A/N - Emma and Regina are both teenagers above the age of consent. Eventually will turn into SQ.
Emma walked into Fenway High School surrounded by a sea of other students. It was her first day of her senior year, and subsequently it was also her first day at this new school. She had just moved to Boston with her foster family and she already couldn't wait to leave. In a month's time she would be 18 and she was out of there, never to look back. Just one month. She only had to make it one month.
Looking at her class schedule, Emma frowned. I should have come early to scope out where my classes are. "Fuck" she whispered, looking around. "Uh, excuse me?" She tried to get someone's attention. Anyone. But all of the other students bustled around her paying her no mind. "Oh, for fucks sake!" She saw a girl walking up to her.
"You look lost, dear." The girl said. She had dark brown hair and matching eyes, and donned the traditional school uniform well. The girl grabbed the schedule out of Emma's hands and looked at it.
"Uh, yeah. It's my first day. I don't know where anything is." Emma answered.
"We have homeroom together." The girl said and handed Emma back her paper. Then she turned and walked away. Emma wasn't sure whether to follow her or not, so she just stood there like an idiot. The girl turned around to Emma again. "Well, are you going to follow me or no, Emma?"
"Erm…" Emma offered and jogged to catch up with the girl. "How did you know my name?" She asked as they walked down a side hallway together.
"It's on your schedule." The girl smirked. "Emma Swan. Pretty."
"Erm, thanks. So, like, are you going to tell me your name?" Emma asked, looking to the girl.
"Isn't it more fun this way? Plus, I wouldn't want you to get the wrong impression of me or anything. People talk around here." The girl said. They rounded another corner before stopping just outside of a door. "This is it. Room 107." She said just as the bell rang.
"Thanks." Emma added, still contemplating what the girl meant by 'people talk around here'. The two girls walked in and Emma took a seat in the back next to the girl that had helped her.
More and more students filed in and took their seats and soon the teacher, Mr. Zalinski, was taking roll. One by one he called out student's names, resulting in a 'here' or 'yeah'.
"Regina Mills". Mr. Zalinski called. Silence. "Miss Mills?"
"…Yeah." The girl sitting next to Emma, the girl that had helped her find the room, answered. Regina Mills. Emma glanced over at the girl, who bore back into her with her eyes.
"Nice to meet you Regina." Emma said with a smile. Regina turned to face the front, clearly suppressing a smile. Emma wondered what the big deal was about knowing her name.
"Emma Swan?" The teacher called out.
"Here." Emma responded, causing a couple of heads to turn and look at her. She knew the drill. This wasn't her first time in a new school. She had been bounced around from foster home to foster home her whole life, resulting in many first days at many new schools. This was nothing new.
Once the teacher finished roll, it was basically a free period. And since there was no homework to be done, people mostly just chatted. Emma turned to Regina.
"So why didn't you want me to know your name? Like being mysterious or something?" Emma asked her. Regina chuckled.
"Sure, something like that." She answered. "Let's talk about you. Why did you move here?"
"Got put in a new foster family here." Emma answered with a shrug like it was nothing.
"Foster family, huh?"
"Yep. Been in the system since I was born." Emma answered honestly. "I've basically lived everywhere on the east coast." Regina nodded in understanding. "What about you? You always live in Boston?"
"Born and raised." The girl answered. "Can't wait to get out of here though."
"I hear you." Emma responded.
—
Emma had picked up a job at a small coffee shop when she had gotten to town. If she was planning on leaving, she needed some cash saved up to fund her getaway. So after school she showed up on time for her shift, threw on an apron and got to work. Halfway through, she saw a familiar face walk through the door.
"Hey." Emma said as Regina walked up to the counter.
"You work here?" Regina replied.
"Nah, I just wear the apron and hat for fun." Emma said sarcastically with a smile, causing the other girl to chuckle. "What can I get you?"
"Just a large coffee, black." Emma made a face at the order. "Problem?" Regina blinked at the blonde.
"Black coffee? Ew." Emma offered, poring the girl a cup.
"It's an acquired taste, dear. How else are you supposed to enjoy the taste of something if you mask the flavor with milk and sugar?"
"Fair enough." Emma laughed and Regina smiled. She handed the brunette her cup and cashed her out, feeling a little self-conscious as Regina stared at her, her head cocked slightly to the side.
"Hey what time do you get off?" Regina asked finally.
"8 o'clock. Why?" Emma asked, curious.
"Meet me out front at 8 then. I want to show you something." Regina took her change and turned, leaving the coffee shop.
—
8 O'clock rolled around and Emma finished the last of her orders and punched out. Throwing on her coat and grabbing her backpack, she stepped outside. The sun was beginning to set but the cool Boston air was not too chilly, a sliver of warmth from summer still lingering around. She looked around before finally spotting Regina standing against a building across the street. She was carrying a duffle bag that looked like it was stuffed to the brim.
