Surviving High School

Chapter 31

Regina scowled at her sister who was sitting across from her on the armchair.

The brunette was curled up in her girlfriend's lap on the couch, "no, absolutely not" the woman snapped.

The redhead threw her head back in frustration, "Regina, we have to do this. I kissed Emma in front of Kathryn, the whole school is gonna think we're dating by tomorrow morning!" Zelena complained.

The wildfire of gossip began to take root after the scene in the hallway earlier that day.

Zelena had been trying to convince her sister to go through with it for the past two hours but the stubborn brunette wouldn't budge.

Regina scowled, "I don't care, Zelena" she snapped in response.

The redhead scoffed, "you know it's only a short jump to you two? Kathryn had her suspicions before I stepped in" she argued.

Emma shifted slightly, tightening her grip on the older woman's waist, "she's right, Gina" the blonde mumbled softly, the thought of the note in her locker filling her mind but she kept her mouth shut.

The raven-haired woman looked at her bright-eyed girlfriend, "I can't do it, Zelena" she whispered, refusing to turn and make eye-contact with her sister.

Zelena let out a harsh sigh, "I'm not asking to make out with your girlfriend in the middle of the school cafeteria. I just mean play it out a little, throw Kathryn off the scent" she quickly added in.

Regina turned to face the redhead, "I can't, Zelena. I can't..." the woman stopped abruptly, her breathing staggering slightly.

The redhead frowned, "look, I get why you don't want to, Regina. That blonde bitch was nothing compared to what you have with Emma. Mal cheated on you ten fucking years ago, and you need to..." The brunette was out of Emma's arms and out of the room silencing Zelena.

The loud echo of a door slamming from upstairs caused the two friends to jump.

Emma looked at her redhead friend from across the room, the young girl looked like she was on the verge of tears, obviously regretting everything she had just said.

Zelena sighed, "tell her I'm sorry, I didn't mean for all of that to just come out" she whimpered.

The blonde nodded as she hesitantly got to her feet, "it's not your fault, Z" Emma mumbled.

The eighteen-year-old crossed the room and wrapped her friend in a friendly hug.

The redhead sighed into the embrace, "you should go up there to her, she needs your comfort more than I do" she muttered.

Emma nodded before hesitantly leaving the room in search of Regina.

Emma knocked on the older woman's bedroom door, "Gina?" She called out softly.

After a few moments there was no reply. The girl opened the door and stepped into the room.

Regina was curled up in a ball on her bed, the blonde couldn't help but frown at the sight.

Emma laid down opposite the older woman, her raven-hair had fallen in front of her face shielding it from view.

"Are you okay, Gina?" The blonde asked gently.

Regina let out a harsh sigh, pushing her hair out of her face as she stared up at her girlfriend, "I don't know, it was just a lot of bad memories at once and I had to leave" she mumbled.

Emma reached out and took the brunette in her arms, wrapping them firmly around the older woman's waist and holding her tight against her chest.

She placed a sweet kiss on the older woman's forehead, "do you wanna talk?" She asked nervously, not knowing whether she should press the woman on the subject.

Regina let out a sigh as she sat up. Emma followed suit and rested her back against the headboard. The smaller woman threw her legs across the younger woman's lap.

The brunette sighed, "I met Mal in my first year of college, I was eighteen, free from my mother's clutches to just be me" she started off, biting her lower lip gently.

Emma took the older woman's hand in her own and gave it a soft squeeze, "you don't have to tell me, Gina" the girl mumbled.

The teacher sighed, "it's either I tell you, or you find out from the town's gossip" she complained, "I'd rather you heard it from me" she mumbled.

The blonde nodded, allowing Regina to continue with her story, "we were in the same class in college, both of us studying English Literature. She was my first, well, everything" the older woman explained nervously, her cheeks heating up slightly.

Regina cleared her throat, "it lasted just over a year, turns out she had been sleeping around. I walked into her dorm one day to find her making out with this random guy from our class" she muttered.

The brunette sighed, "that's why I can't go through with Zelena's plans. The mere thought of..." She trailed off taking in a deep, swift breath.

Emma squeezed her hand in understanding, "it would bring all that back" the blonde finished for her.

"After that, I closed myself off. It hurt so damn much and I just couldn't go through that again. In the eyes of the people around me, I turned cold-hearted. From then on, to them, I was The Evil Queen" she muttered.

Regina frowned as she leaned further in to Emma's arms, the blonde instantly welcoming her into a warm, loving embrace, "then I met you" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The younger woman placed a sweet kiss on the teacher's hairline, "I love you so much, Regina. I would never do anything like that to you" she told the older woman confidently.

The brunette nodded and she looked up the blonde, "I know, Baby" she whispered.

Regina rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder, "okay" she mumbled.

Emma stared at the woman in confusion for a moment.

The brunette looked up, her cocoa eyes meeting the blonde's sea-green ones, "Zelena's plan, do it" she continued confidently.

The blonde's gaze softened, "Gina, if it'll hurt you, I can't do it" she responded quickly.

Regina reached out and tucked a strand of Emma's blonde hair behind her ear, "it would hurt me even more if someone found out about us and it put our relationship in danger" she mumbled softly.

Emma felt a pang of guilt for not telling the brunette about the note that Kathryn had left in her locker, "I need to know whether or not it's an empty threat first" she had concluded.

The older woman placed a small kiss to the corner of her girlfriend's lips, "I trust you, Emma, and I trust my sister" she reassured the blonde.

The blonde nodded, "okay, Gina" she whispered.

A/n

I apologize that this is a day late. I was working yesterday and didn't have time to finish off the chapter but anyway, here it is.

Little bit of Regina backstory.

I hope you all enjoyed.

Thanks,
      ~Becca 🐢