A/N This chapter turned out to be longer than planned, Please excuse the spelling/punctuation mistakes
January 9th
Emma arrived early for school, so she could go through some science books in the library, she had an important test coming up and she also didn't want Gold having more reason, to annoy her
she sat at a table, where she had been for the last five minutes, head down, flicking through the pages of a book, she took no notice of the few other students walking around the bookshelves or that Miss Mills had walked in and sat in the far corner
"Emma" a man's voice said, coming to sit next to her
She looked up
"Mr Hopper?" she tilted her head at him
He looked at her book
"I am glad to see that you are revising, Both Mr Gold and Miss Mills have voiced their concerns to me about your progress in their classes, is everything okay?"
Emma stared down at her book, not knowingly exactly what to say
"It's okay Emma, you only have to ask if you don't understand anything, or if you want to talk about anything"
"I know sir, everything is okay, science is just my worst subject and Spanish, is not the easiest to learn" she turned a page of the book
"Maybe some extra tutoring would help, have a think about it, (he smiled) also have you thought any further on what options, to take in sixth form? you will be filling in your application soon"
"I was thinking, maybe sociology and drama and theatre studies"
He nodded
"Jefferson, has mentioned that you are one of his best students" he smiled
"Really?" Emma said, in surprise
"Yes, he speaks highly of you"
Emma grinned
Mr Hooper stood up
"I will see you in registration"
Emma nodded and he left
Five minutes later, Emma looked at the time, she still at ten minutes before class, she sighed
"What are you sighing at?"
Emma looked up, to see Regina standing there, with a smirk on her face
"What are you doing here?" Emma said, in surprise
"I have come to give my sister this folder,(she held it up) she left it in mothers office, and she's over there" she gestured over to where her sister was sat, marking papers
"Oh"
"Anyway, you okay?"
"Yes, I...I am just looking through some science stuff, did you know Gold is concerned, that I am not putting the effort in?" she stared at Regina
"His like that with everyone Em-ma" she looked down
"Hmm..your sisters been speaking with Hooper too" Emma muttered
"what about?" Regina snapped, looking back to Emma, she didn't like that her sister had said something, to upset Emma
"I am not making progress in Spanish, something like that" she sighed again, leaning back in her chair, seeing a concerned look, on Regina's face
"Don't worry, I will be fine, it's not like I am going to take science or Spanish any further is it" she chuckled
"What are you going to take?" Regina asked curiously, her eyes looking at pink lips, then back up to emerald eyes
"Maybe sociology and drama and theatre studies" she smiled
Regina raised an eyebrow
"I am thinking of taking drama and theatre studies too"
The blonde smirked and then started packing up her things
"I better, um...take this to Zelena" Regina whispered, while watching every move, the blonde made
Emma stood, and looked into brown orbs and for a few seconds, they just stared into each others eyes
Emma shook her head, slightly
"I'll see you later" and she grabbed her bag, glanced once more to Regina, who was rooted to the spot and Emma quickly walked out thinking
is this just a crush, cos its beginning to feel like a lot more, to me
January 22nd
Emma came walking out of her resistant materials class, not looking where she was going and bumped straight into Robin
"Ow" she muttered and then realized, who it was
"Oh, sorry" she half heartedly said
He huffed
"No problem" He tugged his drawstring to his bag, tensely
Regina had seen what happened and she quickly walked towards them
"Hey" she said looking between them both
"Hi, I was just coming to find you and see if you wanted to have lunch, with me and the others?" he asked
Regina glanced to Emma, who was rubbing her arm, her gaze downwards
Regina looked at her, sadly
"I am having lunch with Tinkerbell and Kathryn, you can join us though" she said back, still watching Emma, who looked sideways at the students going past her
"Okay"
Ruby then came walking towards them and drapped her arms round Emma's shoulder, casually
"Come Em's, we got lunch to get to, that food tech class has made me hungry" she glanced to Regina and Robin and smiled
"Okay" Emma said and she gave Regina a smile and then her and Ruby walked off
Regina took a deep breath, watching her walk away
"where is Tinkerbell and Kathryn" Robin then asked, as he watched Regina stare down the corridor, after the blonde
"Design Tech" she replied, never taking her eyes from Emma, until she disappeared from sight
Minutes later, Regina found herself sitting in the lunch hall, with Tinkerbell, Katheryn, Robin and his mates had joined them too, even Frederick sat with them.
