The School Play

Chapter 8

The wrapping paper was dark with silver stars on it and covered something that seemed an awful lot like a book. It had been beside her mother's plate during dinner, but now it was in Regina's hands.

She didn't really want to open it. She wanted to enjoy the moment of her mother giving her something, but she knew that joy would fade away as soon as she saw what it was.

It had been forever since her mother had given her a gift that wasn't some indirect way of scolding her, of teaching her something. She didn't need gifts, but if she were to receive ones, she'd like them to be genuine and not with some stupid reason behind it.

Cora had taken place across her at the table again and looked impatiently at Regina, wanting her to open the gift. Regina let her fingers slide over the paper and inhaled deeply before she slowly ripped the paper.

She saw a shiny cover with the silhouette of a man embracing a woman. Love At First Sight was written on it with an elegant font. Regina cringed at the thought of even reading this book and she didn't know why her mother had gotten her this.

"Thank you, mother," she said politely and put it beside her on the table. She put her cutlery on her plate and shoved her chair back. "Can I be excused?"

"I want you to come to the opening of the bookstore tomorrow," Cora said and didn't respond to Regina's question. Regina swallowed, disliking the thought of having to spend an evening playing the perfect daughter. "You could properly meet Emma Swan, Mary Margaret's daughter and get some more books like that."

"I already know her. She's in my class," Regina replied. Her mother's gaze was stern and she already knew that there was no changing her mother's mind, but she still wanted to try.

"Well, I still think it would be good for you to have a good introduction."

Regina had to keep herself from sighing and cleared her throat. "Why?" she asked, not really wanting to hear the response. "I don't really get where you're coming from. I didn't think you'd want me to meet new people, especially girls."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Her mother sounded offended and straightened her posture. Regina knew she wasn't going to take her arguments seriously, though she felt this one might get through to her mother.

"I don't know, if she's really as.. admirable as you say, would you really want me to meet her? If she's really that lovable, maybe I will fall in love with her. Maybe we'll get a relationship, eventually we'd get married and I'd be the shame of the family."

Regina hoped this would work. She knew the last thing her mother wanted was for her to get a relationship with a girl. Her eye caught the shiny cover of her new book again and suddenly, she felt her heart sink.

The most awful thought came to her and she didn't dare question if it was true. Would her mother have bought the book, because it wasn't queer? Because it clearly emphasized the old fashioned roles of strong men and weak women? Because it had a relationship her mother wanted her to have?

From just having seen the cover and having read the reviews that were emphasized on the cover, Regina knew exactly how this book was and the feeling of her mother having bought this to show her just how much she wasn't okay with her sexuality grew bigger.

She tried to push the thought away, but it kept lingering in her mind. Though in the moment, her mother's stare worried her more. The expression on Cora's face had turned ice cold and Regina immediately realized she'd been too smug.

"A girl like Emma would never fall for someone like you," Cora stated and Regina felt a pain in her chest. She didn't want Emma to like her, she didn't even like Emma herself, but the way Cora said it was painful. "She's smart, intelligent, beautiful and you're.. you. I wouldn't say you're nothing, because you are definitely something. Just not something that shouldn't be grateful if Emma Swan talked to her."