Miss Swan

•9•

Shadows settle on the place, that you left.
Our minds are troubled by the emptiness.
Destroy the middle, it's a waste of time.
From the perfect start to the finish line.

And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones.
'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs.
Setting fire to our insides for fun
Collecting names of the lovers that went wrong
The lovers that went wrong.

We are the reckless,
We are the wild youth
Chasing visions of our futures
One day we'll reveal the truth
That one will die before he gets there.

And if you're still bleeding, you're the lucky ones.
'Cause most of our feelings, they are dead and they are gone.
We're setting fire to our insides for fun.
Collecting pictures from a flood that wrecked our home,
It was a flood that wrecked this home.

And you caused it,
And you caused it,
And you caused it

Well I've lost it all, I'm just a silhouette,
I'm a lifeless face that you'll soon forget,
And my eyes are damp from the words you left,
Ringing in my head, when you broke my chest.
Ringing in my head, when you broke my chest.

And if you're in love, then you are the lucky one,
'Cause most of us are bitter over someone.
Setting fire to our insides for fun,
To distract our hearts from ever missing them.
But I'm forever missing her.

And you caused it,
And you caused it,
And you caused it.

*Regina's POV*
I stared at the ceiling feeling numb. Emma's trial was 3 days ago. I got a letter from her today saying she got 4 more years. But, Fisher told her she'll most likely get out in 2 with good behavior. You'll be 23. She'll be 36. Riley will be 11. She'll want to be with someone her own age. She'll want someone better. Smarter. Nicer. Prettier. She'll be tired of you. "No!" I shouted, sitting up in bed. "No." I whispered, trying to shut up the voices in my head. I felt my phone vibrating and I sighed. I grabbed it and saw it was a text from my dads new wife. My dad and I have gotten close again and his new wife is pretty cool.
Family dinner tonight. Zelena and your mom are coming. I'm coming to pick you and Riley up around 5 :)
I sighed, but was also kind of happy to have an excuse to go out.
Okay. We'll be ready.
I sent. After a few more minutes, she replied.
Awesome! Henry will be there :) you'll finally get to meet your step brother.
I smiled and sent back a simple 'yay'. I got up and got in the shower, starting to get ready for the day.
---
Five o'clock rolled around and Alice was there, on the dot. Riley and I went to the car and got in. I'm wearing jeans, a thin white sweater, a leather jacket and tan ankle boots. Riley's in a sweater dress, leggings and boots. "How are you two beautiful ladies?" She asked. I smiled. "Good. How are you?" I asked. She smiled. "I'm fine." She said. I nodded and she backed out of our driveway.

She finally pulled into her driveway at 5:45. We got out and went in, being greeted by my dad. "Dad." I said and hugged him tightly. "Hey kid." He said and kissed my head. I smiled and pulled away. "Hey baby girl!" He said, picking up Riley. She squealed happily and hugged him. "Hey grandpa!" Riley said excitedly. I smiled. Then, my mom came into the foyer. "Mary Margret." I said, smiling. She pulled me into her arms and hugged me tight. "Mom." I whispered. She held me tighter and I smiled. "I've missed you." She whispered. I nodded against her shoulder and we pulled away. She smiled. "Henry. Come down please." Alice called up the stairs. Zelena came in and we gave each other awkward smiles. Then, a tall brunette boy came downstairs. I recognized him immediately. "Regina." He said and ran over. I hugged him tightly. "How are you kid? It's been too long." I mumbled. He's 17. I started getting bullied after Emma was fired. But, Henry had been sticking up for me. Then he transferred schools. It's been almost 6 months since I'd seen him. I never even thought about it. He's my step-brother. "I've been good. You?" He asked. "Fine." I mumbled, knowing he'd know my lie. He pulled away and gave me a sad smile. "You two already know each other?" Alice asked. I nodded. "We used to go to school together." I said. Alice nodded and dad smiled.

After dinner, Riley and I hung out for a few hours. At 8:15, we went to the car. Alice's driving. It's dark and cold. It just started snowing, so she's driving slower. St. Christopher by Michael Logen started playing on the radio and I turned the volume up. Then, the world started moving in slow motion. The bright headlights. The screeching of tires. Scared screams. Everything happened so fast, then everything was still and the world faded to black.

Calling on St. Christopher
Gonna need some help tonight
For the long, dark road ahead
On my way back to the light

'Cause the path is so unclear
And I'm not sure who to be
All I know is I can't stay here
Won't you please watch over me?

'Cause I'm on my way
Yes, I'm on my way
Yeah, I'm on my way... now

It can get so lonely here
Still I know I'm not alone
Do we learn to face our fears,
Before they carve our names in stone?

Well I'm on my way
Yeah, I'm on my way
Well I'm on my way now

Calling on St. Christopher
Gonna need some help tonight

I woke up and looked around. I'm laying on the side of the road, in a snow bank. But, I'm not wet or cold..? I saw paramedics rushing around, then I saw Alice's car flipped over. There's another car crunched up beside it. The car that hit us. There were paramedics over there, but I wasn't focused on them. "Alice? Riley?!" I shouted. No one even looked at me. "Excuse me?" I said, trying to get a paramedic. They didn't even stop. I felt tears in my eyes as Alice was rushed into a waiting ambulance. She's beat to a bloody pulp. I ran over to where I saw more paramedics and my heart shattered. "Riley!" I shouted, seeing blood in her blonde locks. There are multiple cuts on her body but nothing seems too bad. She's unconscious. Then.. I saw another group of paramedics. I furrowed my eyebrows and ran over. I looked at the person and all the air left my lungs. The blood mixing in snow around brown hair. The broken body. The cuts. I looked on in horror at the body laying in snow. How is that possible?! "Hang in there baby girl." A woman said and squeezed my shoulder. How the fuck is that my body, if I'm right here?! I didn't think this actually happened. I saw it in If I Stay, but I thought it was fake. They carried the stretcher with my body on it to the ambulance. I got in behind them and watched as they put IV's in my arm. "Head on collision. Drunk driver hit a car with 3 females in it. The drunk driver had 2 other people in his car. All 3 of them were dead on spot. The driver in the other car was in an unstable state. Alice Mills. Then, her step-daughter, Regina Mills, was in the passenger seat. She's fairly unstable. And in the back, there was a 7 year old. Riley Swan. Regina's her guardian." A man said into his walky talky. What if I die?! I can't! I need to stay alive for Emma! Why is this happening to me?!