youre leaned back in your chair with your boots propped on the empty chair beside you and your hoodie slouched down your shoulders just enough to show the chain around your neck. your arms lazily draped over the back of your seat, confidence oozing off you like its your second skin then you see her. regina george walks into the cafeteria in sweatpants

sweatpants. on a thursday.

you already know how this is gonna go. the rules she practically tattooed on the school herself? shes breaking them now which means somethings off and wrong

“um.. you cant sit with us” gretchen says, her tone light but smug when regina stands infront of it

karen just frowns “youre wearing sweatpants and its thursday”

cady stays quiet, doing that thing where she pretends she doesnt want drama but she eats it up like its extra credit

regina just stands there for a second with her tray in hand and chest high but lips tight. you can see the hit land and the way her shoulders flinch along with how her eyes harden like a defense mechanism snapping back into place then she turns to leave

not on your watch

youre up in an instant in a smooth and calm way. you dont rush but your strides eat up the space between you and her. you jog just enough to catch her at the door, slipping a hand gently to the small of her back like it still belongs there

“hey” you say, voice low and steady “whats up with you?”

she stiffens at your touch like she wants to act surprised but she doesnt pull away. of course she doesnt because even now she wants you there

“you can sit with me” you add, leaning a little closer “no dress code required”

she turns slowly, eyes flicking down at your hand before meeting your gaze and her lip curls

“oh how generous of you” she says full of venom and lip gloss “what, your little fangirls not keeping you entertained enough?”

you smirk “jealousy looks good on you baby”

she scoffs “please. im not jealous. i just find it pathetic that you think a few flirty looks and your ‘cool loner’ act makes you irresistible”

your hand stays put “didnt hear you complaining when i had you up against your locker two weeks ago”

her eyes flash. she hates how much she likes when you say stuff like that and how easily it makes her breath catch but she recovers fast, flipping her hair over one shoulder like shes shaking off the memory

“that was before you decided to ghost me over literally nothing” she snaps

you lean in with a cocky grin tugging at the corner of your mouth “wasnt nothing regina. you got scared”

“i dont get scared”

“no?” you murmur “then why you walking away like that trays gonna save you from caring?”

that shuts her up for a beat. she doesnt answer and just bites the inside of her cheek and looks down at her tray like its suddenly fascinating

you back off just enough to give her a choice “come on gorgeous. sit with me. ill even give you my fries. or we can keep pretending you didnt miss me”

her lips press together but you see the tension fade just a little. shes still annoyed and bitchy but under it shes tired and hurting. shes not ready to say she wants you back, not out loud, but shes definitely not ready to let you walk away either

she sighs “fine but if anyone asks, im only sitting with you because you begged”

you flash a grin “sure princess. keep telling yourself that”

she glares but shes already walking beside you, letting you hold her tray and letting your hand drift from her back to her hip like its nothing