Chapter 1

The Girl

She took a sit on the back of the class, next to a window, thinking about how lame that class would be. Literature. She considered not even attend to that, but she already had missed too many of them and the other students had warned her about the bitch who was teaching that class. She could always fail, but that would mean that she would only delay the torment for another semester. That was not an option.

She had to attend to her classes, so there she was. Fifteen minutes later, wearing a huge pair of black headphone with red details over her long golden curls. The girl entered the room without knocking at the door and comfortably took the last seat on the row. She had no pencil and no paper with her. Finally, she looked at her teacher for the very first time.

Regina Mills. The most feared woman in S. B. University. Just to look at the brunette woman with her silken, short hair, it became clear why: the professor had a regal pose, piercing eyes and an unreadable look on her face. She transpired power just by standing there in her white long-sleeved shirt, tight black pencil-skirt and amazing stiletto heels. The mere presence of the woman was so intense that the girl couldn't decide if she felt hot for the professor or frightened by her. Maybe both.

By the expression on the professor's face, the girl assumed one thing, though: someone should really get laid. As soon as possible.

"Name." The woman's voice was sharp and cold. She spoke in such a low tone that the student wasn't able to hear at the first time the question was demanded. The girl barely noticed the movement of the brunette's red lips. Therefore, instead of answering, the blonde just stayed still, staring at the biggest walking-cliché of all times with curious eyes.

The woman walked slowly towards the place where she was. Her elegant steps were accompanied by a natural-sensual swing of her hips. Yeah… That woman was all about sex and all about having none of it. She almost seemed float on her high heels. The girl only realized the class was too quiet when it was too late. She took her headphones off and glanced at the rest of the students.

About forty pairs of curious eyes were set on them when Regina leaned over the girl's desk, one palm on the edge of it and the other one on her own hip. With a little smirk on her face, the student stole a glimpse of the black lacy bra the teacher wore under the almost unbuttoned shirt. Not bad for someone who looked like her last orgasm had been over a decade before.

"Name. "The professor asked again.

"Emma Swan. And you are…?" The blonde girl just couldn't help the sarcasm dripping from her tongue and the mischievous grin on her lips.

Mills's perfect lips spread into a predatory smile that showed a line of perfect white teeth while a sparkle lighted up her dark-hazel eyes.

"Professor Regina Mills. Welcome to Literature I." Then she added in a whisper that only the blonde girl could hear. "But you can call it Hell, Miss Swan."

Apparently, it takes more than a threatening smile from a sensual woman to terrify Emma Swan. The young woman wasn't impressed by that human being who seemed to need a mind-blowing orgasm: during the rest of the class, the blonde girl openly took a nap and winked to the teacher on her way out of the room, heading straight to the bar across the street.

Without a single drop of guilt, the girl ordered a beer and sipped from the bottle. Emerald green eyes scanned the place, looking for a friendly face. She chuckled bitterly as that thought crossed her mind. At last, she saw some guys she was having a few classes with that semester at the pool table. Slowly and confident, she approached the group and started chatting. Soon, she was up to the next round at the table.

They played for a long time until a familiar voice reached Emma's ears and made the girl smile even before she pocket the last ball.

"Ems!" Arms wrapped around the blonde's waist from behind in an almost indecent hug. She turned around and locked her gaze with those big sky-blue eyes.

"Red! Damn, girl! You look amazing! Who's the victim?" The blonde sized up her friend. That wasn't a proper look to wear at college. Or work. But she did look good in those tight black jeans and letter top that contrasted with her fair skin and dark hair.

The brunette rolled her eyes, pretending to be offended. She lightly pushed her friend's shoulder with an ear-to-ear grin.

"Somebody."

"And does that somebody have a name?" Emma took a sip of her beer as they walked towards a nearly emptied table.

"Yes..."

"And can I know who is he?" The blonde was curious, but gossip was not on her top five entertainment list.

"Woody."

In spite of her respect for her friend's choices, Emma couldn't help the laugher that escaped her in that moment.

"The guy who practically lives in the library? Writing or whatever? How did you even meet him?"

"We took Literature I together last semester and he helped me with some stuff." Ruby's voice was a whisper and her cheeks blushed as she talked. Emma wiped the tears away.

Not judging or anything, but that couple seemed to be very unlikely to work out: Ruby Luccas was a hunter and August Woody Booth was the typical good boy. She had a rocking body with long legs, shining blue eyes and sensual way that made her the perfect image of a femme fatale. She could have any man she wanted – and more often than not, she actually had them. Her normal standard were men who looked like Calvin Klein's models. Underwear ones.

Now, August… The boy was more like a poetry-sensitive-feelings type. He seemed to always be in the library, either studying or writing his novel. All teachers loved him and made comments about such a great professional he would become. As far as Ems had heard, he had never been seen with a girl before. Not because of his looks, because he certainly was cute: grey eyes, a short curly hair, well dressed (for a college guy), and a beard that he almost never shaved, but gave him a mature look.

"I wanna be able to talk with someone!"

"That's why you have friends, y'know?" The mocking smile on Ems's face was so annoying that Red roller her eyes with a sigh.

"You know what I mean."

The blonde shrugged, still smiling.

"Whatever. Hey, did you say LI? Who you got back then?"

