Emma had always been a bit of an outcast. She was the orphan girl who had moved from place to place. She never had a home or parents or friends to call her own. It had always been just her. She looked out for herself and it always worked out just fine. She moved to Denver when she aged out of the system. Why? She knew no one and no one knew her. It was a clean slate. In Denver she wasn't the baby left on the side of the road, she wasn't the problematic foster kid, she wasn't the girl from juvie, she was just Emma. That's all she ever wanted, and every day when she looked out of her bedroom window and saw the rocky mountains she was reminded she was finally free to be herself (it also didn't hurt that she could light a joint whenever she wanted without much repercussion).
"Hey Emma do you mind getting more cat litter for Figaro today? He just ran out and I've got 2 presentations, a dissertation review, and David's taking me out for our anniversary."
Emma snapped out of her daydream and turned towards the voice in the bathroom, "Wait, what?"
"Litter? For Figaro? Please?"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure," she replied as she felt around the piles of clothes around her bed for a piece of clothing she deemed fitting to wear.
She finally found a white tank top and pulled it on over her sports bra. She was already wearing some basketball shorts so she rolled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom where her roommate was just finishing up.
"So how's the stubborn boyfriend anyway Mary Margaret? Think he's gonna propose tonight?" she asked while she put some toothpaste on her toothbrush.
"It would make memorizing the date easier," she teased as she put in her earrings, "But I'm sure he'll do it eventually."
Emma smirked a she started brushing her teeth, "You really love him don't you?"
"What's there not to love? He's intuitive, brave, courageous, and easy on the eyes. It's like he's my very own Prince Charming."
Emma laughed and spit into the sink. She reached for the mouthwash, "I like how you said intuitive instead of smart. Real smooth MM."
"We all know he's not the brightest, but he's thoughtful. I think he could be the one."
She rolled her eyes as she gargled. She knew Mary Margaret was right, those two were indeed made for each other, but she never was one for the whole soulmate thing. It always seemed childish, well except for one time when- Nope! She refused to think about that time in her life. She had all but forgotten about it, but it did come up every now and then. She spit out the liquid and rinsed her mouth.
"I'm happy for you, really," she tried to say through a smile.
Mary Margaret laughed, "Sure you are. I know how you feel about this love thing, but I appreciate you trying Emma. You know he thinks highly of you. He's got a friend he'd like to set you up with. Would you consider-"
"Let me stop you right there MM. I don't do relationships. So I will save me and that poor unfortunate soul of a friend the embarrassment of a double date."
The brunette pouted, "Emma we've known each other what? Almost 7 years? You've been in this city almost 9? I'm about to graduate with my masters. We're getting old, I won't always be here as your kind and loving roommate. I will have to move out one day."
She grabbed for a bar of deodorant and smelled her pits and shrugged, "And when that day happens. I will mourn the loss of the greatest roommate I've ever had, but until then."
Mary Margaret scrunched up her nose, "You should at least take a few classes. I know school really isn't your thing but a degree could really help you."
"Yes mom," she teased, "Speaking of school, don't you have a presentation in 15 minutes?"
Mary Margaret looked at her phone and her eyes widened in shock, "Shit. I'm gonna be late."
"I'd suggest you take an Uber cuz ain't no way you getting there, in time, on foot."
She quickly looked thru her phone and asked David to pick her up, "I'll see you tonight. And don't forget the litter," she yelled on her way out.
Emma laughed as the door slammed behind the brunette. She washed her face and headed towards the kitchen where Figaro was playing with the plant by the sink. Emma scratched beneath his chin earning a purr from the creature.
She chuckled as she continued to scratch him, "If you knock over another one of those things Mary Margaret's gonna trade you in."
The cat seemed to roll his eyes as he hopped off the counter and strutted towards his food and water bowl near the patio door. Emma grabbed a toaster strudel from the freezer and popped it into the toaster. While it cooked she poured herself a cup of coffee and sipped it slowly. When the strudel was ready she grabbed the icing and dumped it all on the center of the pastry, using her finger to spread it across the surface. Once done, she licked the rest of the icing off her finger and took a bite of the pastry and smiled. She never got things so tasty as a kid, and that's if she had any food to begin with. Usually foster parents and group homes had the easy affordable things. She had many a peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in her life, way too much for her to like them now. Rotisserie chicken? Potato salad? Both items she despised as an adult. She wasn't too big on pizza either? But she'd eat if she was really in the mood. Other times you'd get the try hard foster parents or groups homes, doing organic everything, and vegetables. She never really got the chance to eat all the things kids loved. That's why, as an adult, she loved all things sweet, any and every type of junk food, and soda. She'd been told she had the appetite of a child, and she didn't mind not one bit. She kept up with her exercise routine, she wasn't in peril or anything.
