This is my take on an alternate bratva universe, I don't have a beta so all possible spelling and grammatical errors are solely mine and I hope you guys do forgive me for the very many possible errors.
And most importantly… I don't own Arrow or any of the characters in it ….. I am merely borrowing them for entertainment purposes.
"Mom you look beautiful!" I assured her firmly. I sat in the chair patiently as my mom scrutinized her reflection in the mirror for the millionth time. She was nervous and slightly embarrassed. She smoothed the nonexistent creases on her dress with her palms. I tried to temper down the nervousness I was feeling, my mom needed me right now and I can't get sucked into the vortex of my insecurities. I looked ridiculous in the pale pink knee length gown it clashed with my shiny black hair and dark lipstick, oh well there are certain things in life that can't be helped.
I stood there watching my mom getting ready to walk down the aisle with Quentin, it felt surreal to me. Her blue eyes were glistening with anticipation, her long blonde hair pinned in an elegant bun. Her thin frame adorned in a gorgeous white, off shoulder gown. The dress was custom made for her, the pearl earring was borrowed from Grandma Jules and she was wearing the silver bracelet that I had gifted, it had a tiny sapphire in the centre. I had shelled out my entire savings to buy her the bracelet which was not much to begin with. She was the perfect picture of a blushing bride.
The past ten years had been tough, dad walking out on us, hit us so hard, but we both are a team and we got through it together. My mom went back to school after my dad left us. We scraped through till she got her college degree. We moved to Starling city last year and started a new life here. I transferred schools and my mom found a secretarial position for a small law firm, it was a huge step up for her considering she used to waitress for a living back in Vegas. And it was there she met Quentin Lance, the detective she was going marry in the next hour. I missed my old school and friends but this place grew on me. I always walked home from school, the city had many tall shiny buildings, and one day I was going to have my own shiny building. We had a small place in the glades but we had moved to the better part of the city last month with the detective when she got engaged to him. Quentin's ex wife moved to coast city, his daughters decided to stay with him making the living situation slightly uncomfortable for us. Laurel was more difficult to live with than Sara, with Sara you knew what to expect I had gotten good at reading her but Laurel was still unpredictable.
I will probably miss my dad every single day of my life but the man had walked out on us and does not deserve our devotion to him. Quentin can never replace my dad but I wanted my mom to have the happiness that she deserves. My mom got married to my dad when she was just eighteen years old and a year later she had me. I wanted her to get married; I wanted her to be happy again. Last year she started dating Lance, he was nothing like my dad but she had found love in him. He made her laugh; it had been so long since I saw a genuine smile on her face and that was enough for me.
"You don't think I am rushing into it?" My mom asked me her voice barely a whisper but it betrayed a sense of anxiety. She stood in front of me looking for an honest answer.
"Mom you have known him for nearly a year now." I replied evenly, I knew that she was rushing into it but I also knew they were right for each other in a weird way. I got up from my chair and stood beside her.
"Mom I have to tell you something, I feel that I don't tell you this often enough but you have to know this, you know that I don't wear my heart on my sleeves." I needed to get this off my chest.
"Honey you are rambling." She eyed me with confusion. I always ramble when I am nervous. She was looking at me with searching eyes, wondering what was making me nervous.
"You work so hard mom, you always put me ahead of everything else." I paused and tried to control myself from veering off the topic; it was hard for me to speak out the words.
"I am a big girl mom I can take care of myself, I want you to just stop worrying about me and live your life." She waited patiently for me to finish.
"And one more thing, I love you mom." She hugged me with such warmth, I felt my eyes tear.
"I love you too honey, you are the best daughter anyone could have asked for." She pecked my cheek. Just then I saw Aunt Libby come in.
"Watch the dress you two." She reprimanded affectionately. We both instantly moved away from each other, surveying any damage we could have inflicted on the gorgeous Vera Wang gown. I sighed in relief, the gown was still intact.
"Donna you are short of a bridesmaid, Laurel has refused to show." Aunt Libby told my mom her tone was now filled with bitterness. My mom's forehead creased with worry. Laurel still blamed my mother for the divorce, I had transferred to the same school as the Lance sisters and unfortunately I was in the same grade as Laurel, sometimes my above average intelligence was a huge pain in the ass. She was the princess of Starling High and she made sure that I remained an outcast. I was labeled as the freaky Goth that sucked the soul out of anyone who talked to me. Sara had tried to help me, she invited me over to her table during lunch I have never been more grateful, at least there were no more taunts and jibes directed at me during lunch. I am sure Laurel didn't approve, lucky for me Sara didn't care much for Laurel's approval. Laurel and her minions had been giving me a hard time ever since my mother started dating Quentin. She still wanted her parents to get back together. I wouldn't exactly blame her, any child in her situation would have wanted the same. Being in the same grade as her for the past year I had picked up a thing or two about her, she was extremely stubborn a trait that she shared with her sister and she always got what she wanted no matter what it was.
"I don't know what to do anymore Libby, she hates me." My mom sighed, she wanted this marriage to work she had even tried to befriend Laurel, asking her to be one of the bridesmaid but Laurel was just being her bitchy self.
