"What in God's name is taking you so long?" Emma shouted up the stairs to her sister. "You've been getting ready for ages. It's not the Oscars, it's a birthday party."
Emma started pacing around the room. She could never understand why it took her sister so long to get ready. Emma could not fathom how anyone could spend two whole hours getting ready for something. She stopped in front of the hallway mirror and looked at herself; her hair was flowing free, and she was wearing a little makeup, a pair of new jeans she and Ruby had bought for the occasion, a black top and her favorite red leather jacket.
"I look good," Emma told herself, "and it only took 40 minutes, including the shower." She turned back to the stairs. "Come on, what are you doing? Sewing your own dress?"
"Of course not," Mary Margaret said as she finally walked down the stairs, and Emma had to admit the two hours had been worth it, because her sister looked stunning in a dark purple strapless dress that showed off just about the right amount of skin.
"Whoa..." Emma said, "Fine, I get it now."
"Whatever do you mean?" Mary Margaret asked with fake obliviousness.
"You need me to say it?" Emma asked sarcastically.
"Yes, please…"
"You look hot, okay?" Emma said, before sticking her tongue out of her mouth. "You look like you really want to impress someone…"
"Maybe I do," Mary Margaret smirked, "or maybe I just wanted to outshine you."
"Please don't tell me it's James. I can't believe you are still dating that guy."
"I like him, okay, Em?" Mary Margaret said, and Emma heard a kind of vulnerability in her sister's voice that she hadn't heard in a very long time. "It feels different this time. I can't explain it."
"I'm sorry," Emma said, "I'll try not to be such a bitch about him anymore. I just don't trust him."
"I know. And you have every reason not to. I didn't either. First it was just… sex, I guess. But he's actually kind of nice, and I think I might be falling for him. I don't know. It just feels different."
"Wow, I don't think I've ever actually heard you talk about anyone like that. I promise I won't be so hard on you from now on, but I'm your sister and I will always look out for you. Okay?"
"Okay," Mary Margaret said, and hugged her sister. But don't we have a party to go to?"
"We do," Emma said, as she broke the hug, took her sister's hand and walked out the door.
"Hey," Emma greeted Graham as he opened the door, "Happy Birthday."
"Thanks," Graham said, and hugged her, before seeing Mary Margaret behind Emma.
"Damn, Mary Margaret you look really good." Graham grinned at the dark haired woman.
"Hey! What about me?" Emma asked with fake offense, "Don't I look fabulous?"
"Nah, you look like you always do," Graham said.
"You are so mean," Emma said, and punched his shoulder. "I don't even understand why I'm friends with you."
"I don't either, especially if I could have been friends with your gorgeoussister," Graham said, and smiled again at Mary Margaret.
"Bleh," Emma said, pretending to retch. "Please tell me Ruby or Regina are here, at least they know how to appreciate my beauty."
"Ruby isn't here yet, but our dear president is in the kitchen," Graham said. "Setting up… something. I didn't bother to ask."
"This is your party, isn't it?" Emma teased.
"You know her well enough to know she likes to have control."
"Yeah, I know, but you really have no idea what she is doing in there?"
"No, I have no idea," Graham said. "You should go say hi so I can enjoy your sister better without your ugly self disrupting my view."
"I really hate you sometimes," Emma said to Graham before turning to her sister. "I'll see you later and please don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"I wouldn't even dream of it." Mary Margaret said, and smiled in that mischievous way that made Emma worried what her sister actually had planned to do tonight.
As she walked towards the kitchen Emma heard her sister say, "She really cares about you, you know?"
"I know. I like her," she caught Graham say, before the turned into the kitchen with a smile on her face. Graham had turned out to be a blessing she never would have expected, and for that she was grateful.
"Hi, Regina," Emma said with a smile as she entered the kitchen, and Regina turned at the sound of her name.
"Hi, Emma," Regina said, and Emma again found herself wondering how she managed to be not just someone Regina knows the name of, not just Mary Margaret's little sister, but actually someone Regina would call her friend. And yes, despite the butterflies in her stomach, that was good enough, at least most of the time.
