"I have to admit, this wasn't the place I thought we'd meet at." Regina remarked as she walked through the old dusty library.
One of Emma's favorite places outside of the bar was the town library. The librarian, Belle, often needed help restocking books on shelves after hours. So, on evenings when Emma wasn't found at the bar she was here volunteering. It was a quiet escape for Emma where she found comfort in the absence of noise. Some nights, she'd wake up at two in the morning asleep on a book that she'd lost herself in.
There was something so serene about the old library full of books. The place remained empty most of the time. It was kind of her little secret spot. Not even Ruby knew she went there.
"It's the only private public place that I could think of." Emma defended. "I come here a lot to help the librarian. She leaves at four everyday when the library closes, after I restock shelves, so I have my own key." Emma dangled her keychain for the other woman to see.
"So, you work here?" Regina asked as she walked between the different shelves of books, dragging her fingers across their multi-colored spines.
"Not exactly, I volunteer. It's…" Emma bit her lip. She didn't want to jump into telling someone that she was on probation. But then again, Regina did read her records, which meant she most likely knew everything.
"It's what?" The brunette turned and studied the blonde.
"It's… Uhm, so how much did you read in my school records?" Emma wasted no time cutting right to the chase.
Regina looked down at her feet and then brought her hand to her forehand and her other perched on her hip. She looked guilty. Emma knew at that moment, from her body language alone, that she read it all.
"I read enough to stop reading." Brown eyes met those of the blonde.
Emma turned away from the other woman. Trying, desperately, not to become angry she asked, "So then you know I'm on probation already? Well, this is where I volunteer." She dramatically threw her arms out.
Turning around Emma asked, "What else do you know?"
This wasn't how Regina had hoped this conversation would go. She took a step back, "I read enough to know that you were nineteen and that you were new to the school. I know you live with a foster family, but I didn't know you were on probation. I'm sorry if you feel like I violated you in any way, Emma, but I didn't read anything else. I knew what was in that folder was personal and when you feel like talking to me about it, I'll listen."
Emma put her hands on her hips and looked at the other woman. She knew she wasn't lying.
"Fine."
She wasn't sure if she should explain herself, but she was the one that word vomited on the woman.
"I guess I have a tendency to jump to conclusions." Emma eased her way into conversation carefully. "I have been with my foster family now for five months. Before I was living on the streets because I ran away from my previous home. It was a really bad home and I thought since I was almost eighteen that I could make it. I was wrong."
Emma looked up and caught brown eyes hanging on her every word. "I was always hungry, and I always felt sick. I remember seeing my reflection once. I was so frail, thin, and I still to this day can't forget how ghostly pale I was. It was heartbreaking to see myself like that."
Emma paused and watched as the other woman listened to her so intently. She wasn't used to having someone give all of their attention to her, as if she mattered for once.
"Anyways, I lived like that for almost half a year and then one day I got arrested for stealing. I wasn't eighteen yet, so they sent me to juvie. As time passed, I was on good standing and I got to leave early on probation with the anticipation that I would stay in one last foster home and finish high school. I also was to volunteer a few days a week somewhere educationally beneficial. So, I picked this place. I turned nineteen a month after living with my current foster family. I could leave. I'm old enough, but there's nowhere else for me to go."
Regina stopped the blonde, "But how are your grades so good? I mean you missed a year of school."
Emma nodded in understanding how that could be confusing, "I did really well in my classes. I also changed schools so much that I ended up taking a lot of classes over. When I was in foster homes, I didn't have anything else to do besides homework and taking care of the other kids. Homework was fun to me. I loved to read too. Even when I lived on the streets, I would go into a library and read. It gave me something to do to pass time when it was cold or rainy outside. There are so many books on math and science that I would work math problems and teach myself things from the moment the doors open till they closed."
Regina's eyes glassed over as she listened to the blonde tell her bits and pieces of herself. Regina had no idea how hard of a life the blonde had. It was inspirational to see her now. She was someone to look up to. Every single negative in her life she transformed into something positive, which was something Regina struggled with.
