Chapter 18
Emma scribbled out another line in frustration. Her brain felt like mush, maybe she needed a break, she thought, sighing. She glanced up at the clock; she hadn't realised it had gotten so late, the library was due to close in ten minutes, anyway. She was kind of relieved for a good excuse to stop studying, as she began to pack her bag.
Regina must still be marking, she thought, so she trudged slowly to her classroom, allowing her girlfriend as much time as possible to keep marking. It sucked when she had to bring that stuff home, though at the moment at least it encouraged Emma to do her homework too.
"Hey," she knocked on the door lightly.
"Hello, dear," Regina smiled as she looked up to see the blonde, "Is it that time already?" she sighed as she removed her glasses, much to Emma's dismay.
"Yup," Emma nodded, "I think we're becoming workaholics. I don't think it's healthy, personally."
Regina chuckled, "Oh? Do you think there's some kind of remedy?"
Emma pondered for a moment, "Hm, I think take away and a movie may ease things a little," she tried.
Regina rolled her eyes, "All this takeaway, dear…"
"Oh, come on. Do you really feel like cooking?" Emma raised her eyebrows.
The brunette yawned, "No, I don't. Fine, but we're ordering salad," she said sternly.
"Psh, what's the use of take away if it's healthy?" Emma retorted.
Regina gave her a look and that was enough to make the blonde give in.
"Fine, fine. Whatever you say," she muttered.
"That's exactly right, my dear," Regina smiled as she packed up her belongings and led the student out of the school.
"Not so bad, is it?" Regina nudged the teenager gently as they sat on the couch, eating salad from take away containers.
Emma shrugged, "It's okay," she sighed.
"Hmm, how are you going with your essays dear?" Regina decided to change the subject.
Emma yawned, "Okay, I guess. I mean, I've got more than I thought I would have done by now done, so that's good," she screwed up her eyes, "But, I know what I'm like. I can power on really hard for a week or two, and then it's like my brain stops working and I can't find the motivation for anything," she shrugged.
Regina nodded, "That's okay, sweetheart. It's okay to take a break from time to time, and I'll help you get into a routine."
Emma smiled, "Thanks. You're sweet."
Regina placed a hand on the side of the teenagers neck and kissed her on the cheek, "And you will help keep me motivated to get through all this marking. And even more when exams come around," she groaned.
"More?" Emma asked incredulously, "More than lately?"
Regina smiled gently, "Yes, more. I don't know why I agree to mark exams," she sighed.
"Because you're considerate," Emma said confidently.
Regina blushed, "Perhaps," she said sheepishly, "Now, your turn to pick the movie, what are you going to subject me to tonight?"
Emma giggled, "Yes! I know exactly what we're going to watch," she dug through her dvd's until settling on one and holding it up proudly.
Regina raised her eyebrows, "Really? More Hitchcock? The birds…this is a scary one, isn't it?"
Emma rolled her eyes, "Yes, it's a thriller. But it's okay, if you get scared, I'll hold you nice and tight," she grinned.
Regina bit her lip, "Well, in that case, why don't you turn it on?"
"Oh my goodness, I will never look at birds the same way again," Regina shivered as the screen went blank, but revelled in the feel of Emma's hand in her hair.
Emma smiled, "t's amazing though, right? They don't make them like that anymore."
Regina rolled her eyes, "I thought I was the old one in this relationship."
Emma rolled her eyes right back, "You're not old, baby. You're…wise," she chuckled.
Regina glared up at her for a moment but couldn't help smiling, "I like it when you call me baby," she mumbled.
Emma blushed, "Really?"
Regina bit her lip and nodded, "Yes, it's nice. And kind of sexy."
Emma giggled nervously, "Cool," she mumbled, still running her hand through brunette hair.
"Em, slow down!"
Emma turned around to see her best friend catch up to her breathlessly, she pulled out her earphones, grinning sheepishly.
"Sorry, I mustn't have heard you," she apologised before giving her friend a hug.
"Yeah, yeah," Belle shook her head, "You look tired, Swan, are you sleeping?" she looked concerned.
Emma shrugged, "I might have pushed myself too hard lately," she admitted, "I think I'm starting to crash, I can barely keep my eyes open."
Belle nodded, "Give yourself a break, Em. I've got a spare now, why don't you come back to mine?"
Emma yawned, "Hm, you don't usually have a spare sixth? Anyway, I'm meant to meet Regina after school, but I guess she does have all that marking to do…"
"Come on, we'll watch a movie or something," Belle persisted.
"Are your folks home?" Emma asked warily.
Belle sighed, "Mom might be," she shrugged, "Don't worry about it, Em. They know you're my best friend, and they know I wouldn't be friends with someone who wasn't amazing."
Emma rolled her eyes, "Okay, I'll come. But hey, do you think you can read over my essay for Miss Blanchard? It's on Catcher in the rye."
Belle's eyes lit up, "Really? Yes! Show me!" she stopped and looked at Emma expectantly.
