Thanks everyone for the reviews! Please note that I continue not to own Once Upon a Time or its characters, and I make no money from this story. Please don't sue me.
Chapter 2: Playing with Fire
The first day of school dawns bright and early, especially because Mary Margaret wants to be in her classroom by 7:15. Emma supposes she could get to school on her own, but she'd have to either steal a bike or leave at the exact same time to complete the long walk by 8:00. Anyway, she's not going to refuse freshly-made hot breakfast and cocoa - in previous foster homes, she'd mainly subsisted on cereal.
She has math first period, so she ends up hanging out in Mary Margaret's classroom, dozing and listening to music and watching her foster mom refill the bird feeders.
At 7:45, the next student walks in. It's Regina Mills. Mary Margaret immediately tenses, but she forces herself to smile warmly and say, "Good morning, Regina." Without her mother to remind her of her manners, Regina only nods curtly at the teacher before looking for a seat.
She ends up sitting next to Emma, though she doesn't acknowledge the other girl's presence at all. It's the perfect position: one of the middle rows, in neither the "Teacher's Pet" nor the "Slacker" zone, on the side nearest to the door.
The brunette immediately puts on a pair of glasses and opens Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, and Emma raises an eyebrow. It's a bit thicker than what she typically reads in her spare time.
"Just some light morning reading?" she teases.
Regina looks up sharply from the book. Her glasses slip a bit down the bridge of her nose with the sudden movement, and her dark brown eyes bore into Emma, who would be intimidated if she didn't find it so hot.
"It's for AP History. I like to get ahead," she explains matter-of-factly. "Kindly don't disturb me."
Mary Margaret, who's been sorting through papers on her desk, shoots a worried glance their way, but Emma only shrugs. Regina returns to her book, and Emma takes the opportunity to study her new seatmate without being noticed. The brunette is dressed fairly simply, in jeans and a black v-neck, but her clothes look new and expensive and fit her perfectly. Her long, dark hair is pulled back in a braid, exposing the tan skin of her neck. She chews on her lower lip when she's concentrating, and Emma finds it so unbelievably sexy that she suddenly feels the urge to bring her own lips and teeth into the mix and -
Whoa, calm down, Swan. It's only 7:50 in the morning and you barely know her.
The other students slowly start to file in. Ruby's in the class; she arrives dressed in her running clothes and greets both Mary Margaret and Emma with way too much energy for first period. Mulan comes in next, followed by a boy and girl who Mary Margaret addresses as Phillip and Aurora. Then there are a bunch of boys: August, Killian, Neal...Emma can't keep them all straight.
The bell finally rings, and Mary Margaret makes everyone go around the room and introduce themselves and talk about what they did over the summer like it's kindergarten instead of high school, but all the students except Regina seem really into it. Everyone in the class is a junior or senior except one tiny freshman boy named Henry who is apparently some kind of certified genius. Then Mary Margaret quickly goes over the syllabus and they review how to draw graphs using different types of coordinates. Emma vaguely remembers learning all of this once, but it's Monday morning and her brain is still stuck in summer vacation mode.
Mary Margaret divides the class into groups and assigns them some problems from the textbook. Emma finds herself working with Regina and Henry and thanks her non-existent fairy godmother, because they seem to be the two best students in the class.
"Okay, so on number two, I think we need to change the equation to polar bear coordinates," she offers.
Henry starts snickering. "Polar bear coordinates?" Emma blushes.
"It's, uhhh...a memory trick? 'Cause polar bears live in the North Pole, and the world is round, and polar coordinates..."
Henry just shakes his head and laughs harder. Even Regina grins. It's the first time Emma has seen the brunette's smile, and she doesn't even mind that it's at her expense because it's the most beautiful thing she's ever laid eyes on.
"Okay, let's get back to number two," Regina orders, and the trio makes fast work of the assignment, finishing before any of the other groups.
"I like working with you guys," Henry says after they hand in their paper to Mary Margaret. "I thought being in a class with older kids would be scary, but so far it's pretty fun."
"Well, we've got your back, kid," Emma quickly declares. "Let us know if anyone gives you any trouble." Next to her, Regina nods and offers the young boy a friendly smile that seems to be reserved for very few people.