The blonde animatedly talked with her hands as she explained, "Ms. Nolan seems to think that I can get into an ivy league school. She keeps telling me that I'm the next Liz Murray. I don't know if I want the world to know my story. Why can't I just be Emma Swan, Valedictorian, who gets into an ivy league school because of her superior grades? I just want my past to stay in the past."
"Emma." Regina stopped the blonde who looked up and noticed her rant.
"Jesus Christ, I'm sorry. I'm nervous and I just can't stop word vomiting on you."
"Must be my face." Regina laughed. "It's really okay. I just wish you didn't get yourself so worked up. I want to know things about you." She soothed. "Can we talk about that night?" Regina motioned to the old couch that sat in the corner for people to read.
Emma narrowed her eyes and internally cursed herself. Keeping her hands to herself was going to be the death of her.
Sitting facing one another, Emma began to explain, "So now that you know I'm a foster kid, I didn't have anywhere to be that night on Christmas Eve. Ruby wanted to keep the bar open just in case she could make some extra tips. I, as you probably remember, was playing pool. Before you came into the bar I scored, of course against myself, and I asked Ruby for another round of drinks. Prior I was drinking just hot cider, but when she gave me my next drink, she spiked it. She never does that, so please don't get upset with her and get her into trouble. She could lose her bartending license."
Regina held her hands up in surrender shaking her head no.
"When you asked for what I was having, instead of making a non-alcoholic beverage, she made the one she just made me. I think that gave you the impression that I was of age to be drinking."
"Well, it did, but you're nineteen and that doesn't bother me as much as you may have thought initially. I'm just a few years older than you. Next month I'll be twenty-three."
"How do you have that penthouse apartment?" Emma questioned.
"That's a good question. My family has a lot of money to say the least." Regina said, "This is my first job, I didn't want to be a teacher, but my mother forced it upon me. That's a long story for later. She knows the school principal, Mr. Gold, so that's how I got my job here. My mother purchased the apartment for me as a gift. It really doesn't feel like that though. It's so big and empty."
"You're lucky you have a family."
Regina tightly smiled and nodded her head. While many may think that she's lucky, she didn't think so. Behind that beautiful facade she hid many secrets.
Emma segwayed, "So, are you like mad that I left that night?"
"No, not really. I mean I thought of you more than just a one-night stand. I had no expectations though. Did I think you were beautiful, yes. Did I want your number, more than anything. But that didn't work out. I really have thought about you a lot since that day. There was something different about you that I'm very attracted to."
"What's different about me?" Emma steered the conversation forward.
"I don't know if I can put it into words. After that night, I would dream about you and how soft your porcelain skin felt against mine. Your eyes were so wide and soulful. The way your hands gently held on to me just made me want more of you." Regina started to lean forward, "I missed everything, the touch of your lips against mine." Slowly, Regina cupped Emma's jaw and brought their mouths closer. A breath apart the two locked eyes. "I missed this." Regina said. Emma wrapped her arms around the petite woman's frame, closing the distance. The pair were going to embrace one another, but in that split second before lips felt lips a voice echoed through the rows of books, "Emma?"
Pulling apart, the two straightened their clothes and Emma stood and greeted the librarian.
"Belle? What are you doing here so late?"
"Sorry, I left something behind. Oh look, you brought a friend. Hi, I'm Belle!"
The sweet woman reached out her hand to the newcomer.
"Regina." The sexually frustrated brunette responded not so cheerfully.
"Nice to meet you, Regina. I should be going now, hope you two find some great books! Emma, I left a to-do list for you at my desk." Emma nodded and watched as the young woman's figure slowly faded off in the distance as she left the library. Once she was gone, Emma turned to Regina and argued, "And that's exactly why I can't do this." She pointed in the direction of the now gone woman. Her face felt on fire. They were almost caught. Had they been making out and Belle came in without her noticing she could lose her volunteer position and mess up her probation.
"Emma calm down. It's going to be fine."
"No, it's really not fine. I'm risking too much. As I told you, I'm on probation. I have a lot to lose, especially if I get into Harvard. I can't risk my future and escaping a life I never wanted. We don't even know whatever this is." She motioned between them, "It would be foolish, Regina, can't you see. We don't know if we have chemistry. All we know is that we had a damn good one-night stand."
