The List

Chapter 14

After I'd told my mother the entire story of two nights ago, we ended the call and I saw that Emma was scrolling through her phone. She looked at me and showed me the screen.

It was an Instagram video with over five hundred thousand likes, showing the incident of two nights back. Whenever I was on set, I wasn't very active online and news like this didn't reach me, unless my mother called. I actually wished I hadn't known this.

"People are really angry in the comments, they all feel sorry for you," Emma said and moved her chair closed to mine. The video was over and I rested my head on Emma's shoulder.

"I'm sorry you've been put online like this." I was used to it, but I imagined it couldn't be too much fun for Emma. Fortunately, she merely shrugged.

"It's okay," she replied. "It is baffling how quick people are to assume things, though. Plenty of comments said I must be your girlfriend, others said I should've acted nicer towards you. It must be tiring to constantly have people judge your actions."

She was right. It was tiring. I wasn't someone who put my entire private life online, but I had colleagues who did and I didn't think I'd ever understand how they managed to pull it off.

I didn't say anything. I just kept my head against her shoulder and sighed. She smelled like a mixture of cigars and cinnamon, it was a nice scent, mainly because it was Emma's.

"Are you coming inside, or what?" Granny's door had opened again and Killian appeared. He flashed me an unamused glare and I immediately moved my head away from Emma. It was purely platonic, I'd just wanted to relax for a second, but Killian looked at me as if I'd just slept with Emma and then killed her.

"Yes, let's," Emma said and got up from her chair. I wasn't sure whether I was invited or not, so I kept sitting in the chair. Emma looked at me and gestured for me to follow her, so I left my seat as well and got inside.

Killian hadn't intended for me to join them, but he and I both knew it was too late to send me away. Everyone greeted me happily and it made me feel good, being so welcome here.

Ruby immediately got me some drinks and I sat down in a chair that I picked from another table, because the booth was full.

"Long time no see," Graham said and gave me a half hug, while we were both still sitting. I hadn't hung out with them at all these past weeks, but they didn't detest me for it. They just seemed happy I was there now.

"Yes, I've been very occupied with work," I replied. I didn't have to shoot the next day, so I was planning on making this a fun night. Whether that was with or without alcohol didn't matter anymore.

I quickly succeeded at that. Two hours later, I wasn't feeling like myself at all anymore. The alcohol had taken over and my manners had disappeared. I was permanently leaning against Emma, unable to stop myself from craving her touch and Killian had a scowl on his face that didn't fade.

"Regina, what is your toxic trait?" Ruby looked at me with a smirk and I pondered on the question with an empty mind. The music was gone, because Granny didn't allow any music after twelve o'clock, but I could still hear it pound in my ears.

"I know!" I yelled and sat up straight, moving away from Emma. "But I don't want to tell."

"Then you gotta drink," Belle chimed in with a smile and Graham pushed my glass closer to me. "But you don't seem to have any toxic traits. You're too much of a saint for that."

I laughed and looked at Killian to see his reaction. He didn't like me. The feeling was mutual, so I couldn't be angry at him for that. He had liked me when we'd first met, but it seemed that since he'd discovered I was just a person, he'd stopped liking me.