CHAPTER 2: Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

"I can't do this, I can't. I just won't go on the trip."

"No way. You have been talking about this trip all year. Plus, you already told your mom." John Diggle points out knowingly, "You can't just back out now."

"I know, but this is Oliver we're talking about. You know, the fuckboy of the school?!" Felicity quietly freaks out, "He isn't going to say yes. He's just going to make fun of me!"

"He might say yes, I heard he was failing French so maybe you make a deal to tutor him."

"So he can be my fake boyfriend?! Oh god, what have I done."

Felicity and Diggle walk down the hall to 4th period, it's been two days since she has told her mom she's dating Oliver Queen. Her mom keeps bugging her about when she's going to meet him and his parents. For the past two days, she hasn't been able to bicker with Oliver, instead, she been a babbling mess. She doesn't think he notices how she now gets nervous talking to him and boy she has been nervous. She's so nervous about asking him that she finally told someone. Which happened to be the first person she saw today. John Diggle.

She actually really happy that she told him out of all her friends since she knows he won't tell anyone. She doesn't even need to tell him not to tell anyone because he already knows this is something you need to keep on the down-low. The two have been talking about what to do for the past half hour. Trying to figure out how to get Oliver to be her fake boyfriend is a lot harder to do when he hates you and you hate him right back. Not to mention she has never asked Oliver to help her with anything, not only because she never needed it but because he probably wouldn't help. She never helped him when he asked so why would he do the same. Diggle sends his friend a look before thinking out loud.

"Why did you even say it was Oliver? Everyone knows you two hate each other."

"I panicked, okay? I told my mom she knows the guy-"

"The fake boyfriend."

"-Yes and that's when he popped up in my head because everyone knows him."

"Why couldn't you just say you were dating me or something? She knows me."

"Because she knows you're dating Lyla and that would make an even bigger mess." She answers then begins to list out the guys who would fake date her but won't work out, "Ray wouldn't be able to keep a straight face, he'd just laugh. Barry would get too nervous and confess within ten minutes of talking to her."

"Doesn't she know you have always hated him, though?"

"No, I don't spend my time telling her about the people I hate."

"It doesn't matter anyway. What's done is done." Diggle sighs as he looks around to make sure no one in the hall is listening, "You have to ask him and soon too because the trip is in two months."

"I know!" Felicity groans as they turn the corner, "How am I even supposed to ask him?"

"How should I know?" Diggle shrugs before his eyes light up with an idea, "Maybe you should just ask him out on a real date. He doesn't have a girlfriend."

"What?! No." Felicity thinks about it again before repeating in disbelief, "What. No. That makes everything more complicated, it's better if we're both on the same page. Besides he doesn't want to date me. It's OLIVER."

"Hey, I'm just throwing out ideas." Diggle lifts his hands up in defense, "There is only so much I can do. It would have just been easier if you said any guy besides Oliver Queen. Hell, you could have asked Slade and he would probably do it, no problem."

"Well, like you said what's done is done."

Felicity thinks out loud as they reach their 4th-period classroom. Most of the kids are already in the class which includes Barry and Lyla. They wave for them to come sit beside them as their teacher passes out books for all of them. The two walk slower than usual to keep talking about the situation at hand. Doing so Lyla looks between them in confusion.

"All I know is that you need to ask him today," Diggle then whispers to her while walking to his seat next to his girlfriend, "Before things get more complicated."

"What is going to get more complicated?" Barry asks them from his desk innocently.

"Nothing! Nothing is Complicated. Why would anything be complicated?" Felicity panics and begins to babble with a blush coming to her cheeks, "We're teenagers, what could be more complicated than figuring out what we want for lunch? Or where to park? See nothing's that complicated."

"Wow." Diggle stands in front of her with a disappointed gaze, "It really is going to be complicated."

"Dude, what are going to do about French?"

Tommy asks Oliver as their teacher plays a video for the class. The lights are off and documentary movie lights the classroom. Their teacher is on his computer not giving the students any attention just like the students aren't giving any attention to the video. Everyone is either texting, sleeping, or talking quietly. Tommy, Oliver, and Cooper sit side by side in the corner doing nothing productive as usual. Oliver's best friend then adds knowingly in a low voice.