"We have good chemistry, Emma, you know this. Your mind may be telling you one thing, but I know your body is telling you something else. So what? She walked in, she didn't see anything. We just need to be careful and respectful of each other while at school."
Bringing her hands to her head, Emma laughed, "You're not listening to me." She exasperatedly exclaimed.
Closing the distance between the two, Regina rested her hands on the blonde's shoulders. "We can do this; you just have to trust me."
"I don't know you. How can I trust a person I don't know. All my life I've been proven to trust only myself. If you're so keen on trust, how about you trust me and know that I can't do this. I think you're amazing. You're so beautiful, obviously smart, and witty. You're literally everything I would want if I could have you. It's just not going to work out. You're my teacher and that's who I need you to be." She felt like a king cobra as her words shot from her mouth like poisonous venom.
"Please don't hate me. I really can't stress enough how I can't screw up again. I'm walking on very thin ice and everyone, except a small handful of people, are waiting for me to fail. I'll cherish everything we had that night together and more than anything I would want to be your friend."
Emma knew nothing she was going to say could fix this situation. It was obvious the two did have chemistry. She was there on the couch when Regina was telling her all the things she missed, and she felt that fire ignite inside of her. Her self-control and voice of reason, however, told her to set her feelings aside and fixate on her priorities.
"Stay after class tomorrow and make up your test. This is the only second chance you'll get in my class." Instantly, Emma watched as the older woman's body language changed. Her face became free of expression. It felt cold and it stung like a thousand daggers to the heart.
"Regina, please don't be like that."
"No, this is what you want, so this is what you're going to get, a teacher. I need to head home. Don't forget to study, Ms. Swan."
Emma's mouth fell open as she watched the woman of her dreams, quite literally, leave.
Sitting back down on the couch, Emma internally cursed herself. She always seemed to ruin everything.
Emma had little time after school to head to the bar recently. The past month she was consumed with schoolwork. All her tests happened on the same days and that meant her social life was essentially non-existent.
"Hey chica, long time no see!" Ruby greeted her friend.
"I'm literally counting down the days till May. I can't wait to be done with everything. Whoever thought it was a good idea to take four AP credits at once was dumb, oh wait, that's me." Emma exasperatedly huffed as she pointed to herself.
"Well, it's Friday! You at least have the weekend to relax and hang out, right?"
"I have a test in World History on Tuesday, other than that, I'm free."
"Sweet! So, how's that going by the way?"
"Fine, we've ignored each other. She's just like any other teacher I have, except one that's exceptionally sexy and who I've slept with."
"She's not flirting at all?"
"She barely even looks at me."
"That really bites, I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, it's what I wanted." Emma pointed out.
"True, but I know you liked her."
"Can we please just not talk about her." Annoyed at the topic, Emma stood and walked over to the juke box and started sifting through the music and played, Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede.
Ruby's eyebrows rose at the song choice. She knew her friend was denying how much she missed the brunette.
The song echoed through the bar walls as Emma walked over to the dartboard.
I'm hooked on a feeling.
Ruby watched as her friend missed the target. Visibly annoyed, she continued to try to aim and throw the dart at the target.
I'm high on believing, that you're in love with me. Lips as sweet as candy. Its taste is on my mind.
What Ruby didn't expect was Emma being approached by someone. She watched from behind the bar as a guy walked up to Emma. The pair talked for a few minutes and Ruby squinted as she tried to read their lips. Before she knew it, she watched as the guy stood behind her friend.
His hands raked her form as he spread her legs a shoulder length apart and positioned her feet in the right spots. Straightening her shoulders, he pulled her arm back and she threw the dart.
It hit the bull's eye.
Ruby gawked at the pair, trying to not be too obvious she busied herself behind the bar, and was elated to see Emma laughing with the guy.
At the end of the night, Emma hugged the mystery boy bye and walked to the bar to a very excited Ruby.
"So, who is that?"
"Oh, that's Graham. He's in a few of my classes. He's really nice."
"Yeah, he's cute. Seems like a nice guy."
"He is. I think we are getting together to study later for our test in World History."
"Like there will be much studying happening!" Ruby winked.
