A/N: Sorry this has taken so long to be put up. I have been extremely busy and had writer's block for a bit. Thank you for your support with this story!

*All mistakes are my own (I didn't proofread whoops).

Hi, Emma. This is Regina Mills. I wanted to let you know that I have completed parts 1A and 1B of our project. I know our usual meetup will be Tuesdays but I was wondering if you'd like to get ahead on the project this weekend?

Emma didn't want to admit it but when she saw that it was from Regina her heart began to race. She rolled her eyes and feigned annoyance even though no one was there to see her. The only person she was trying to convince that she didn't care about the brunette was herself. She hesitated for a few more minutes before responding.

You're treat? I like pizza. And beer. But you already know that. I'm free Sunday. Does that work for you?

The blonde unconsciously let out a smile as she put her phone back in her pocket. A new text didn't come from Regina until she made it to her class.

Yes, it does work. And of course, my treat. I'll see you at 1pm? Just let me know where you'd like to meet.

In her mind, she swears that she was not flirting with Regina. It was just a playful banter.

Alright, your majesty. I'll tell you where to meet your knight in shining armor later. ;)

Class started and Emma was surprisingly excited for Sunday to come.

Chapter Four

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Emma's sudden outburst made Regina jump and drop her fork on her plate.

"Emma, what in the world are you talking about?"

The blonde looked at her in disbelief. "Have you ever had a chicken wing before?"

"Of course I have. What are you getting at?"

"You're eating it with a fork."

Regina cocked her head to the side and shot Emma a glare. "Is there something wrong with attempting to not make a mess while I eat?"

Emma stared at the brunette for a minute before grabbing a chicken wing and sloppily digging into it. In a matter of mere seconds she managed to get sauce all over her mouth and her hands. She chewed with her mouth open and presented herself as ungraceful as possible.

"See? Not so bad. Tastes better this way too," Emma proclaimed with a mouth full of food.

Regina's mouth was agape before she quickly gathered her bearings. "I hardly believe that it can taste any different whether you eat it from a utensil or your bare hands." She picked her fork back up and delicately took a bite. "Also, you're disgusting."

The other woman smiled wide as she continued to eat and watch Regina. "Yeah, but you like it."

The brunette shot her a warning glare before smirking at her plate, hoping that Emma wouldn't catch it.

A few minutes passed while the two women ate their pizza and wings in a comfortable silence.

Emma took a big swig of her beer before deciding to speak. "Thanks for suggesting this, Regina. This food is great."

Regina hesitated for a minute before speaking quietly. "The company's not so bad either."

The flirtatious remark made Emma blush, something she was not expecting to happen. All she managed to do in return was force out a chuckle and mumble, "Yeah,".

They continued to get to know each other better as they finished their lunch. it was surprisingly easy for them to keep a happy conversation going; especially considering how little they had been getting along lately.

When they were done, they continued to drink some beers and work on their literature project.

"Damn, you really did get a big start on this project. Thanks." Emma marveled over the pages of notes that Regina made a few days ago.

"It's not a problem. I know that we both want to excel in this class so I did what I could to get us ahead."

'Well, it's awesome."

Emma flashed Regina a smile that the brunette hadn't seen since the night they met. It made her feel so happy because for at least that moment, they were acting like friends.

The women were so engrossed in their project that they didn't even realize how much time had passed. Emma was going on a tangent about an idea for their project while Regina listened intently. She made some notes while Emma finished talking and stole a glance at her cellphone.

"Oh my god. Emma, it's 7:30."

Emma's eyes widened. "Holy shit! We've been here since like noon!"

The brunette smiled, "I guess time flies by when you're working ahead and having fun,".

"I guess so," the blonde laughed.

"We should probably get going before they kick us out."

They packed up their things and headed out the door after paying their bill.

"You really didn't have to pay for all of that, Regina. When I said 'your treat' I was only joking."

"I know but I wanted to. So don't' worry about it," Regina reassured her.

Emma shuffled her feet back and forth, not wanting their day together to end.

"I could treat us to some coffee if you'd like. I mean, you know, if you don't have any other plans or anything. As long as you're not sick of me yet."

Regina let out a sweet laugh. "That would be lovely, thank you."

They walked in a slightly awkward silence to a nearby coffee shop. Both women wanted to say something but had to idea what to talk about.

Emma could feel her heart pounding but she wasn't quite sure why. Of course she was attracted to the brunette but she had been burned once by her. Emma swore to herself that once someone screwed her over, she would walk away and never look back. She attempted to reason with herself internally. They were just partners on a class project together, right? Maybe even friends (almost) but that was definitely it. So why was Emma suddenly so nervous and not wanting the night to end?

The blonde pushed her thoughts away and just enjoyed the rest of their evening together.

After another two hours at the coffee shop, they finally decided that it was time to head home. Their goodbye was only mildly awkward; to which Regina ended it with a handshake.

Regina lay down in her bed and couldn't help but smile as she reflected on her day. She thought to herself that it seemed as though she was starting to complete her mission of getting Emma to be her friend.

It suddenly dawned on the brunette that she had not indulged in a single glance at her timer since the day started. It made her feel free for once in the past few years. She tried to convince herself that it was all the homework that had her distracted. However, deep down she really knew it was Emma that kept her distracted.