She watched as Katheryn and Frederick sat next to each other and they were talking to each other, she suddenly remembered her conversation, with Emma about them liking each other and she smiled
Meanwhile, across the hall, Emma slumped in her chair, peering over at Regina, who was facing her, but at least 15 feet away, she wondered what Regina was smiling at, before taking a deep breath and picking up her folk
"That boy is so hot" Ruby muttered, starring in the opposite direction, to Emma
The blonde pulled her self up and turned to see who, Ruby was talking about
Ruby chuckled and Neal and August came over and Neal sat next to Emma and August next to Ruby
"This food is crap" Neal huffed, as she picked up his fork and stabbed the carrots on his plate
"Carrots make you see better in the dark" Emma teased, glancing sideways at him and as she did, Regina glanced round the hall and saw her glancing at Neal
She didn't like it, she saw Neal lean closer towards the blonde
Her eyes widened and her right hand in her lap, clenched together to form a fist
"You alright?" Robin asked sitting across from her
She snapped her gaze to him
"Fine" she forced smiled at him
"Robin (Frederick said) Tell Regina about your bow"
"She won't be interested in that" He said
"Yes she will" Katheryn grinned
"Okay, well my father gave me his bow just before Christmas and you won't believe it, but I have mastered hitting the bull's-eye already and I am going hunting this weekend to try it out, you should see it, even my mother admires it, well, she says she admires the craft work of the bow" he laughed
Regina looked to his mates and Tinkerbell and Katheryn, they were obviously impressed, Regina was even slightly impressed and pleased for him, she liked Robin, but not in the way he or her friends wanted
"Your have to show me sometime" she said softly and smiled, at the same time, Emma had glanced back over
Emma's eye's widened and then started stabbing her food, aggressively
"Em's, what you doing?, your stabbing that, like you want to stab someone" Ruby said, her face screwed up
"It's been a long day" she replied
That evening
Emma was leaning against the wall of the kitchen, listening to her mother, go on about her awful time at the food store, that day
"I was standing there, in line, the ten items or less line, it wasn't even busy"
"And?" Emma moaned
"This kid ran into me, (she pushed her hands forward) pushing me into the woman standing in front of me and who do you think it was, that I fell into?" she stared at Emma
Emma shrugged
"MS MILLS!"
"I thought you liked Ms Mills" Emma chuckled and her mother sighed
"I know its stupid, but she actually scares me sometimes, you should have seen the way she looked at me"
"Did she use her death glare" Emma chuckled
"I am just glad, I don't have to work with her"
"Work with who?" David said coming out of the bedroom
"Ms Mills" Mary Margaret replied
"Oh, Regina's mother" he smirked, looking to Emma
Emma rolled her eyes and she jumped at her phone vibrating, in her pocket
Regina
Hey, hows the arm?
Emma tilted her head, confused
The arm? has she messaged the wrong person, she thought to herself, before replying
Hey, my arm? have you texted the wrong person?
No, you looked liked you hurt your arm, when you bumped into Robin today
Oh that, yeah its fine, did you enjoy your lunch? she typed lunch, aggressively
Yeah, I think Katheryn and Frederick are getting on well, I think you were right
Really, il have to tell Ruby about that
Emma sat herself on the sofa happily and her father smirked at her, knowing who she was messaging
January 24th
Emma walked down the second floor corridor, she was heading outside to meet the others at the bench, see went through the doors, down the stairs, past a few other students, until she came face to face with Katheryn
"Hey, thought you would be outside with Regina, by now" Emma said
"No, um, there's something wrong, with Regina" she rubbed her hands over her coat
Emma panicked
"Where is she?"
"I don't know, she was speaking with her mother and then she ran off, I am looking for her"
"Oh, I will help you find her" she turned and they went up the stairs, to the third floor, they walked down the corridor, nothing, they approached the girls toilets and went inside, nothing
They then checked the 2nd floor toilets and she was in a the second cubicle, they could hear her crying
"Regina" Katheryn said, approaching the door
There was no reply
"Its okay, whatever your mother said, it can't be that bad" she said softly
"It...it is Katheryn" the brunette stuttered
"What did she say?"