"Oh, come on Rubes."
"Emma, he's a hunk. Maybe that's what you need to get over Regina."
"I'm over Regina."
"You may think that you can lie to me, but don't lie to yourself Emma."
"It's not that simple, you know that, Ruby. The mind always wants what it can't have."
"Exactly. Take this as a new opportunity. It seemed like you and this Graham really hit off."
"I'll think about it."
"Good." Ruby smirked. She secretly hoped that the two hit it off in class right in front of Regina. Assuming they shared Regina's class together. Maybe then that would be enough fire to make Regina jealous of Emma.
"I have to head to the library after school. You're welcome to come there and we can study together." Emma told Graham as they were sitting at their desks in World History.
"Yeah, that sounds great. I made a bunch of notecards and a fake test of questions I found online that she could ask."
"That's what I do too!" Emma, a little too excited, said a little too loudly.
"Here's my number in case anything changes." Graham started to reach out a piece of paper to Emma, but before she could grab it from him Regina snatched it up.
"No note passing in class. Whatever it is can wait till later." Regina said. "You both know my policy is to read your notes out loud when caught."
Emma blushed. She knew what was coming.
Regina unfolded the notebook paper and read out loud for the class to hear, "Call me later, 207-315-6633."
Emma watched as the color drained from Regina's face. She balled up the paper and threw it in the trash can.
Emma slumped down in her desk and tried desperately to not look up. It really wasn't what it seemed.
"Today we are working on basic memorization of terminology commonly tested during the AP final exam from the chapters you'll be tested on tomorrow." Regina passed the handouts to each person in the front row to pass back. "I'll be walking around to see how each of you are doing giving you a chance to ask me questions on the content, as well as other questions you may have for tomorrow. This is to be handed back into me before class ends to be graded, so don't waste anytime. All grades count in this class."
Emma looked at the paper that was handed to her. There were 160 terms. Her eyebrows nearly crawled off her forehead.
Switching from pen to pencil, Emma started jotting down simple, but accurate definitions for each term.
Looking up at the clock, she noticed there was only twenty minutes left in class with forty more terms to go. Trying to skim the page, Emma started targeting the easier terms that she could quickly knock out when a hand touched her back. Trying to not jump out of her seat from the contact, a familiar sweet scent surrounded her.
Not moving a muscle, Emma kept writing. She thought maybe not acknowledging the other woman would mean she'd leave.
That wasn't the case.
Instead, Emma felt the hand slowly move in circles on her back, "Emma, do you have any questions for me?"
"No, I think I'm good." Emma turned. Dark brown eyes met green. Regina licked her lips and Emma felt her pulse beat harder. A month had passed since she felt the woman against her skin. A month that as too long.
"I'd like to think that if you had any questions you'd ask me, Ms. Swan."
Emma tried to advert her eyes, but she couldn't. Her eyes raked down Regina's form and to the open buttons of her white collared shirt. Her green orbs caught enough of a glimpse of her teacher's cleavage that she nearly couldn't look away, but she did.
"I'm fine, I'm almost done with the assignment. Thanks for asking, Ms. Mills"
Regina walked away to the next student with a very seductive sway of her hips.
In Emma's mind, she knew she was screwed. She sat there forcing her mind on filling in the rest of the blanks trying not to think about the other woman. It was so hard to ignore everything. Her skin still burned from the other woman's touch that she longed for, for weeks. The area around her still smelled like her, so sweet like candy apples.
At the conclusion of class, a very sexually frustrated Emma left. It was evident that a jealous Regina was playing games with her. Come Tuesday, Emma walked into World History with Graham. They were nothing more than just friends. She knew that Ruby wanted her to explore if there was something else between them. But in all honesty, it really didn't feel right to Emma. There was only one person she wanted, and she couldn't have her. The day before was a wake up call with how Regina acted. She knew she wasn't over the other woman yet. She quite literally got a taste of something she wanted. The problem was the more she refused to allow herself to have her, the more she wanted her. Not surprising, Emma wanted to entertain this game Regina was already evidently playing.
"Oh Graham, looks like I need another pencil, I ran out of lead." Emma sweetly leaned over and asked the guy next to her.
