"You can do this Emma. You can do this," Emma whispered to herself as she entered the school on Monday morning. All she had to do was find Regina, which shouldn't be too hard seeing as it was a Monday, and apologize.

Emma looked carefully around the halls; they were still reasonably empty. She had asked Mary Margaret if they could go to school early, so that she could talk to Regina before school started. It had sounded clever when she came up with the idea but right now? Not so much.

She knew she had to talk to her if she would have any chance of even a friendship with the girl. But what had seemed to make sense when Mary Margaret and Graham told her was slightly more horrifying when she was standing here alone. What if Regina didn't forgive her? Or even worse, what if Regina thought she was a freak? She wasn't quite sure if she could deal with that outcome. It's one thing to be rejected by your crush; it's a whole other deal if she thinks you're a freak as well.

Why hadn't she just randomly dropped the "gay bomb" when she had talked to her before, so she at least knew what Regina felt about homosexuality? This was one of the times where Emma wished she wasn't gay. They came and went, and for the most part they went, but sometimes she knew that it would be easier if she were straight. She looked at how easy Mary Margaret seemed to have it. Her sister had everything, and Emma was somehow always left feeling like she had practically nothing.

It wasn't as if she didn't love her sister, or her father or Ruby, and she appreciated them every day because once upon a time she really did have nothing. But nothing ever came easily for her, not school, not love, certainly not trust or even friendship. She felt like she had to fight for everything, and she wished that just once she could get something without fighting for it. Just once.

Completely lost in thought, Emma didn't notice that the halls were starting to become crowded and that a certain brunette girl came around the corner, so as she walked towards the media center she walked right into Regina.

"Oof," Emma heard, and looked into the eyes of the very person she was trying to both find and avoid at the same time.

"We have to stop meeting like this," Emma laughed, then internally cringed. Really, she thought, that's my line? Nothing did come easily to her after all.

"Emma…" Regina said, almost breathless. Emma couldn't tell if it was from the crash or some other reason.

"I'm sorry," Emma blurted out- better to get it out of the way, after all.

"Don't be, I was the one who wasn't watching where I was going… again." Regina smiled at her, and Emma gained some hope that the girl didn't completely hate her.

"That wasn't what I was apologizing for…" Emma tried to smile but she could feel it fall short; she was too nervous. She had been planning her speech the whole weekend but now that the moment was here she had forgotten every single thing she planned on saying.

"Oh." Regina paused, and then looked at her watch. "Do you want to go in here?" She pointed to the media room. "Graham isn't due for another 20 minutes or so."

Emma wasn't sure if Regina wanted to have this talk out of public because she was embarrassed or scared for her reputation, or if she sensed Emma's nervousness and wanted to make it better for her. Whatever it was, Emma couldn't help but be a little grateful for it.

"Okay," she said, and followed Regina into the media room, and sat down opposite of Regina.

"I'm sorry..." Both girls started to say at the same time, and Emma's heart fluttered a little again, for no reason other than the smile on Regina's face and the way her eyes looked.

"No, I mean it," Regina said. "The way I acted. I shouldn't have just run out like that."

"I was the one who betrayed your trust," Emma said, barely above a whisper. "I shouldn't have kissed you like that." She stopped herself before she added 'you were just so beautiful.' There was no reason to throw more salt on the open wound after all. "I'm just sorry. I never should have… I am not…"

Emma struggled to find the words; despite spending the entire weekend trying to figure out what to say and how to say it and planning every possible scenario. Sitting here with Regina, all the planning just went out the window, and Emma wondered if that was something she would have to get used to, if Regina would ever agree to speak with her again, because it seemed that with Regina, there was no point in planning anything.

"Emma…" Regina said, before reaching across the table and taking Emma's hand. "Never apologize for who you are." There was something in her voice that made Emma's heart melt, like it was something so profound and excellent and life changing, despite being something she had heard probably a million times.

"I still shouldn't have kissed you, Regina." Emma said, "I just… I like you."

There, she said it. Truth is, it probably was obvious after the kiss, but at least she said it. She looked at Regina for some sort of reaction of disgust, some sort of reaction to anything really. So far, Regina had been sweet to her, talked to her and it seemed like she understood her. And it threw Emma for a loop because she had run out of her bedroom that night like she was on fire.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Emma. I should have talked to you that night instead of running out. I guess you caught me by surprise," Regina said, and she smiled a genuine smile at Emma.