"If you're still failing the class in two months you won't get to go on the trip. Did you talk to her about it yet?"

"Just get a tutor, man." Cooper suggests while sitting beside Tommy, "You got time to bring up your grade."

"I talked to her two days ago and come on, Cooper. I ain't going to do that shit." Oliver shrugs as he winks at Sara who's sitting a few desks away, "I'll just get my parents to donate some money. They know how much I've been wanting to on the trip."

"I swear that's the only way you're going to graduate," Tommy snorts while glancing at Laurel quickly before saying vaguely, "By bribing."

"That's how I got this far." He smirks at his friends while Sara gives him a suggestive look, "I'm telling you guys my grade isn't going to be a problem. I'll ask my father to give some cash to the principal tonight."

Oliver then raises an eyebrow at the youngest Lance sister as she bites her lip seductively. Cooper and Tommy roll their eyes at their friend's horny ass. Oliver always acts like he can get away with anything and it'll be okay. Most of the time he did, there are rare occasions when it does bite him in the ass and that's usually when Felicity's gets involved. Which is one of the many reasons Oliver dislikes her so much.

"I still think it's easier to just get a tutor," Cooper speaks up while watching the video on the screen, "You can ask Felicity, she's the best tutor I know."

"Felicity helping Oliver? Come on, let's be serious here." Tommy sends him a knowing look, "If Oliver was on fire and Felicity had a glass of water she would drink it while watching and Oliver would do the exact same. Am I right or am I right?"

"I wouldn't even drink it. I would let her watch me pour it out on the ground." Oliver smirks while leaning back in his seat, "She's a bitch to me and I'm an asshole to her. That's how it's always been and that ain't going to change anytime soon."

"Well, don't worry. You're not missing out anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she doesn't put out."

"Hold on, you two didn't hook up while Y'all were dating?"

"Nope, wonder why I'm with Helena?"

The gears in Oliver's head began to turn in his head with the new information. Felicity's a virgin. He smirks knowing he has something new to mess with her about and this will really make her mad. Not only that but he realizes now why Cooper cheated on her with Helena because everyone knows she will do the deed. Helena was nothing to brag about like it would be with Felicity though because everyone knows she sleeps around. Thinking the same thing Tommy points out honestly.

"If that's the only reason than you fucked up. Felicity might have let you take her V-card if you stayed with her a little longer but now you'll never know."

"Come on, it's Felicity Smoak. It would take a ring to get it."

"She's still hotter than Helena though. She Lowkey has this sexy librarian thing going on." Tommy points out with a grin while nudging his best friend, "Ollie, back me up."

"Tommy's right. Think about it, man." Oliver leans on his desk then and says quietly to the guys, "Felicity's a bitch but Helena is bitchier. Helena is hot but Felicity's hotter."

"Doesn't matter. Helena will go all the way and Felicity's Felicity." Cooper snorts while glancing at their teacher, "I know she won't give it up anytime soon because she doesn't do anything unexpected like that."

"Ok, I'm going to do it."

"Do what?"

"Now?"

"Yeah. Or I'll chicken out."

"What will you chicken out of?"

Diggle, Felicity, and Barry walk into their French class together. Lyla and Ray are already in their seats with a few others students also in the class. Most of the class isn't here yet since the bell for the passing period will ring in a few minutes. Barry looks at the two confused like a little kid while John and Felicity talk about her asking Oliver to be her fake boyfriend like adults. Well, Diggle is acting like an adult, Felicity's acting like a 15-year-old girl about to tell her crush she likes him. Barry gives them a pouty face when he realizes something is going on and he's not in on it but if Felicity told him it would be all over Twitter by the end of the day. The three all go to their seats as more of their classmates come in.

"You have to do it today." Diggle says while getting in his seat, "The more time you waste the harder it's going to be."

"I'm going to ask him the moment he gets into class."

Felicity declares as she plops in her seat with her game face on. One by one kid go to their assigned seat, Mrs. Rochev says hi in French to each of them but only one or two actually respond back in French. Felicity watches the door while waiting for one certain Queen to walk through. She gets more nervous as Tommy, Cooper, and Laurel walk in knowing Oliver isn't too far away from them. After another moment goes by the bell finally rings for the passing period to be over and for the class to start.