Emma turned and watched her teacher stare straight at her. Her face was pinched with anger. That was just enough body language to tell Emma that she was driving the woman mad. It was entertaining to see that she had some impact on the woman after their blowout in the library.
"Here, I'm going to have to start charging you fifty cents per pencil." The boy joked. "Think I could get a sip of that water of yours?" He pointed to the floor. Emma really hated sharing her drinks. Just the thought of back splash grossed her out.
Reluctantly, she picked up her water bottle and handed it to her friend. "Thanks!" He said. Emma watched as he drank from the water bottle. She didn't need to turn her head to know that Regina was watching the entire scene play out. She could feel her fiery gaze burn the side of her face. Emma always knew when her obsidian eyes were on her. It was as if she could feel the other woman. In fact she knew she could. It was rewarding at best to know that she was able to affect her emotions.
Breaking her attention away from Graham, Emma turned and looked at Regina again. Expecting to see an annoyed face, she saw the woman smerk. Confused by this, Emma wondered what the other woman was thinking, or planning. Lord only knew what she had up her sleeve.
Regina stood from her desk and made her way to the front of the class.
"You have one hour to take this test, at which time you are to turn them in. Afterwards, we're going to discuss your next assignment that requires group work due Friday. More details will follow after the test. For now, good luck and don't disappoint me."
Regina started passing out the tests, which Emma knew she had in the bag. The night before, Graham and her worked hours together going over terms, dates, and notable figures or events. Together they quized each other. Asked one another detailed questions that required extensive knowledge on each topic.
Looking down at the paper, she started quickly answering questions and writing answers with comprehensive explanations for each. More than anything, Emma wanted to further prove to Regina how smart she was. She wanted to make her feel impressed. She also didn't want Regina to forget about her.
Turning the paper over, she breezed through the last sets of questions. Checking the clock, Emma noticed she still had twenty minutes to complete the test. Utilizing the extra time, Emma double checked her responses. All seemed correct. Feeling accomplished, she started to daydream about her teacher.
She watched as she sat over in the corner at her desk, typing away at her computer. She was so focused. Her cute black framed glasses were perched on her nose. She bit her bottom lip as she read to herself. Her beautiful black locks of hair were pulled tightly back into a low ponytail. Unlike Regina's power suits and business dresses, today she wore a gray shirt with a black vest. Instead of mile high heels, she wore patent leather loafers. Not sure what it was, Emma felt highly attracted to this different casual style her teacher wore.
It wasn't long before Regina looked up. Whether it was to make sure students weren't cheating, or that she felt Emma's eyes glossing over her, she'd never know.
Looking away, Emma tried to dismiss her thoughts, which led her to wanting to mess with her teacher a little. Flipping her test to the last page, she knew exactly how to get under the other woman's skin. At the bottom corner of the test Emma used the free space to draw a portrait.
Now instead of drawing the person she really wanted to capture, she drew Graham. Emma knew when Regina saw this it would further spark her jealously.
Sitting back in her desk, Emma envisioned Graham's brow line and jaw structure. Sketching a few gray lines on her paper, the face started coming together. Emma thought it was funny how just a few lines connected together could create a face, but by no means was she an artist.
The timer buzzed at the front of the room and she finished some final touches on her drawing. Smiling cockily, Emma stood and turned in her paper in the front of the class.
Emma knew it would be a day before she got her test back, but she knew her reaction would be priceless.
After a few minutes passed and the class all found their seats, Regina stood and started to explain, "Now that the test is over, tomorrow you're kind of getting a break. Instead of jumping back into a new chapter, I want to have a review of all the chapters we have done thus far. So to engage you guys you are going to pair up and act out a five minute short skit on an important event. This is going to be very hands on. You are to write a four thousand word essay explaining the topic and present it to the class. I expect you to reflect to your syllabus on the writing guidelines. Each team will turn in one copy of their essay. After I've graded each I will give critiques on the content and the performance. If it's below an A you will rewrite it. Once everyone has received an A average, I will provide digital copies for all of you to use as study guides for your AP exam."
Regina paused.
