It's been only been two weeks since the engagement, and Mary Margret had the girls busy on the weekends and free days in between classes and homework to help her plan, organize, and call venues for the big day. The wedding would be in 6 months, right after graduation. Being that the semester exams were next week, Mary Margret tried her best to keep it easy on the girls, but being the over-eager beaver she is, she couldn't resist visiting every bridal shop they "happen to pass by". It was Thursday again, and the girls were at Mary Margret and Ruby's.
"So it's official, right?" Emma interrupted Regina as she talked about how Robin took her out for ice cream and then practically kicked Killian out of the dorm so they could "sleep".
"Actually... no? Yes?" Regina paused thinking and confused. She puts her hand on her hip, "I haven't even thought about that. It has all been so great, feels so right, I have forgotten all about the 'title' and I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean?"
"Oh, Regina, it's love!" Mary Margret exhales out smiling. "I think you love him and he loves you, I'm sure of it!"
"Mary, no. it's way too soon to know if it's love. Way too soon right?" Regina asked looking at the other two girls.
"Hell yeah it is, you guys don't even know if you are official, how do you know if you guys are in love?" Emma laughed out after a big chug of her beer.
"I don't know, they seem too attached to be anything but in love." taking a handful of chips out of the bag, throwing them in her mouth while still talking. "I wouldn't be surprised if he tells you tomorrow."
"True love always knows and finds you one way or another. It doesn't wait a certain amount of time to be felt." Mary Margret said shaking her head at Emma, partly disappointed that her friend was so against the entire idea of 'true love'.
Emma always believed in love; love from family, friends, boyfriend or girlfriend, but true love? The true love that can never be broken and is 100% pure and true from both sides? No. The world was too screwed up. Of course, the girls never knew all this. They knew that Emma didn't like to open up so easily and love people, because she didn't want to get hurt, but they never knew how uneasy the thought of loving was. Her break up with Walsh did hurt her like crazy. She hated the fact that she was stupid enough to love someone, knowing that true love was shit. She needed a drink with the whole thought of all this.
"Whatever, I am just happy you two are so happy together." Ruby blurted out when she felt the air was not so positive. Realizing she ate up all the doritos, she got up and made her way to the kitchen.
"Okay, I can't hold it anymore, I have to pee." Mary Margret said standing up and realizing the drinks did not agree with her bladder and walked down the hall to the restroom.
"So Emma, did you hear who's back in Boston?" Ruby returned to the couch with a new bag of chips, this time she chose cheeto puffs.
"No Ruby, I do not pay attention to gossip, unlike you." Emma laughed responding to her friend.
"Well, I just though you would be interested. Mr. Gold's son. Neal." Ruby said as she continued the gossip, knowing Emma would want to know.
And she did. Emma shot up from her comfortable position laying on the floor, "Neal? As in from senior year in high school Neal? As in the NealGold?" She swore her heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. Could he really be back? Why would he be back?
"I'm sorry, who? Should I know who this guy is?" Regina couldn't catch up to the conversation even if she tried. "Where has he been and why don't I know him?"
"Right, sorry." Emma snapped out of the thought of Neal being back home.
"Neal is Emma's ex boyfriend from high school who she was totally in love with until he moved to Tennessee or something." Ruby said proudly knowing that she hooked Emma's attention.
"It was Tallahassee." Emma said defensively. "And I was not in love with him. It was high school."
"Oh please Emma, I don't even know the guy and I saw how you lit up and froze when you heard he's back." Emma turned to Regina who was grinning down at her after her scrappy comment.
Mary Margret walked into the room, but nobody batted an eye. "Okay whats up?" She looked at the girls and right away noticed Emma's dazed expression. "Oh Gosh. You told her?!"
"You knew?!"Emma stood up, even more stunned then before. "How could you not have told me?"
"We were going to tell you tonight, I just found out this morning from my mom and Ruby and I were in the kitchen when she told me. Mom saw him moving boxes into his dad's house and that's how she knew." Mary Margret decided she owed Emma an explanation and wanted to tell her everything.
"So he's really back." Emma sat back down with her mouth open. "wow."
It was finally Saturday morning and Emma was out of bed by nine am. She was focused on studying and didn't have much time to cram since her she had two classes on Monday, one Tuesday night and her last one on Wednesday afternoon. She was in the kitchen drinking hot cocoa rereading chapters from her text book when she heard Regina get up. She looked up as her room mate walked out of the hall and into the kitchen to grab cereal and went back to her studying with a bright yet still sleepy, "good morning."
"Ugh" Regina had stayed out late the night before with Robin and was so hung over, she could barely look up. "I feel like shit."
"You don't really look any better either. You look like you drank out a whole bar."
"I -I really don't remember, but that feels about right. I don't even remember getting home."
