AN: I don't own the characters or OUAT.
All mistakes are mine.
I'm taking a few summer classes, so I might not be able to write as often as I'd want to. I will write and post when I can.
"Bye, guys." Emma started to head towards the door of the diner, but Zelena's voice caused her to turn back around.
"Bye, Emma. Wait, do you know where Regina lives?"
'If I look at Regina, I won't be able to lie. I don't want to seem like a stalker if I knew where she lives without her telling me. Don't look at her, Emma.'
"No," she shook her head while avoiding Regina's gaze.
'Good job, me. I was able to not look at Regina and lie to my new friends... Great! I'm a liar now. They'll always see me as a liar. Wait, what is Zelena saying?'
"... biggest one. 108 Mifflin Street."
"Why do I need to know?"
"Just in case you want to stop by after your chat with the sheriff," Zelena answered.
"Oh. Yeah. Sounds perfect."
As Emma turned back to the door, she thought, 'I am definitely a liar. I don't even have to talk to David. I don't even think David is coming to the diner today.'
"If I don't stop by, I'll see you tomorrow," she said looking over her shoulder to the group.
'Don't look at her. She'll see right through your lies. You'll give yourself away. I can't help it.' Emma looked over at Regina and smiled. 'You're so weak, Emma.'
Emma walked through the door and cursed inwardly at the little bell that rang above her head. She quickly glanced around the diner and saw an empty booth close to the door. She sat down and placed her backpack next to her.
A waitress with a smile on her face walked up to Emma's booth. "Hi, my name is Ashley. What can I get for you?"
"Um. Can I get a glass of water and a hot chocolate with cinnamon? I don't know what I want to eat yet."
"Sure. Take your time." Ashley left Emma at the table but quickly returned with a glass of water. "I'll bring the hot chocolate as soon as it's ready." She left once again.
'I'm bored. What should I do? Well, I did get a bunch of homework that I have to catch up on if I actually want to finish a year. I'll do some homework. I'll start with my hardest subject, math.'
Around 3:15, Emma got through her math homework. 'I can't believe it took me fifteen minutes to do my math work. It wasn't that hard, actually. I should've been done in at least thirty minutes, from what I knew from my previous schools. I guess I'm not an idiot, as some teachers have called me.'
Ashley walked back up to the table, startling Emma. "Do you want another hot chocolate?"
"Yes, please," Emma smiled gratefully at the waitress. "And could I get some fries?"
"Couldn't figure out what to eat?"
"No. It's so weird. I'm hungry, but not at the same time. I'm always hungry, usually."
"Just to keep in mind, I stick with the hamburger. It's very good."
"Thanks, Ashley. I'm probably gonna be here a while, so I'll think about it. But for now, fries."
"You got it. It'll be out soon," Ashley said walking away.
Emma put her math books back into her backpack. Looking through her bag, she decided to work on her English homework.
'This shouldn't be too bad. I was always good at writing.'
'Oh boy. English is harder than I expected. This should've been done in less time than math.' Emma looked up when she heard the little bell ring above the door. 'Stupid bell. Oh, great. Daniel is here. With... Killian? I thought Belle said they weren't friends. And what time is it? Is it so late that everyone decided to do their own thing?' Emma looked at the clock above the counter. 'No, it's barely 4:30.'
"Hey, Emma!" Killian yelled, which caused Daniel to laugh. Killian stumbled over dragging an equally stumbling Daniel behind him. "Daniel, stop pushing into me, buddy."
"Sorry, dude. Might've had a little too much juice, if you know what I mean," he said making a drinking motion with his hand.
'Are they drunk? What the hell is going on with them?'
"Hey, Emma. You know that fight at lunch? Don't worry about it anymore. It was all a joke, ok? It was kinda like hazing you into the group, you know? Killian and me thought it up. Smart, right?" Daniel slurred and smiled lazily at her.
"No. I didn't know it was a joke. And I'm not going to not worry about it. Did you know I hit my head pretty hard? And I'm sporting this black eye that I can't see out of."
"Hey, chick. Just calm yourself. I'm sorry 'kay?" Daniel laughed.