"I shouldn't have done what I did either; I guess I got caught up in the moment. And I swear it will never happen again. I will walk out of this door and never talk to you again if that's what you want," Emma said, and tried to keep the heartache at bay.

But if she was completely honest with herself, even if Regina told her to walk away she wasn't sure if she regretted the kiss, because as first real kisses go - after all those boys didn't count - it was kind of amazing.

"Emma. It's not like I have never been kissed at a party before. I reacted badly, I can admit to that. And you seem like a nice girl, you really do. But…"

"You aren't into girls like that?" Emma added helpfully, much in the same way Graham had done that night.

"I had a great time, Emma. Really. But I can't be what you want me to be. I just can't," Regina said in a tone Emma couldn't really decipher. But then again, she'd just met Regina and sometimes you have to know someone to be able to recognize what a certain tone of voice means.

"I don't think I actually expected you too. I acted like a fool. And if you'll let me, I'd like to get to know you better. Be your friend. Just your friend." Emma smiled, but a little sadly. Right now, her heart might have been breaking just a little but in the end it would probably be worth it.

"I think I would like that, Emma. I do enjoy your company," Regina said. "I don't usually have the time to socialize much outside school. And it was nice."

"I think it' a wonder you even have time to sleep with all the clubs and everything you are in charge of. You are a wonderful president, Madam Mills," Emma said with a smile. "And thank you."

"For what?"

"For not running away when you saw me, for giving me a chance to explain, for not freaking out over the whole 'the gay kid has a crush on me' thing."

"I would never. And I mean that Emma. I have worked hard to make sure this school is a safe place for everyone," Regina said, and Emma could tell that this was something Regina was proud of. That Regina was proud of her position in school, and the amount of respect she was given because of it.

"I can tell that, and even if I didn't, I am pretty sure I have a small army protecting me at this point with my sister, Ruby and Graham." Emma laughed, and for the first time since Friday, she actually felt like everything would be okay.

"You know Graham?" The confusion was evident in Regina's voice.

"Yeah, we met at the party. I guess we bonded, he helped me out a little," Emma said, not wanting to say 'he picked up the pieces after you left and I overreacted like the over emotional teenage girl I am'.

"Oh."

"He's nice. Actually, he's really nice. I wish there were more guys like him out there," Emma said.

"Yes, he's a wonderful guy," Regina said, and Emma sensed that maybe there was a story there, but not for now. There had already been way too much emotion for this early on a Monday.

Emma looked at her watch, and realized that Graham could be walking in any minute. "I'm sorry, again."

"No worries."

"Friends?" Emma asked as she held out her hand for Regina to shake.

Regina shook Emma's hand, "Friends."

Emma heard the sound of the door opening, and there was Graham, and as Emma turned around and looked into his eyes, she wasn't sure what exactly gave it away, but she knew that he knew. And that was something she would have to deal with. Just not at this very moment. She had enough of her own feelings to sort out.

"Hi," she said carefully, "I was just leaving so that you can do your presidential stuff. Bye Regina," she said, before mouthing "later," to Graham, and he smiled.

"Hello!" Emma heard before she felt someone practically jump on her back.

"Seriously, Rubes? Do you have to scare the living daylight out of me every time you see me?"

"Yeah, it's so much fun," Ruby smirked. "So how was the party? I'm so mad I couldn't be there, but Grams took me to see my cousins in Brewer. Again."

"It was..." Emma flashed back to the kiss, "boring," she said instead. "But I did find out that there are in fact nice senior guys, and that there are still some boys my sister hasn't dated." Emma smiled.

"Guys? Seriously, Em?" Ruby groaned. "I wanted some juicy gossip from you, and you met a guy. You are such a lame lesbian!"

Emma smacked Ruby's shoulder, "Hey!"

"What? It's true. You haven't been on a single date since you came out. I know I'm the scandalous one of us, but that doesn't mean you should be this boring."

