Until I'm worthy

Chapter 3

Regina regularly goes to PT. There are exercises she has to keep up with, stretches to do so her back doesn't get worse. It's a stupid two hours out of her week, plus however long actually doing the exercises takes.

Cady manages to be a bright side in all of it, though. The other girl goes with her more often than not, barring any mathlete practices or other nerd shit she gets up to. Regina loves her for it, not that she'll tell her that. She's never been one for casual I love you's, and even the new and improved Regina finds the sentiment intimidating.

Cady tagging along saves Regina from having to go with her mother, who's usually more interested in flirting with the therapist ( gross ) than actually listening to the different stretches Regina needs to do.

Cady takes actual notes . She asks questions that Regina would never have thought of and texts Regina regularly to make sure she's actually doing what she's supposed to. (She will show up at Regina's place if she thinks Regina's been slacking.)

However, the extended alone time does sometimes lead to conversations Regina would rather not have.

"What's going on with you and Janis?" Cady asks one day in the waiting room.

Regina bristles a little. "What do you mean? Nothing's going on."

Cady sighs, rotating in her seat so she can look at Regina straight on. "It's been super awkward at lunch, which is really saying something. Janis is acting like your end of the table has the plague, and you've barely stared at her once in the past like two weeks."

"I-" Regina doesn't know how to respond to that. She doesn't stare at Janis (and if she does, she's not obvious about it). She's normal about her. "I don't do that."

" Regina ," Cady says in a tone that tells her that she's focusing on the wrong part of the conversation.

Regina looks around the waiting room, hoping that the doctor will call her name so she doesn't have to talk about it. She's been doing so well with connecting with everyone. Admitting to a setback (is it even a setback if her and Janis never actually made up?) feels like a failure. Regina does not like to fail. But Cady has an expression on her face that shows she won't let this go until she's solved it.

"Fine." Regina says as though it's the hardest thing she's ever done. "So maybe we argued a bit and now it's weird."

"What did you do?"

"Why does it have to be my fault? Maybe Janis did something."

"Did she?" Cady's voice is too knowing for Regina's liking. It's possible that she wasn't the instigator. It's happened before. Probably.

Regina's too dignified to pout, but maybe she gets close. "No."

Cady turns the full force of her puppy dog eyes on Regina. "I'm not going to ask what it's about," she pauses, face expectant as though waiting for Regina to spill the whole story. But the whole story is a reminder of everything that happened, and Regina doesn't want to share it, doesn't want to bring it up with Cady when everything has been so good so far. When she doesn't say anything, Cady continues. "Could you try to fix it? I don't want my friends arguing."

"Fine."

Regina will get to it. At some point. When talking to Janis doesn't send her into a tailspin.

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Regina is surprised to find out just how much she enjoys hanging out with Damian. She spent so long hating on him (by proxy of him being friends with Janis) that she just didn't expect to like him, even once their friend groups merged.