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Fire and Ice || Chapter: one

Note: Please leave your opinions and enjoy! I'll try and release a new chapter whenever I can! Summary: Literally just a Regina x Janis slow-burn with rotating POVs

Janis walked past Regina in the hall, not paying her any attention, and Regina watched her. Memories plagued her, every time she saw her. Her most recent ones, positive ones: the dance, and holding her, if only for a moment. Regina was healing, physically that was, it had been 6 months since the ‘Bus incident’. She was in Senior year now and still held her title somewhat, people pitied her. She still had up her walls of ice, she still was cold and fierce, despite making peace with everyone she had wronged; Everyone but Janis. She had apologized, poorly, but she did it without expecting the brunette to accept her pathetic excuse for an apology. Which Janis didn’t; she remembered the brunette had only grunted in response and then basically ran away. She was not even meeting the tall girl’s eyes. “Yeah, so Janis, I’m sorry for,” she had stammered, fidgeting with her fingers, “everything and all.” She cringed at the memory. She hadn’t sounded sincere at all in the moment. Like she was being forced into it, she hadn’t been, nobody put her up to it, not even Cady had pushed her to. Cady knew better than to play with fire and ice. (Ironic that is, huh?) Janis and Regina weren’t a good mix, simple as that. She turned to open her locker and pulled out her book, specifically, her math textbook. She didn’t need Janis, Janis hated her. And she has every right to, you monster. She shook that voice away, that stupid voice. She had Gretchen, Karen, and Cady, and even Damian. Sometimes that is, they hung out at the same table and went shopping together twice. Still, he was Janis’s best friend, and therefore she and Damian weren’t all that close. She had never expected to share a table with the ‘art freaks’, it was Cady’s doing. She’d do anything for Cady, even if it meant having to sit at the table of her ex-nemesis.

Janis and her didn’t talk to each other, the only time they did was snide remarks tossed between each other, often leading to a quarrel for someone to break up.

She didn’t need Janis’s forgiveness. Then why do you want it so badly? That little voice in her head that never seemed to leave her alone asked. She slammed the locker closed, inhaling sharply, drawing the eyes of a few students, whom she shot a glare to shut them up. Then she turned away and made her way to her next class.

- Regina sat in silence, deep in thought, she refrained from staring at Janis (not that she had that temptation, she was just a bit more avoidant than usual, totally). Her foot twitched, she was irritated, her back was sore and everything was loud. It was the cafeteria, it was always loud. But is it? is it always this loud? She asked herself. God, her head hurt. Maybe I should just leave, I’m being quiet, and my friends always are so suspicious when I’m quiet. I don’t want them to worry for no reason, but would it be weirder if I just left? What if- “Regina, hello?” A voice pulled her from her trance, she looked up from the table, looking towards the voice, it was Janis. “Huh?” She asked, still slightly dazed.

“Can you pass me a napkin or two?” she asked her expression a mixture of confusion and annoyance. She must’ve called my name multiple times. Regina realized. The blonde stared at her for a bit too long before nodding and handing one to her wordlessly. She didn’t react to Janis’s ‘Thanks’ at all. All of her friends seemed to be staring at her now, “What? Why are you staring at me like that?” Regina snapped.

Damian put up his hands defensively, “You just seem,” waving his hand as he searched for the word, “weird?” Damian suggested. Weird? Regina's eyes widened, Regina George isn’t ‘weird’. Regina scowled, and stood up, placing her hands on the table and leaning forward, “I am not,” she growled defensively, this was the first time she had acted like this in a while. She saw Cady out of the corner of her eye flinch. She glanced the other way to see Gretchen cringe. She even saw Karen frown. Damian rolled his eyes, displeased but not angry, Regina could tell he wasn’t angry. He was always patient with her. He opened his mouth to speak, but Janis spoke. Her voice was condescending, “Right forgot you’re ‘Little Miss Perfect’! you can’t be ‘weird’, right, Reggie?” Regina's face fell at the nickname, the one Janis called her when she was young, used in that way. Regina opened her mouth to snap back, but stopped herself, and just turned and stomped away. She heard Cady’s voice say something along the lines of; ‘Wait!’ and ‘Janis, what the heck?!’ but she kept walking, fist clenched at her sides. Perfect. She hated that word, she hated that she had to be it. ‘Little miss perfect.’ Janis’s voice rang in her head. That’s all she’d ever be; what she had to be. She turned into the restroom and took a few deep breaths. Counting to ten while she leaned against the sink.

She heard the restroom door open again and turned to see who it was. It was Janis, who was actively walking towards her. What is she doing here? At that moment she couldn’t help herself, “Oh, hey, were you tasked with coming to tame the beast?” She sneered, “Go away.” she realized how self-loathing that sounded a few moments later, and turned away and cringed.

Janis only scoffed at this and crossed her arms, “No, actually, I came to check on you all of my own, and maybe say sorry, but I changed my mind.” She made no move to leave though, and Regina just stared at her in the mirror, having the privilege of watching the shorter girl's face soften from a scowl to a look of concern. “What’s wrong?” Janis said, sighing, and coming up behind her, gently rubbing her back. “Nothing.” She sighed and shrugged, She heard Janis scoff but didn’t see her face since her eyes were closed tightly now. “Just…” She stood straight, “Leave me be.” she pulled away from her touch, which she so yearned for. She shouldn’t feel this way, she hurt her, then gave her a half-ass apology. She didn’t deserve this; This comfort, this kindness, this… What is this? She must want something. Why would she care? “Regina, I-” Janis started, Regina swung around to face her, and Janis flinched away like she would have struck her. This offended her slightly, she narrowed her eyes, I wouldn’t lay hands on someone. “Leave me be, you shouldn’t care anyways,” Regina pushed past her, then stopped, and turned to look at her “No, actually, you don’t. So stop pretending like you do.” and she turned back away, and went to push the door open, tears pricking at her eyes. A hand grabbed her wrist before she could exit the restroom, which she tried to shake off, but the artist's hands stuck, “Stop it, Regina,” Janis said sternly, “I get you don’t want to talk to me, but at least talk to your counselor-” Regina gave Janis a look of guilt that made the brunette stiffen. “You said you were in counseling,” Janis said, releasing her hand, she seemed disappointed. “I stopped, it wasn’t changing anything, it was useless” Regina swallowed the growing lump in her throat, straightening her stance. Janis scoffed at this, crossing her arms, “It was actually,” she said, “It was doing some good, it’s better than bottling everything up!” Regina cut her off instantly, “That’s rich coming from you of all people.” Regina snapped, shoving a finger in her face, and Janis froze, something flashing in her eyes. Regina knew she had struck a nerve, “You push everyone away, you always do, you’re pathetic,” Janis said after a long moment. Shaking her head, her voice was soft, and storming out, mumbling something. She wasn’t mad, she was hurt, and Regina could tell. Regina watched her leave, anger boiling inside of her, she had messed up. Fuck.