Chapter 2: Debate Club
It had been about three weeks since the start of school year, Regina's life hadn't really changed much from the rest of highschool, which she thought was really nice. The only new thing that was really happening was that Cora was less strict on her now.
Today was an important day, it was Regina's first time at the school's debate club. Needless to say Regina was a very smart and studious person, she had straight A's and always went for the hardest subjects. Debate club was something she had 'craved for' since her first year in highschool, and she was more than excited that she could at last be in it.
The day in school went well, merely the same routine as always: Seeing Graham and Rose in the morning, taking classes with Kathryn not talking too much, fun lunch break with her friends and then classes again. When the bell rang she went straight to her locker to put her things away and then to the school's entrance to see her friends.
"Hey there!" Rose said and then asked in sarcasm "How was your super fun science class?"
"It was good, actually very fun thank you" the brunette replied and then stuck her tongue out pretending to be an annoyed 5 year old.
"Are you coming tonight to the movies with us? Say yes, actually my dad said you two can come first home and then he'll borrow us the car to drive to Boston and get in time" Graham said smiling.
"I... guess I'm going, yes. But I'll have to meet you at about 6 at your house, is that all right?" she answered.
Rose pouted and looked at Graham "Gina doesn't like us anymore"
"I have debate club, first day, sorry! I do like you"
"Why do you keep doing those things? Last year you had that weird math thing and now this? Regina it's senior year you're supposed to go out and have fun, not spend your day with other people showing your knowledge off" the blonde complained.
"As a matter of fact, I'm doing both, see you at 6, okay?" the girl replied and turned back to walk to her locker.
"Are you not eating anything?" Graham shouted when she was a bit far away.
Regina laughed and ignored her friend, she knew he was trying to talk her out of the debate club to go to his house so she just continued walking. In her locker she got out her cellphone and her wallet, she checked the hour, it was 2:30 which meant she had half an hour to eat. She decided to go to Granny's which was a couple blocks away and had much better food than the school cafeteria. There she ordered a salad and sat to eat on her own on the only table that was left alone, the place always got packed at that hour when the citizens of Storybrooke got out of work.
She grabbed her phone and quickly texted her mother: I'm getting home at about 10, Graham, Rose and I are going to Boston to see a movie.
She had learnt in the last weeks that it was best to state something rather than ask for permission, she was 17 years old and could take good care of herself. If she asked Cora she always said no, but if she simply announced that she was doing something, her mother had no way of stopping her.
Check in with me when you arrive to Boston, please, take a car. Her mother's reply came.
"Hello" she heard when she was about to put her cellphone away, she turned her head and saw the same face that she had seen on the first day of school approach her. "Do you mind if I sit with you? Or I can grab a chair and go somewhere else to eat, but there's no place and I need to sit down, sorry to bother you, I didn't even ask if you were seeing anyone I-"
"It's ok" Regina interrupted her "Sit with me"
"Thanks" the blonde said and sat down, she had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and her eyes behind a pair of thick black framed glasses.
"You always talk a lot, Emma, was it?" the brunette asked.
The girl chuckled and took her glasses off. "Yeah, sorry"
"Nice glasses" Regina said "You weren't wearing them the other day"
"Oh no, they're just for reading" she smiled.
The waitress arrived to hand her order "Meat burger with fries and a coke, enjoy"
"Wow" Regina exclaimed at her plate "How do you eat that?"
"Well you basically bite and chew, I guess" Emma laughed awkwardly.
"A friend of mine fancies you, Graham, he's called. I can see why, you have a lovely smile" the brunette stated.
"Thanks" the other girl blushed "All of my friends fancy you, so I guess that makes us even?"
Regina nearly choked in her salad and ended up coughing at the same time she laughed. "I really don't think that is true"
"It is. Everyone thinks you are crazy beautiful, guess they are right" Emma said after swallowing her bite and letting Regina catch her breath, she was already half way her burger. "So... what is the mayor's daughter doing eating at Granny's instead of her fancy home?" after a brief pause she added. "Sorry, that sounded just bad"
"It's all right. I'm here because this place has much better food than the school cafeteria and I need to be back there at three for debate club"
"Really? I'm going to debate club too!"
"I thought your friends, or at least Emilie would too" Regina said.
"Oh no, she's shy. She keeps her brains to the writing instead of talking and my other friends are not interested either, so just me"
They talked about nothing, school basically, Regina found out that Emma was able to talk like a normal person and go to the point if there was an actual conversation, so she kept one until they both finished eating and went back to school. The debate club was a group of 16 people, of which Regina had only spoken to Emma and had only seen half of in her different classes. The manager of the club was a retired literature teacher that was a really nice person, he made everyone sit in a circle and say their names.
Regina learnt only a few: Angelica Price, Sidney Glass and Archie Hopper.
They were asked to make pairs and she realized everyone had come with a friend except for her, Emma, Sidney and a weird boy with round glasses. She was about to ask Emma to pair with her when Sidney approached her.
"Hello beautiful, would you pair with me?" he said clearly trying to be much more seductive than what he ended up being.
"I-"
"She's with me, sorry pal" Emma said making the boy go away. "Sorry, I hope you didn't want to be with him, would you pair with me?" she imitated.
The brunette laughed and nodded. "Yes please"
What went on was a test. Every pair had to choose one of the suggested topics and defend their positions, almost everyone did quite well and the manager seemed to be very pleased with the team that was forming that year.
When they were finished Emma and Regina went out together to Regina's locker where she got her things out.
"Where's your locker?" she asked the blonde.
"Down the hall but I don't need anything, I have it all in the back pack"
Out the school Regina said goodbye and started walking her way to Graham's house, she even thought she would need to start running because she wouldn't have enough time, when she crossed the first street she heard her name being called, she turned to where the voice came and she saw a yellow bug in the middle of the street, with no one else than Emma Swan inside.
"This is weird but would you like me to drive you home? You seem to be hurrying and this car as old as it is can go faster than you running, not that I think you'll be slow or anything but you know" she said.
"Oh, I'm just going to Graham's house it's ok, I don't want to make you go some place you don't need to go"
"It's ok. It's the sheriff's house isn't it? I live near" she opened the passenger's door "Come in"
Regina did, she wanted to be polite and not bother the blonde but she couldn't deny she would get faster in a car. The drive was very short and they spent it in silence, it wasn't an awkward silence but they simply had nothing to talk about. When they got to Regina's destination she got out and thanked Emma, who then parked three houses away.
Regina knocked her friend's door and Rose let her in, when she saw Graham she asked. "Do you know who lives in number 287?"
"Mary Margaret and family, why?" he said.
"Just asking, that's all" it was normal that friends spent time together on fridays, she was doing it herself. But it seemed odd for a reason that Emma called her friend's place her own home.
"Anyway! Who's ready for Boston?" Rose asked in excitement.
AN: Thanks for reading! Reviews are welcomed and encouraged. :)
-Lily Rickman