"What are you doing in here?" Emma asked. "You do know this isn't your party right?"
"Haha," Regina said in a dull tone, "I'm just helping out. Trust me, if I had let Graham do as he pleased, we wouldn't even have these fancy red cups," she added with a smirk, and pointed to the stacks of cups.
"I think you spoil him, Regina," Emma said, and laughed. "How will he ever learn to function without you?"
"He won't," Regina grinned, "He will forever be under my command."
"So that's your evil plan? To have control over the guy who can't take his eyes of my sister's breasts?"
"Well, it needs some ironing out," Regina allowed. "Also, your sister's cleavage can be quite distracting, or so I've heard."
"So you yourself haven't spent hours fantasizing about it?" Emma joked, before realizing how gross it sounded. "Eurgh, never mind. I really do not want to know."
"I'll have you know, that while I don't mind your sister, her breasts are not the reason why. She has other far more important attributes."
Emma could tell Regina was just teasing her, and it felt nice. Being teased by Regina, for some reason, wasn't the same when it was Ruby or Graham or even Mary Margaret. No, Regina's teasing made her feel something completely different. Like in many ways everything with Regina did. It all felt different with her.
Emma shook that thought out of her head. "So, you need any help… with whatever it is you're actually doing?"
"No, I think it's all sorted out now." Regina looked around the kitchen, and Emma could tell she was doing some sort of mental overlook and count in her head. She had seen the look so many times before over the past few weeks just when they were about to leave school.
"In that case, are you ready to party, Madam President?" Emma asked.
"Lead the way, Ms. Swan-Blanchard." Regina answered, and took Emma's hand without Emma even offering it. Regina's hand in hers was soft and warm and... no, stop it, Emma.
Regina led Emma out to the living room, as they both knew she would despite her asking Emma to lead to the way. Regina took control, she always did, but most of the time Emma didn't mind it. Actually, she found it kind of refreshing.
Emma looked around the living room; a lot more people had arrived in just the short amount of time she had spent with Regina in the kitchen. There were probably more people here than had been at her sister's birthday party, but then again, Graham did have a lot more space. Not that their house was tiny by any measure, but Graham's was after all a small mansion.
"Wait, is that Killian Jones?" Emma asked when she saw the dark, handsome guy leaning against the staircase.
"Yeah, he lives like a couple of houses down," Regina answered. "His parents are of the wealthier kind in Storybrooke. That's how I know him; my parents were friends with his before they split. He and Graham used to be pretty close back when he was still just Karl. As you can see they clearly grew apart."
There was so much about that answer that intrigued Emma. She had never really pictured either Graham or Regina as rich despite knowing that their families were among the richest in the state. But she would never have guessed that Killian Jones would have a wealthy family. He was clearly rebelling against them, or something.
"Who is that guy he is with?" Emma asked, and pointed to a tall blond guy that seemed to her like some kind of football player.
"Oh, him." Regina paused. "That is Sam Evans. He is Killian's newest…" She stopped as if she was searching for the right word. "Boytoy?"
"Killian's boytoy?" Emma asked, surprised.
"Yes, because I wouldn't call him his boyfriend. Killian doesn't do commitment very well, or actually at all." Regina smiled, but when she caught the confused look on Emma's face, she asked, "Oh, you didn't know Killian had a thing for boys?"
"No. I didn't know he was…" Emma said, slightly annoyed really that Regina knew something like this and she didn't. She didn't know why she felt that way.
"The term you are looking for his bisexual, dear," Regina said, with a slight snark. "I'm pretty sure Killian is into everything that breathes. Especially since it's less than a week since I caught him with his tongue down Sasha Peterson's throat." Regina shuddered at the memory.
"Huh, well, good for him," Emma said when she regained her senses. She didn't even know why she had reacted that way. It was just a shock, mostly that she didn't know it. Especially since she and Ruby have been gossiping about him for years, it was a strange thing that she'd never heard about it.
