Regina could not believe her eyes as she read the front page of the morning issue of the Daily Mirror. It said that her beloved Emma was having an affair with Ruby, showing a clear photo of the two women embracing outside what appeared to be her blonde girlfriend's home. Regina would have never imagined such a thing if she weren't already aware of their history together. She wanted to give Emma the benefit of the doubt, though, especially because the evidence was underwhelming.
Regina held the paper in her shaking hands as she made her way to where Emma and Ruby stood at the back of the diner, no doubt panicking as they held their copy of that morning's edition.
She did her best to swallow the hurt and grief-Emma would never betray her this way. She was ashamed at the mere thought of believing the trash she'd just read.
A painful lump formed in Regina's throat as she looked at the woman she loved.
When Emma met her gaze, her face looked drawn, her eyes wide with shock and fear. Regina could see the terror in those veridian eyes she adored so much and wondered to herself: What is she afraid of if she isn't guilty?
"Emma," she said as she reached the two women, her voice trembling, "It isn't true, is it?"
Emma's face drained of color. "No!" she whisper-shouted, eyes going impossibly wide.
Regina stepped closer, her heart pounding. "Do you swear it?" she asked.
Emma nodded, meeting Regina's gaze head-on. "Yes," she said.
Regina felt a wave of relief wash over her. She didn't know who in their town possessed the gall to try and screw with her family, but when she found them, they would pay.
"I don't understand why anyone would do this?" Emma murmured.
Regina sighed deeply, feeling the weight of their situation. "It doesn't matter why they did it, Emma," she said softly, reaching out to take her lover's hand. "What matters is that we know the truth."
Emma nodded quickly, her thumb rubbing circles on Regina's skin. "I would never hurt you like this," she said softly.
"I know," Regina whispered back as she leaned in for a kiss. It was soft at first but soon turned desperate, both women wanting to erase the memory of what they had just read from their minds.
As they pulled away from each other, gasping for air, Emma looked deep into Regina's eyes before speaking again: "But I do think we should find out who did this."
Regina nodded firmly, knowing that whoever had done it needed to be dealt with swiftly before they could cause any more damage or pain between them.
Emma turned to Ruby, who had been quiet the whole time. "Do you have any idea who could be behind this?"
Ruby shrugged helplessly, shaking her head in confusion as she intently studied Regina and Emma.
"I don't understand how anyone could believe something like that without even trying to confirm it first," Ruby said bitterly before stalking off.
Emma squeezed Regina's hand tightly before taking a deep breath and letting go. The blonde looked determined now- ready for whatever came next.
"We'll get through this together," she reassured Regina with a small smile.
It was almost the middle of October, and Emma and Regina were still at a loss as to who sourced the photo for that damming news article. Interrogating Sidney Glass had led them nowhere. The man refused to reveal his source, claiming it was an anonymous tip. Neither woman believed Sidney, but Emma and Regina could do nothing without absolute proof. Emma, for her part, was ready to let it all go. In the Savior's mind, they'd already held a ridiculous Town Hall meeting regarding the news article and explained that it was a misunderstanding. The blonde felt that was humiliating enough without the added drama of trying to find the culprit. Regina, however, would hear none of that. The older woman was determined to search and destroy, not only because of the humiliation but also because she and Emma had to explain to their son that his blonde mother wasn't a cheater. No one messed with the Queen's family and got away with it.
Regina sat on a couch in her study, nursing a glass of her cider while deep in thought. Emma's birthday was coming up, and the brunette wanted to do something special for her lover. The problem was that Emma always managed to mess up Regina's carefully laid out plans without fail. The former Queen wondered if she should plan around her lover's disastrous nature. I should also have paramedics on standby, Regina thought, smirking at her own joke. The brunette wouldn't put it past her Sheriff to somehow become injured on the day of her birth. Regina took another sip of her cider, feeling the warmth of the drink course through her.
Still, deep in thought, Regina was startled when her phone began to ring. Reaching for it and glancing at the screen, Regina noted that it was Calista's school calling.
"Mayor Mills speaking, how may I help you?"
The school principal sounded concerned as she relayed what had happened. "I'm so sorry to trouble you, Miss Mills, but your daughter Calista has been involved in a scuffle with another female student."
Regina's heart plummeted upon hearing this.
Pulling herself together before panicking too much, Regina asked: "What caused this altercation?"
The woman informed Regina that this was not an isolated incident. It turned out that Calista had been bullied for years by the head cheerleader and her friends, which Emma and Regina were unaware of until now.
Regina felt anger boil up within her as she clenched the phone tightly; she promised herself that these bullies wouldn't get away with it this time around- or ever again. After exchanging a few more words, Regina hung up the call after thanking them for their assistance before standing from the couch to find Emma and tell her about what just happened on the phone call—and discover who exactly is behind all of these bullying incidents against their daughter once and for all. Planning out Emma's birthday could wait.
