Intrigued

Chapter 12

Emma felt the same way as before she'd met Regina. She'd locked herself in her room, because really, she didn't feel like socializing with anyone. She could see Regina and Mal through her window.

They were sitting at the lake, picnicking. It was actually adorable and Emma was genuinely happy for Regina. It was just that Ingrid and Robin were still going strong and Regina was gone now too, so the only person Emma could go to on a day like this was Killian.

He was really nice, but spending an entire day with him was unbearable. Killian did understand her feelings, though, but he thought she'd make a dumb decision and she shouldn't have rejected Regina. Though, when he saw Regina and Mal together he had to admit they looked very happy as a couple.

Emma figured they were an official couple again, but she wasn't sure. All Regina had told her and Ingrid's family was that she and Mal were trying things again, but Emma didn't know in what sense.

Regina and she had skipped the past three evenings hanging out. They hadn't explicitly discussed it, but the evening after their fight in the morning, Regina and Ingrid had gone over to Killian and Robin's cottage. Ingrid had invited Emma to come along, but she couldn't have been more disinterested.

After that, neither of them had gone to the lake in the evenings. She hadn't even held an actual, good conversation with Regina. The family had gone on hikes and Emma had talked briefly with Mary Margaret, David and Ingrid, but most of the time the parents were walking together, Ingrid and Regina were walking and talking together and Emma was left alone.

She didn't mind, though. She preferred it this way, because, though she missed having Regina as a friend, she'd known it'd end eventually and she'd seen this coming from far away. At least it'd happened now. The longer she would've been friends with Regina, the more it would've hurt.

Her bedroom door opened and Emma immediately moved her eyes away from the window to look at the person entering her room. Mary Margaret looked concerned at her and held a cup of tea in her hands.

"You haven't been eating and drinking a lot, these past days," Mary Margaret said and handed Emma the cup of tea. "Be better for yourself."

She sat down on Emma's bed and Emma smiled politely. "I will, I'm sorry. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Mary Margaret said and looked out the window. "I need to confess something," the woman added and adjusted her light pink blouse. "About a week or two ago, I was taking out the trash at night and I saw you and Regina in the lake."

Emma looked the older woman in the eyes and sipped her tea carefully, it was still pretty hot. "Are you in love with her?" Mary Margaret asked and Emma could see she had a hard time asking this, because she didn't want to ruin their bond. Emma didn't think a woman as sweet as Mary Margaret could ever do anything wrong, but she appreciated the woman's understanding.

"No," Emma said and looked at Regina through the window. "I think I could, though. Not that it matters, she's happy with Mal."

"If it helps," Mary Margaret started, "I don't think she's as happy as she could be. And I know they aren't going to work out. Regina may have forgotten this, but I know physical contact is very important to Regina in a relationship. Her mother told me so as well. A long distance relationship works for some people, but it isn't going to work for Regina."

Emma pursed her lips and offered Mary Margaret a weak smile. She loved how the woman was trying to brighten her mood, but it didn't really help. She just needed to stop pouting and get over this whole Regina situation, because the reason she'd rejected Regina was to make sure she wouldn't be involved in romance drama. And now she'd created one herself and she despised herself for it.