"Emma, what did you really expect? The guy dresses like David Bowie in Labyrinth," Regina said, and laughed.
"You got a point there." Emma said, and laughed with her. "I guess everyone deserves a piece of Killian Jones if they so pleases."
"Hiiiii!" The loud voice of her best friend made Emma jump, and she turned around to see Ruby in front of her, looking absolutely breathtaking as usual.
"Do you always have to scare me half to death every time you see me?" Emma asked, annoyed. "I mean, you could always act like a normal human being."
"Nope," Ruby answered, and popped the p, "What would be the fun in that? I mean really, Emma, normal? Normal is both boring and overrated."
Ruby turned then to Regina. "Hi, Regina. You look great."
"Thanks, Ruby. You look pretty good yourself."
"Seriously? Why doesn't anyone think I look good?" Emma complained. "First Graham ignores me to gawk at my sister and now you two." Emma put on her best pouting face to try to get at least some sympathy from the two brunettes.
"Fine. You look quite nice tonight, Ms. Swan-Blanchard," Regina said in the most pompous voice Emma had ever heard her use, "With that beautiful red leather jacket..."
"What is wrong with my jacket?" Emma asked defensively, and wrapped the jacket tighter around her body.
"You know we love your jacket, Em." Ruby said, cutting in. "But come on. I want to dance and party and drink. This is my first senior party. Also, is that Killian Jones?"
"Yes, but I am pretty sure he is planning on eating meat tonight," Regina said.
"Oh my god. Regina!" Emma said, mortified.
"What?" Regina said with the most innocent face.
"I am so lost here right now…" Ruby added.
"See over there?" Emma pointed to where Killian and Sam were standing, "See that good looking blonde boy over there?"
"Yes…"
"See how his hands are all over Killian's body?"
"Oh…" Ruby said, and then burst out laughing, only to say "I get it now," when met with strange looks from Regina and Emma.
Emma noticed then that her best friend had somehow managed to juggle two shot glasses with something in her left hand, without spilling it all over herself or Emma.
"That for me?" Emma asked and pointed to the shot glasses.
"Yes!" Ruby said enthusiastically, and handed one to Emma, before looking at Regina, "Sorry, I didn't bring you one."
"No worries, dear. I am driving tonight," Regina said with a smile. "Someone has to make sure the house doesn't burn down. It is, after all, such a nice house."
"Okay then, bottom's up Em," Ruby said, and they both swallowed the entire shot.
"What was that?" Emma asked after coughing slightly.
"Tequila," Ruby said with a grin. "No one said the way you lose your alcohol virginity had to be classy."
"I am not a virgin," Emma said. "I mean, I've been drinking before."
"Two glasses of wine when watching Pretty Little Liars doesn't count, honey." Ruby teased
"You know, sometimes I really hate you." Emma said, a little pink.
"No you don't." Ruby said, and smiled brightly. "You looove me."
"Do you two want to be alone?" Regina interjected.
"Now you got her to be mean to me too!" Emma said but it was obvious in her voice that she wasn't mad at all, more like amused. "And besides no, I would never do Ruby."
"What?" Ruby said in a fake hurt voice, "What's wrong with me? Am I not hot enough for you?"
"No, you are ghastly," Emma said, before doubling over in laughter.
"Ha! We both know I am sexy as hell, and you would be lucky to have someone as hot as me," Ruby argued, jabbing her finger at Emma, before also cracking up in laughter. The entire idea of them hooking up was so ridiculous for both of them, that even flirting was enough to make them fall apart in laughing.
"You two are really strange." Regina said, as she looked down on the two girls now practically rolling on the floor from their contagious laughter.
"I know. That's why you like us so much," Emma said when the laughing fit finally stopped. "Give me a hand would you?" she asked Regina, and Regina took her hand and pulled her up from the floor.
"But now I do want to dance," Ruby said. "With the both of you!" And with that, she dragged both Regina and Emma out on the dance floor, which was really just the middle of Graham's living room where the couches had been pushed the sides.
