My first OUAT project. It's highschool AU.
Disclaimer: Own anything, I do not.
Isabelle French had been in love with Ruby Lucas ever since Ruby proposed to her at the ripe old age of five and Ruby's granny made a pie for their pretend wedding.
They'd been best friends since even before that wonderful day and even lasted throughout middle school, which was a wonder within itself because Ruby had started dating Regina Mills in middle school.
Regina wasn't exactly mean she was just overly confident about everything she did and horribly honest when it came to her opinions.
Though she wasn't mean, she was pushy and extremely difficult to befriend or associate with at all.
Belle wasn't a fan of her, and Regina had made it very clear that she wasn't a fan of Belle, by telling the football team to ransack her locker one afternoon and destroy all of the books she'd had in it from the school's book sale.
Regina had been even less of a fan of Belle when Ruby, Regina's girlfriend, had spent all of her saved allowance to replace Belle's books instead of buying Regina a gift for the sixth month mark of their relationship.
Since then, Belle had noticed, there had always been two sides of Ruby, the side that everyone else made friends with, and the side that only really came out for her, not Regina.
Still, she is hopelessly in love with her best friend, who has been dating Regina Mills, not Belle French, for almost four whole years.
Ruby's grandmother owned a diner and that's where most of her friends hung out since Ruby always had to work.
They'd taken to calling her Granny, after hearing Ruby shout it so many times over the years, just the same everyone had taken to calling Ruby, Ruby Red, or Little Red, or just Red for some, though Belle was the only one who had taken to calling her Girl or Pup as granny did on occasion.
Granny usually referred to their little group as "Belle and those loose Squatters" when they'd take up residence in a booth for the afternoon.
Saturdays were probably the worse, some would be there from as early as opening to as late as closing, mostly it was just Belle willing to come in for all hours but the others would stay for quite a while most days.
It was currently Saturday around noon and Mary Margaret and her boyfriend had just walked in together and waved at Ruby before taking a seat in the back booth with everyone else.
"Hey Mom." Emma smiled.
"Hi Mom." August chimed in.
"Sup Mom." Graham waved.
Emma had been calling Mary Margaret "Mom" since third grade when they met, Mary Margaret had been a bit bossier back then but eventually the name stuck and now almost everyone used it.
"Hi guys." She greeted them before taking a seat in a chair pulled up to the table, seeing as how the actual booth was filled.
David waved and instantly got into conversation with Victor Whale and Neil Cassidy, probably about the game coming up, since they were all on the football team.
Ruby kept throwing looks toward Belle, who was catching them all from her place just beside Emma toward the outside of the seat.
Belle nudged the blonde a bit and Emma let her out of the booth before continuing her conversation with Katheryn, whatever it was about.
"Hey you." Red smiled as Belle made it to the counter.
"Hi." She grinned. "So tell me waitress, who must I complain to in order to get an iced tea?"
Red laughed and moved to get a cup for her friend's tea when out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of Regina rushing toward the door looking much less than pleased.
"For fuck sake.." She mumbled, rolling her eyes.
"We need to talk." Regina demanded the second she was in the door.
"Not now, I'm very busy with this customer." She nodded toward Belle. "This order might take all day so-"
"Enough with your shit, Lucas. Take your break and come with me." Regina demanded with her arms crossed.
"Regina seriously, not here." Red hissed, trying to keep her voice down instead of yelling.
"Fine. My house when your shift is over."
"Not gonna work, the library's having the lock in thing for the reading-whatever.." She shrugged. "I'm going with Belle and it's right after my shift."
Suddenly Belle was very aware that Regina Mills was standing right beside her, she could practically feel the girl's eyes drilling holes into the side of her head.
"Of course she comes first instead of your girlfriend anytime sex isn't involved." Regina smirked, glancing at Belle briefly.
Belle was then suddenly, unhappily reminded of the fact that Regina and Ruby have had sex a multitude times and on several occasions.
"Regina, go home before your mouth gets any louder." Ruby growled with her teeth clenched.
Regina huffed and stormed out, Emma causally following her a few minutes behind.
Belle wondered if Ruby knew about the rumors between the blonde and her own girlfriend but she wouldn't mention it.
"Troubled in paradise?" Belle asked slowly as Red finally poured her tea.
"Pfff. That's not paradise. Paradise is twelve hours of you reading your favorite books to me in a place where Regina most certainly will not be." She sighed happily at the thought.
"You could have bailed you know?" The smaller girl offered. "I mean, I could have handled the library on my own. I'd prefer you there but not if it's hurting your relationship.."
"Believe me, Beautiful.." The waitress huffed. "If my ship is sinking it'll definitely never be your fault. You're practically the only life vest on my own personal Titanic."
"That's both refreshing and horribly disturbing.. You'll be a poet yet."
"I'll keep that in mind if I ever quit my day job." Red teased.
"No, I mean it, Pup. The raw talent is there, honestly." She nodded once for effect.
"Drink your tea, Isabelle." She said, over-pronouncing the L's and rolling her eyes.
"Get back to work, Girl." Granny said finally walking out of the kitchen.
Belle took her drink back over to the booth and sat down in Emma's old place and listened to the conversations roll around for a bit.
A/N. Yeah.. It's going to be one of those stories guys.
I post every Tuesday and Thursday so be sure to check the account for new stories and updates. Remember to review, good or bad, and PM me prompts, pairings, and suggestions. I read EVERYTHING and I can't wait to see what you think.