A few kids run into the class hoping Mrs. Rochev won't make them get a tardy pass but of course she does. None of the kids who were late were Oliver though. Felicity sends Diggle a look and he just sends her the same one back. They both know he's here, they saw him at lunch flirting out of his ass with Sara. That's when Smoak looks to Sara's seat and realizes she isn't here either. Before she can think any more about where Sara and Oliver are Rochev goes to the front of the room and begins class.

Felicity glanced at Cooper then, he catches her in the action making him smile. She blushes before quickly looking away and down to her hands. Rochev starts writing down French vocab words and making the class pronounce it to her. This goes on for a handful of minutes before their Principal Walter Steele comes in with an embarrassed Oliver and Sara behind him. They both have Saturday detention forms in their hands as they walk to their seats. Laurel sends her little sister a murderous look and Tommy grins while nodding at his best friend in respect. Principal Steele sends Mrs. Rochev a plain expression before saying.

"Sorry for intruding your lesson, Mrs. Rochev. I thought I should walk Mr. Queen and Ms. Lance to their class since they apparently got lost on the staircase."

"You're fine." She sends the two students with red faces an irritated look before smiling at Walter, "I'm just glad they're here now."

"Good, I'll leave you to it then."

With that said their principal leaves but not before sending Oliver and Sara a threatening look. Rochev raises her eyebrows at the couple before sighing and going back to the list of vocab words. Queen leans back in his chair and relaxes with a smug look. The youngest Lance is still all red in the face while looking anywhere but at Oliver. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened on the staircase, even if Felicity is one.

After a moment of listening to Rochev monotone voice Smoak looks to Queen with a knowing expression making him wink her way only for her to roll her eyes and look away. She can't believe her mom actually believes she's dating a guy like Oliver Queen. She looks to Diggle who's looking back at her then and remembers she still hasn't asked him to be her fake boyfriend. John motions for her to ask him after class making her crinkle in her seat. Just the thought of fake dating Oliver made her want to gag.

"Oliver! Wait!"

"What did you say?"

"I said wait!"

"What? I didn't hear you."

"Yes, you did- Oliver!"

The bell has ringed for school to be over and everyone wastes no time to get out of class. By the time Felicity is packed up and out in the hall Oliver is already halfway down the hall with Cooper and Tommy. She's running to catch up to him since he won't stop for her. He didn't even look back to her when she called for him, Cooper did, even Tommy slowed down for her. Barry, Lyla, and Ray are walking the opposite way while glancing back and giving her a confused look. Diggle watches with a supporting look to make sure she's actually going to ask him. She passes Laurel, Sara, and Helena walking together a few feet away from the guys. They all give her a bitch face but don't say anything about Felicity catching up to Oliver. When she finally reaches him she starts walking his speed since he won't stop and says annoyed.

"Queen, I need to talk to you."

"That's what you're doing isn't it?"

"Alone!"

"Alone?" This makes him stop walking and face her with a smirk, "You want to talk alone or do something alone?"

Tommy rubs his face thinking Felicity will slap him at any moment while Cooper looks between the two in alarm. Since all four of them have stopped walking the girls, Helena, Laurel, and Sara have stopped too beside Oliver's friends. Walking closer to Felicity he tilts his head with a smug look. She takes a step back and says seriously.

"Talk alone. Give me five minutes."

"Fine," He sighs before looking to his friends, "Y'all go, I'll catch up."

Tommy nods and starts walking when Cooper stands there for a minute he shoves him lightly to follow. As the guys walk away the girls give Felicity a disbelief look, Sara's glaring at her and Oliver before she stomps away. Laurel and Helena follow her after a second. Felicity and Oliver watch them walk away until they are out of sight before looking back at each other. Folding his arms Queen leans on the wall and asks.

"So what do you want to talk about?"

"I- I need your help."

She mumbles as she looks around the hall nervously. A few kids walk past them but they don't seem to be paying them any attention. Oliver's eyebrows raise in surprise, never has he heard Felicity Smoak ask for him, Oliver Queen, to help her. He smiles brightly before saying with a cocky voice.

"Well, isn't that something. You need my help, out of everyone we know you need mine."

"Yes, so-"

"Shut up. Let me have a moment to savor this feeling."