As she finished her breakfast she let Figaro out for some fresh air and got ready to spend her day off doing whatever she wanted, after she got the litter of course. When Figaro decide to come inside, Emma shut the patio door and grabbed her keys and headed out the door.In the hallway she bumped into her neighbor and best friend, Ruby Lucas.
"Ruby how are you?" Emma asked as they walked down the stairs together.
"I've been good, thanks for asking. I'm sure it'd be better if you could come over again. It's been awhile since our last sleepover," she said with a wink as she played with Emma's tank top straps.
"Emma smirked as she caught Ruby's fingers in her own and brought them up to her lips, "Soon, I promise."
Ruby rolled her eyes and laughed, "How bout tonight? My usual dick appointment is otherwise occupied and I could really use a good fuck tonight."
Emma thought it over, quickly, and nodded her head, "Sure, why not. I'm not busy."
It was Ruby's turn to smirk as she placed a sultry kiss on Emma's lips, "See you tonight."
Ruby walked down the side walk, without another look at her neighbor, ready to face the day at the restaurant she owned. Emma smiled to herself as she played with her keys for a split second, bit her lip and headed to her car parked on the street.
She hopped into her yellow bug and thought about her prior rendezvous with the waitress next door. They weren't dating, but they were best friends with benefits. Their friendship sprouted quickly after she moved in with Mary Margaret. They bumped into each other one day and hit it off instantly. Soon they were bar hopping on weekends, setting the other up with someone, ranking David Mary Margaret, going to concerts, smoking weed, the works. She would be living with her if it wasn't for the amount of people she had coming in or out. Eventually they got a little too cross faded one night and one thing led to another. They agreed they didn't want to date the other, but they did care about each other. But the sex was too good to let go. So when they were hanging out, just being friends that's it. But when they set up a night to be friends with benefits, things changed. A switch was flipped.
Ruby had plenty of male suitors cycling through her apartment, but Emma was one of 2 women she ever slept with. The brown haired beauty was much pickier when it came to women. Some might say Ruby Lucas got around a lot, but it didn't bother her much. Ruby made everyone she slept with test for STD's and use the proper protection, she was active but she was safe. Plus her body her rules right? What she did didn't hurt Emma in the slightest, and in fact she benefitted from it. She wasn't tied down into a relationship but still got the best parts, sex and cuddling. If Ruby ever decided to settle down with one person, she was sure it'd be Graham or Jamie. Emma could just tell Ruby was gonna end up with one of them, (or maybe both, you never know, the whole throuple thing was catching on these days) the same way she knew Mary Margaret was gonna end up with David (despite all the teasing she gave them).
Emma started her car and headed to the nearest King Soopers for litter. Once inside she grabbed a small hand basket and gathered a few things she wanted for herself. The first thing in the basket was Oreos. The delicious sandwich cookie became an instant classic in her life. The next item? Cinnamon rolls! The blonde never could figure out when she first started to fall in love with cinnamon rolls, but she did know that cinnamon seemed to comfort her the most. So aside from cinnamon on her coco, cinnamon rolls we're the next go to. After she grabbed her munchy items she grabbed the kitty litter and headed for check out.
As she placed her items down to get scanned she felt someone zip past her knees almost causing her to fall. She caught herself before such an embarrassing thing could happen.
"Roland! What have I told you about running inside?!" A woman chastised from behind.
"He's fine," Emma answered as she composed herself.
"No he knows better," the woman said as she walked past Emma and crouched down to Rolands eye level.
Emma hadn't had the chance to see the women's face but something about her seemed vaguely familiar, she just couldn't quite put her finger on it. The woman stood up and held Rolands hand as she turned around.
"Again, I am so sor-" the woman had started but now stood in front of Emma with her mouth agape.
The blonde couldn't help but return the gesture. Never in a million years did she think she'd be standing face to face with her again. She must've been day dreaming. They were just kids when they last saw each other, there's no way.
"Emma?" the brunette questioned.
"Gina," she let out with a breathy sigh.
She knew this wasn't a dream. This was reality. Regina Mills was standing in front of her, in the flesh, after all these years. What was she supposed to do?
Her body responded before her head could even think of a plan, she ran out of the store without any of the items she had purchased. With a quick sprint to her car and the turn of her key she was speeding home to hide under her covers.