"I'm basically giving you a free A in the gradebook. This will help some of you that may not have done so well on the test just now. With that said, don't any of you ask for extra credit. Think of this as just that."
The entire class broke out in a commotion. Regina leaned against the chalkboard as everyone talked at once. No one was thrilled to have to write a paper, with two days notice, and present a short skit. But Emma knew this was an opportunity to shine and, well, it was another free A in the gradebook.
"Settle down. Guys seriously, it's not that complicated of an assignment. Tomorrow you have all day to work with a team member to discuss your topic, research it, and talk to me about what I think you should do. I think you're highly capable individuals. I suspect very few of you will have to rewrite the essay." Regina pushed off the chalkboard and walked to her desk and picked up a fishbowl. In the bowl were neatly folded pieces of paper.
"Assemble yourselves into pairs, once you have done that, one of you come to the front of the class, pull out a piece of paper. That is your topic. Show it to me so I can write it down. Before any of you ask, you can't redraw if you don't like your topic. This is a learning strategy and I want you to make the best of it, right Emma?"
She looked straight at Emma who visibly turned flush at the mention of her name.
Blood rushing to her head, Emma stuttered out, "Ri- Right." Trying to hide her face from embarrassment, Emma ducked her head down as she busied herself with pretending to write notes.
"Hey, Emma, want to work together?" Graham asked.
"Yeah, I'd like that. I hope we get an interesting topic. God forbid we get something boring like Saint Patrick and his mission to Ireland. I rather not be the one that puts everyone to sleep." Emma said nonchalantly.
"Why don't you go pick the topic, this way I can blame you if it's awful." He jabbed at his friend.
So she stood and walked to the front of the class.
Walking up to Regina she felt awkward. The woman's eyes raked down her body. It felt like she was using x-ray vision to see beneath her clothes. For as often Emma envisions the brunette goddess naked, she never accounted for her doing the same. Standing behind Killian in line, she was close enough to smell the other woman's perfume. Emma's mind went straight back to that night.
Images flashed before her eyes of when Regina called her beautiful. She recalled how soft Regina's fingers felt as she gently tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. That moment was so warm and compassionate that Emma was incapable of responding. Her words felt choked up in the back of her throat. While so many things about Regina felt memorable, that one moment where she made her feel special was one of the most adored.
Cockily smiling, Killian turned and said, "You're out of your depth here Swan, mark my words." He turned on the back of his foot and walked back to his desk to share his topic with Mila, his girlfriend. Emma couldn't stand him. The way he carried himself drove her insane. He was a know-it-all who was very bitter that she transferred into their grade, knocking him from number one to number two in their class ranks. Emma didn't feel bad, she worked exceptionally hard for her grades. She earned them.
"We don't have all day." A sharp raspy voice interrupted her thoughts.
Shivers went down her spine and goosebumps scattered all over her skin. Emma's eyes locked with Regina's as she slowly reached her hand into the fishbowl. Swishing her hand around the neatly folded pieces of paper, Emma looked up and she licked her lips seductively. Exquisite dark brown eyes studied those of the blonde. Emma watched as Regina's eyes consumed her. The tension was so evident between the two woman; you could cut the atmosphere in the classroom with a knife.
Anticipating a response Regina asked, "Well? What did you get, Ms. Swan?" Her voice oozed of sex and Emma felt her pulse quickening beneath her flesh.
Emma shakingly unfolded the piece of paper and read to the other woman,
"Attila the Hun, 434-453."
Reaching back into the depths of her mind Emma tried to recall as much information as she could. Attila the Hun was a lead of the Hunnic Empire who was feared by Western and Eastern Roman Empires. He failed to take Constantinople before his controversial death. Her mind instantly segwayed, she knew exactly how she was going to act out Attila The Hun.
His controversial death was exactly what they were going to re-enact for the class.
"Is it okay if we do the death of Attila the Hun?" Emma asked.
Regina smiled and nodded her head as she wrote down the topic Emma had picked.
"I expect for you to present a flawless portrayal, Emma." Emma tightly smiled at the teacher and made her back to her desk.
Later that night, Emma and Graham met in the town library and discussed their topic.
