Impressing Ms. Mills

Seven

I stared at the ceiling in my room before glancing at the clock again. 2 am. Shit. I couldn't sleep, so I got up. I'm in pajama shorts and a v-neck t-shirt. I pulled on a hoodie before putting on a pair of Vans and grabbing my car keys. I slid my phone in my hoodie pocket, then took my hair out of my messy bun. Today's the 22nd. Well, technically the 23rd now. I haven't talked to Regina since Friday. I had a doctors appointment yesterday and I'm terrified. I left my room and went downstairs. I went to grab the front door, but the knob twisted and I felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach as it opened and a drunk David stumbled in. I felt my breathing hitch as he looked me dead in the eyes. "What're you doing out've bed." He slurred and took a step towards me. "Don't touch me." I spit and balled my fists. "Slut. You don't tell me what to do." He said, angry, and shoved me to the ground. I gasped and he stood over me. "Bitch." He spit and punched me across the face. I gasped again and felt pain shoot through my cheek. I turned over and spit out blood. He wrapped his hands around my throat and began squeezing. I felt the air leave my body and I began panicking. So, I brought my knee up and hit him right in the balls. He groaned in pain and let go. He fell backwards and I got up, gasping for air. "Bitch!" He shouted. "Fuck you, David." I spit and left him there. "Worthless whore!" He shouted after me as I left the house and tears fell from my eyes. I went to my car and got in, my breathing ragged. I turned it on and wiped my tears away before I turned on the radio.
A fire burns
Water comes
You cool me down
When I'm cold inside
You are warm and bright
You know you are so good for me
With your child's eyes
You are more than you seem
You see into space
I see in your face
The places you've been
The things you have learned
They sit with you so beautifully

You know there's no need to hide away
You know I tell the truth
We are just the same
I can feel everything you do
Hear everything you say
Even when you're miles away
Cause I am me, the universe and you

Just like stars burning bright
Making holes in the night
We are building bridges

You know

When you're on your own
I'll send you a sign
Just so you know
I am me, the universe and you

I pulled into the driveway and took a deep breath as I went around to the back. I turned my car off and got out, then went to the door. I unlocked it and went in, quietly. I locked the door behind me and went to the stairs. I went up and went to Regina's room. I knocked gently before opening the door. She's asleep. I closed the door behind me and got in bed on my side. Regina immediately reacted to the dip in the bed by rolling over and snuggling into me. I smiled and she buried her face in the crook of my neck in her sleep. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled the blankets over me. I stared at her ceiling for awhile before I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up and the bed was empty. I frowned and got up, going to the bathroom, then going downstairs. I found Regina in the kitchen with her back to me. She's cooking something on the stove. I still have my phone in my pocket. I pulled it out and tried to check it, but it's dead. Of course. I walked over to Regina and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Go sit on the couch." She said, sternly. I immediately pulled off of her and bit my lip. "Did I do something wrong? I-is this about last night?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Just go sit on the couch." She said in the same tone. I felt tears welling in my eyes as I went to the living room. I sat on her couch and my tears fell from my eyes. I tried staring at the ceiling but my tears wouldn't stop. When I heard her feet on the hardwood, I quickly wiped my tears away and bit my lip. She sat in front of me on the coffee table and stared away from me. "You don't talk to me for 4 days and then you show up in my bed in the middle of the night? Who the hell does that?" She asked, still not looking at me. I couldn't breathe. I felt the tears fall from my eyes again and I bit my lip. "I.. I couldn't sleep and then-" i started but a sob ripped from my throat. I bit my fist to keep in my sobs. Regina laid her hand on my knee and I took a deep breath, my tears falling harder. "Emma." Regina gasped and I closed my eyes. I felt her fingertips tracing my cheek and then my neck and I bit my lip. "Baby.." She said, sadly. "I-I couldn't sleep. So I was going to come here. And then David came in as I was going to leave. He was drunk. He called me all these names and he-he punched me and then started choking me. B-but I kicked him in the balls and left and came here. I-I'm sorry. I thought it would be okay. I-I just couldn't stay there." I sobbed. She moved so she was beside me and pulled me in her arms. I sobbed against her chest as she rubbed my back and ran her fingers through my hair. "I'm pregnant." I sobbed out and she gasped. "Oh, my baby." She mumbled and kissed my head. I couldn't move at all. I just sat there in her arms, sobbing.

