Hold me Because I'm Scared (Of Falling Apart)

Chapter Two: Than If

A/N: Updates after this chapter are gonna be every other Tuesday. Hope ya enjoy the story :)

Regina arched a curious brow as she watched Emma diligently doing the work right in front of her. They were in afterschool tutoring and though Regina had opted to call quits on Emma soon, the blonde did improve her behavior. She was actually doing her work and trying to be on her best behavior. Which entirely caught Regina off guard.

She didn't know what to make of the blonde except to continue to teach her, watching as the blonde answered with correct responses and showed off intellect that Regina hadn't known was there. It made her suspicious to say the least. What game was Emma playing at now? Was it something else to piss Regina off? Just in the short run?

She glared as Emma did practice problems, the blonde's lips moving silently as she worked out some mental math. The eraser on her pencil was chewed up in exertion of thought and she looked so intently focused that Regina was sure Emma wouldn't feel her staring.

"Do I have something on my face?" she asked without looking up and Regina startled, not expecting this.

"No," she said slowly, sitting back in her seat, deliberating on what she should say. "It's just weird to see you doing your work for once," she settled on the truth.

"I am smart, you know. Maybe not as much as you, but I've still got some knowledge in my noggin," Emma tapped the pencil to her head, looking up now, her green eyes so intent on Regina it made her uncomfortable. And slightly guilty. "Look, about what I said yesterday..."

"It's okay," Emma stopped her before she could continue. "It's whatever."

"No, it's not," Regina's lips twist up. She was raised better and so she would apologize. "I shouldn't have said that. I was upset with you and I hurt your feelings because of it."

"Seriously, it's alright," Emma urged, green eyes still so intent on Regina. "I was goofing off and wasting your time." Then, in a bold move that surprised Regina, Emma leaned forward and put her hand on Regina's which was resting on the desk top across from Emma.

Regina wasn't expecting this touch, the gentle weight of Emma's hand or the suddenness of it. It froze her as she was indecisive about what next to do. Should she pull her hand back? Let it rest there? Before she could decide, Emma noticed the way Regina's eyes had flickered to the casual touch and pulled it back. "I'm going to get serious from now on. I hope we can get along."

"Get along?" comes out of Regina's flabbergasted mouth with more vitriol than she intends. Emma's hand had been warm and surprisingly soft for an athlete.

"Yea," Emma blinks. "Friends."

"What gives you the idea we can be that when you've been so annoying to me for so long?" Regina scowls because she's never taken Emma for the type to want to be friends with her. Regina's a prep, Emma's an athlete. They're both famous in their own right but on opposite ends of the spectrum. Emma's got rabid fangirls and fanboys, and Regina's got admirers.

Emma looks momentarily speechless at this. "I um...it's how me and my friends treat each other. So, I was just being friendly to you."

Regina scowls at this. "if that's how you treat your friends, then I wish to not be one of them."

Emma's eyes bug out. It seems this conversation is not going the way it's meant to. "No, I don't mean- I mean- like don't you and your friends tease each other?"

"No," is the solid, short answer.

Emma deflates a bit. "I guess then that might explain our miscommunication."

"There was no communication, you simply were rude to me on multiple occasions."

"Then I won't be. I'll stop my friendly teasing so that we can get along better."

Regina doesn't see the point in getting along better with Emma. Emma can't offer her anything. Mother always said to make relationships based on benefits. Regina's current friend group come with many advantages. Ursula's dad owns several oil rigs, Cruella has connections to the fashion world and has modeled, Kathryn has a rich politician daddy, and Mal may not be as rich as the others but she can ruin people's whole livelihoods if she must.

These relationships could all come in handy on Regina's rise to success. Emma, Emma is an orphan who can kick a ball real good and that's it. So what if she's got good looks. Doesn't mean it will further Regina's means.

Regina opens her mouth to as kindly as possible turn Emma down when the bell rings. Tutoring is over. It seems talking made time fly by. Regina rises gracefully to her feet and smooths down her skirt. "I have another student to get to. Good evening." She grabs her purse and leaves, Emma mumbling a dejected good bye.

"So, how did it go?" Ruby asks as the two of them sit on a park bench, slurping on slushies loudly. Ruby's got a skateboard under one foot and is rolling it absentmindedly as Emma looks dourly at the shrubs in front of her.

"Eh," is her answer.

"I don't know what the means. You'll have to enlighten me," Ruby adds.

"I...worked hard during tutoring and told her I wanted to be her friend but she sorta shot me down," Emma said.

"What do you mean by that?"

Emma quickly replayed the conversation and Ruby frowned as she analyzed it. "Well, you kinda were a brat to her. So give her some time. She's not going to change her expectations of you just because you acted nice one day."

