"You made it!"
Emma jumped when someone on roller skates buzzed her, poking at her waist as they zoomed by.
Ruby quickly reversed her body and leaned around to circle tightly around the blonde. Emma grinned at her scarlet clad friend and caught her arm, forcing her to an abrupt stop. Sock footed, Ruby was taller than Emma by a few inches, but on her skates Emma found herself craning her head to look her friend in the eyes.
"I told you I would," she said with mock offense.
Ruby punched Emma's arm. "Yeah but then you rolled your eyes and called me a freak so forgive me for not believing you. You brought your skates, right?"
"Oh my god, Ruby, no. I told you, I'm not trying out. I just work at a theme diner, that doesn't mean I can actually skate. I just wanted to see what this shit is all about finally."
Ruby rolled her eyes. "You can use mine for try outs."
Emma sighed, but didn't correct her friend again. Instead she let Ruby chatter in her ear as they walked. Well, Emma walked. Ruby held on to Emma's elbow and let herself be pulled along. Emma listened with one ear as Ruby explained the rules of the game. But with the other she was taking in the sounds around her. It was a large crowd, and among the fans and spectators were a bunch of girls with skates over their shoulders, there for the tryouts later, and pointing excitedly to the posters and memorabilia for their favored team.
Emma wrinkled her nose as she took in the ridiculous names: the Splice Girls, the Dollyrots, Bridezillas, and Ruby's own team, which Emma only recognized because Ruby herself was their poster girl, Grimm's Skary Tales, and so many more. As they walked the displays, one sound above all others dominated: the sound of wheels on the track. They were close enough now that Emma could see that each of the displayed teams had a few girls on the track, working the crowd. As Emma watched, a tall redhead and a shorter blonde, both in black shirts, whizzed by two others-one girl with a bridal veil attached to her helmet, the other in a little girl's apron-and hip checked them into one another. The girls slammed into each other and fell hard onto the track, and the two aggressors raised their arms in triumph and challenge while the crowd roared.
"Hey, will you be alright by yourself?" Ruby finally yelled over the cheering. "I should tell the girls you're here, and I need to put my uniform on. We're playing the demo match against Regal Rampage."
Emma waved her friend off, watching Ruby flip up the hood of her red cape as she skated off. Emma rolled her eyes and stepped right up to the track. People were beginning to head towards seating, so it was pretty easy for Emma to find a clear space at the railing, standing several feet away from a group of girls obviously there for the tryouts.
By now most of the teams not playing were off the track. Ruby's team weren't there yet but Emma saw that the two skaters from before, the redhead and her friend, were standing in the middle with two more women in black t-shirts. Now that they were facing Emma's direction, she could see the white lettering across their chests that proclaimed them members of Regal Rampage. One of them had two-toned hair and a deep sneer on her face. The other was dark skinned and haughty, and they were all staring in Emma's general direction.
"I wouldn't get any closer to the wanna be's, my dear."
Startled by the low voice close to her ear, Emma jumped and twisted. At her elbow was yet another member of Regal Rampage, smirking at her with bruise purple lips. Emma suddenly found herself nervous, feeling naked under those unyielding dark eyes.
"Uh, okay?"
The woman's helmet had a white star on it, and she kept it looped over her forearm as she watched her teammates gather several bottles of Gatorade and begin to unscrew them. Emma saw too, and unconsciously moved a little closer to her new companion.
"They aren't gonna really...?"
The Regal chuckled. "Oh, princess. You're new here, aren't you?"
Emma blushed furiously. "That obvious, huh?"
"Oh yes." Emma saw the woman's smirk deepen as the group behind them noticed her uniform and began squealing quietly. Well. Almost quietly. The dark haired woman took Emma's fingers and skated her further away from them. The back of her uniform said Killa Queen.
A moment later the other Regals skated by. The redhead made eye contact with Emma's new companion, looked pointedly at Emma and then back to her teammate, and raised her eyebrows suggestively. The woman took her free hand and flipped the redhead off.
A moment later and the four Regals on the track were pouring their open Gatorade all over the girls on the railing. They shrieked and covered their faces and hair but none of them could seem to figure out to move.
The crowd went nuts, and the Regals skated away chanting, "Fresh meat, fresh meat!"
"Are you kidding me right now?" Emma demanded. "That is such a dick move!"
She wrenched her fingers away from the brunette's and glared. The woman just laughed, mean, which just made Emma blush. She shook her head. "Oh, you really are new. Maybe you should stay in that adorable diner of yours."
She pursed her lips and blew a kiss, then ducked under the rail and skated quick to catch up to her team. The redhead held out a hand, and when the brunette caught onto it, she was whipped out ahead of their little pack. She sailed out in front of them, raising her arms and gesturing for cheers, which she received. Emma watched for a moment, insulted, before it hit her.
That woman had known her. Or at least known where she worked.
They made eye contact as she skated by again, and while Emma glared she searched her memory for any instance of those dark eyes, those full, mocking lips. There was nothing, except...maybe...
No. No way. She couldn't be.
There was no way this bitch was the woman Emma served coffee and apple tarts to every Tuesday and Thursday. She was absolutely not the really cute grad student that chewed on the end of her pencil while she holed up in the corner booth, hovering over text books Emma didn't think she'd ever have any hope of deciphering.
No way. That woman always had nothing but shy but kind smiles for Emma, and a soft husky voice when she thanked her for the fresh coffee. She wore her makeup light and natural, not like this Suicide Girl hopeful. And when Emma flirted with her, she always blushed and hid behind her hair.
But then she skated by again. And this time when she smiled at Emma it was closer to that sweet one Emma had come to look forward to seeing so much.
Emma whirled, intent on finding Ruby. She had tryouts to sign up for.