"Someone's in a good mood today." Mary Margaret coos, handing me a cup of hot chocolate.

Since my Tuesday nights are free, I usually spend them with David or M&M. This particular night finds me sitting at her kitchen table, chatting about our lives.

She plops a tin of cinnamon on the table before sitting across from me, "you've been smiling since you got here."

That's embarrassing. I'd been thinking about my talk with Killian yesterday. "Is it a crime to be happy?" I say, crossing my arms.

"No," she grins, adding cinnamon to our cups, "it's just a little strange to see on you. Especially after you were so upset this weekend. Which you never explained to me by the way?" Her sentence ends with a questioning note, trying to coax information out of me.

I don't want her to make a bigger deal out of this than it is so I chose my words carefully. "I made a new friend but then I did something stupid and almost pushed them away. I guess I'm happy because we made up yesterday."

Her answering smile is almost painfully happy. "Oh Emma, that's wonderful. Anyone I know?"

I gulp some hot chocolate, stalling. The taste brings back a million childhood memories. Mary Margaret has been there for me at every twist and turn since we met, never judging me or letting me down. When none of the other kids would play with me, when the boy I asked to 8th grade formal turned me down, after Tallahassee; Mary Margaret was there with a hug and some hot chocolate. "Yeeeaah...it's um, Killian Jones."

"Oh," she says, shock evident on her face. "That's... unexpected. Why- how did that happen?"

I don't miss the 'why' before she changed directions with her question. "We got talking at the party week before last and I'm tutoring him in calculus. I like him. We understand each other." I shrug, downplaying the whole thing so she doesn't get the wrong idea about the two of us. "I don't think he has many friends either."

Her face softens into the kind smile that is her default facial expression. "That's fantastic. I'm happy for you, Emma. David will be too. We don't want you to spend so much time alone."

I feel like I'm never alone. I'm always rushing off to school or to help save someone's grade or helping at the front desk of my dorm. I'm always around people. But I know she's talking about like actually connecting to someone on a personal level.

Mercifully, the conversation drifts away from my antisocial behavior.

Mary Margaret is an early childhood education major in her last year of college so she's student teaching at the local elementary school. She tells me stories of the kids, sweet ones where the kids make her art projects and hilariously terrible ones of melt downs. "As much as I love the little kids, I think I want to go a little older. Fourth or fifth grade. I can switch grades in a few-"

My brother interrupts her with a small kiss. "How are my two favorite girls today?"

"Hey David."

"How was work." He sits in the chair between M&M and I. David works at an animal shelter so he kind of smells a bit like dog right now so I slide my chair away slightly.

As he's recounting his day, I pull out my phone. I don't get too many messages so I don't check it that often, especially when I'm with the only people who ever text me. So I'm kind of surprised to see three unread messages scroll across the top on my phone.

Hello Swan

Are we still on for calculus tomorrow?

I don't think I ever thanked you for lunch. You didn't really have to pay for me. Let me make it up to you sometime?

Killian. I smile, tapping out a reply.

Hello Killian. Calc session is definitely on.

Silence makes me glance up at Dave and M&M. They're both watching me. "Yes?"

"Who are you texting? We're both here." David laughs.

Mary Margaret touches his arm, giving him an excited look, "Emma has a new friend." She sounds like a proud mom. I roll my eyes as my brother gasps overzealously, putting a hand over his heart.

"I never thought I'd see the day! Should we set up a play date?" They dissolve into laughter.

"Ha ha, you're both hilarious," I grumble, surprising a grin. Sometimes they act more like embarrassing parents than my friend and brother.

Bzzz bzzz

I try to check the message sneakily. I don't think I'm fooling them.

Perfect, we just started a new unit. I'm hopelessly lost.

"But how did you meet someone new?! You've avoided people your whole life. If M&M hadn't had cookies, I don't think you'd be her friend now." David thinks he's so funny.

Bzzz bzzz

Is that a no for dinner then?

I debate for a few seconds, finger hovering over the keyboard.

When?

Bzzz bzzz

Are you free now?

They're still laughing at my expense when I stand up, cuffing David on the shoulder playfully. "If you two are just going to make fun of me, maybe I'll just go hang out with my new friend."

He quiets down, "seriously, who is it?"

Yeah dinner sounds great. I'm starving

"Killian." I look back at him over my phone.

David's eyes widen, "Jones?" I nod. "Emma," he starts carefully, "I like Killian but are you sure it's only friendship he's after?"

Of course he'd jump there. "That's not a concern, Dave. I don't date, you know that."

He frowns, "neither does Killian."

"He's just a friend. I swear." I shrug on my red jacket, phone tight in my hand waiting for his reply. "I'll see you guys later, okay?" I'm halfway to the door already.

"Wait," M&M calls, "you're coming to the Halloween party on Saturday right?"

"Yup, I'll be there." I'm actually looking forward to it too. Weird.

Bzzz bzzz

Wonderful. Rogers in 15?

A/n WOW thanks guys! I was feeling like no one wanted to read this but in the past few days my views and followers have literally doubled. Makes me excited for this again. I promise, I have lots of chapters I want to write. Hope you all enjoy my little show Easter eggs