A Chance to Breathe

Chapter XXII

It had been a week since I last spoke to Regina, and the silence between us was gnawing at me, hollowing me out. Every moment we shared kept playing on a loop in my mind—the way her touch lingered, how her voice softened when she whispered my name. Now, there was nothing. Just emptiness. She hadn't said a word in days, and it was like a constant knot tightening in my stomach. I couldn't understand why she had to push me so far away. Why did she have to create this distance? Why couldn't we just talk—over the phone, even—so I could know where we stood? So we could understand each other. Instead, I was left in this suffocating silence, unsure of where I fit in her life, or if I still did at all.

I couldn't shake the feeling that Regina had already spoken to David before he came to me. Maybe she had known all along, maybe she'd agreed to pull away to keep things from getting even messier. But it hurt, the way she was avoiding me so easily, like I was just... nothing. It left an ache in my chest that wouldn't go away, no matter how hard I tried to push it down.

The days after the first canceled track practice flew by in a blur. We kept training without Ingrid, and the school had made the final decision to remove her from her position. It was a relief for all of us, but especially for Elsa. She had moved out of her aunt's house the very next day, straight to Mulan's place. Surprisingly, her aunt hadn't even said a word to her after being fired. They hadn't spoken since.

At lunch, I sat with Mulan and Elsa, trying to push my worries about Regina to the back of my mind. The girls were laughing, lighthearted, and for a moment, things almost felt normal again.

"How's the new living situation?" I asked Elsa, hoping to distract myself.

She smiled, her expression light despite everything. "It's actually really great. Mulan's been the best roommate, and honestly, it feels so good to have my own space. Though, part of me keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop. My aunt's been too quiet. It feels... off."

Mulan chimed in, nudging Elsa playfully. "You worry too much. We've got each other's backs, and if anything happens, we'll deal with it."

Elsa gave her a grateful smile, but I could tell the uncertainty was still gnawing at her.

"You should come over sometime, Emma." Elsa said suddenly, her tone turning playful in a way that seemed almost... flirty. "We could all watch a movie together. Mulan, Aurora, you, and me."

I blinked, a little taken aback by her sudden suggestion and the slight shift in her tone. "Oh, uh, sure... maybe." I stammered, not quite sure if she was joking or... something else.

"It could be fun." Mulan shrugged, trying to smooth out Elsa's awkward attempt at an invitation.

"Well, I'll think about it." I said, smiling to play it off as casually as possible.

Aurora joined us soon after, taking a seat beside Mulan and planting a quick kiss on her cheek. I watched as the two of them smiled at each other, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Not because I wanted what they had, but because it reminded me of what I was missing—what I couldn't have right now.

As they all joked around, I glanced up just in time to see Regina enter the cafeteria. She was carrying a tray, her expression unreadable as she moved through the sea of students. My heart sank as I watched her, longing for just a moment of acknowledgment, but instead, she walked right past me, not even sparing a glance in my direction. She made her way to a table where another teacher was already sitting, and I felt a sinking feeling in my chest.

The others kept talking until the warning bell rang, and Aurora and Elsa stormed off to their class on the other side of the building. I stayed behind for a moment, my eyes still fixed on Regina.