Emma hurriedly crossed the street to join the other girl.
"Running away?" Emma laughed, nodding to the bag. Regina smiled.
"Nah." She replied, turning and walking away. Emma knew to follow this time so she kept up one step behind the girl. There was something alluring about Regina. The way she acted. Her mysteriousness. Emma couldn't stop thinking about it. She wanted to get to know this girl better.
It wasn't until Regina turned down an alley that Emma got nervous.
"Regina, where are we going?" Emma was beginning to think this was a bad idea. She didn't know any more about this girl than her name. She could be a killer for all she knew! Regina stopped and turned to her quickly.
"Are you scared?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye. Emma swallowed and shook her head no. "Do you trust me?" Regina asked.
"I-I mean I just met you. I don't know you." Emma asked confused and Regina laughed. Emma just stared back at her feeling silly.
"Just follow me, ok? Trust me." And with that she turned and walked further into the alley. They reached a fire escape and the brunette reached up and pulled down the ladder with a loud clatter. Emma grew more nervous as she watched the girl begin to climb. "Come on then." Regina called down to Emma, causing her to snap out of it.
Emma had a rule: Don't make friends in a city. You're just going to leave.
She knew she was going to be leaving in a month. She didn't want the heartbreak of leaving behind a friend. She had dealt with that before, causing her to put up walls midway through her childhood. It was easier that way. No messy goodbyes, no missing someone.
What the hell, just do it Swan she thought to herself, grabbing on to the ladder and hoisting herself up. The two climbed all the way to the roof. The view was breathtaking. They were only about 10 stories up but a lot of Boston was visible from up there.
"Shit, this is beautiful." Emma said in awe.
"Yeah, I come up here a lot to get away." Regina responded. Emma turned to her to see the brunette laying down a blanket.
"Regina Mills, are you trying to woo me?" Emma asked with a laugh. Regina laughed back.
"Not exactly, Miss Swan. I thought we could just chill. I brought this." Regina reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of vodka. "I swiped it from my dad's liquor cabinet. He won't miss it. He's more of a whiskey guy."
It had been a while since Emma really drank. It was hard finding someone to get you booze when you didn't have any friends.
"I don't have cups though. Hope you don't have cooties!" Regina grinned, taking a seat on the blanket. Emma sat down next to her and watched as Regina took a large swig from the bottle, her face screwing into a grimace as she swallowed. "I should have brought a chaser." She offered before passing the bottle to Emma who took a gracious gulp as well, causing a shiver to take over her body.
"Ugh, that burns so good!" Emma laughed and Regina grinned back at her. She passed the bottle back to the brunette and they sat there in silence for a few minutes, passing the bottle back and forth. "So tell me. Why exactly didn't you want me to know your name?" Emma asked, breaking the silence. Regina took another gulp before answering.
"I'm not exactly liked around Fenway. I didn't want you to get the wrong impression of me before you knew me." the brunette answered seemingly honest.
"And what exactly do people say so wrongly about you?" Emma held her gaze for some time before she finally answered.
"That I'm a slut. A whore. That I'm fucking mental. Oh, and that I'm a drug addict that will do anything for a fix." Regina laughed.
"And are you?" Emma asked, careful not to overstep her boundaries.
"Depends on who you ask." Regina responded, passing the blonde the bottle that was now about a quarter gone and Emma was definitely beginning to feel it.
"I'm asking you." She retorted and the brunette was silent for a moment.
"I'm bad news, Emma." Regina answered finally. "I'll ruin good girls like you."
"Who said I'm good? I've seen and done more than you could imagine. Foster parents don't like troubled children. Another reason I'm in Boston now. You can't ruin me, I'm already ruined." Emma answered quietly, the alcohol making her sound more emotional than she had hoped.
The two girls sat in comfortable silence for a while, staring out over the city.
"Are we even allowed up here?" Emma broke the silence.
"This is my building, it's fine." Regina shrugged.
"Wait, you mean you made me climb that fucking fire escape all the way up here when you live here and we could have just gone inside and used the damn elevator?!"
"Wasn't it more fun this way though?" Regina chuckled and Emma laughed too, laying back, placing her arms behind her head to rest on.
"I wish the city wasn't so damned bright so I could see the stars." Emma mused aloud. Regina followed her lead and lay back too, muttering in agreement.
Some time later, Emma pulled out her phone and checked the time. It was almost midnight.
"Shit, the Herch's are going to be pissed. I gotta go. This was fun though." Emma sat up quickly, Regina following.
"That your foster parents?" Regina asked and Emma nodded, standing a little sloppily. "You gonna be ok to get home?" Regina asked standing no more gracefully than the first.
"I'm drunk, not stupid!" Emma grinned walking over to the fire escape and beginning her descent.