Teacher's Pet (swanqueen AU)

Chapter 6 - Chess

A/N - I made this chapter a lot longer to make up for the short one before, i hope you like it

I open my eyes, woken up by the rays of sunlight through my window. It's Saturday. I've never wanted it to be Monday so bad.

I try to cover my face with the pillow to block out the sun but it doesn't work so i give up. I can't get back to sleep. Opening one eye and peering out from under the pillow, i glance at the clock on my bedside table. 12.30. I feel my stomach rumble so i let out a long sigh and stretch, before getting up and walking to the kitchen.

'Oh! You're up! It's early for you on a weekend,' the maid says as i open the door of the fridge.

'I'm hungry,' i snap, and i lean on the door of the fridge, yawning. i scan the fridge for something to calm my stomach, but i can't find anything. I settle on a carton of orange juice. 'Something wrong?' she asks, concerned.

'I was having a great dream,' i mumble back.

'The girl?'

'......Yes, her.'

I find a glass and pour myself some juice, staring as the orange liquid falls. I choose to ignore the frown on Sofia's face.

'There are pancakes in the microwave. I'd say from that, it's not going how you hoped with the teacher?' I take the pancakes out and sit at the table. 'I don't really know. It's not something i want to talk about right now.'

She puts her hand on my shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze, so i look at her and she smiles at me. I smile back and she leaves the room, meaning i was left alone to devour my pancakes.

I can't help but think about Regina, and what happened in the office. The way she looked at me should be illegal, seriously. I thought i was going to melt when she whispered in my ear. Stupid phone. Stupid caller. I couldn't tell if she was annoyed at the distraction, or at the person calling. I hoped it would be the first... but knowing my luck it would be the second, after all, she had seemed annoyed outside the cafe, and she didn't even know i was there.

The sound of someone walking into the room pulled me out of my thoughts. 'Oh, Emma, i wasn't expecting you up already?' my mother looks at me from the kitchen doorway. Why is everyone so shocked that i'm awake? Am i that predictable?

'Yeah, uh, i was hungry.' i smile as i wash my plate and put it into the dishwasher. She nods and smiles at me as she heads to the fridge. 'How's school going? It's your senior year.'

I lean on the counter, crossing my arms. 'It's..... Interesting.' That's not a lie. She pulls a bottle out of the fridge that is filled with a strange green liquid. It looks disgusting. She sees me grimace and shakes it in the air. 'Proteins! So, what do you mean by interesting?'

I stare at her for a while, but i finally shrug. 'You know, it's the last year, we are just getting into everything, it's.... interesting.'

'What about prom? Has anyone mentioned it?' Shit. Prom. I had managed to forget about it. 'No, they haven't actually.' She smiles widely at me. 'Well when you find out, let me know, we HAVE to find you a dress!' We share a silence, smiling. I miss this. She used to be great.

'So..' she starts, 'I hear there is a new principal at Storybrooke Prep?' How does she manage to work her way into ALL my conversations? 'Yeah, she's my English teacher too.'

'That's alright then, you're great at English, i bet she will love you!' I choke on my own saliva. 'Emma! Are you okay?'

She steps toward me but i raise my hands and manage to speak between coughs. 'I'm fine, I'm fine.' She stares at me for a moment to check i'm okay, then takes the bottle from the counter. Clearly she left it there for me to drink, to stop choking. Because i would so definitely drink that putrid concoction. Ya, okay mother. When i finally stop coughing, we fall into an awkward silence.