"Mary Margareth. Man, that woman is a mom! Seriously. I didn't fail, against all the odds." The brunette let out an over dramatic sigh and a relieved smile. "I've heard that the professor this time is the Evil Queen." The girl's pretty face contorted in disgust.

"Yeah… I'm taking her." Emma sipped he beer then added with a mischievous smile. "That woman has a face of someone who was fucked and didn't cum."

"Watch out, Ems. I've heard she fails whole classes just for the pleasure of ruining somebody else's happiness."

"Well..." The girl lifted the bottle to finish it. "She has to get pleasure out of something, doesn't she?"

Emma arrived at her small apartment in an urgency for a hot shower. That day had been something… She replayed the things she had seen and heard in her mind as the water massaged her skin. A sudden memory made her growl: a paper she had due two days later. Oh, well… Just one, since that day was practically over. So much work to do in such little time…

The preview week had been properly fueled with parties, boozing and some cute guys she had met here and there. Now she had a few hours remaining and no research material. The girl sighed heavily and closed her eyes. The water fell just the same way as before, as to tell her that time was still passing by. Nothing would stop for her.

The girl turned the water off and grabbed her towel. A few moments later she was dressed in jeans (that she smelled before putting them on), a white thank top and brown boots. She took a deep breath as she stepped out of her place with a horrible feeling that she had just arrived (what was true). Lucky for her that it took only five minutes to walk from the building she was currently living in to the University's library,

In spite of her reputation as the worst of students, Emma liked studying. She would always complain about work, papers to write, teachers and anything else school related. She was a master on putting works off. She was called reckless and lazy by other students and even by some teachers. But she had so much fun whenever she saw each and every professor's face when they would give her grades. She annoyed them to their bones and still was the student with the best results.

As it seemed, most teachers didn't care about her at all. However, there were the ones who would push her buttons so she would attend to classes, or stop being late, or about her behavior in class (she did take too many naps)… Those teachers were the ones she liked to push back.

At the end of the day, though, she liked to study. Hours seemed like minutes when she was inside her mind like that: focused, concentrated. The world around her would be almost inexistent while she read and took notes. She loved it whenever she could sit down to write – it was when she felt mostly in control of her thoughts.

Having nightmares for so long makes a person needs it. When your mind controls you, when you can't run away from the bad feeling, the dark emotions, the most horrible thoughts for so long… You must learn just how important those little moments of control are. You grab all the chances of leading yourself with your nails and teeth and do your best to never let it go.

So Emma studied. She read everything she could, she made notes, she structured a line of thoughts and focused on her objective. And that gave her the power to keep going for hours without feeling exhausted, because that was her way to rest.

She shifted on the chair, rubbing her neck before she proofread her work. The blonde girl smiled as she felt a little proud of it – even if it wasn't ready yet, the result was good. She was stubborn and determinate. If something should be done, she would do it. Maybe not right away, but with great results nonetheless.

Green eyes gazed at the window: it was dark outside. She pulled her phone out and checked the time. It was still early to go back to the apartment… What else could she do? Bar? Nope. Not money enough that month to keep spending like that. The silence inside the library was good… Whoever, the heat in the building was driving her crazy.

With no route in mind, Ems walked around the Campus. She was lost in her mind, so distracted that she bumped against someone. The blonde took a step back as she apologized without seeing the person's face.

It was then that she turned to the girl. The pretty woman with regal attitude. The professor that had a sweet scent of fresh apples. The incarnation of the Evil Queen herself, standing there with a raised eyebrow in a silent question.

"Miss Swan." The words came out in an annoyed tone.

"Regina! I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." The smile on the girl's lips was small, but expressed a genuine try to apologize.

They stared at each other for close to a minute before Emma said goodnight and kept walking. Or tried.

"I've noticed that you didn't come to any of my previous classes this semester." The brunette's voice behind her made the young woman to turn on her heels to stare at her professor. "Is there any reason to justify that?"

"Sure!" Emma answered calmly. The professor remained in silence, waiting for a full answer. "I wasn't in the mood." With that, the student winked to Regina and turned back again. She couldn't walk more than three steps before the other woman's voice stopped her in a warning.

"I do not admit delays or properly justified absences in my class, Miss Swan."

Tired of that living cartoon, Emma gave a sardonic grin before answering.

"Is that so? What you gonna do about it, then?"

The teacher didn't answer the last question. The blonde turned on her heels one last time and walked away with a victorious smirk on her thin lips.

Emma didn't like when people told her what to do. She had grown used to take care of herself, to live under her own rules. She would not tolerate anybody trying to say a thing about her methods.

Nothing could mess with her more than authoritarianism.

That's why the girl made sure to push the buttons of anyone who tried to impose anything over her. She had hoped that this time things would be easier, that she would have a peaceful semester… All she wanted was that she wouldn't have any teacher torturing her about how the hell things should've been done.

Oh, hell… Why?

Then the girl had an idea. She would not miss another single class of the dearest professor Regina Sass Mills. She also would be punctually fifteen minutes later every day. The girl would gracefully pretend not paying attention to a single word that the woman would say. And, to put a cherry on top, she would sweetly smile to the professor at the end of each class to let her know that Emma Swan didn't follow anyone's rules but her own.