"She told me...I can't take drama and theatre studies, that I... need to do politics and law, (she sniffled) she wants me to be this important person, she said...I have high expectations for you"
"She will come round, she did with Zelena"
"She...only let Zelena teach, because she can keep an eye on her, this way"
Emma stood near the door, watching Katheryn stare at the cubicle door
Katheryn glanced to Emma and gestured her hands, to tell the blonde to say something
Emma stepped forward
"Um...Regina?"
She heard silence, Regina held her breath, she didn't know Emma was there, she dabbed her eyes and patted her hair
"Regina, will you come out and talk to us" Emma asked
It took her a minute but Regina opened the door, her eyes red and her cheeks flushed and tissue in hand
Emma smiled, even when Regina cried, she still looked beautiful
"Your mother will see" Emma said softly, wanting to hug her, but instead Katheryn hugged her, briefly
"I hope so" Regina muttered
"I am sure, you can at least get her to at least compromise, I'll help you" Katheryn smiled
"Thanks" she wiped her eyes
Emma leaned against the white sink and crossed her arms, still looking at Regina
While Regina ran her hand through her hair again, she became self-conscious and stood awkwardly
A minute later, the bell sounded out
"you ready to go?" Katheryn asked
Regina nodded, her cheeks were not as flushed as before and her eyes were returning back to normal
Katheryn walked in front of Regina and Emma out of the toilet, walking past other students
Regina tugged at her blouse and glanced sideways at Emma
"You didn't have to spent your whole break looking out for me" she muttered, but Emma heard every word
"No, but I wouldn't be a good friend, if I left you upset, would I" Emma said, looking forward
Regina smiled and they reached the door of their next class, which they had together, English with Miss Belle
"Emma" a shout came across the room
Emma gaped across the room and walked quickly across
"What happened?" Ruby said concerned
"Ms Mills" Emma muttered, sitting down next to Ruby
"Oh, she's a piece of work"
"yep" Emma sighed, looking across, at Regina's back
Tuesday, 3 days before Regina's birthday
Regina sat at the long wooden table, of the dinning room of her home, with phone in hand, she had barely spoke to Emma, since she cried in the toilets
My mother is letting me have the party at my house, friday night, are you still coming?
Emma was sprawled out on the sofa, watching her father throw peanuts in the air and catch them in his mouth, when she heard her phone buzz she picked it up and read the message
What time do I need to get there? she sent back, eagerly
Around six
Are you excited?
Maybe, will you be on your 16th birthday?
Um, I am already 16
Regina gaped at that message
WHAT!
I am already 16, last October actually
"Is that Ruby?" Mary Margaret asked, curiously
"No, it's Regina" she whispered
"Is she being funny or sarcastic ,today?" David asked
"Haha, very funny dad, actually its her 16th birthday friday, she's having a party at her house, can I go, I want to go" she looked at them patiently
David chuckled
Suddenly her phone buzzed again and she immediately read it
Why didn't you tell me?
I didn't tell anyone, I didn't want a party at the time, Ruby did find out though, on that day and she made a fuss for about an hour, before declaring that we have a joint celebration on her birthday, she's crazy!
She looked back to her parents, who were staring at her
"Can I?" she asked
"Okay, but I am driving you there and picking you up at ten" Mary Margaret said, sternly
Emma fist pumped and her phone buzzed again
Oh okay
Shes annoyed with me, Emma thought
"You can come to that" she replied back, quickly
I can't believe your 4 months older than me
It's not that hard to believe, Regina
She chuckled as she sent the message
I just assumed
You really shouldn't just assume things, Regina
Regina sighed as she read that message, she remembered Mailee saying the same thing, about assuming
I am beginning to see that
She replied, and looked down at the table, sadly
Wednesday - 2 days before Regina's birthday
It was late and Emma couldn't sleep, she looked to her phone and it said 11.57pm, she sat up and turned her side light on
She then reached under her bed and under a few books, was her sketch pad, that she had received from her parents, as a Christmas present, she pulled it out, then reaching into her side drawer, for some pencils
She leaned back on the bed and sighed, opening the pad
First page was random sketches, a tree, a dog, a house
Second page, a sketch of her mothers face, looking sideways
Third page, more random objects
Fourth page, Regina's face
Firth page, Regina full body, standing, hands together, in her grey coat, looking forward
Sixth page, Regina full body, head tilted, arms crossed, looking sideways, wearing trousers and blouse
Seventh page, Ruby and the guys sitting at a table, supposedly in the Diner
The eighth page was blank and Emma brought a pencil to it, she paused for a moment, in thought and then started drawing.
