Once Upon a Time- Regina's daughter: Part 2

Amber

"Get up!" Jasmine yells. "We have things to do, people to see. You're visiting Regina today."

"What?" I say.

"You need to go and pretend like everything is fine. We don't want her catching on to my plan, now do we?"

"I do," Maggie mutters.

"Silence! And you're going to go have coffee with Belle."

"Fair trade."

Jasmine pulls our hearts out of a bag and says into them, "You will not let anyone else know of my plan or what you are doing."

Maggie and I walk in different directions, me to Regina's house, her to Granny's.

As I approach the house, Regina calls, "Amber, where have you been?"

I feel my heart controlling my tongue. "I went for a walk," I say.

"Oh, ok. Come inside."

"I can't, I'm going for lunch with Belle. We need to discuss what to do with Gold, so I might be gone a while." I turn away, leaving Regina with an expression of confusion on her face. As I'm walking down the street, the feeling of control wears off. I'm not near anyone I could tell. That's why.

I'm so lost in thought I literally walk into someone. "Oh!" I shout, falling backwards. I hand grabs mine and keeps me from falling. Mystery boy pulls me up. "Hi," I say.

"Hi."

"You got a name to go with those dreamy eyes?" I ask.

"Caleb. You got a name to go with that beautiful face?"

I blush. "Amber."

"Well, Amber, how about we grab coffee sometime and you can tell me about yourself. You know, about the things I can already tell."

"What can you tell?"

"Well, the exceptionally toned calves suggest a lot of running, sprinting, in fact, which is usually running away from something. There's a certain look in your eyes that only shows up when a person is constantly at the mercy of others. Bruises and the quiet voice suggest family issues-"

"No kidding," I mumble.

"And the fact that you walked into me tells me that you were thinking through something complicated. Now, about that coffee..."

"That may be an offer I have to refuse. You were right about things being complicated."

"How about this," he says, "I'll be at Granny's tomorrow at 8. Be there or don't be there, your choice."

"Alright," I say. As I'm walking away, I let out a giant breath I didn't know I was holding.

"What took so long?" Jasmine yells as I walk in the door.

"I bumped into someone. Literally."

"Don't let it happen again. Now go back to the dungeon. Maggie already started cleaning."

I go downstairs and find Maggie sweeping. The dungeon is only a little cleaner than it was before.

"Where were you?" She asks.

"I met a boy."

"Ooh, do tell."

"Well, he wants me to meet him at Granny's tomorrow, but how will I get away from here?"

"I'll help. Jasmine said we can sleep as late as we want tomorrow, we're not doing anything. I'll sleep where you usually do, so Jasmine will think I'm missing and come look for me. It's perfect!"

"Would you do that for me?"

"Of course. I'd do anything for you."