"Yeah, ok. Whatever," Emma said flippantly. "Can you leave? I'm trying to do homework."
"WOW!" Killian whistled. "No wonder Regina has taken a liking to you. This bum probably doesn't even know how to write his own name. No wonder Regina dumped your lowly ass," Killian laughed. Daniel nodded and laughed along.
'Regina broke up with Daniel? And why is he laughing about it?'
"She was so angry at you, buddy. Why were you fighting against the break-up, though? You wanted to dump her ever since the little joyride we had in her mom's car."
"Yeah, but... I couldn't seem too eager, could I, dude? Then, she... she'd suspect something. She'd think that we were still friends. And if she found that out, then she would know that I was the one driving. And... and if she knew that... if she knew that, she'd know... would definitely know that I hit her dad."
"Would that really be such a bad thing, buddy? She'd still break up with you. God, she is such a bitch."
"I know, dude, I know. I dated her." Daniel looked over at Emma. "Oh. Hey, Emma. When did you get here?"
'I shouldn't know what they just talked about. Regina would've told me if she wanted me to know. I'm gonna have to play this off.'
"I just sat down, Daniel." She just hoped she was convincing.
"Ah. Ok. Oh, I see you brought your books. You doing homework?"
"Yeah. I was just about to start. You think you could change tables or leave entirely?"
"Sure thing, chick," Daniel smirked at her. "I'm feeling like I'm starting to sober up. We're gonna stop by a liquor store and get some rum. It's our favorite. You want some?"
"No, I... I'm good. Thanks, though."
"Yeah. Come on, dude. Let's get drunker."
"You got it, buddy. Let's bounce, 'cuz this place is boring me now."
As Killian got to the door, Daniel was starting to stand up from his seat in the booth. He walked over to Emma and leaned down to speak in her ear, "Hey. Did you know Regina broke up with me? I had a feeling she gonna, you know, 'cuz of... of lunch. If you want, you could go after her. I think she really likes you." He stood back up and headed for the door. "Bye, Emma! See you tomorrow at school!"
Emma decided to try to get through some more homework, but she kept getting lost in her thoughts. 'Regina just broke up with him and he's already encouraging me to start dating her? He really didn't want her? What the hell is wrong with him? Why wouldn't he want her? She practically perfect! I mean, she has flaws. Who doesn't? I don't know them yet, but I'm pretty sure they make her who she is. And Regina being herself is perfection, itself.' Emma looked back up at the clock. 'Damn, it's 5:45. I should get back to the apartment before it gets too late.'
Emma packed her bag and head to Ashley at the counter to pay for her food. "Hey, what are you doing?" Ashley asked when Emma got there.
"Paying?"
"No, you don't have to. Mary Margaret and David said to make a tab for you and they'll cover it whenever they come in," Granny said after she walked from the order window to behind the counter taking over for Ashley. "All you gotta do is leave."
"Seriously?"
'Nobody has ever trusted me this much so soon. Mary Margaret and David only just met me.'
"Yes. Now leave... if you wanna go, of course. I would never kick someone out... unless it got too late, or they were too drunk."
"So, you're telling me, I could just leave?"
"Yes. Now get going before they send out a search party."
"Ok. Bye, Granny. Bye, Ashley."
Emma walked out of the diner and turned to the left to start her walk home.
"REALLY? I still can't believe those two drunken idiots stole my car! AGAIN! I can't wait for the day they turn 18 and they leave this town for good!"
'Is that Regina's mom?' Emma turned her head to see the mayor storming down the block. 'Why is she walking? Doesn't she have a car? I saw her drive off yesterday. Wait, drunken idiots? Did Killian and Daniel steal her car?'
"Madam Mayor?" Emma yelled getting her attention.
Emma jogged up to Mayor Mills. "Ah. Miss Swan, correct?" At Emma's nod, she continued, "What are you doing here, dear?"
"I was doing homework, here at Granny's Diner. It got late, so I was going to walk home. I was wondering, and I'm sorry if this is rude, but don't you have a car?"
"I do, but," she chuckled dryly, " a few of my daughter's 'friends' seem to have stolen my car... again."