Emma scowled into her slushie. "Man, past me was a dumb ass."

"Isn't she always?" Ruby asked and Emma slugged her playfully in the arm.

"I wanna know more about you."

Regina is not expecting this from Emma, but she doesn't lose a beat. "-and then you add the two here and you're done with the problem."

"I don't know much about you." Emma's not even paying attention to the math. Was Regina just talking to the air and wasting her breath?

"I'm sure it's not hard to find something out. I am popular," Regina says in monotone to denote how interested she is in this conversation. Which is to say, none at all.

"I want to know personal things about you."

"And I want you to finish your equations."

"I will. How about this?" Emma sat up eagerly, a deal forming in her mind that no doubt Regina would not care for. "I do one and you tell me something about yourself."

"How about no." Regina said flatly. She didn't have time for games.

Emma didn't seem deterred. "Alright then, I'll just tell you one fact about myself each time I finish one."

"I don't quite care to learn about you, Emma," Regina said seriously. Regina didn't have time for such things even if she did know a tiny part of her was curious to know about Storybrooke's biggest hot shot.

"Maybe you should," Emma leaned in, cocky smirk on her face. Regina wanted to wipe it off. It was so damn infuriating. "A lot of people would be grateful for the chance."

"Hm, sure. Grateful to talk to a player who ate grass."

Regina was referring to Emma's recent match in which an opponent tripped her badly and made her literally eat grass. She still had marks down her front from that experience. "Ah, so you watched the game? I didn't know you did. That's nice."

Regina sputters a bit here. "I don't- I don't care about your matches!"

"But you watch them. Which is good enough to me," Emma concluded on and Regina fumed on the inside. Emma was so arrogant and annoying!

"Just focus on your work or you won't be returning to the field anytime soon if the coach is forced to kick you off the team because of your abysmal grades."

Emma rolls her eyes. "Won't happen. I'll be picking up my grades so you don't have to worry about not seeing me on the field. You can gawk at me all you'll like."

Regina frowns. She knows she should be civil but with Emma it's hard to. "I hope you eat grass next match too!"

"I eat more than grass," Emma winks but the double meaning behind it Regina doesn't want to waste time dwelling on. "Do your work!" she nearly growls out and Emma huffs but relents. She's quickly working on her work when ten minutes later, she opens up her mouth again. "You should come see my match."

"No, thank you," Regina says forcefully.

"If I really bother you, what better chance than to yell and boo at me?" Emma offers.

"I am refined. I don't engage in that sort of stuff," Regina states primly.

"Yea, but it's a match. No one will care if you do." To sweeten the deal, Emma leans in. "I'll get you front row seats."

Regina's brow furrows in slight confusion. "They're first come first serve basis."

"It was a joke," Emma huffs.

"Not a funny one."

"I'd like to see you make a better one."

Regina doesn't rise to the challenge. "Work, Emma," she growls out and Emma sighs in exasperation but lowers her head and does so.

Regina ends up going to the co-ed soccer game, but only because the new boy Mal is dating is a soccer player. "I normally wouldn't go for his type, but his family is rich and he's handsome." There is no doubt about his looks. He's got a dimpled smile and wavy brown hair. The whole group coo over him and Regina pretends to be invested too. He is good looking but she doesn't care much for him. She doesn't have time for boys or romance. Work comes first.

Besides, no one in this school is good enough. At least mother drills this into her head every time she can get a chance to.

Regina sits down on the bleachers. They're cold despite it only being early fall. She's got stockings under her skirt and is bundled up in an expensive scarf. Her friends mirror her look. They sit in a middle row and watch as the game unfolds. They haven't the slightest idea on soccer but pretend they do. All they've really come to do is gander at Mal's new boy toy. He's fast on the field. But not as fast as Emma.

She zooms across, dribbling the ball with expertise, hair bobbing behind her. There's no questions, she's good. And everyone on her team knows it. They hand her the ball every time the goal is near and more often than not, Emma makes it in, getting the team easily three points. Regina loses herself in the game, finding herself enjoying it despite the lack of knowledge on it.

She cheers for her team when they score as the girls next to her talk about cute boys. "Regina, which one do you think is cute?"

Regina shakes her head. "I'm not sure." She hadn't been paying attention to the others. She scans her eyes over them quickly, picking the first best choice of the opposing team. "He looks nice."

"I was thinking the same," Kathryn gushes. "Do you think I can get his number after the game?"

"I'm sure you can do whatever you put your mind to," is Regina's answer.

Soon, the game ends and the players are heading off the team. Emma's team won, naturally, and there's going to be lots of celebrations. Emma looks to the bleachers and her eyes lock in on Regina's. Don't come here, Regina panics but Emma is, and Regina is too dignified to run away. So she grins and bears it.