"Oliver…."

"Shhh." After a moment of the two standing in silence Oliver sighs and smiles before saying easily, "I'm not helping you."

"What!?" She says in shock before snapping at him, "I didn't even tell you what I need help with!"

"Don't care." He smirks as he begins to walk away, "Not my problem."

"Come on!" She follows after him, "Just listen to what I have to say!"

"Nah. I'm good."

"But-"

"No."

"Oliver-"

"That's my name don't wear it out-"

"Oliver, I need you to be my boyfriend!"

Oliver stops walking at that making her run into his back and almost fall down. He spins around as she steadies herself. He looks down at her in confusion making her look around embarrassedly. No one is in the hall but the two of them. Everyone is either at practice or already at home. Queen looks at her with a lost expression, he thinks about all the reasons she would want him to be her boyfriend just to make him more confused. She sighs as she looks up at him desperately and explains.

"My mom won't let me go on the trip to France unless I let her meet my boyfriend and his parents."

"Why did you tell her you had a boyfriend in the first place?"

"To show her I moved on from Cooper."

"Okay, well get someone else to be your pretend boyfriend."

"I can't."

"And why not?"

"I told her you were my boyfriend."

"Felicity…" Oliver groans while rubbing his face, "Why would you say that?"

"She wanted a name and yours slipped out." She answers in aggravation, "So it has to be you. I can't get someone to pretend to be you because she knows what you and your parents look like."

"How about-"

"Trust me. I tried thinking of ways where I didn't have to ask you to be my boyfriend. There isn't any good way."

"Then you shouldn't have told her you were dating me!" He freaks out in the middle of the hall, "This is not my problem, Felicity."

"I know." She begins to pace, "I'm asking for a favor. Just pretend to be my boyfriend for one dinner with our parents-"

"With our parents?! No way."

"Please! I really want to go on this trip." She pleads with him, "I'll help you pass French."

"How do you know I'm failing?"

"That doesn't matter. Will you do it?"

"Hell no!"

"Why not?! It's one dinner."

"For one reason."

Oliver says simply while moving to stand inches away from her. He couldn't believe what was happening, Felicity wants him to be her pretend boyfriend for her family. When he said they could talk for five minutes he has no idea it would be about this. Not only that but he had no idea how she got herself into a mess like this and actually have a plan to get out of it. Her plan won't and can't work though. She's talking about them pretending to like each other, not only that but to be infatuated with one another. For as long as he could remember she would always roll her eyes at the sight of him and he would groan at the sight of her. How could they change that into doe eyes and soft sighs? Even if it would be for one night. Looking at her seriously Oliver points a finger at her.

"I hate you, you hate me."

"Hate is such a strong word-"

"You once told me calling me Satan was an insult to Satan."

"Well, I-"

"You said just a week ago that I must have been born on the highway because that's where most accidents happen."

"You know I didn't really mean it-"

"You told me that I'm so ugly, when my mom dropped me off at school she got a fine for littering."

"It's not like you haven't said shit like that to me! It's just a dinner, it will be a one-time thing!"

"I'm not doing it." Oliver then begins to walk away while adding, "We wouldn't even make it through the dinner."

"You know what, fine! Be that way!" Felicity stands in the middle of the hall glaring at his back, "I'll just look in the garbage since that's obviously where I need to go to find someone like you."

"You know the real reason your family can't have dinner with mine is because Y'all are like summer," Queen calls out to her while still walking, "No class!"

"Fuck you, asshole!" She growls before taking her shoe off, throwing it and missing him as she barks, "Hope you have fun failing French!"

"Hope you have fun missing the trip!"

"No way, she really asked that?"

"Yeah, she thought it could work too."

"Damn, and Cooper thought she didn't do anything unexpected."

"Right, asking a person you hate to be your fake boyfriend is a whole new level of unexpected."

Oliver and Tommy are chilling on the edge of the pool in their swim trunks and sunglasses on. It's such a nice and hot day that they went over to Oliver's house to swim right after practice, Cooper would have come with them but he left with Helena before Oliver could invite him over. They have been chilling in the pool for half an hour now and Oliver just got done telling Tommy about Felicity wanting him to play her boyfriend for a day. He hasn't told anyone else and he doesn't know if he should, he almost feels like it never happened since it's so unlike Felicity. Tommy takes a sip of his drink before shrugging and asking.

