AN:
So while I am snowed in, I thought why not give you awesome people another chapter.
This ones a bit longer.
Thanks to all those -who have reviewed, followed and favorited.
Today we meet Regina but briefly and get a story on the four friends past.
Enjoy.
…
"Where were you two?" Ruby asked.
Elsa and Emma had entered the apartment, feeling more relaxed than when they had gotten home.
"The hot tub. Guess what Rubes," Elsa said.
Ruby arched a questioning eyebrow, wondering what her friend was going to tell her.
"I spotted Regina."
Emma couldn't help but to roll her eyes. They were acting childish she thought.
"Really? How does she look?" Ruby asked in excitement.
Elsa nodded, "Just as hot as her voice. You'd like her."
Ruby grinned. "That's it, I'm going to invite her over."
Emma groaned. What could she possibly say to keep her from inviting their neighbor. It would make her look a little odd.
"Go Ruby!" Elsa cheered.
By the time Emma had registered what actually stood happening, Ruby had already thrust open the door and stalked over next door. Elsa grinned, putting herself besides the wall of their apartment and Regina's –waiting to hear Ruby ask her over.
"She's knocking."
Emma rolled her eyes, no duh, I can hear her she bitterly thought. But one minute later, did Ruby return –familiar pout painted on her face.
"She's not there," she murmured as a five year old, told there are no cookies.
All the while Emma did a little cheer, very much happy that Regina was not in her apartment. That meant she still had a chance to meet her before the others.
"I'm going to leave her a note. Let her know we're new here too and if she would like Friday –to come over and have some pizza and watch a movie with us, yeah."
Emma wondered if Ruby didn't understand the significance of giving up. Ruby returned few seconds, all smiles.
"It's done. I wonder what she will say, I hope she says yes."
And I hope she says no, Emma thought.
…
To much of Emma's happiness, Regina had not responded to Ruby and that had her very happy. All until she realized just how late to the diner she actually was. The others had all ready left her. They knew how deep of a sleeper she could be, so they wasted no time in waking her. But now Emma stood almost fifteen minutes late to work.
Slamming the door to her apartment shut. She had been seconds from bolting down the stairs –when a voice being cleared earned her attention.
"Uh, are you the one who left me this note?"
Emma turned in slow motion, facing her neighbor, Regina.
"Uh, me? no. It was my roommate Ruby –she thought since we're neighbors that you may want to join us. But you don't have to. I can tell her you're not interested," Emma stuttered.
"This Friday?" Regina asked.
Emma nodded. She took in the brunette, she was everything Emma thought her to be –when she had heard her that day. Primly dressed in a slick pencil skirt and red silk blouse, she noted that she was her age or a year or two older. But gorgeous. And the raven hair, the hair she's only seen in blurs the passing day.
Regina cocked her head, Emma took her to actually be in consideration of the invitation. She wanted her to come but secretly did not, not when Ruby was determined to get her sticky fingers all over her.
"If I am not doing anything, then I will consider it," Regina responded.
Emma took in the polite manner in which she had spoken. She was a refined person.
"Oh ok, I will tell that to my friend."
Regina nodded, heading off in the direction of the building's elevator. Emma hissed as she saw the time on her cellphone and a text from Ruby that said, Granny was going to give her a stern talking to. This wasn't the first time she was late to her job.
"Shit, shit, shit," Emma muttered, getting in the elevator.
"Problem?" Regina asked.
She had forgotten who she had gotten in the elevator with.
"Yeah, I'm late to work."
"Ouch, don't want to be your boss," Regina joked.
Emma chuckled. "Yeah, me either. Uh, I'll see you around."
"I'm Regina, Regina Mills in case you were wondering."
Emma could have slapped herself, she had not introduced herself. Not everyone knew that she and the other three stood listening through the walls.
"Sorry, I don't have my head on today. I'm Emma Swan."
Regina shrugged. "That's ok. It was nice to meet you Emma."
Emma nodded. "You too. Bye."
She sprinted in direction of the diner, hoping Granny wasn't too hard on her but grinning. She had finally managed to meet Regina.
…
Elsa was the first who spotted Emma entering in a rush, shaking her head, she pointed her in the direction of Granny's office. Eugenia better know as Granny waited for Emma, arms crossed against her chest.
"Emma," she said.
