Her senior year was not going the way she had thought it would.

When she had stumbled upon Neal Gold at Storybrooke High School, after thinking she would never see him after their amazing summer together, she had thought her senior year, despite it being in a new place, was going to be one for the books.

Well, it was turning out to be one for the books, but not the good books. No, it was part of the bad books, where the protagonist thought she had made good, true friends and then everyone was writing terrible things about her in the bathroom stall, or thinking she was too easy…

Or too much like Sandra Dee…

She resented that - she didn't even like any of Sandra Dee's movies, nor did she think she looked like her!

She supposed the biggest problem was with Neal's friends - the T-Birds. None of them seemed to like that she wasn't anything like Lily, or any of the other not-typical girls.

It was because of them that she didn't think she understood what it was Neal really wanted from her, or if he still had feelings for her like he'd had on that beach during the summer.

The Pink Ladies had been… kind enough, she supposed. All but Lily, had been welcoming to her, and had invited her to sleepovers, even if the one had ended badly.

Still, Emma needed to make a decision, and she needed to make one fast. The senior carnival was coming up, and it would be her last chance to make an impression on Neal.

And she knew, even though she wasn't sure if they were even friends, Emma could only turn to one person: Lily.

There had been whispers about Lily, ever since that night at the drive-in, but Emma didn't pay them any mind. Yes, it would be a bit… unorthodox if Lily was pregnant, but Lily was a good person, and really, what happened in her bedroom was none of Emma's business.

"Lily?" Emma asked, catching her in a hidden alcove of the school. "Oh! Are you okay?"

Lily's eyes were red, like she'd been crying, but her mouth was pulled down into the frown she always seemed to have. "What's it to you, Emma?" she asked. "You come to rub it in my face that I'm a harlot?"

"What? No! Of course not! Who's been saying that about you?" Emma felt anger begin to burn inside her.

"Half the school, but never mind that. What do you want?" Lily tossed a makeup-streaked tissue in the nearby trash can.

Emma chewed on her bottom lip, before taking a deep breath. "Well… the school carnival is coming up and I - I really want to 'wow' Neal."

Lily let out a watery chuckle. "I think you've been 'wow-ing' Neal all year, Sandra Dee."

"Stop calling me that!" Emma snapped. "And even if I am wow-ing him, he's really not responding to it so I - I want a makeover. Like... more your style."

Lily tilted her head. "Like me, huh? Well, I ain't got nothing else to do today, so I guess I can give it a shot. How do you feel about leather?"

Leather? Emma had never owned anything leather aside from a purse and shoes, but she smiled despite her nerves. "Well… whatever you think will work."

Lily smirked. "Good. C'mon, we can walk to my house from here."

Emma nodded, picking up her book bag.

Goodbye Sandra Dee, hello Emma Nolan.

Varsity sweaters were so much more itchy than Neal Gold had ever thought they were.

Dorky? Yes, but he never imagined they were so itchy.

Or maybe it was just his nerves getting the best of him. It could be hard to tell, especially since he'd never been nervous before.

He hoped Emma liked the sweater. She always seemed to wear a sweater, even when it wasn't particularly cold outside.

Unfortunately for Neal, it wasn't cold outside. In fact, Maine was having some sort of freak heatwave, and he felt more gross with the sweat than he ever did while working with August on Greased Lightning.

Speaking of August…

"You look like such a nerd, Neal! What the hell were you thinking?"

Neal scowled. "Look, I just wanna impress Emma, alright? I wanna show her that I've changed - that I can be soft like her!"

"Ha! You wimp. There are plenty of other girls around that won't make you change. Why do you keep trying with her?"

Neal frowned, tugging on the sleeve of the sweater. "She's just different. You wouldn't get it, seeing how you and Lily have blown up."

"That's not fair!"

"Is it?"

"Hey Neal."

He jumped, startled, and turned around. Standing before him was Emma… he thought.

Instead of a slicked back ponytail, her hair lay in waves around her iconic white sweater had been replaced by a red leather jacket and black shirt, and instead of a skirt, she wore tight leather pants.

Oh.

"Oh - uh h-hey Emma. Gee, that's a new get up!"

"Tell me about it, stud."

He would jump her right now if there weren't people around. She looked so good in that outfit but… he stopped, looking down at the sweater.

It wasn't her.

"May I escort the lady through the hall of mirrors?" he asked.

She chewed on the end of a candy cigarette. "I suppose so…"

"What're you doing wearing that?" he asked with a frown when they were alone.

"What are you doing wearing that varsity sweater?"

"I lettered in track! I thought you'd like a guy who lettered in some sorta sport, since you were a cheerleader and all."

Emma paused. "And I thought you'd want a girl who wore all leather."

"Nah, Emma… you're the one that I want," he said. "Just the way you are."

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Are you sure this is what you really want?"

"What I really want is you."