Emma laughed, "At your place? Jeez, so excited to read an essay," she teased, nudging her friend gently.
"Okay, okay," Belle blushed and kept walking.
Belle's house was only five minutes from the school but boy, was Emma ready to lay down as they walked through the front door.
"Hello? Mom, are you home?" Belle called into the house as she closed the front door.
"Hello, Belle, how was school?" her mom called back from the kitchen.
Emma groaned internally; she'd really been hoping Belle's parents wouldn't be home.
"It was fine, Emma's here," Belle led the way to the kitchen.
"Hello, Mrs French," Emma said politely as they reached the kitchen.
Belle's mother smiled politely, "Hello, Emma, it's been a while."
Emma nodded, "It has."
"Are you still at school?" she asked, somewhat patronisingly.
"Yes, I am," Emma simply replied.
"And doing well?" she continued.
Belle rolled her eyes, "Mom, please. She's doing fine, don't give her the third degree."
Belle's mom shrugged wordlessly as she left the room.
Belle felt guilty as her friend look uncomfortable, "Sorry, Em. It's just the way she is," she shrugged, "You want a soda?"
Emma nodded, "Yeah, thanks," she took the drink Belle offered and followed her to her bedroom, collapsing on the bed on her back, "Mm, your matress is so soft," she said sleepily.
Belle giggled at her sleepy friend, "Get some sleep if you want. I'll wake you in a bit."
Emma nodded and pulled the covers around her as she closed her eyes, she'd never felt so comfortable in her life, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.
"I just don't know why you're still hanging around with her," Belle's mother said in exasperation.
"Mom, she's my best friend. I don't know why you have to be so rude to her."
"She's a bad influence, honey, but you're young… you don't see it."
"Mom, she's not a bad influence. I'm not some kid who does everything her friends do, you know that. I think for myself. Besides, she doesn't even do anything bad, anyway."
Her mom raised her eyebrows skeptically, "Smoking, Belle? Drinking. I bet she's done drug and so help me, Belle, if you have –"
"Mom! She doesn't do drugs and she hasn't smoked since we were juniors and you know she's sober," Belle replied defensively.
"And what about this…gay thing? You were never …that way inclined before she came along."
Belle's anger flared up, "Mom, I was eight when she came along, I probably wasn't any way inclined. Emma didn't make me gay, it doesn't work like that. Now whose naïve?"
"Belle French, don't you speak to me in that tone of voice," her mother said, "I will be glad when you escape that girl's influence to Columbia."
"Mom, I'm not going," Belle blurted out in rage, "I'm doing a few units online first semester and staying here."
Her mom was shocked, "No, you are not. You are getting out of this town and making something of yourself, you didn't study so hard to stay in this dead-end – "
"Fuck, mom," she swore uncharacteristically, "I like Storybrooke. It's my home. You might hate it and want to escape it, but that's not me. I will go to Columbia one day, but not next year. I'm staying here. It's not an argument, it's my choice."
"It is your choice," her mom replied, "But you will not live under this roof and waste your potential."
The words were like a slap, "You'd…kick me out?" she stuttered.
"We have always said we would pay for you to rent somewhere near Columbia…" her mom shrugged, "That is where you are meant to be."
Belle's eyes shone with tears and she blinked rapidly. Not being able to find a response to her mother's harsh words, she turned on heel and slammed the front door on her way out.
"You're not tired, dear?" Regina glanced at the clock; it was nearing ten pm, not too far off their usual bed time.
Emma shook her head, "Not really. I slept at Belle's a while," she shrugged.
Regina nodded, pausing her marking to leave the dining table and sit next to the blonde on the couch. She hesitated, but she knew she had to be honest with the teenager, "I should tell you something. I should have told you yesterday, in fact."
Emma felt her body tense up, what could be making the brunette so nervous?
"What is it?" she asked apprehensively.
Regina bit her lip a moment before sighing, "Mary Margaret…Miss Blanchard saw us the other day…embracing. She asked me yesterday if it was something more than just me being kind to you," she ignored as Emma swore under her breath, "But it's okay. I convinced her it was innocent, just that I was mentoring you and you were upset, so I was comforting you."
Emma took a deep breath, "Did she believe you?"
Regina nodded, "Yes, she did. It's okay, dear," she placed a hand on the young girl's cheek, noting the guilt in her green eyes, "It's okay. We're okay."
Emma chewed her cheek roughly, "Should we… I mean, if it would be easier – "
"Sweetheart, it would not be easier," Regina stated firmly, knowing what the teenager was going to suggest, "I promise you, this, us, is what I want."
Emma smiled, a little reassured, "Me too," she murmured, curling her legs up under her and resting her head on the brunette's stomach.
Belle tapped on the window lightly to get her friends attention.
Ruby turned from her computer screen and spotted Belle at her window, she frowned and walked over to her, lifting the window to allow the smaller girl in.
"Belle, hey, have you been crying? Are you okay?" Ruby noted the tear streaks on Belle's cheeks.