"Would you like some company?"
'Where is this coming from? Maybe because I like Regina and Regina's mother has to like me if I want to be with Regina. Stop jumping to daydreams, Swan!'
"If it's not a problem, dear. I wouldn't want to inconvenience you."
"It's no trouble, ma'am. I'd be happy to do it."
"Ok, well thank you, Miss Swan. My house is just at the end of this block. Number 108."
Emma had to refrain from rolling her eyes. "This is the second time I've been told where this house is. Makes sense, though. They assume I'm not a stalker.'
"Lead the way."
At 6:10, Emma opened the door to the apartment and walked in.
Mary Margaret was the first one to see her. "Oh. Emma! How are you feeling?"
"I feel fine. My eye is the only thing that's bothering me. Other than that I'm good, thanks." Emma started to head to the stairs but turned around quickly. "Oh, David? I don't think I'm gonna go running tomorrow. The eye isn't really helping with my sight."
"That's no problem. I should've told you this earlier, but I usually run every other day, anyway."
"Oh. Sweet. Well, I'm gonna head to bed. It was kind of a long day."
"No problem, sweetie." As Emma got to the top of the stairs, she heard Mary Margaret continue, "Should we tell her? I don't want to overwhelm her too much."
She stayed by the stairs to hear David's response. "No, not yet. But I think, whenever we tell her, she's gonna be overwhelmed. It's not every day you're told you want to be adopted."
'They want to adopt me? Even all the trouble I've caused them on my first day?' Emma remembered Mary Margaret's words from the nurse's office. 'Right, I'm not leaving until I want to. And I really don't want to.'
Sitting at the counter with David on her right, Emma ate her breakfast in Granny's. Ruby rounded the counter and sat on Emma's left.
"You look like you have a huge secret to spill, Emma. So, spill."
"And how could you possibly know that, Ruby?"
"She's a waitress. She knows things. She also gives great advice. For a child," David answered with a smile.
"Hey! I told you to propose. Aren't you happy you listened to me?" David nodded. "Exactly, but we're focusing on Emma. What's the secret?"
'Which do I tell? The one about Daniel and Killian hitting Regina's dad or the one about my crush on Regina? Which Regina secret do I choose to admit?'
Deciding that Regina's familial life is harder to discuss, Emma said, "I like someone."
Ruby squealed. "I knew it! I think I know who!"
"Well, I don't!" The diner's bell rang. "So, who exactly do you like?"
Looking down at her food, Emma opened to mouth to answer, but Ruby's voice came out instead, "Regina!"
"Ruby!" Emma looked up to see Ruby with her eyes wide in shock.
"Regina, hi." Ruby glared at Emma to get her to turn around. "What are you doing here?"
Emma breathed a sigh of relief as she looked over her shoulder at her crush as she started to speak, "I thought I would get something to eat from here. Something my mother wouldn't approve of."
"I know exactly what you want. To stay or to go?"
"To stay. I have time."
'Oh, God. I don't think I'll be able to survive the rest of this day. I don't even know if Ruby actually knows or not. Did she just say that to mess with my head?' Regina pulled Emma out of her thoughts by taking Ruby's spot at the counter. She couldn't help but smile at Regina. 'Why does she have to be so pretty? I don't even think she puts on make-up. And if she does, it's not that much. And her brown hair is always styled perfectly. Damn. She's so beautiful.'
"Wait. You don't have to tell me anymore, Em. I think I figured it out."
"No, you didn't, David," Emma shook her head, looking over at him.
"Yeah, he did." Emma looked over at Ruby to see her leaning on the counter. "If I did, he did."
"Neither of you know!" Ruby smiled sadly and nodded towards Regina slightly. "That's not fair!" Emma exasperatedly sighed. "Stop figuring things out before I tell you."
'Why did Regina come in? Not that I don't want to see her. I definitely want to see her. But this was my first interaction with her in front of David, and he figured it out! Am I really that obvious?'
Emma snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Ruby who had a small smirk on her face. "Eat up. Today's gonna be a long day."
'What is that supposed to mean?'