Emma removed all traces of a smile from her face, lowering her head.
"Granny, I am sorry. I know that doesn't cut it, you're a no nonsense person and I was lucky that you even gave me this job to help pay for expenses and my home," Emma said, working her charm on Granny.
Granny in turn shook her head. "You are a piece of work Emma Swan, do you know that."
She could say that yes, she did know that but she wasn't going to. Emma was just going to take her punishment.
"What is it Granny, extra work? Coming in earlier or staying until closing?" Emma asked.
"None of that child, just don't be late. You've reminded me of my kindness."
Emma smirked, she had not thought that would actually work. She had been spewing nonsense really, trying to get out of whatever she would have faced for having been late.
"Go on girl, go work."
Emma thanked her and headed out the door, Ruby shook her head.
"I don't know how you do it. I'm her granddaughter. She's not that easy on me whenever I'm late," Ruby said, glaring in direction of her grandmother's office.
Emma simply shrugged. "You're just not as appealing as me, I guess."
Ruby cocked her head, it wasn't like Emma to be in a good mood when she had been late to work. Usually that throws off her entire day and they had to deal with crappy, potty mouth Emma.
"What's gotten into you?" she asked. "Meet the woman of your life."
Something like that, Emma thought.
"Nothing. It's just a good day is all," Emma responded. "Oh and our neighbor said she will see if she can make it, no promises."
Emma walked past Ruby –only to have been yanked back behind the counter.
"Wait, you met our neighbor before me. That's not fair. I sent her the note, not you."
"Yes Ruby, because it's my fault that she by chance found me leaving the house –when you weren't there. Maybe had you woken me, you would have spoken to her yourself but you didn't. So that's that."
Ruby's eyes widened, "What's really gotten into you?"
"Nothing, sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you," Emma said.
"Snap, you ripped my head off…oh! I get it. This is Graham all over again, isn't it. But only this time, you want to tell me to lay off her and let you have the chance, right?"
Emma rolled her eyes, she didn't have time to listen to Ruby –when table seventeen stood glaring in her direction. They'd been asking for coffee.
"Rubes, I have tables. Let me go."
Ruby shook her head. "No, not until you tell me what this is about?" she hissed.
"Fine, it's not about Graham or maybe it is. You didn't even ask me if I liked him before you swooped in and pulled whatever Ruby does. So maybe I want a chance. Is that so hard to believe?"
Graham. He was a sort spot between both Ruby and Emma. Where Ruby is the more outgoing type, Emma is much more reserved, she believes it to be in part of her childhood. Shifting from one place to another, she didn't bring up courage to make friends or speak to people –she knew weren't going to be around when she moved to another place. And when Graham had entered, Emma had just made herself a permanent home and took her spot in a university that had given her a full academic scholarship. But when she had finally talked herself up to admitting that she did like him, and could see them furthering any sort of relationship had Ruby swooped in and pulled in her charm.
Emma had found them both in her suit dorm room, against the fridge going at it. Since then had their other two friends been on egg shells, not daring to bring up anything that has to do with him or the week they had not spoken to one another.
And now with someone new in the picture, Emma vowed to do all so that it wouldn't be another repeat of their early college days.
"Then all you had to do was say something," Ruby said.
"Who can say something, when you don't even bother looking or saying hey, maybe I should slow down. One minute you're pinning over Belle, the next you're running off to someone else. You maybe should slow down Ruby," Emma hissed.
"That coming from you…"
"Hey, cut it out!" Elsa hissed coming between the pair. "Whatever you two are arguing over can wait until we get off work. Cool it."
Emma stalked past Ruby –over to table seventeen –who couldn't be more pleased to have some type of service.
"What was that about?" Elsa asked.
Ruby shook her head. "I think I did something wrong."
"Like?" Elsa asked.
"Like I need to slow down," Ruby begrudgingly said, thinking that Emma had been right.
Elsa didn't know what that meant but she knew she had to send a text to Belle. If Emma and Ruby were arguing it was their earlier years of college again, and their apartment will be another battlefield.
AN:
Oh geez, it is a bit sticky for Ruby and Emma.
As i've said before, updates of PW will not be regularly. I've found a schedule for this story and my other that works for me. So thanks for patiently waiting for updates.
And in the next chapter: Will Regina go to her Friday invite?
Thanks for reading :)
