The snow seemed to be falling faster as Regina hurried to her business lecture.
Already 10 minutes late. The attractive brunette looked at her leather watch, willing it to slow down as she crossed the busy street.
The telltale buzzing of her cell phone alerted her to her best friend's calling.
"Yes, Kathryn?" The student pressed the connect button on her Bluetooth ear set as she rolled her eyes at the foot traffic separating her from her class.
Where are you Reggie? Did you have a long night with the lovely Mr. Locksley?
Regina scowled at the amused blonde's words as she hissed her back dissent.
"No! Kathryn Abigail Midas, I'm not telling you anything and if I were, you'd know that nothing came out of the study session with Robin. I would never do anything so…obviously lewd", Regina shuddered as she paused at her friend's snorting, "and besides Robin and I are just friends."
Kathryn's giggles were suddenly muffled as she shot back a retort, "Oh sure Miss. Stick-in-the-Mud. Shoot down another opportunity to get laid. God, you know, finding you a boy toy is like paperwork."
The black pencil skirt clad woman was affronted as she glared at her phone.
"I am not a Stick-in-the-Mud and besides you know that I'm working towards completing my Masters by the end of this year. So no more distra "
The brunette suddenly yelped as her heels lost footing on the hidden invisible ice, her body braced for inevitable impact until firm hands grabbed under her arms to stop her fall.
Regina looked up into shining green eyes as the red-jacketed women grinned crookedly down at her.
"Whoa there! It's a good thing I caught ya. Wouldn't want a pretty lady to fall so ungracefully." The blonde set the shocked women steadily on her feet as the brunette looked on, slack-jawed, at her impromptu savior.
The rosy-cheeked woman stuck her hand out briskly to Regina as said brunette looked her up and down, admiring the pale woman's physique until a waving hand startled her out of her trance.
"Oh, um thank you Miss…?" The business major prompted as she shook the surprisingly warm hand.
"The name's Emma. Emma Swan." The blonde noticed her hand was gripping the brown-eyed woman's too long as she let go suddenly.
Regina found herself missing Emma's grip as she answered back a throaty, "Regina Mills."
"Well, It's nice to meet you Regina even if it was under dire circumstances."
Emma and Regina both smiled at each other until Kathryn's far away voice prompted Regina to answer her continuing call that had somehow landed on speakerphone.
The other blonde's voice whispered out excitedly. "Regina! I hear a woman's voice. Are you flirting? You get 'em Tiger."
"Sorry, I'm just gonna tell her to shut up. Can you give me a minute?" Regina blushed as Emma shook her good-naturedly.
"No problem I'll wait over there." Regina watched happily as the blonde strode and perched her self on a vacant park bench.
The brunette was eager to get rid of her well meaning, but annoying friend as she picked up with an exasperated "Hello?"
"Who is she? What does she look like? Is she cute?" The rapid fire questions caused Regina to hold the headset away from her ear as she answered back.
"Her name's Emma Swan, she's a blonde with stroking green eyes and yes, she's...very attractive."
Her friend squealed loudly as she talked. "Oooo, so what are you still talking to me for? Go get you some hot blonde!"
Regina rolled her eyes as she ended the call. "Goodbye Kat. I'll see you in class."
As she sat on the bench, Regina noticed her new companion's amused gaze trained on her.
The usually confident woman fiddled with her gloved fingers as she glanced at the beautiful green-eyed woman.
"Kat can be a handful sometimes when she's interested in my life, so she tends to be a handful a lot of the time."
Emma's eyes crinkled as she laughed. "No worries, I have friends like that too. They mean well."
The awkward silence after prompted the blonde to tease.
"Sooo, I have striking green eyes?"
Regina's now red cheeks confirmed her mortification at being heard as she cleared her suddenly closed throat and looked over the blonde's head
"Ahem, yes, well…" She trailed off at loss of what to say to grab back her dignity.
Soft hands gently gripped her chin as Emma smiled worriedly. "Hey, I was just messing around, if a cute girl complements you it's hard not to mess around to relieve the giddy feelings you get, you know? How about this, why don't we go get some coffee while I give you some compliments back?"
The pair stood up together and walked down the sidewalk as Regina forgot all mentions of lectures and seminars while nodding her agreement with the plan.
As the lean woman's arm crossed over Regina's shoulder, the brunette found herself open to maybe one or two distractions.
FIN