The Bet

Chapter 12

"Aren't I glad you two didn't have sex. She described everything in graphic detail," Mal said, breaking the silence and with that, the palpable tension. It was an unnecessary comment though, and I flashed her a glare. "But I think it's time for me to leave you two at it."

I let a soft sigh escape as Mal made her way to the door. "For the record, Emma, she may not know this yet, but Regina is definitely falling in love with you." She left the dirty bathroom with those words.

Emma looked at me. Her expression was indecipherable and it made me anxious. I didn't know what Killian had told her exactly and I could strangle him for letting her talk to me. I didn't want or need confrontation. I wanted to run away from my problems, kick them out of my life, like a normal human being.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," Emma said. We hadn't even started. Was my mere presence this horrible?

"Is it?" I asked.

"Honestly, Regina, I just don't get you," she said and I leaned against the wall. There were a lot of things I'd expected her to say, but I had no idea where she was going with this. "Instead of accepting the fact that you feel things, you push it all down and let some random chick eat you out in the bathroom?!"

"We didn't even.."

"No, but you were about to," Emma said. I truly didn't understand why she was so angry. She knew this was the way I behaved. I was like this and she hadn't fussed about it in the past.

"Okay," I replied, sounding unsure, which I was. I figured she'd get mad about everything, but not about Mal. Mal was just a chick I'd told my life story to and would never see again. It wasn't that deep.

Emma gritted her teeth. "I don't even know where to start, to be honest," she said and looked me in the eyes. "You're a fucking dick, Regina."

"I'm well aware," I said. "I even warned you for it. Isn't that nice?"

"Oh, fuck you," she muttered and ran her hands through her hair, evidently frustrated.

"Hm, sure. You pussy blocked me and Mal, this could be a nice way of making it up to me."

Emma's gaze caught mine again. I didn't think I'd ever seen her this genuinely angry. Her nostrils were slightly flared and she had a thick frown between her eyebrows. Her jaw was clenched and she scoffed.

"You're impossible," she said. "Who, in their right mind, places a bet on seducing someone, with the intention of breaking that person's heart. Regina, I'd expected a lot from you, but not this."

I cocked my head and stepped forward, while straightening my posture. She was taller than I, but I didn't feel small. She couldn't make me feel small, no matter how angry she was. No matter how tall she was.

"Need I remind you that this bet contained two people. Here you are yelling at me, but meanwhile you've got no problem dating Killian? He did the exact same thing."

"He put an end to it when things got real. You didn't. You let me crash and burn."

"So, just because I was winning, I'm getting all the blame?"

Emma gulped and gripped the sink. Her knuckles turned white and she huffed angrily. "You do see how that's a bad thing, right?"

"I'm very competitive, so.." I shrugged. I knew it sounded as though I didn't care, but I did. I just didn't need Emma to know that. I felt horrible for having treated her like trash and I did want to mend things, but I'd never done that before. I'd never regretted hurting someone.

"I can't believe you," Emma said. "I've had the past five days to think about it, but I still can't comprehend someone treating me this shitty. Oh, my God, I really thought I knew you. I trusted you, Regina. For fuck's sake. I can't believe this is the second time someone's just.. not who they say they are. I don't even know who you are. It was all just an act!"