Surviving High School

Chapter 4

Emma hung her coat up on the rack nervously before making her way further into the apartment. Her eyes kept flickering around the room from her parents to her teacher who was sitting with one leg crossed at the top of the dining table.

Cora looked up and smiled, "Hello, Emma, I just called in to see how you were getting on" she explained. 

The blonde nodded, "I'm getting on great, thank you, Mayor Mills" she mumbled heading towards the kitchen.

The older brunette let out a soft chuckle, "dear, I've told you before, it's Cora" she told the young girl with a kind smile. 

Emma nodded slowly at her comment, "these are my two daughters, Zelena and Regina" the Mayor added in, motioning towards them. 

"Regina, I have to say she suits her name," Emma thought to herself. 

The girl shot them both a shy smile not quite knowing how to respond. 

Mary Margaret smiled, "why don't you join us for dinner, Cora? It's been too long since you've last been round" she perked up. 

From what Emma's picked up on in the few months she's been in town, Mary Margaret and Cora are good friends. According to what Ruby had told her, they hated each other for a long time before that but whatever happened before is history. 

Cora nodded, "that would be wonderful, thank you, dear" she responded with a kind smile.

When dinner was ready, the large group sat around the table and there was a light buzz of conversation that everyone was involved in except for the young blonde and Regina who was sitting opposite her. 

The Mayor cleared her throat, "so, Emma, today was your first day at Storybrooke High, am I correct?" Cora asked diverting the conversation towards the girl. 

Emma nodded slowly but didn't speak, "what class are you most enjoying so far?" the woman asked trying to get a vocal response from the young girl. 

The blonde gulped, "English" she mumbled honestly, looking up to make brief eye contact with Regina who smiled slightly.

Cora raised an eyebrow, "do you have Mr. Glass?" she asked. 

Emma shook her head, "um..." she started nervously but was quickly cut off, "actually, mother, she has me" Miss Mills announced in a strong voice. 

Mayor Mills nodded, "and how are you liking that? From what I hear around town, Regina isn't exactly the most adored teacher" she commented, the statement going completely over her head as if it were nothing. 

Emma's mouth practically fell open at how Cora was talking about her daughter. 

The young girl cleared her throat, "I disagree" she announced clearly causing all eyes to fall on her, "I couldn't understand when my friends kept warning me about her, but Miss Mills has been nothing but nice to me. I don't understand this whole 'Evil Queen' thing" she explained. 

Everyone simply stared at the new girl, unable to respond to her words. 

Emma looked up to Regina who was staring at the young girl in awe. The brunette shot the girl a small, kind smile.

The woman's smile quickly faded and was replaced with an almost sinister, and challenging smirk, "oh, the year has only begun, my dear. I'm sure you'll soon learn" she said before shooting her new student a swift wink.

The blonde smiled at her comment, "is that a challenge, Miss Mills?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

The brunette chuckled, "maybe, Miss Swan, and it's Regina, my dear" she husked before winking again.

Emma's mind was spinning. The young blonde didn't know how to respond to the older woman.

Emma stood in the kitchen washing up, carefully drying the dishes off and setting them to the side to be put away once she had finished.

The blonde watched as Regina walked over and started putting everything away in their respected cupboards, "you don't have to do that, I can do it after I've finished up" she told the older woman attempting to be polite.

In reality, Emma felt a little awkward having Regina help her clean up in the kitchen of her own home, knowing where everything went without a second glance.

Miss Mills shrugged, "it'll be faster, and I'm not exactly involved in the conversation" she muttered motioning over to everyone else who were sitting in the living room, "besides, I'm sure I know this kitchen better than you do" she added in an almost challenging fashion.

The young girl turned to her, "how?" she asked shyly.

The brunette shrugged, "Mary Margaret and my mother have been friends for years, believe me, I've had my fair share of dinners in this apartment" she commented with a short chuckle.

Emma watched the woman as she gracefully put everything away in their correct places, "prove it" she mumbled, instantly regretting her words and biting her lip only shortly after hoping that the teacher hadn't heard her. The blonde watched as a small smirk crossed the older woman's face.

Miss Mills leaned in and the blonde shuddered as felt her breath tickle her ear, "there's a bottle of whiskey at the very back of the cupboard next to the fridge" she husked.

The blonde raised an eyebrow, the brunette shrugged, "check if you wish, Emma, but I can assure you, David always keeps a bottle of whiskey at the back of that cupboard" she told the girl before leaning back against the counter as if she's waiting for the young blonde to go into the cupboard and prove that she was right.

Emma quickly dried off her hands before opening the cupboard. She rummaged around for a moment until she eventually saw it; a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey sitting at the very back of the cupboard.

The blonde closed it and made eye contact with the older woman who was smirking, "satisfied, Miss Swan?" she asked in an almost playful tone.

Emma chuckled, "well played, Regina" the blonde practically purred using the older woman's name for the first time.

The blonde watched as the brunette bit her lower lip at the mere mention of her name, along with the tone the young girl had used, "this is going to be quite the year" Emma thought to herself.