"I don't get it though… She needs a fake boyfriend to go on the trip and you need a tutor to pass French for you to go on the same trip, you could have made a deal to help you out."

"It's Felicity and I we're talking about. Ten seconds into the dinner we'll be bickering and they'll figure out it's a fake relationship." Oliver predicts before adding carelessly, "Plus I can just get my parents to bribe the Principal. They did it so they wouldn't kick me off the team for my grades-"

"Ollie! Tommy! I'm going to jump again! Are you watching?"

"Yeah, Speedy! We're watching."

Oliver calls out to his little sister, Thea Queen, as she gets out of the pool and to the diving board. She's six years old with crazy brown hair and freckles. Everyone in the family (including Tommy) calls her speedy since she's always so fast. Getting on the diving board with her floaties she gets to the edge of the board and looks to the teenagers before asking.

"Ready?"

"Yeah! Go for it!"

She does a little girl jump into the pool while screaming and holding tightly to her floaties. Tommy and Oliver smile as she goes under water then pops out for air. She begins to giggle and swims to the latter in the pool to do it again. Tommy then is about to speak up when he sees Oliver's mother, Moira Queen, coming out of the house with an angry expression making him nod at Oliver to look behind him. When Ollie turns to see what his best friend nodded for him to look at he finds his Mother motioning for him to come to her. Getting up he meets her halfway, they are only a few feet away from Thea and Tommy when his mother states.

"I got a call from the Principal today."

"About?" Oliver shrugs casually.

"About you making out with another girl in the staircase and getting your 4th detention slip this semester." Moira snaps at him as she puts her hands on her hips, "He also told me you're Failing two classes!"

"Really? I thought I was just failing one…" Oliver says while scratching his ear awkwardly, "Well, you can just pay them-"

"No! I'm not paying them to bring up your grades! You need to earn them, Oliver." She explains in a stern voice, "And kissing a someone during school is unacceptable."

"Mom, it's not a big deal." Oliver glances back to see Tommy pretending not to listen in, "A grade is just a number and it was one kiss."

"Right, and money's just paper." Moira snort before saying in her business voice, "Your father and I have talked it over and decided that until you shape up and get your grades up you're not getting a single dime from us."

"What? No! DAD!" Oliver calls for his other parent with his eyes go wide in realization, "What about the field trip to Paris?!"

"ROBERT! I guess you're going to have to pay for it yourself."

"I can't save up that kind of money in two months!"

"Then you're not going on the trip."

Thea's now sitting next to Tommy by the pool watching them yell at each other. The gears are turning in Tommy's head on how to get his best friend out of this mess, he wouldn't be Oliver's best friend if he didn't try. Ollie's mom then folds her arms as Oliver puts his hand through his hair in disbelief that he might not be able to go on the trip. This is the first trip he would be going on without it being a business trip so he didn't want to miss it for something as stupid as one makeout session. Oliver stares at his mother for a few seconds, he's so angry that all he can say is.

"DAD!"

"ROBERT!"

"DAD!"

"ROBERT QUEEN!"

"WHAT?!"

Walking out of the house Robert Queen, Thea and Oliver's father, comes out while rubbing his head annoyed. Thea's eyes are wide as she looks up at Tommy, he has the same expression as her when he looks down to her. Moira and Oliver send Robert a look like they both think he's on their side before Moira speaks up confidently.

"Robert, honey. Tell your son what we discussed."

"Sweetie, he's both our son... Oliver, after the call from Mr. Steele we decided you need to clean your act up. We have let things slide too much and it stops now." Robert says tiredly before asking his wife, "Can I go now?"

"No!"

"No way!"

"Come on, son." Robert groans as he looks between each of the Queen family members, "All we want is for you to bring up your grades and to straighten yourself out."

"Why can't you just donate some money to the school to bring up my grade?!"

"Because that's not how we want you to shape up as a man."

"But you always do it- How am I even supposed to bring my grade up within two months?"

"Why can't you find a good tutor?" Moira then asks like a concerning mother, "We'll pay for that. Who's the best tutor you know?"