Belle looked at her friend, sniffing, "Is it okay that I'm here? I'd go to Emma's, but I know how she'd react and she'd think it was her fault and – "
"Whoa, Belle, slow down," Ruby put her hands on her friend's shoulders, "It's alright you're here. I'm your friend, friend's help each other out where they're upset," she smiled at Belle, trying to assure her, "Tell me what happened. Something with Emma?"
Belle shook her head, "No, not with her. With my mom…" she paused, sighing as she sat down on the edge of the bed, "We had this big fight. It started out about Emma, you know, she doesn't like her at all and she was going on about her being a bad influence and even said Emma turned me gay," her cheeks flushed.
Ruby snorted, "Are you serious? It doesn't really work like that," she rolled her eyes.
"I know," Belle shook her head, "Anyway, then we got onto the subject of me 'escaping to Columbia'," she rolled her eyes, "and I told her I wasn't moving up there next year, about the online units…" she trailed off.
Ruby nodded, "Didn't go down so well, huh?" she said gently.
Belle shook her head, "She said… if I wasn't going to Columbia next year, I couldn't live with them."
Ruby's eyes widened before they creased, "Your mom said that?" she asked dumbly, but she was just as shocked as Belle had been.
Belle nodded sadly.
"You know your dad won't let her kick you out, Belle? He'd never agree to that… "
Belle shrugged, "I don't want to be in a house where my own mother doesn't want me, Rubes."
Ruby nodded; of course she could see where her friend was coming from, "Yeah… Well, maybe just let her calm down and see if she changes her tune. You probably shocked her, Belle, I mean it is a big deal you're not going to Columbia. It's been the plan for so long."
Belle felt her defences go up, "I'm enrolling, though, it's not like – "
"I know," Ruby placed a calming hand on her friends knee, squeezing it gently before removing it, "I get it, Belle."
Belle nodded, "Rubes, do you think I can stay here tonight?" she asked quietly.
"Of course you can," Ruby said quickly, putting her arms around her friend.
"Hey, Em," Ruby jogged up to her friend, noting her stony appearance and looked to where her friend's glare was directed, "Whoa."
Emma stared at her locker; the words 'go to hell', sinner scrawled across it in permanent marker, "I'm gonna punch her so hard she'll – "
"Who?" Ruby frowned.
Emma broke her glare from her locker to look at her friend, "Brooke. We had this fight in class the other day," she explained, clenching her fists.
Ruby nodded, "Brooke's a fanatic, everyone knows that. Don't worry about it," she sighed with relief as Belle approached them; she was way better at dealing with Emma when she was like this.
"Hey, guys, what's up?" she asked lightly, before frowning as she noted the tense look on Ruby's face.
Emma slammed her locker shut for Belle to see, watching her eyes widen.
"Ugh, Em, just ignore it," she moved closer to the blonde, placing a hand on her arm, "It's not worth it."
Emma looked at the brunette, "I'm just meant to let her say whatever the fuck she wants to say about me?"
Belle bit her tongue for a second, "Em, her opinion doesn't matter. She doesn't matter."
The blonde was still shaking as she took a deep breath, "I know," she agreed, "It just pisses me off," she mumbled.
Belle nodded, "I know, but she's probably trying to bait you, Em. She knows which buttons to press, she wants you to react."
Emma lent her head against the lockers and nodded, "You're right," she muttered and paused as the bell rang, "At least I have Spanish," she smiled sheepishly.
Ruby rolled her eyes, "Keep it in your pants, Em," she teased.
Emma sighed dramatically, "Ugh, I have to in school, don't I? Do you have any idea how hard it is not to jump her when she's standing up there speaking that damn language?"
Ruby burst out laughing, "I bet," she snickered.
Belle blushed at hearing her best friend speak so crassly, "Em," she whined, "Jeez."
Emma chuckled, "Sorry," she mumbled, "Anyway, we have to be extra careful now," she said as the three started walking to their classes in separate directions. She explained what had happened with Miss Blanchard before parting way with her friends to make her way to her Spanish class.
Emma looked around the almost empty classroom before looking up at the clock; things had clearly changed, she thought, since when was she five minutes early? She put her earphone's in and rested her head on the desk.
She felt her earphones pulled out of her ears and looked up to see a smirking Brooke standing in front of her desk.
"Bought your ticket yet?" she asked.
Emma stood up, "What the fuck is your problem?" she growled.
"People like you," Brooke retorted.
"Why the hell does what I do with my life effect you?" Emma asked, aware of the eyes of a few students on them.
"Because people like you poison the world," Brooke stated, "People like you are clearly mistakes. You know why you have mental issues, don't you? It's God's way of trying to fix his mistakes."
Emma's brow furrowed, "What the fuck does that even mean?"
"It means that you were meant to kill yourself, and yeah, maybe something happened and you survived, but He'll get rid of you somehow. The easiest way is to make you do it yourself, so why don't you do the world a favour and – "
Emma's fist smashed into the other girls mouth, splitting her lip open.