"You came," Emma utters breathlessly, looking all sweaty and yet alive. She's got her hands on her hips, arm muscles bulging, shirt clinging tightly to her skin. Her hair is up in a ponytail and her face is flushed from adrenaline and exercise.

She looks...breathtaking in this moment and for once, Regina could ignore how annoying Emma normally is.

"Yes, I did," Regina says dryly, picking at the ends of her scarf. "But not for you. I came because my friend group and I are supporting Mallory's boyfriend, William."

Emma doesn't seem thrown by this. "Still nice to see you here. Did you get a chance to hurl insults at me?"

Regina can't help it. She openly scoffs. "Like I said, I barely even noticed you at all."

"Ah, how you flatter me. Next time I'll make sure to kick the ball into the stand where you're sitting so you'll notice me more."

"Do that and you'll sorely regret it," Regina threatens not lightly. Regina now recognizes this as Emma's teasing her in a benign manner. Regina's not used to this sort of banter. It's typical Emma fashion: grating and confusing and it makes Regina unsure of herself when she's never been unsure before.

"Oh yea?" Emma asks, lifting her shirt up to wipe at the sweat dripping down her face. Regina's eyes flicker down out of curiosity and she notices the six pack Emma has going on. How unfair. "And what will you do to me?" the blonde asks, dropping the shirt and Regina's attention snaps upwards. All the players have walked off and Regina is aware her friends are finishing off their conversation with William to her side. Mallory and William are sharing a kiss.

"I have to go," Regina finished on, feeling a flush rise to her face. She gets up and not even saying good bye, she leaves, not turning to see Emma's reaction to her doing so.

The music is blaring and people are dancing, but Emma's not in the mood despite the big win of today.

"Em, don't be such a grump." Ruby slings a sticky arm around Emma. She's hot and sweaty from dancing and gyrating like crazy. She takes an uncoordinated swig from her solo cup.

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are. And it's about Regina."

Emma rolls her eyes.

"See, I knew it was about her." Ruby is drunk. Everyone on the soccer team at this party is. Except Emma. "Just loosen up. Have some fun. And go sleep with Merida. She's making eyes at you the whole night."

Ruby points not so discreetly where Merida is not so discreetly checking Emma out.

Fuck it, maybe Emma should sleep with her. Merida's nice and it has been a while since Emma got any. She chugs her beer in one go and crushes the can, tossing it to the side, striding up to Merida, who smiles.

Ruby watches the two of them interacting before she goes to find her own lay of the night.

Emma knows Regina won't be easy to crack but she's not going to give up. She's never really tried to get with the girls she's liked and for once, she wants to make an attempt. Ruby supports her a hundred percent. And gives great advice. If they weren't such good friends, Emma would have dated Ruby. But it's the fact they can get along as friends that makes Emma not interested in her. Emma always liked the types who found her annoying. She doesn't know why this is, but it's how her biology works.

Speaking of biology, Emma's wondering when her's will kick in. High school is a confusing time already, but this is also the time when presentation happens. Emma knows, given her body, she'll either be an omega or a beta. Definitely not an alpha, unless she magically sprouts a dick one night. She doesn't know how she feels about this. Omegas don't have the best rights or treatment in their society. Being a beta would be better and Emma crossed her fingers and hoped this is what will happen. She should be presenting soon and she hopes it happens after her season is over so she won't have to miss any days because of heats. From what Emma has learned of heats and ruts, they're rough, which is why there are pills and patches to help with them.

Ruby is excited about all this where Emma is nervous.

"I wouldn't mind being an omega," she claims.

"Why?" Emma is shocked. Ruby isn't the meek type. Why would she want to submit to others?

Ruby shrugs. "All that sexual appeal, man. I'd be getting tail for days."

"Yea, but as an omega, we're expected to pair up with an alpha. Those are men."

"Not all. They're are some female alphas out there," Ruby counters.

Emma narrows her eyes, confused. "But you're gay. That means not liking dick."

"Yea, but if she's the one, she's the one, ya know? Our biology picks our mates, not us."

Emma scowls and contemplates this. "Biology sucks, man."

"It does," Ruby says lightly and flicks the cigarette she was smoking off the school stoops. They've cut class long enough. Emma wants to improve her grades and her reputation with Regina so she needs to go back.

As she wanders back, saying good bye to Ruby as they go to their respective classes, she can't help but ruminate on Ruby's earlier point. Could, Emma if she was an omega, love an alpha? There was no such thing as an alpha without a cock. Emma didn't really like them and she couldn't imagine herself sleeping with someone who had one. But if perhaps a woman had one? Could she do it then? She found she wasn't outright overwhelmed by the idea of doing so.

But it was too early to think on things. She still had time until she presented.