From Miss Blanchard's class, Emma makes her way to English with Miss French. Once again, she finds herself seated next to Regina Mills. The brunette has almost finished highlighting and annotating the entire syllabus even though their teacher hasn't said a word yet.
"Hey," Emma whispers.
Regina looks startled at first, then slightly annoyed. "Hey."
"Seems like we have a lot of classes together," Emma says, trying hard to sound friendly and casual and not like she wants to start making out in the middle of English. Regina wordlessly extends her hand, but Emma only stares at it, confused.
"Your schedule," Regina hisses impatiently. Emma quickly fumbles through her backpack to find the sheet of paper, embarrassed to see that it's already wrinkled. Regina's schedule is in pristine condition and meticulously color-coded.
"Only Math and English...oh, and then we have P.E. with Locksley sixth period." Her eyes widen a bit as she goes down the list. "You're in Gold's class, too?"
"So it seems."
"You can do magic?" Regina asks, sounding almost interested.
"I have no idea. I just found out magic was supposed to be real last week, haven't even thought about actually doing it. It's kind of a lot to take in."
Regina narrows her eyes. "What do you mean you just found out - never mind, Miss French is about to start."
Emma groans in confusion as the young, energetic English teacher begins telling them about the semester's reading list like she's never spoken of something more exciting.
The rest of the day passes in a blur. It's mostly just class after class of going over rules and syllabi and getting dismissed early. Besides Miss Blanchard, the only teacher who appears to have an actual lesson planned for the first day is Mr. Locksley, and that lesson is archery.
Emma is put in a group with Mulan, Graham, and Regina, and given next to no guidance. She barely nicks the target once, but she managed to cut several of her fingers. Mulan and Graham, on the other hand, hit the bulls-eye every time. Regina's not quite as good, but at least her arrows are consistently on the target.
"You'll pick it up," Graham reassures her. "We all had Locksley for P.E. last year. It's pretty much archery every day."
"Or running," Mulan adds before unleashing two arrows at the same time. Both come within an inch of the bulls-eye.
"If you don't pick it up, you might have come after school for extra help," Regina mutters.
"Extra help in archery?"
"Locksley's very serious about archery," Mulan explains gravely.
"I think he's serious about Mills's ass in her gym shorts. I know I am."
"Stop being creepy, Graham, or I will shoot this arrow in your face." Graham raises his hands in surrender, but Emma can't help but join him in checking out Regina's backside as she squares off to face the target. She is possibly the only girl who can make their industrial-strength cotton P.E. uniform look sexy.
After class, Regina is already waiting for Emma when she leaves the locker room, although the blonde was certain she had been the first one out. "You might need some help finding Gold's room," she offers by way of explanation. Without another word, she takes off down the hall, and Emma gathers that she's supposed to follow.
Room 7 is not a classroom but an annex off Gold's office. There are four workstations facing a pedestal in the center, where she assumes their enigmatic teacher will stand. He has not arrived yet, but the two other students are already at their desks. There's a small, blonde freshman who looks nervous as hell, and Zelena.
Who else? Emma thinks bitterly.
"Emma, nice to see you again," the senior says sweetly. "How was your first day?" Emma just shrugs, and Zelena's expression turns to a sneer as she acknowledges the other new arrival. "Regina, you're looking...well, I suppose. It seems your mother finally got you to accept that black is a slimming color."
"Hello, Zelena."
"I'm surprised you're still in this class," Zelena continues. "You seemed to have quite a struggle with it last year. I don't think anyone would have blamed you for dropping out."
"Well, here I am," Regina mutters. She looks down, but not before Emma sees the barely concealed rage and pain in her eyes.
"Sorry, I didn't get your name," Emma says to the fourth girl, who is looking more and more horrified by the second.
"Tinkerbell," the girl responds quietly, and Emma has to work very hard to bite back a giggle. She'd thought her parents were terrible for abandoning her, but at least she wasn't named that.
Gold finally enters, putting an end to their conversation. "Sorry I'm late," he apologizes, not looking sorry at all. Zelena says something simpering and obsequious that Emma ignores so she doesn't have to suppress the urge to vomit.
"Because we have two new students, we're going to go over our basics today. I'm sure our two veterans could also benefit from some review. I will then perform an assessment of your abilities. Starting next class, you'll all be working separately on projects I've assigned you."