Earlier That Afternoon:
When Calista and her girlfriend Erica reached the gymnasium at school during their free period, they were excited to practice some hip-hop dance moves they had been perfecting for days. Rushing into the locker room at the far end of the gym, Calista and Erica swept their hair into messy buns and changed into gym clothes. Once complete, the two girls walked briskly back toward the center of the gym, Calista grabbing her phone and connecting it to the Pyle speaker in one of the room's corners. The bass thumped as Clique by Kanye West boomed through the speaker. Calista and Erica started to dance, their bodies moving in perfect harmony with the beat. They were lost in the music and their moves, not paying attention to anything else around them. Their eyes were glazed over in concentration, and their bodies moved in perfect unison as their hips swayed back and forth and their arms waved in sync with the music. The girls' movements were fluid as they moved on the floor. They rotated their hips in time with the beat as they moved, connected like gears to a machine. The odor of sweat from dancing hung heavily between them as they spun to face each other, Erica yanking Calista to her by the hips.
Calista's eyes widened in surprise before slamming shut at the immediate feeling of Erica's lips pressed firmly against hers. Calista moaned as she tasted the sticky sweetness of Gummy Bears. As they danced, their tongues intertwined. The two girls were so lost in each other that they failed to notice when the gymnasium doors opened to reveal Danica Vaughn and half of her cheer squad. Danica's fist curled in rage, a flash of jealousy in her eyes as she watched Calista and Erica make out in the middle of the gym.
Suddenly, Calista and Erica heard a loud throat clearing from across the room.
"Well, well, well, What do we have here?" Danica sneered, flicking a piece of honey-blonde hair from her face.
Calista's cheeks flushed as she turned to face Danica, her gaze turning hard and determined. She put one hand on Erica's shoulder to signal them to stand their ground. It was obvious from the look in Danica's eye that she wasn't going anywhere without a fight, but Calista had faced much worse before, and this time would be no different.
She squared against Danica with an unwavering stare, "What do you want?" She demanded confidently.
Danica sneered again before spreading her arms wide in mock invitation, "I don't want anything...except for you losers to vacate the premises."
Beside Calista, Erica bristled at the head cheerleader's words.
" My God, Dani, why do you always have to be such a bitch?!" Erica ground out.
Danica's face flashed with anger as she advanced towards the two girls. There was a wild look in her eyes, no doubt fueled by the fire of jealousy that consumed her. She stepped close enough for them to feel the heat radiating off her body and met their combined gaze with one of pure malice.
"What. Did you just. Call me?" Danica spat out through clenched teeth, pointing an accusing finger at Erica.
"You fucking heard me the first time," Erica growled, stepping into Danica's personal space.
Calista could see that tempers were beginning to flare. She knew the dangerous situation and needed to intervene before it got out of hand. Calista stepped forward and placed her hand on Erica's shoulder. "Come on, babe, she's not worth it," Calista murmured.
Danica's nostrils flared, eyes narrowing in offense. Calista, however, was too preoccupied with her girlfriend to notice the rage Danica was directing her way.
"Let's just leave," Calista said, hoping to diffuse the situation. "Now," Calista continued, speaking to Erica in a gentle yet authoritative voice. "Let's just go and leave her be."
Calista then grabbed Erica's arm and pulled her away from the situation before it escalated further, giving Danica one last hard look as she left.
Danica, for her part, stood in utter shock as her sworn enemy, once again, decided to be the bigger person and walk away. Danica seethed as she watched the other girls go. Calista always walked away from her as if she were better than Danica. Frankly, the blonde cheerleader was sick of it. She didn't understand where her constant need to antagonize Calista Pļava stemmed from, which also frustrated the girl. Objectively speaking, Calista was beautiful, smart, and well-liked among their peers. Often at war with her emotions, Danica felt she should like Calista. If Danica were being completely honest with herself, she did like Calista, but she also hated her with a fiery passion that made precious little sense. With that thought, Danica stormed after Calista and Erica's retreating forms. Calista wasn't walking away from her, not this time.
Danica followed after the two until she was just a few feet away and cried out, "Don't you dare walk away from me!". Her voice trembled and echoed off into the surrounding area. Calista stopped in her tracks, turning to face Danica with an expression of shock. She couldn't believe how bold Danica had become over nothing at all.
"What do you want?" Calista asked seriously but calmly; she already knew that drama was inevitable between them but hoped they could find a way to hash it out peacefully instead of resorting to violence or name-calling. Erica stood beside Calista, fuming over the cheerleader's audacity.
Danica squared her shoulders defiantly. "You are not better than me, so stop acting like it!"
Calista's eyebrows lift in surprise at the blonde's outburst. It had never occurred to Calista that her refusal to engage Danica made her seem self-righteous. Calista disliked conflict and preferred to avoid it at all costs.
"I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way," Calista said slowly in a soft voice. She meant it, too; regardless of their history, Danica was still her classmate and a human with real thoughts and feelings. "It wasn't my intention."
Calista's response took Danica aback—she wasn't expecting such an honest and sincere answer from her rival. It pissed her off.
"Save your sorry," Danica hissed, her hands balling into tight fists. "I don't care what you think or feel about me. All I know is this: the next time you try to ignore me, there will be a problem."
