I didn't know how I had gotten myself roped into this. I'll be the first to admit that I'm getting a little old for the club scene. Victor, AC, and Bart insisted this be a group thing. We hadn't done anything fun together in a while, and I guess we all deserved a night off.
So here I am standing on the balcony in a pale glow of strobe and club lights sipping a scotch. I had been staring at the same spot for nearly an hour when I saw something that made me double take.
There in the crowd was a halo of auburn curls that belonged to a woman I hadn't seen in 5 years. There she was with one leather thigh high black booted leg wrapped around the waist of a random stranger, her black mini skirt sliding up with each sway of her hip. Even in the dark, I could see her deep violet eyes, and her pixie features. She turned and faced away from me. I could see the open back of her club top, and a new tattoo between her shoulder blades; a sparrow.
I left the balcony, and made my way down the stairs to confront the vision from my past. I made my way to the dance floor only to find that the couple that had been there less than a minute before had made a quick exit. I stood there at the edge of the dance floor watching completely dumbfounded. A hand clapped down roughly on my shoulder a few minutes later, and I looked to my side. My gang of merry men had come back, and it was Victors bionic fingers on my shoulder, "What's the matter man you look like you've seen a ghost?"
"This time, I think I might have," was my reply.
I had been up for most of the night reeling from my encounter with my past. I had all but convinced myself it was just a trick of the light, and that many women looked like her. I finally fell asleep still thinking of the woman that I had let walk out of my life five years previously. I had no intention of getting up when my cell rang, but after the customary 4 rings, it started it's routine again. And after three times of the repetition, I sighed and knew my day off had just ended. I looked at the caller ID before picking it up, "Clark, this had better be good."
"Hey, I have some things I need to discuss with you, but I'm swamped could you come down to the Planet? Lois is having a field day with her latest article," Clark explained having ignored the rudeness Oliver had exhibited.
"Yea, I'll be by shortly," I disconnected without a goodbye. I sighed again, and left my bed.
An hour later, I was parking the Astin Martin Vanquish outside of the Planet, and rushing in. After Clark had called, the phone ceased to stop, and I had my ear glued to the phone. I hung up, and looked around the bullpen for Clark, but didn't see him. I walked towards his desk only to be stopped by Lois Lane.
"Ollie! I'm so happy to see you!" In Lois' defense if Hadn't have known her for more than five minutes I would think this was true and believe her, but I had known her for years, so I knew that she had an ulterior motive.
"Lois my favorite reporter," I said sarcastically, but a humorous grin etched my features.
"C'mon Ollie, is that anyway to treat a gal who is about to introduce you to the most remarkable person on Earth?" she said grabbing my elbow, and dragging me to her desk. I pretended to drag my heels, but it wouldn't have made any difference. In my head I was thinking, " You can't introduce me to her. I've already met the most remarkable person in the world, and look what happened with that." I frowned as she sat me at her desk, and bustled up the stairs. I sat there for a few minutes and waited. I saw her coming down the stairs, but couldn't see the person behind her.
"Oliver Queen, I would like you to meet my newest story, the most remarkable woman in the world, Rye Linn Raines," she spoke a mile a minute. I guffawed as she said it, and as she spoke the biggest mistake of my past came to view.
"Hello, Ollie," She said offering a small smile, and offering an awkward hug.
"Wait just a minute. You two know each other?" Lois said. A look of confusion slid into place.
"Lois, this is who I was telling you about. Ollie is the reason why Raines Industry remains successful. He trained me," she explained. She looked at her watch a second later, "I'm sorry Lois, but do you have everything you need? I really got to get going," she said reaching under Lois' desk and procuring a helmet. I took this moment to look her over. Yes, no doubt about it, this was the woman I saw at the club. She was medium height, but she had always been self conscious about it. She had been an inch or two taller than every girl she met. With a rail thin figure that gave her an almost boyish look. In five years however, she no longer looked anything boyish. Her elbow length dark auburn curls were pulled into a neat plait that was tossed over her shoulder. It sat right over the emblem of her perfect green and white racer leather jacket. It had been a gift just before she had left me, and it was worn almost threadbare. She wore dark tight low-ride boot cut jeans that accentuated her form perfectly. It had been hard to tell, but as she shifted now immersed in a conversation with Lois her jacket opened, and I saw it … the mother load. I snorted which drew their conversation to a close, and eyed her suspiciously as she moved to exit breezing quickly past me.
"No you don't. Not so fast," I stopped her.
"I figured I wouldn't get out of here that easy. Well, c'mon then Ollie. Let's get some sushi and catch up some," Rye Linn said. I followed her out, as she beeped the fob for the most sexy thing I had ever seen. It was a dark violet 2011 Ducati 1198 R Corse Special Edition. I was salivating at the sight of it.
"Don't suppose you'd let me drive?" I asked already knowing the answer.
"Don't suppose I would. Maybe if you're good I'll let you drive this one, and I'll take out one of the other girls," She winked as she pulled the helmet on sliding into her seat. I got on behind her. I suddenly felt less manly; that was until she kick started the bike, and it purred to life.