So, This Is Love?

Chapter 19

Red's POV

She eyes her mom with slight skepticism. "You're... Not disappointed?"

The image of her mother frowning appears. " You're such a disappointment."

It fades when her mom smiles a little. "I'm far from disappointed, you will never be a disappointment to me, darling."

Oh. She feels herself form a half-smile. Her mom stands up walking up to her side and cups her cheek. "I'll always be proud of you. I best be going now, Chloe, tell Ella I said hi and I advise you to cover those marks on your neck before seeing her."

She watches Chloe's face turn from a smile to a horrified frown, her gaze turning to glare at her while muttering. "I will, see you next time Bridget."

"I'll see you both again soon, I just hope it's not from another school-related problem." She hears her mom laugh and remove her hand from her cheek.

"Bye mom." She mumbles, feeling her mom brush her hair before walking away.

Chloe watches Bridget disappear in the halls, while Red sits and stares at the sky above. She feels a hand on her shoulder, she knows it's Chloe but she never got used to the feeling of sudden touches no matter how much she likes it. Observing the light bruises on her neck, she couldn't help but find her irresistibly beautiful.

Chloe frowns. "You're sleeping alone tonight."

"I kinda like them though." She pouts jokingly causing her girlfriend to roll her eyes.

"Keep it up, I'll make it two nights." Seeing her not crack a single smile, she drops the joke instantly.

"Wha- please tell me you're not actually serious." She could feel the regret sinking in as she lowered her head.

She feels a finger under her chin, lifting her head up, "I'm not, Love, but I need to get payback somehow."

Watching her stick her tongue out and laugh. She rolled her eyes and took Chloe's hand into hers. "Do you think I'm capable of ruling a kingdom one day?"

Chloe ran her thumb on the back of her hand. "Of course you are, is it about what your mom said?"

She breathes out. "Yeah. After I turned seven or so on the day of my seventh birthday, instead of balloons and cake, I was put in a room with every royal adviser across Wonderland from then on. That's how I know my childhood is very distinct from the memories of this timeline, if I could actually call that childhood."

"Well, what is it you truly want to do?" She watches her flash a supportive smile.

She furrows her brows, she still wants to be Queen but now she doesn't need to worry about her mother hovering over her shoulder everytime she wants to do something, she doesn't need to worry about her being displeased with the way she wants to handle things or ruling under fear and death. She witnessed so much bloodshed over the years that even a pint of blood doesn't bother her. Finally the freedom sank in, a few days ago it felt like a fever dream where she found peace without the presence of her mother around.

"I still want to be Queen one day, all I wanted was to not be the same as her." She glances at the sky then back at her. "All those years of her trying to turn me into a more menacing version of her made me scared of taking the throne let alone be the Queen of Hearts."

She could see Chloe listening intently, her eyes fixed on her while she held her hand comfortingly.

"I watched so many people die in front of me under her rule, knowing she wanted me to do the same, hence the welcoming, I didn't ever want to do it but Ella's words rang through my head and she made it sound that I was weak. I felt angry with myself when I blurted out the word, that's why I used the pocket watch to at least change something."