Chapter 1

David Nolan made high way through the congested hallways that make up Storybrooke High School. He scanned past the heads of grubby students to find Mary Margret. At last he found the familiar black, pixie haircut that he had grown so fond of.

"Mary Margaret!" He called, making the girl whip her head around quickly. "David!" She cried, weaving between students and muttering, "excuse me". She grinned as she finally stood next to David. "So," she asked, "how's your day so far?" It was their first day as sophomores in high school and was weird getting used to not being the lowest on the Storybrooke High totem pole. "Fine." He muttered, but his day had not certainly started out fine. It all began that morning when David was late and ran into Bobby Gold. Bobby was just a bit, odd. He would lurk through the hallways of Storybrooke High in the wee hours of dawn and dusk. He would always convince people to make deals with him, which always came with a price.

"Would you like to make a deal?" Snickered Bobby as David accidently bumped into him. "I'm sorry; what kind of deal?" Asked the nervous football player. "You help me gain social status by allowing me on the football team and I'll get Mary Margaret to go to the Valentine's Day dance with you." "Hm." David scratched his head in befuddlement. After three pain-staking minutes David made his decision. "It's a deal." He extended his hand to Bobby who shook it whilst laughing an oddly high-pitched maniacal laugh.

"Ruby, I told you already, David will never ask me to the dance." Laughed Mary Margaret as she walked down the hectic hallways of Storybrooke High, with her friends Ruby Lucas and Belle French. Ruby laughed. "I thought that Peter Smith would never ask me." Mary Margaret looked at Belle, who was too busy reading a book to take part in their conversation. "Belle?" Belle's head shot up from her book. "Yes?" She asked, looking as if she had been woken from a dream. "Did anyone ask you to the dance?" Belle's cheeks turned a tinge of pink. "No. Why?" Mary Margaret smiled, making Belle feel less embarrassed. "I was just wondering –" She was cut off by Ruby. "I know plenty of guys that would want to go with you!" Belle seemed unsure. "It's fine, Ruby. Really. I'm not really into dances." Just as Belle began to continue reading her book Ruby spoke again. "Is there anyone you like?" "No." Belle quickly answered and resumed reading. Ruby looked suspicious. Mary Margaret just shrugged her shoulders and began talking about their Geometry test they had that day.

"Jefferson! How's it going?" David greeted his friend as he strode into the gym. Coach Jones was suddenly looming over David with a cross glare. "Nolan. Why are you late?" He grunted, turning around to glare at a group of girls who started to giggle. "Looking this good takes time." David responded, grinning slyly.

Lunch eventually rolled around and Bobby strolled through the halls as if he was a Greek god. He walked by the girl's lockers with a sly grin. "How's it going, ladies?" He laughed his signature high-pitched squeal, and gazed at the lockers. He suddenly saw a mirror in one girl's locker and snatched it in a panic. "Won't be needing that, dearie." He laughed, making the girl feel helpless as he walked towards the cafeteria.

Mary Margaret stood in the lunch line for pizza and waited impatiently while Belle was reading a book. "Hey Belle," she mused, "you've been into that book a bit more than usual. What's up?" Belle nervously put down the book and turned around to face her friend. "I'm fine. It's really good, that's all."

Ruby slipped into the line alongside her friends. "Well, I hope you finish it soon, because we're going to need all our wits about us if we're going to find something stylish to wear to the dance!"

"Ruby, I told you," Mary Margaret protested, half-laughing, half-exasperated. "David's never gonna ask me. You know how he is. He'd be too bashful."

Belle quickly ducked her head back inside her book to avoid taking part in the conversation.

"You're really lucky Peter finally asked you, Ruby." Mary Margaret sighed, glancing across the lunchroom to where David and his friends sat. "Sometimes I think he only sees me as a friend…"

"I don't know, Jeffy, I think sometimes she only sees me as a friend," David confided to Jefferson during lunch. "I mean, sure, we talk, but it doesn't feel like there's any deep meaning behind it, you know?"

"So…what do you want ME to do about it?" Jefferson replied, munching nonchalantly on his taco.

"Nothing, I guess." David sighed dramatically. "But I know someone who can…wanna hear the latest with the CharmAttack?"

Jefferson rolled his eyes at his friend's dramatic impulses, but intrigued, he muttered, "Yeah, sure, okay."

"Okay, so you know Bobby Gold, right?"

"You mean that creepy kid who always hangs around the hallways, and skips class all the time but still manages to pull perfect grades? Yeah, I think so."

"Yup, that's him. I made a deal with him. He said he'll help me get Mary Margaret to go to the dance with me!"

"WHAT?" Jefferson dropped his taco in astonishment, its contents splattering all over the Styrofoam tray. "Dave, what the heck?! Why would you do that! There's something not right about that guy, dude. And you KNOW his deals always come with a price!" Jefferson picked up the remains of his taco, chewing in thought. "What did he even ask for, anyway?"

"Relax, Jeffy, it's nothing big," David chuckled. "He just wants to be popular, that's all. Easy, right? We get him to try out for the football team, and then it'll all be cool, and Mary Margaret will be going to the dance with me."

Jefferson shrugged. "Okay, fine, whatever. But how exactly is he gonna do that? It's not like he has MAGIC or anything! If she doesn't like you, she's just gonna say no." Jefferson paused to take a long look behind him at the table with Belle, Ruby, and Mary Margaret. "I wouldn't take the risk, dude. If she says no, you're through. And Bobby's a little creepy. Do you really expect him to be able to go about this in the right way?"

David nudged his friend's shoulder. "Bobby always follows through, so yeah. Besides, it beats where you're sitting! You haven't even asked anyone, have you?"

Jefferson retaliated with a punch to David's shoulder. "Just wait till you see my new top hat! I'm gonna be the one all the ladies WISH they had picked. I'll be known as the girlfriend-thief…better watch out, Dave, or I'm gonna steal your girl!"

"Belle," Ruby started before swallowing the piece of pizza in her mouth, "has anybody asked you to the dance yet?" Belle, who had been reading and had barely touched her food looked up. "No."

Ruby compassionately smiled. "Don't worry Belle. I bet someone will ask you!" "Yes," Mary Margaret chimed in, "I bet Gaston would want to go with you!" Belle marked the page in her book and set it down. "Gaston?" "Yes! He gave you some of his lunch money last Tuesday, remember?" Belle looked uneasy and began to twirl her chestnut locks. "He's not really my-" "Type?" Ruby finished. Belle nodded and continued reading. Mary Margaret sighed as she gazed across the lunchroom to the other table where Jefferson and David were sitting. "I hope you're right Ruby." "About what?" She followed her friend's gaze and saw Jefferson and David happily chatting away. "Oh! Of course I'm right! He just has to ask you!"

Jefferson glared across the lunchroom at a girl with short, black hair and a sour face. "Who's she?" Jefferson's eyes got huge and his face contorted. "You don't know who she is?" David laughed. "No." "Should I?" A kid carrying a chemistry textbook with short, brown hair sat next to them as if on cue. "She's Regina." "Who?" "Regina Mills. President of the Student Body and the Drama club." Jefferson looked over at the kid, confused. "Thanks, but do I know you?" "I'm Victor." The boy grinned and extended his hand, which David shook. "Is your brother Gerry Frankenstein?" Jefferson asked, his voice muffled by the taco he was currently shoving in his mouth. Victor nodded. David eyed Regina. "Is she evil or something?" He asked, almost laughing. Victor gave him a serious look and he stopped. "She," he said as if speaking about the devil himself, "is pure evil, and will stop at nothing to get what she wants."