"Okay, so here's my idea. When Attila died there were many conspiracy theories. It was documented that he suffered a severe nose bleed and choked to death, or drank himself to death. Neither were confirmed, just speculated. I think that we can get away with acting both out. But just as interesting on the flip side, there was another story. Many years after his death an account surfaced that claimed he died by the hand and blade of his wife's. What I think we should do is act out each way that Attila dies, including the latter. Of course our report will be comprehensive on his invasions, but I think this is a different approach that is going to be unexpected." Emma stated.
"I think this is great. I will start working on skit tonight. Tomorrow we will work on the paper in class. Are you free tomorrow night to edit and add content to the paper and practice the skit?"
Emma nodded, "Yes, but we have to meet here again. I have to stock shelves tomorrow so I don't have a lot of free time."
"Got it. Well, I have my work cut out for me. I'm heading home to start all of this. I'll catch up with you tomorrow."
At lunch, Graham and Emma sat at a table and discussed their project. "So I really think that we should use ketchup as the fake blood that shoots from my nose." Graham said.
Emma laughed at her friend, "That's sick, Graham." Her eyes drifted to the opposite side of the cafeteria where Regina sat.
She was so beautiful. That never changed in Emma's eyes. There was something so alluring about Regina. Was it the way she carried herself? So confident and sure of herself. All Emma wanted was to someday feel as confident and as sure of her actions. Regina was different than Emma would have expected that night of their one night stand. She would assume she was one of those women that did whatever they wanted. Instead, Regina was quite sensitive.
Since Emma refused to explore their feelings, Regina honored that. That was, up until Emma and Graham became friendly with one another. It threatened Regina. She was affected by Emma giving affection and friendship to someone else. That intrigued her. It was clear where Regina still stood.
Her thoughts were cut short, "Emma? Are you listening to me?" Emma turned her face back to Graham just when he decided to lather a fingertip full of cake frosting on her nose.
Laughing at her friends actions, she felt it. That penetrating gaze. You know the long fixated stare that burns through space and time and right at the target. That target being Emma. Regina was watching from across the cafeteria. Wiping the frosting off her nose, Emma turned and irresistibly sucked the sugary sweet treat off of her finger with her eyes locked with Regina's. Emma loved this game they played and smiled deviously at the other woman..
The brunette turned her head away from Emma. She watched as her teacher threw her entire lunch in the trash can and exited the cafeteria in a huff.
When World History class rolled around, Emma passed right by her teacher and walked into class, head held high.
Settling into her desk, Emma watched as Regina picked up a pack of graded papers.
"The class average was 82.2. I expect higher in this class. You are all very intelligent individuals. Don't make the same mistakes the next test." Regina started walking around the class passing back the exams.
Emma nervously tapped her pencil on the desk. She knew there was going to be some sort of snarky comment on her test. She knew Regina could not help herself. She would take one look at the drawing of Graham and flip. This was going to be great, or so Emma thought.
Her test was handed back to her and she flipped to the back page. All that was written in red ink was, "100%. Well done, i'm impressed!"
Scratching her head, Emma thought, that's it? There had to be some comment. Flipping through her pages, Emma saw no other comments.
"Is there a problem Ms. Swan?"
Looking up, Emma watched as her teacher stood above her, "Uhm, no I just thought that-."
"Thought what?" Regina smirked.
"Nothing. I thought nothing." Emma said. She audibly gulped and shoved her test in the back of her notebook. Maybe Regina wasn't as predictable as she gave her credit for. After Regina finished passing back her tests she asked for the class to break out into their teams to work on their project.
Having an outline and idea already plotted out, Emma and Graham got straight to work. The two collaborated back and forth on what they wanted to do for their skit and paper.
"How are you guys doing?" Regina asked.
Graham looked up and answered, "I think we are doing good." He tried to dismiss the teacher.
"That's great to hear. Emma, may I see you in the hallway please?'
Her heart beat pounded against her ribcage as she desperately tried to figure out what she did. Looking over to her friend Graham to see if he had any clue, but Emma was met with a blank expression and a shake of a head, no. She knew this wasn't good. Standing up, she followed a perfume trail to the door.