"Don't worry mom once she sees how great you are, she will love you. She just needs some time." I reassured my mother. She was still bitter about her parent's divorce; I was sure she will accept my mother once she got to see how much my mother loved her. Just then I heard the door open again. I saw Uncle David walk inside. He cleaned up well for the wedding.
"Donna we are on in five minutes, and guess who showed up." He told us with a beaming smile, I saw Laurel and Sara walk in behind him, I was pretty sure I had heard aunt Libby gasp in shock, well I certainly shared that sentiment.
"Sorry I am a little late." She told us sheepishly.
"You are here that's all that matters." My mom told her as she hugged her tightly. She stiffened for a moment before returning the favor. The girl did have a heart after all, looked like living with her just got a lot easier.
My mom was now bustling with excitement her earlier nervousness forgotten. Uncle David was walking my mom down the aisle today. All of us hurried out and took our positions, the Lance wedding was about to begin.
The ceremony took place without a hitch, I saw my mother swaying with Quentin on the dance floor. Everyone was drunk with happiness. I sighed, no more sleepless nights planning a wedding. I saw Sara dancing with Tommy Merlyn, his goofy smile was infectious; she let out a small shriek when he dipped her. I saw Quentin glaring at the dancing couple, my mom was whispering furiously to him with an amused grin. I was pretty sure she was trying to diffuse his over protective tendencies; times like these I wondered what kind of relationship I would have had with my father if he were here.
The newlyweds walked towards me, they truly made a handsome couple.
"Come on honey dance with us." My mom tried to drag me onto the dance floor, the same dance floor that I had successfully evaded until now.
"Mom! Two left feet remember." I whined, I looked ridiculous and I didn't want to make any more a fool out of myself.
"You can't be that bad kiddo." Quentin extended his hand, he had no idea that my dancing can be used as a weapon to wound enemies.
"I am bad, catastrophically bad, once grandpa landed up in a cast because of it." I was a roll today, he held his hand up in surrender.
"That was not your fault honey." My mom consoled me.
"Yeah well nana didn't think so." I grumbled.
"Well my mother is an old coot." She laughed at that memory. My own mother was mocking me, I grew grumpier. Dancing skills was one more thing that I had not inherited from my mother.
"Have you seen Laurel, I haven't danced with her yet." Quentin interrupted my train of thoughts. That was my out.
"Let me go find her for you." I heard my mother laughing behind me, I will have my revenge on her just not today. Laurel had disappeared after the ceremony. My mother had wanted an outdoor wedding; this farmhouse was possibly the best location available, it was far away from the city surrounded by lush green trees. I was sure Laurel was still on the property, she would have needed someone to drive her back wouldn't she? I made my way to the back yard, the music from the reception hall was barely audible. I heard an angry voice, before I could call out her name I saw them. Oliver Queen had her trapped between his arms, her back rested on the large oak tree in the backyard. The man whore, the most sought after guy in Starling High. He had slept through more than half the female population in school, I am pretty sure he didn't restrict his scoring ground just to Starling High. Reports of his wild party habits were a regular in the tabloid, latest had been him peeing on a cop car. How could one get away with so much? Why am I even wondering I know the answer to that too, devastating blue eyes, a face that looked like it had been sculpted to perfection and a body…. Well let's not go there and it also helped that he was a Queen, not the gay queen not that there was anything wrong with being gay but if he were gay he wouldn't be here looking at Laurel like he was going to devour her, but the richest family in the city. He was her on again and off again boyfriend, I was unaware of their current status. Damn he looked good; it was unfair how good he looked in just his jeans and a green hoodie. While this dress looked hideous on me it looked gorgeous on her, her long legs luscious brown hair, she looked like a model and they truly did make one stunning couple.
She pushed him away from her and he let her.
"What are you doing here Ollie?" She demanded angrily.
"You weren't answering your phone." He retorted back.
"So you decided to crash my dad's wedding?" She accused, the argument was heating up quickly. I was sure she would not appreciate me eavesdropping on their conversation. I was trying to make my way back quietly.
"Don't pretend you care about your dad marrying some Vegas stripper." His voice was eerie calm. His words made me pause, I had half a mind to march up there and punch him in the face. The tabloids were right he was truly a dick. An arrogant prick!
"I need you to stay away from me Ollie." She spat furiously.
"I am truly sorry Laurel." He apologized quickly.
"You fucked Sandra, she was my best friend Ollie, and how do you expect me to forgive that?" She demanded her voice cracking; tears were streaming down her face. I felt bad for her; the girl had fallen deeply and madly in love with a playboy and he was tearing her heart apart. I shouldn't be a witness to such a private conversation, I needed to get away right now, I kept my eyes on the way ahead but I looked at the couple who were still unaware of my presence, just then I stepped on an uneven stone and tripped. I want the earth to open up and swallow me, my face burned with embarrassment; I looked up and found two pair of eyes trained on me one furious and the other confused.
I hope you guys enjoyed….. Let me know what you think.