Regina had always been so sure of herself. She knew exactly what she wanted, and she certainly never doubted her place at the top. She couldn’t have feelings for you. There was just no way. You were a girl, and she definitely didn’t like other girls like that—at least, that’s what she kept telling herself over and over again.

But when you walked into the cafeteria that Wednesday, wearing the pink she had so carefully told you to wear, it hit her differently. She wasn’t prepared for the sudden flutter in her chest, the way her heart began to race. It wasn’t just because you followed her command—no, it was something else. Your appearance, so effortlessly cute, made her feel a strange warmth spread across her cheeks. And that feeling? That feeling terrified her.

She quickly composed herself, though, as she always did. The momentary lapse in her perfect exterior was gone, replaced by her usual perfect smile, the one that everyone in the cafeteria knew and adored. No one could ever tell that just a moment ago, her heart had been pounding, or that a heat had flushed across her face.

Regina’s gaze met yours, her eyes lighting up just a little too brightly as she motioned for you to come over. The voice she used was calm, with that familiar, confident edge.

“There you are… Come sit.”

Despite the calmness in her voice, you could tell something had shifted. There was something in the way she looked at you now, something she couldn’t hide behind her usual composure. Something that made you wonder if Regina was as sure about herself as she let on.