"Ah, that I could help you with ." Emma set her book down yo take a break and talk to her friend. "Well I heard a knocking at the door around two am and knew it wasn't Mary Margret or Ruby 'cause they have keys to our place, and I knew it wasn't anyone for me, well, 'cause I'm single, so I got my bat and went to open it. And there is Robin holding you up while you murmur something about nachos and wanting to ride a pony? He was kind enough to carry you into bed, and helped me change you into something more comfortable. He told me you ordered one shot after another." Emma knew exactly what was happening. Regina would get drunk before important exams to help her relieve her stress. She claimed it help her focus more.
"Nachos? Seriously?" Regina managed to laugh at the thought of her begging for nachos while drunk. "Okay well I am going to shower and throw up and hopefully not at the same time."
"I'll run out to get some food. Call me if you need me." With that, Emma grabbed her keys and slipped on her boots and was out the door.
Emma drove down to her favorite little pancake house outside of the campus, craving some of their famous buttermilk pancakes. She ordered the usual, four pancakes and a side of bacon and ordered Regina waffles with fresh strawberries. Finally receiving her order, she heard her phone ring loudly. Unable to find her phone in her cluttered bag, she struggled holding on to the bag containing her order, and the coffee she ordered for Regina.
"Looks like you can use a hand there."
Emma's shoulders lowered as she instinctively rolled her eyes at the sound of the familiar voice. "Is that supposed to be funny?" She said turning around to see Killian. "Are you going to help me or not?"
"Well, maybe if you ask nicely, I just might." Killian bluntly replied. He was feeding off how much he annoyed her and using it to fuel his wanting to push her buttons even more.
"Sorry. Can you please lend me a wonderful helping hand?" She said with a fake smile and strong sarcasm in her tone. Killian then grabbed the coffee and bag containing the waffles and pancakes to allow her to find her phone. "Thanks."
"You are quite welcome, love. A tab bit hungry?" he said with a smirk and lifted up the plastic bag.
"Actually, breakfast run for Regina and me. She's a bit hung over from last night being at the bars with Robin." Emma said, attempting to have a decent conversation with him. After all, he's best friends with her best friends boyfriend... "What are you even doing out here away from the campus? Pretty funny place to run into you."
"Ah, yes, Robin came in last night exhausted. Your friend is quite the party animal to have tired Robin out." He smiled sweetly. She never noticed how sweet his smile was, she was always too busy being annoyed by him and rolling her eyes at his stupid comments. "And, I am huge fan of the pancakes here. They are better than the ones we get on campus."
"Yeah," Emma said smiling back, "They really are." She felt happy talking to him calmly, without arguing after every sentence. "Have you been-"
"Emma."
She was cut off and saw a light brown haired man standing in the doorway of the pancake house. "Neal." She swore she couldn't move. She was frozen and she couldn't even speak.
"Hey Em." Neal said smiling walking towards her and Killian with his hands in his pockets.
"Hey.." She finally managed to find her words. "Never thought I'd see you again. Uh, th-this is Killian, he's a friend from school."
"Hey there." Neal said, barely glancing at Killian and then focusing his attention back to Emma.
"Hi."Killian eyed the man up and down. Very rude type if you ask me. He was going to reach out to greet him with a handshake, but Neal didn't bat an eye his way to see. "Well I have to get going Emma. I'll see you around." Killian kindly handed her the bag and coffee. "Nice meeting you."
"Yeah, you too." Neal said awkwardly putting his head down.
"Wait, Killian. Aren't you getting food?" Emma said, her eyes blinking with confusion.
"Actually, I think I should go to Granny's and get something there. Finals are next week and I should hurry." He quickly turned around left the restaurant before Emma could say another word.
She, in a way, didn't want him to leave. She didn't want to be alone with Neal and have the tension that filled the air.
"Your new boyfriend?" Neal said with a chuckle trying to hide his jealousy, which he didn't do well.
"Uhm, no actually. I'm single now, Walsh, my ex, we broke up a couple of weeks ago." She felt so awkward talking about other guys to Neal. He's always been the protective jealous type, and she liked how cared for that made her feel. But now they were older, now they weren't together, now they were two separate people who just ran into each other at a pancake house. "How have you been? How was it over there?" She felt her heart sink at the thought of it all.
"Uh, yeah, it was great." Neal looked at Emma with sadness and regret in his eyes., "Look, Em, I'm really sorry about what happened. I... I shouldn't have left like that.."
"Neal." She cut him off not wanting to go back to the day she found out he had left Boston, his home, his family, when he left her. "It's okay. We were just kids. But look I got to go, my roommate is probably wondering where I am with the food, plus I have a lot of finals to study for. I'll see you around?" She smiled, genuinely hoping she would see him again. Just when she was about to walk away, she stops her.
"This is going to sound so lame, but why don't you give me your number and I will give you mine and maybe we can hang out some time?" Neal had a boyish smile, a smile Emma could never resist, so obviously agreed. With that, Neal smiled happily causing her to smile and grab her phone back. "I miss you Em."
She froze and didn't know what to say, she didn't want to admit she missed him like crazy for years after he left. All she could manage to do was smile and respond with "I'll see you Neal."