The four girls nod in understanding, Emma slightly more dubiously than the others. This entire class would be an exercise in suspension of disbelief.
"Excellent. Now, let's start with the limitations of magic. Regina, would you care to explain."
"There are three laws of magic," Regina recites. Her voice is calm, but under her desk, her hands are shaking. "You can't make someone fall in love, you can't bring back the dead, and you can't turn back time."
These are all things I already knew I couldn't do, Emma thinks irritably.
"Correct. Very good, Regina. Now, Zelena, can you briefly describe how a practitioner controls their magic?"
"Magic is controlled by emotion, strong emotion," Zelena confidently explains, with a sweet smile at their teacher. "You simply channel that emotion into willing what you want to be done."
"Also correct. Now, there is one small caveat. Reg-"
"Magic always comes with a price," Zelena blurts out before Gold can call on Regina.
"Indeed, and the more powerful the magic, the steeper the price," their teacher adds cryptically. Emma wonders if the people in this class are aware of how insane they sound.
It doesn't take long for Gold to assess the other students. Regina and Zelena were in this class before, and Tink apparently had some formal magic training in the past and is quite confident in her abilities. He quickly sets the three of them to work, something about transfiguring things into other things that sounds like an exercise out of Harry Potter, and focuses all of his attention on his least experienced student.
"Your task is simple, Miss Swan. Light the candle." He conjures a candle out of thin air and places it on her desk. She simply stares at him. Yes, she's seen her classmates performing magic for the last ten minutes, but she's fairly certain she's hallucinating.
"Where are the matches?" she asks sarcastically.
"Access your emotion, and will the candle to light."
Emma stares at the candle for five minutes, but nothing happens.
"Remember that moment that made you feel angry, and really give into it," he coaches.
Suddenly, she hears Zelena remark that Regina made no progress over the summer and perhaps she just enjoys looking pathetic, and before Emma even knows what's happening there's a strong yellow flame developing on the candle wick.
"Well done, Miss Swan. It takes many students several days to master their first spell."
"Only if they're lazy cows," Zelena whispers. Out of the corner of her eye, Emma sees the older girl smirk at Regina and nudge her with her elbow. Regina loses her concentration, and the teacup she's been transfiguring shatters all over the floor.
In an instant, Zelena's entire desk is on fire. She and Tink both shriek and Emma stares, dumbfounded. Gold calmly conjures a bucket of water and puts out the fire without batting an eye.
"Class dismissed," he says nonchalantly. "Do be careful, Miss Swan."
Did I do that? Emma wonders. She turns to ask Regina if she saw what happened, but the brunette is already hurrying down the hallway, head bowed. Emma feels her heart clench as she sees the other girl swipe a hand across her cheek.
xx
When the day is finished, Emma drops by her foster mother's classroom to see about getting a ride home. She sees Mary Margaret standing by the window, a blue jay perched on her finger. The bird is chirping quite animatedly, and Mary Margaret is nodding in apparent understanding.
"Um, hi," Emma says awkwardly, and the bird quickly flutters away.
"Emma! How was your first day?" the pixie-haired woman asks, gesturing to the one of the chairs beside her desk. "Come tell me about it."
Are we just going to pretend that didn't happen? Emma thinks, but out loud she only says, "It was fine."
"How was Gold's class? You seemed a little worried about it."
"It was...fine, I guess. I'm still adjusting to the fact that magic exists, let alone that I'm supposed to do it."
"That's definitely a lot to take in. Was Mr. Gold okay? I know he can be a little intimidating."
"Mr. Gold is interesting. Nothing I can't handle." Emma debates: should she say it? Are she and Mary Margaret at that stage yet? Only one way to find out. "The biggest problem is that one of my classmates is a huge bitch," she finally admits.
Mary Margaret smiles sadly. "Oh, Emma. I'm sorry. Regina's not -"
"I wasn't talking about Regina."
"Oh." Mary Margaret looks surprised. "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"
"Yes, I'm okay, but no, it's not really my story to talk about."
Mary Margaret looks like she wants to press the issue, but she only nods and smiles. "I'll be ready to go in five," she says. "Granny's tonight to celebrate a successful first day?"
"Do we really need a special occasion for burgers?"