Emma had no idea how long they had been dancing, or how many shots of tequila had magically ended up in her hand courtesy of Ruby, but what she did know was that dancing with Regina was incredible. She never would have figured that Regina Mills would have the kind of moves that she had shown off tonight. It was like there was nothing those hips couldn't do.
She was mesmerizing to look at, not that she wasn't always, because she was, which was part of the problem really. But seeing her dancing like this, it looked like she'd always belonged on a dance floor.
"I am tired..." she heard Ruby say, "Come and sit down in the corner." She pointed over to the where the couches currently were placed.
"Okay," Emma agreed, before turning to Regina. "You want to join us?"
"Just a minute," Regina said and smiled. "I'll join you in a minute."
"Okay," Emma said, and then looked over to Graham who was talking to a guy Emma didn't recognize. "Hey, G-Man, want to join me and Red for some riveting girl talk over there?"
"Not if you are going to continue calling me G-Man," Graham replied. "And sure, give me a minute. Peter and I are in the middle of something."
"Fine," Emma said, "We'll be waiting patiently."
"You really two have really hit it off," Ruby said when they sat down. "You and Graham, I mean."
"Are you jealous?" Emma asked, both curious and slightly worried. She didn't really think Ruby was the kind of girl who would get jealous if Emma got new friends, but since they had never been in that situation before it was hard to tell.
"Of course not. I like him," Ruby answered, "And not like that before you ask. Besides, look at him, I have a feeling he is harboring more than a little crush on your sister."
Emma looked over to where Graham was standing, and even if he seemed to be listening to what Paul, no, Peter was saying, it was clear that he was looking at something or someone else. Emma followed Graham's eye line and saw that the person Graham was looking at was in fact her sister, in her usual position on James' lap. And since Emma found it highly improbable that Graham had a crush on James, her best friend was probably right.
"I promised MM that I wouldn't go on at her about James anymore." Emma paused. "She's fallen for him, apparently. But I wish she hadn't. I wish she could see that Graham likes her instead. Graham is such a great guy, and I want him to be happy."
"You can't play Cupid for everyone. Just because you can't be with the one girl you want doesn't mean that everyone else should be able to be with theirs. This is high school, love is fleeting and forever all at once. And people are rarely with the people they are supposed to be."
"I just wish… I don't even know anymore." Emma looked over to where Regina was still dancing. "I guess I wish I could let her go. And every time I think I might have, she looks like that and I just fall all over again."
"In all fairness, even I am mesmerized by her dancing, Em. She looks amazing," Ruby said, and smiled. "And one day, you will look at Regina and only see a friend. I promise. You'll find someone who will make all this pain and shit be worth it."
"I have to tell you something..." Emma started, and just as she was about to tell her best friend what happened at Mary Margaret's birthday party and the talk she had with Regina after, Graham, Regina and Peter came over and joined them.
"Em?" Ruby asked, kind of worried, but realized that Emma wouldn't say anything as long as the other people were there.
"Later, okay? I promise," Emma said, before turning to Peter. "Hi, I'm Emma. I haven't seen you around before." She shook his hand. "And this is Ruby."
"I'm Peter. I just moved back. I used to live next door when I was kid," Peter said.
"It's nice to meet you," Emma said, and then she saw Ruby mouth, "Oh my god, he is so hot," behind his back, forcing Emma to stifle a laugh.
"Sit down, we were just talking about love and stuff," Ruby said, "But I'm sure we can switch to a topic more manly. What about motorcycles?"
"Motorcycles, really, Rubs?" Emma asked. "What on earth do you know about that?"
"About as much as Graham, I figure," Ruby teased, and punched Graham's arm as he sat down next to her, Regina on his left and Peter next to Emma.
"What about we play Never Have I Ever?" Peter asked, and the moment he asked Emma had a bad feeling she would end up in trouble, but as everyone else voiced their support, she found couldn't say no.
AN: I am so late, and I hate myself for it. But please still comment, the more comments the more likely I am to update faster.