Chapter 1: Arrival
At long last it was summer has arrived that meant the lake front cottage. It was one of Oliver's favorite places, a guilty pleasure. It was one of few places he could escape the press, superficial jerks and plastic sluts. The few people he liked to spend time with and could tolerate for long periods of time had scattered in the past couple of years. The only one left was the girl that spent her summer in the neighboring cottage. She was probably the only constant. This was the summer after his second year of college and before his third. He'd be damned by the end of it if he didn't consider it the best.
The ride up form Sterling City was a tradition. The whole family would set aside a minimum of the first week after both his and Thea's classes ended. It was inevitable that meetings and plans would draw their attention away for the lake. Oliver tried his hardest to stay within the limits of the lake side town. During the course of the summer there was always a Queen staying at the lake.
The ride was four hours without stops; the fasted time they'd ever reached it was just under five. The route changed each time it was driven. Construction, detours and traffic always interfered with the most logical route. The one thing that was guaranteed was that was new scenery that passed by. This trip wasn't any different. The radio blared, each song was a different being a different genre, not lasting long enough before someone changed it, the top competitors being Oliver and Thea.
This trips ride took five and a half hours. Their cottage was a three story; with the square footage it was easily considered a semi-mansion. The other cabins were maybe half the size of theirs if not smaller. The lake housed roughly 20 cottages directly on its shores. It was quiet up here, peaceful.
The car pulled up to the cottage. They had the house stocked before their arrival so food and other necessities weren't to be concerned once they arrived. The car doors flung open, like always Thea would race Oliver to the door, a standing tradition since she was able to hobble. It didn't take much for him to beat her. He was physically much stronger than her thanks to his training he received from John Diggle the Queen's bodyguard and his former instructor.
He swung the door open as he entered. It smelt slightly musty form being closed up for over half a year. He knew within a couple days it would circulate and redeem its previous airy aroma. Oliver lowered himself onto the nearest surface which happened to be an end table. He waited as the rest of his family filed in. Moira, his mother, excused herself to the kitchen to prepare dinner before it got any later. Not long after his father's cell phone ring tone sounded. He pressed the talk button quickly and mumbled something along the lines of Robert Queen speaking before he left towards a small office.
"And then there were two." Thea muttered as she walked towards her older brother.
For a thirteen year old she was surprisingly cunning. Each time he returned home during breaks she would manage to sucker him into doing some humiliating task.
"So it appears."
The two stood in silence for a moment not knowing what was to follow. "You wanna go check out the docks? Maybe drag the floating dock to the deep water before it gets to dark?" Thea offered not sure if it was a liable task to take up their time.
Oliver thought it over briefly before nodding and striding to the back door in the kitchen. He heard Thea shout to their mother that they were headed to the docks while he snatched a set of keys for the boat house knowing they'd pull the dock to the middle of the water.
The lake was as it always was a tranquil paradise. To either side he could see people sitting on docks or swimming in the water under them. No one was obnoxiously loud or over bearing. All of the properties were kept neat and tidy. Of all the lakes he's been to with friends this one was by far the overall best. He knew just about everyone on the lake. Each year at the end of summer the Queens would throw a barbeque for all the neighbors and the occasional businessmen.
He and Thea step on to the docks that led 20 feet into the water and sprawled along the bank. Beside it was the floating dock that was tied to the side of the boathouse. They walked across the dock then jumped onto the floating dock. Oliver offered Thea help only for her to refuse. They continued into the boat house after it was unlocked and proceeded to one of the speed boat kept in there. Oliver ignited the engine and steered the boat out of its shelter. He parked in just in front of the dock and handed Thea the steering wheel while he attached the rope. Not long after the platform was placed about 120 feet from the shore.
They toured around the lake slowly greeting the odd few people they saw. By the time they returned and tied the speed boat to a post. The siblings ventured back through the kitchen door to have their mother tell them to set the table.
The Queen family ate salmon smothered in lemon. They joked and chatted, catching up after a couple months. After that they all dispersed. Thea to her room to Skype some of her school friends. His mother and father went to the den to have a movie night. He on the other hand didn't know what to do. He contemplated taking the patio furniture but decided against it knowing his mother would want them moved from where he put them. He thought of going swimming but again chosen not to and opted to just go to his room and see what was in there.
Upon arrival he surveyed the room. There was a TV with a Blu-ray and various gaming consoles, a laptop, a few boxes of old comic books from when he was a kid, clothes and a book shelf that was mostly for show. He sighed as he ventured to the window beside the DVD and games shelving unit. He glanced hoping to see something that he knew wouldn't be there.
His eyes swooped over the neighboring cottage. He'd been in it a hundred times and knew it as well as he knew his own. The cottage was a medium coloured wood that gave it a welcoming look. He knew the main residence that occupied most of his time won't be there unit tomorrow at the earliest. She had to travel farther than he did. She had chosen a collage on the other side of the country. She'd likely have to drive on her own like normal. It was normally just her in the cottage consistently with a random assortment of relatives that would come to the lake to enjoy the summer. Part of it was because her father owned a few electronic repair shops and stores that took up most of his time. Her mother had passed away when she was young do to cancer that had spread too quickly for the treatments to keep up with.
He doubted he would she her until two maybe three days. She'd have to stop to sleep or risk falling asleep at the wheel. He sighed a little disappointed that their reunion would be postponed even longer. They didn't speak all that much during the rest of the year making the summer that much more valuable. The blond moved away from the window and turned on the TV and his PlayStation. He popped in one of the game disks and grabbed one of the controls. He played for hours. When he looked up at the clock he knew he had to go to bed. Thanks to collage he was used to going to bed at ridiculously late hours and functioning the next day with four hours of sleep.
Oliver grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms and a towel dawning towards the bathroom. After a quick shower he dressed and climbed into bed. He had been laying there for half an hour when he saw light gleam through his window momentarily blinding him. He jumped out of the bed, swiftly moving to the window. Sure enough it was the familiar red vehicle (AN: anyone know the type she drives?). He couldn't help the smile that welled up within him. And just like that he was out the door heading to the neighboring cottage.
AN: ok so I wanted to do a 'girl next door' type AU with Oliver and Felicity. I changed a few things like the age gap between Oliver and Thea, normally ten years but in this seven. I plan to have her relatively involved and it didn't seem right if she was just ten thus she is thirteen. Parents won't be in it too much. I hope you enjoy!