Run.

Part 2 Chapter 9

It's been five weeks. Five excruciatingly long weeks since I've last spoke with Robin. The most I've acknowledged him was a glance at Granny's. It doesn't feel right. I'm trying not to put myself in an awkward situation with him, but that results in an emptiness inside me. I've been staying home a lot. If I want to talk to someone, I call them. Little do I go out in public. Normally on Tuesday nights I go to Granny's for dinner, but I'm cooking for myself... Maybe I could invite someone over. Wait- I don't really have friends. Well, I guess Tink counts, and Snow is trying to be my friend...

I give them both a call and invite them over. In less than forty minutes, we were all sitting at my dinner table, talking, laughing as if we've all been friends forever.

"...And then I told him that there was no way a trip on The Jolly Roger counted as a date!" Tinker Belle says. Snow bursts out in hysterical laughter.

"Um, Regina?" Tink says, waking me up out of my "oblivious-to-the-world" state.

"Oh! Yeah! That Hook is hilarious." I say popping my head up.

"Dinner was delicious, Regina," Snow says, wiping her mouth with a napkin, "but you haven't said anything and you haven't touched your food. Why did you invite us?"

"To be nice! I'm the Evil Queen but I can still make a nice gesture can't I?" I suddenly get defensive.

"No, Regina, I also think there's a reason." Tink butts in.

"Ok, you got me," I say stumped, "I was lonely."

"Lonely?" Snow asks.

"In case you haven't noticed, I haven't been out much." I say, sighing.

"What about Robin?" Tink sings with a giant grin.

"What about him?" I mumble.

Snow stands up and takes our plates, "You mean, you haven't talked to him?"

I shake my head, "I'm pretty sure whatever was between us is gone now." I sigh.

"I'm not going to push you into anything," Snow says, "but I don't think your making the right decision."

"Well it's been made, plus I'm evil."

"My word, Regina!" Tink exclaims, "it seems like you've been using this 'I'm evil' excuse constantly! What 'evil' have you done since have you done since he got here?"

I think about the question, "Nothing." I say wide-eyed in realization.

"Exactly." Tink says, "he makes you a better person! Can't you see that?"

"I still have the same evil past." I tell her.

"Go ahead and keep dwelling on the past, Regina, but you'll never be able to move on with the future." Snow adds.

"You'll be happy if you let him in." Tink adds.

"Stop ignoring him. If he wants to talk, let him talk, because, Regina, you don't mean for it, but you're coming off as rude." Snow tells me.

"Robin's been asking about you." Tink announces, "He's been asking how you've been and stuff. He cares about you so much, and you won't give him the time of day!"

This hurts. Not towards me, but towards Robin. My eyes start watering. Why am I letting myself suffer? I have a potion! I can forget everything! Nothing will have ever happened between Robin and me. We'll never have tried running away. We'll never have fallen in love.

"Regina!" Snow calls bringing me back into the conversation.

"Um, I've got to go." I say jumping out of my seat and running upstairs. I go into my room, grab the potion, shove it in my trench coat pocket and run back downstairs to find Snow and Tink exchanging confused looks.

"You guys can go when you please. If you're still hungry, you can heat up anything in the fridge." I say running to the door.

"Where are you going?" Snow asks, but I ignore her and shut the door behind me.

I've made my decision. I'm going to drink the potion. First, I want to make sure I get my facts straight with this unfamiliar substance before I drink it, but today, I forget Robin Hood.