"Felicity Smoak…" Oliver answers with a groan while rubbing his face, "But I can't ask her…"

He definitely couldn't ask her after flat out saying no to being her fake boyfriend and saying her family has no class. She's the only tutor he knows that's actually helpful but she's also the only person that hates him enough to watch him fail with a smile on their face. No, he couldn't ask her. That would be like asking to get back together after doing something fucked up. Glancing back at his best friend and sister he wonders how everything went downhill today. Moments ago he was having fun with Tommy and Thea, now he can't go on the trip to France without the help of a girl he screwed over today.

"Why not? It does matter what her price is," Robert sighs wanting this conversation to be over, "Just let me what how much she wants per session and I'll write a check."

"No, dad. You can't because..."

"Because?"

"Because he's dating Felicity."

All the Queens turn to look at Tommy who speaks up while standing up and going to Oliver's side. Everyone even Thea looks at him confused but he just looks at them with an innocent expression. He only had a few minutes but he figured out how to get Oliver out of this mess with everyone getting what they want, well almost. Sending Oliver a quick look to just go along with it Tommy turns to the head of the Queen family and says.

"He's been dating Felicity Smoak for about a week now and he doesn't want her to think he's just dating her to get his grade up."

"You have a girlfriend?" Moira looks at her son in shock, "How do we not know about this?"

"Well- I…" Oliver panics while growing red in the face, "You see-"

"They only been dating for a week and he wanted to tell you after a few weeks so he wouldn't freak everyone out." Tommy adds while patting Oliver on the shoulder, "The girl he kissed today was Felicity."

"I don't know what to say... I'm just used to you having random girls over." Moira looks between the guys in surprise, "You never had a girlfriend before. You must really like her… My son's in love!"

"I don't know about that.. but she sure isn't random." Oliver laughs nervously while going along with Tommy's lie, "She's been dying to go to Paris which is why I want to go but I don't want her to think I'm using her."

"Well, then why don't we meet her!" Thea runs up to the adults like her suggest is brilliant while water drips from her hair, "If she meets us then she'll know you're not using her!"

"Why Speedy, that's a wonderful idea." Robert laughs at his little girl while picking her up, "How about that?"

"It's perfect, you bring her home for dinner one night and she'll see your serious so she can tutor you without thinking you're using her."

Moira lights up at the thought of her son having a steady girlfriend who can help him pass his classes. She doesn't even know the girl and she already loves her. Oliver looks at his sister not knowing if he should be impressed that she thought of that all by herself or be mad that now he has to actually bring Felicity to meet his parents. A second goes by when he then figures out why Tommy said what he said. Smiling like he won the lottery Oliver says to no one in particular.

"Yes! Of course! That could actually work. We'll have dinner with her parents, she'll help me pass French, you'll pay for the trip and both of us will get to go!"

"Yeah… We know that's why I said it's perfect." Moira says awkwardly while looking at her son concerningly, "Are you already nervous, darling? Don't be we'll be on our very best behavior, after all, she is your ticket to passing French."

"Well, this was nice but it's been a long day. I'll be in my office. If you need anything don't yell, just text me." Robert sets Thea down before walking toward the house and saying, "Tell me when Felicity's family is coming for dinner and I'll be there."

"Great! This is just wonderful." Moira claps her hands before saying to her son, "You talk to Felicity and see when her family is free for dinner. I don't care what night, it's up to them. Okay?"

"Yeah yeah, Mom."

"Good. Now come on, Speedy." Ollie's Mom then takes her daughter's hands before walking toward the house, "Let's dry you off."

Thea groans at the suggestion but lets her mother drag her inside the house. After the girls are inside the guys stand there and fully process what has happened within the last 10 minutes. Oliver's family now thinks he's dating Felicity and wants her family to meet them. Not only that but they want her to tutor him. Thinking about how he got into that mess he turns to Tommy and shoves him into the pool without warning. His best friend shouts as he goes underwater and when he pops back up he groans.

"What the hell was that for?"

"For getting me into this mess!"

"Bro, I got you out of the mess!"

"How?!"

"Felicity needs a fake boyfriend and now you need a fake girlfriend! It's perfect."

"Not when I pissed her off!"

"It'll be a one-time thing so just apologize."

"To Felicity? Fuck no."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Ollie."