Standing with her hand propped on the door handle, Regina motioned for Emma to exit the classroom.
Closing the door, Regina stood in front of her student who leaned against the concrete wall. She walked away from the blonde, put her hands on hips and sighed to herself.
Emma watched as the other woman tried to find her words. In a tight pencil skirt and black blazer, Regina started to talk in a low voice.
"Emma, I just wanted to tell that you did the best on the test this week." Regina turned and addressed her student. Her eyes searched for something else. Regina didn't call Emma out into the hallway to discuss how well she did on the test.
"That's all? There's nothing else you want to say to me?" Emma challenged.
Regina closed the distance between them, now only a breath away from one another. Regina's hand braced her body against the wall as she made an advance on Emma.
Emma watched curiously as the other woman's eyes looked for some sort of acknowledgment. All she wanted to do was to close the short distance and kiss the other woman's beautiful red lips. "Um…" Realizing where the were standing, Emma diverted her eyes, and asked, "Is there something else?"
Stepping away from the blonde, Regina was visibly deflated. With her jaw clenched she said, "You may go back to class now."
Emma turned and went back to her desk. It was strange, she'd never seen Regina like that before. Her behavior was bizarre. She was characteristically confident around the clock. If one were to look up the definition of confidence a picture of Regina Mills would be smack dab in the middle of the page. Maybe Emma took it a tad too far. It was pretty clear Regina cared for her.
The next day all the groups presented and last to go was Emma and Graham.
In the last few minutes of class, Graham sat at the front of the class pretending to be Attila. Emma began as the narrator and explained the different historical accounts of how he died.
"Graham and I have Attila the Hun. Instead of enacting his invasions we decided to narrow in on the conspiracy theories of his death."
Emma paused.
"Attila was thought to have had a severe nosebleed and asphyxiated, resulting in his sudden death."
So Graham pretended to be sitting at a dinner table. Enjoying his supper, he went to blow his nose. He brought hanky up, hidden behind was a open pack of ketchup, and shot fake blood everywhere. The class all gasped at first and then laughed at his antics. Slowly Graham fell to his death on the floor.
Next, Emma read, "An alternative theory is that Attila drank himself to death." Graham pulled out a large beer mug. He turned and popped open a can of ginger ale and poured the contents into the glass.
He sat back with his feet propped up on the desk and started chugging the beer. The class laughed together as they watched their classmate start burping. He stood and stumbled across the front of the classroom until he fell to the floor, dead, again.
As Emma began to narrate the last skit when Regina stopped her. "Emma how about you be Attila this time around."
Emma nodded and continued to tell the class, "In the last account of Attila's death it was thought the he may have died at the hand of his wife's blade."
Emma took the role of Attila, stood, and faced the class. Graham, Attila's wife, came from behind and brought the fake dagger up and stabbed Emma in the back pushing her forward.
The entire night before, they practiced Emma being the wife of Attila. Now, with the roles reversed, neither had the maever down. Graham didn't mean to push as hard as he did, but when he "stabbed" her, Emma tripped forward and couldn't stop herself, landing hard on the ground in front of her.
Reacting instantly, the teacher sprang from her seat behind her desk and right to Emma's side. Regina brushed blonde chunks of hair out of her students face, "Sweetheart, are you okay?"
Emma's breath caught in the back of throat. Her heart sank to the bottom pit of her stomach as she looked into the worried eyes of the brunette. She felt her gentle hands on her skin as the woman looked for any signs of visible injuries.
The entire class watched as the two stared at one another intently. Graham was off to the side watching as the two interacted.
Dark eyes worriedly studied those of the blonde. "Does anything hurt?" Emma shook her head no in response. Regina started looking at her arm when Graham jumped in.
"She's fine." Graham sharply told his teacher. "Come on Emma." He grabbed his friend's hand and helped her up.
"She's not fine, Graham, she just winced. You better watch your tone with me or I'll write you up for shoving another student." Regina snapped defensively.
"Emma, do you need to see the school nurse?"
She was unable to look away from her teacher. A little dumbfounded was an understatement. "No, I'm...um...I'm fine."
The bells rang and the class, along with Emma, all started shuffling out for the weekend.