Ruby smiled, and Emma knew that her best friend just wanted her to enjoy life, and she wanted to as well. She wanted to date, wanted to try it out for real, with someone she could actually fall in love with. But all she could think about was Regina. No, she had to forget about her. The conversation still stuck in her mind, with the kiss looming behind it. There was something in the way Regina had talked to her that Emma couldn't quite put her finger on. There was something she wasn't telling her, but she had to let it go. She had to. They could be friends, but nothing more. Ever. It was time to move on.

"Speaking of dating, I have been thinking about Sarah," Emma said. It was better to jump in head first after all, right? And Ruby had after all been trying to set Emma up with her cousin since the day she came out. And it's not like she knew all that many lesbians she could just ask out. So Sarah seemed safe; she was older, didn't live in Storybrooke and had no connection what so ever to Regina. She would be perfect.

"Yes! Does this mean you're up for going on a date with her?" Ruby asked, with a big smile.

"Yeah. I mean, I think I'm ready to start dating now." But as she said it, Emma remembered the feel of Regina's lips on hers, and almost shuddered. No, she had to forget her.

"Brilliant. About time, too; I was afraid you'd be hung up on our dear president forever."

"No, even I know a lost cause." Emma smiled, but it wasn't an extremely genuine one. "So, call her, and set something up?"

"I will. I promise you Emma, you'll like her. She's just your type."

"Hey, it's worth a shot."

Ruby hugged her best friend, "Just trust me on this, okay? And if you want we could double date with Stefan?"

"Uh, no." Emma smiled. "I think I want my first date with a girl to be just mine, okay?"

"If you say so," Ruby conceded, "but I have to run. Mrs. Johnson wants to speak with me before class, something about my history paper not being especially historical." Ruby smirked.

Emma just shook her head in exasperation. "Good luck."

The school day was over, and Emma couldn't have been happier. The day had been an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. She couldn't get the conversation with Regina out of her head; she felt like she was missing something, probably important. And then, she had decided to take the chance and agree on going on a blind date with Ruby's cousin. On top of that, she had to face the actual school part of Monday. Algebra, History, Physics, and Creative Writing. Emma hated Mondays for a reason, and this one had been particularly nasty.

Emma was thinking about what the hell she would write for her fairytale essay, when she heard someone walk up behind her.

"Walk you home?" Graham asked, as he walked up behind her.

"Sure." She answered.

"So, Regina huh?" Graham asked after they had walked for a while in a comfortable silence, "why didn't you tell me it was her?"

"Because you two are friends, or something." Emma said, "And I felt like I already betrayed her once that night. I didn't need to do it twice. Besides, there was no point in telling you."

"But you talked it out with her? Or, was I seeing something completely different?" Graham asked

"We agreed to be friends, she agreed to forget my stupid mistake and just move on. But something was up with her, and I don't know what." Emma said, a little sadness coming through.

"That's what you wanted right? To be friends?" Graham asked. "And don't worry about how she acted, I can guarantee that she wasn't freaked out. Regina's not like that; she's just… complicated, and closed off. "

"Well, it's better than the alternative, I think. Being just friends, I mean." Emma sighed. "I just... I don't know. Didn't expect it to hurt like this."

Graham stopped, so that he could wrap his arms around Emma. She didn't quite return the embrace, but she didn't push him away either. "It always hurts, Em," he told her. "Not getting what you really want? It always hurts."

"It seems like you speak from experience," Emma said, not really wanting to pry.

"Let's just say that yours isn't the only heart Regina Mills has broken."

Emma wasn't sure if she was surprised or not at the confession- probably not. She had realized that there was something there when she told Regina she knew Graham, and she knew that this was probably a long and possibly complicated story, and she decided she didn't really need to know it.

"Sorry," she settled on. That was simple and didn't really demand any more information.

"Well, I guess we have something in common now. Our impeccable taste in women." Graham laughed, and Emma was relieved. The tension dissipated.

"Look, you're a good guy, Graham. I'm sure the girls are lining up to be with you."

Graham chuckled. "Yeah, not really."

"Well, they should be," Emma countered. "I just met you a couple of days ago, and yet you are acting like the older brother I used to wish for when I was smaller. Looking after me." Emma clapped him on the shoulder. "Any girl would be lucky to have you."

"Thanks, Emma. That's nice of you to say."

"Well, thanks for walking me home," Emma said, when they finally reached her house, "and for everything else as well."