"I have some papers to grade.. But then we can watch a movie. Does that work baby?" She asked and I nodded. It's almost noon now. After sobbing on her shoulder for 3 hours, we went back to her room. We cuddled in her bed and she kissed me a lot. She got out of bed and went over to her work bag. She pulled out a stack of papers and came back over to the bed. She sat on her side and I stared at the ceiling. After awhile, she gasped. "Emma..." She whispered. I turned to look at her and she had tears in her eyes. I looked at the paper she was reading and my eyes widened as I saw the paper in her hands. It's my poem... "Baby, is this how you feel?" She asked, sadly. I looked away. "I... I just.. I felt so alone and.. I just... You said fill it with raw emotion. I was-" I was cut off by her pulling me into a tight hug. "I don't ever want you to feel like this again. Okay? Next time you feel like that, call me. Please Emma. I can't lose you." She said, sadly. I nodded against her chest and she kissed my forehead. "H-have you thought of seeing a therapist?" She asked and we pulled away. She wiped a few tears off her cheeks and I bit my lip. "I... I don't want to talk about it to anyone. My mom said it was my fault.. I don't want anyone else to say or think that.." I mumbled and looked away. "Baby, no one else would think that. Because other people are smarter than that." She mumbled. I frowned. "I.. I'm not ready for that.." I murmured. "Okay baby. That's okay." She said softly and cupped my cheek in her hand. I smiled weakly, causing her own smile to appear. "Can I borrow your phone charger? My phone died.." I mumbled. She smiled and nodded. I handed her my phone and she reached down beside the bed. She plugged her charger into my phone and set it on her nightstand. She went back to grading papers and I just watched her, marveling in the way the sun filtered into the room and made her look stunning. Not that she doesn't already. After a few minutes, my phone buzzed several times. She looked over at it and furrowed her eyebrows. She picked it up and unlocked it. She read over a few messages and then bit her lip. "Emma... Mary Margret wants you to meet her at her office.." She mumbled and looked at me. "What? Why?" I asked, nervous. She shrugged. "I don't know. She sent several messages. And she called. But didn't leave a voicemail." I frowned and nodded. I got up and looked down, realizing I didn't bring clothes with me. Shit. I sighed and looked at her alarm clock. 12:30. I frowned. "Uh... I gotta go home and get changed.. T-then I'll go meet her. And I can come back af-" "why don't I take you?" She asked, cutting me off. I nodded and she smiled. She's in jeans and a sweater. She got up and pulled on a pair of riding boots. She walked over to me and kissed me gently. "I'm sure things will be okay." She mumbled. I nodded and put on my shoes before she grabbed my hand. I smiled and we went downstairs. We went to her car and got in, then she turned on the car. "I.. I.." I started but then bit my lip, too scared to continue. "What is it, baby?" She asked softly. I shook my head. "Nothing. It doesn't matter." I said and looked out the window. She sighed.

When we pulled up at city hall, my breathing hitched and she reached over and grabbed my hand. "When you're done, we'll go on a nice lunch. Okay?" She asked, and smiled. I frowned. "W-we can't. Someone could see us.." I mumbled sadly. She smiled. "I have something special in mind." She said, quietly. I smiled and nodded and gently kissed her, then got out. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans and took a deep breath. Regina took me to my house and I left my hoodie on, only changing into jeans. I went into city hall and took a deep breath. I didn't see Mary Margret's secretary, so I just went to her office. The door was opened, so I went in. "Emma.." She mumbled and stared at me. I bit my lip. "Dr. Whale called me." She said, crossing her arms. My eyes went wide and my breath left me. Shit shit shit.