It was 12.48, when she finished
She chuckled and decided this is what she would give Regina, for her Birthday, she thought it would make the brunette laugh, so she pulled the sheet from the pad and placed it into the envelope, with a note and sealed it up, writing to Regina on the front.
She smiled
Right, better get some sleep she muttered to herself and with that, she quickly tucked the pad and envelope under the bed and pencils back in the drawer and she fell asleep, easier than before.
Friday - Regina's birthday
Mary Margaret pulled up to the mansion, with Emma restless in her seat
"Why are you so nervous?" her mother asked, curiously
"I'm not" Emma snapped
"Regina must be a good friend, for you to make this effort" she gestured to Emma's appearance, Emma had curled her hair, applied lip gloss and was wearing a fancy top with skinny jeans and boots, she also had a black plastic bag, that had the A4 sized, envelope in
"She is a good friend, mom"
"Well I will pick you up at ten, okay"
"Thanks" she got out of the car and headed towards the door, it was freezing, she wished she wore a coat, she then opened the door to loud music and a few people, standing around
She then walked to the stairs and thought, holy crap this place is huge, she then suddenly saw Robin with some of his friends, she grimaced and went the opposite way
She came to the kitchen and helped herself to a drink of soda, this is awkward she thought to herself
"Emma" a voice from behind called and Emma turned
"Tinkerbell"
"Wah, look at you" Tinkerbell said, in amazement
Emma looked down at herself
"Is it too much?"
"No, you look good, I don't think I've ever seen you with your hair down"
Emma smiled
"Thanks, where is the birthday girl?"
"She went upstairs"
"Oh, are her parents here?"
"They were but they left, Leaving Zelena to keep an eye on us all, so we don't wreck the place" she chuckled
Ten minutes later
Emma decided to go and find Regina, she walked up the stairs but Regina wasn't there, no one was there
she turned to go back down the stairs, when she noticed on one of the doors, the letter R, she assumed it was Regina's Room and she took the envelope out of the bag and pushed it under the door
She then walked down the stairs and as she looked to the door, she recognized long brown locks, she walked slightly forward, noticing a blonde girl standing there in a frilly dress, she heard Regina say
"I can't believe you actually made it"
"Of course, I said I would" the girl said, suddenly noticing Emma, standing behind Regina, looking curious
"And who is this" she said, looking at Emma and Regina turned around
Everything for her stopped in that moment. Her mouth parted, as she ran her gaze over the blonde, she licked her lips
"I think I like you already" she joked, looking to Regina and noticed Regina was wearing red lipstick, that made her lips so much more inviting
Woah, Emma thought while Regina was still speechless and she couldn't find any words
Emma looked back to Mailee
"I am Emma" she told Mailee
"Hello Emma, I am Mailee, I met Regina at Christmas"
"She told me she made a new friend over Christmas"
Mailee chuckled and then asked
"Where are the drinks at?"
"kitc-hen" Regina said, still gawking at Emma
"Right" she grinned and they walked towards the kitchen, where Emma got dragged away by Tinkerbell
"Is Emma seeing anyone?" Mailee asked, as she poured herself a drink, causing Regina to snap her head towards her
"She's totally my type" Mailee playfully said, knowing it would annoy the brunette
Regina started moving items aggressively, around the kitchen counter
"She's straight" Regina snapped, quietly
"Are you sure about that?" and before Regina could reply, Emma suddenly appeared next to Regina
"Hey, I didn't get to say Happy birthday, so Happy birthday, Regina" she stared into brown orbs
"Thankyou" Regina ducked her head, with a smile
Mailee shook her head and smirked
"So Emma, how long have you known Regina for?"
The brunette glared at her
"I moved here nearly a year ago, so I guess, nearly a year"
"That's great"
"Yes it is, she's great" Emma blurted out, without even thinking
Regina gaped, she didn't know how much more she could take, before she just died on the spot, all because of Emma
"I…I am going to find Kathryn" she declared, walking off while Emma watched her go and Mailee just grinned, at what was going on in front of her
what did Emma draw, your find out soon enough :)
Next chapter - Conclusion of Regina's birthday