Beside Calista, Erica all but erupted with fury. "And why the hell wouldn't she ignore you?" Erica yelled. "All you've ever done since meeting her is make her life difficult!"
Danica's face flushed with anger, and she stepped closer to Erica, her fists trembling at her sides. Calista stepped in between the two girls before a fight could break out.
"Enough," she declared firmly, locking eyes with Danica first before turning to look at Erica. "This whole thing is stupid."
Danica was radiating rage as she stepped closer to Calista. "Oh, so now I'm stupid?!" Danica yelled.
With a loud sigh, Calista turned to face Danica. Pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, Calista spoke: "No, Danica, you're not stupid. What you are is exhausting. Seriously, you make me so damn tired, and I just don't fucking get it."
There was a flicker in Danica's eyes that told Calista she hit a nerve. Calista took a few steps forward until they stood just inches apart. She then locked her eyes with Danica's, "For the entirety of our high school career, you have made my life hell, and I have been trying to figure out why. Here I am, trying to be the bigger person, yet you refuse to leave me in peace. What is it going to take for you just to pretend like I don't exist and leave me the fuck alone?"
Danica's eyes widened in anger, and she balled her fists tighter. Before Calista could even blink, Danica raised a fist and punched her square in the jaw.
"I don't want to pretend like you don't exist," Danica snapped back, narrowing her eyes at Calista. "I get tired of people praising you at every opportunity. I'm sick of standing in the shadow of the great Calista Pļava." Then, Danica opened her mouth and spat in Calista's face.
White hot fury washed over Calista as she registered what just happened. She barely registered the students trickling into the hallway to watch them all or their cell phones as they recorded. The young brunette had put up with a lot where Danica was concerned, but spitting on someone was the ultimate form of disrespect. Calista grabbed Danica by her perfect blonde curls, swiftly yanking her to the ground. Danica landed with a loud oomph just before Calista hopped on top of her and began striking her repeatedly.
"Calista, stop!" Erica cried out desperately, trying to pull Calista off of Danica.
Erica was unsuccessful, however, as Calista easily shoved her off and continued to unload on Danica, landing blow after blow until the girl's face was swollen and bright red with blood. Calista couldn't stop herself. She had never been so angry in her entire life. All the hatred she had ever felt towards Danica suddenly came bubbling to the surface. Standing up, Calista hauled Danica down the hallway by her hair, dragging the blonde before hauling her up and tossing her against some lockers.
Erica watched in horror as Calista slammed a knee into Danica's stomach. Soon, Kelsey and the Pace twins joined her, watching with what could only be described as delightfully disturbed expressions as Calista beat Danica to a bloody pulp.
"We need to do something," Kelsey hissed to the Pace twins. "Otherwise, she'll kill her."
The Pace twins nodded and clutched each other's hands tightly. With a silent count of three, the Pace twins ran over to Calista's side and grabbed her roughly by the arms. Two boys from the dance squad soon joined the twins, Matt and Kyle. With the extra muscle, they could finally pry Calista away from Danica.
"Get the hell off of me!" Calista spat.
"Calista, stop!" Matt cried out, he and Kyle taking over, holding Calista back as the Pace twins supported the battered cheerleader they kept upright. Danica practically fell in their arms; her eyes were barely open, and her face was bloody. Tears were streaking down her face and mixing with the blood from her broken nose.
They quickly got Danica out of Calista's path before helping her toward the nurse's office. After witnessing the brutal beating, the entire hallway had fallen into a shocked silence. "You BITCH!" Calista screamed in Danica's direction. She glared at her momentarily, then shoved her way out of the crowded hallway and towards the double doors. She knew she needed to go to the principal's office, but first, she needed to calm herself down.
Emma is sitting at the station slack-jawed when Regina comes breezing into her office.
Regina started speaking, barely registering her girlfriend's expression. "Darling, we have a problem. It seems Calista has been in."
"A fight," Emma finishes in a stunned tone.
Regina's eyebrows furrow in confusion as she finally takes in her lover. "How the hell could you possibly know that?"
"I know," Emma began, "Because it is all over social media right now." Emma held out her cell phone to her brunette girlfriend.
Gingerly taking the device, Regina watched as a Facebook video of Calista beating the everloving shit out of a blonde cheerleader played on the screen.
"Gods," Regina muttered in disbelief.
"The school called, but I was so busy watching our kid almost kill that girl and didn't pick up the call," Emma explained.
"The principal called me too. When we spoke on the phone, she mentioned that this fight was a long time coming. This cheerleader has been bothering Calista for some time." Said Regina.
Emma huffed out a laugh, much to her girlfriend's annoyance.
"I do not find this amusing, Miss Swan, and neither should you!" Regina snapped, tossing the blonde's phone on the desk.
"I'm sorry," Emma said between giggles. "I was just thinking that girl won't bother Cal anymore after the beating she just took."
Regina rolled her eyes but couldn't disagree. Calista had done a number on that girl.
"Come along, dear. We have arrangements to make and a flight to catch if we want to get to Boston at a decent hour," Regina said before sweeping out of the room.
Emma sighed but stood up and followed after her lover. It was going to be a long day.