Robin… but after today… I'm not sure that she will even talk to me again. She is so non-confrontational, I look for her to drop my class and run away… she is pretty immature…"
"Okay so you snapped at her… she will understand…" he started, hopeful.
"She saw me with Belle…" She groaned.
"So? She is a babysitter… did you not tell her that?"
"No." she sighed. "I did however compare her love of books to Belle's, last night…"
Robin shot upright and stared his wife in the face. "You did what?"
"She was going on and on about how reading took her away from the real world and I am so used to Belle's banter… I didn't even think about it."
"Oh god, Regina… You are a woman… you are supposed to think before you speak…"
"I am too comfortable with her." She sighed again, her words echoing in her ears. "Emma. She is such a good kid. I literally feel like I have known her for an eternity… like I can tell her anything and she wouldn't judge me. Today when I snapped at her… she didn't know I had been having a bad day or that Sydney was stand outside, waiting for me to come out… listening to our interactions… She was so hurt."
"Go find her."
"Now, how do you suggest I do that?"
"Did you not get her number?"
"I didn't need it… I see her every day, usually."
"You're joking?"
She glared at him blankly. "Do I appear to be joking?"
"Amazing." He huffed. "Alright, hang on, I'm going to call Belle and get Ruby's number. Emma won't answer her phone, I bet."
"I don't know, Robin…"
"No." he interrupted. "We are going to find her and fix this."
"Why is this even a thing for you?" she asked, weakly.
"All this time… as long as I have known you… I have never seen you blush at the thought of being with someone… anyone. And I can tell how much you like this one."
"She isn't like anyone else… she isn't one of the rest."
"That, darling, is exactly my point." He withdrew his phone and held it to his ear.
"Belle, babe, beautiful, wonderful, caretaker of my children…" he greeted, winking at Regina. "I need a favor."
The text mentioned in the class scene is actually one of my favorites. If you enjoy Historical Fiction or war books, check Gregory out... She writes about all kinds of awesome things! -DR