She regretted the words she had said to Oliver as soon as she had shut him out. It didn't mean she was going to beg for his forgiveness though. She spent the time after he left sitting against the wall by the door contemplating her life. She had made a huge mess. All in the name of being liked. She had changed herself to fit in with the crowd and it still hadn't worked. The truth was she would never fit. She was a square in a world of circles. The question was, was that really a bad thing?
An hour later the doorbell rang as she was lost in her thoughts. She put her second pint of mint chip down on the coffee table as she ran to the door, already preparing her second speech of why she didn't want to talk to him.
"Oliver! I said I didn't want to talk to you," she yelled as she swung open the door once again. But it wasn't Oliver on the other side.
"Thea, Sara? What are you doing here?"
"Oliver called, said could you use some friends," Thea answered.
Her lip trembled. Even after she had given him the what for Oliver still cared enough to at last call her friends. That made her feel slightly worse than she already felt.
"Are we still friends?" She choked as a tear slipped down her cheek. Suddenly she was enveloped by two sets of arms.
"Oh sweetie, there's nothing you could do to shake us," Sara declared.
She pulled back in their arms. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened. I'm not this person," she sobbed. Thea rubbed soothing circles on her back as she cried. "I never cared what people thought about me but then I got caught up by a stupid word."
"It's okay," Thea reassured her. "We all go through our struggles, none of us are perfect but even then Felicity you're the best one of us all."
"You're just saying that Thea."
"No, she's really not. Felicity you've got a heart of gold, you're a genius but you don't put people down or make them feel dumb. You're kind and compassionate, and you'd do anything for the people you love. And that's the thing Felicity, you're always so worried about everyone you love that you forget that there are people who love you."
She sniffed and Thea handed her a tissue that she had somehow magically produced. "I'm so-"
"Don't apologize again, there is nothing to forgive. You went through a hard time, we get that. Now we're going to help you put yourself back together again," Sara asserted.
She hugged her friends again. "Thank you."
"What are sisters for?" Thea asked. She smiled as her two best friends, good as sisters, tugged her to the couch. "So tell us, what's been going on with you?"
"I-I really don't know. I'm so confused," she said as she held her head in her hands.
"Does this have anything to do with Oliver? I couldn't help but notice you were going to yell at him." Thea asked.
She sighed. "It has everything to do with him."
"Did something happen between you two?" Sara questioned gently from her place beside her.
"No-well yeah," she blushed. Thea turned toward her and sat forward. "Something.."
"What kind of something?" She asked eagerly.
"We kinda-no we definitely did...kiss," she said with a shrug. Her body heated at the memory of his rough fingertips against the skin of her back. She jolted when she saw that both of her friends mouths were hanging agape. "Did I think that out loud?" They both nodded slowly. "Crap."
"You and my brother made out?" She didn't answer. Thea took it as confirmation and sprang off the couch with a shout of 'Yes!'.
"Thea!" She chided.
"What! I've been waiting for this for years! Do you realize all the sexual tension that we've had to watch?" Thea pointed at Sara.
"It's true, the heated glances across the lawn at parties, the off and on banter and not to mention that time you fell in the pool at Tommy's house and Oliver lent you a shirt," Sara supplied.
"What about it?"
"He lent you his shirt Felicity, then he proceeded to look at you like he'd much rather you be out of it."
"He did not," she denied. "We've been friends, kinda over the years. That's all it is."
"Mmmhmm..." Thea mumbled. "Friends don't look at each other like that. I swear sometimes I thought you were going to catch each other on fire from all the heat."
"You're full of it," she said as she crossed her arms and looked away, tears gathering in her eyes. "Oliver doesn't care for me like that and he never will. He has Laurel," she practically spat.
"Wow, somebody call the doctor because that was a lot of venom," Sara mused. "What happened?"
"Nothing."
"That was not nothing. I've never ever seen you spit something out like that. So spill it."
"I thought...I thought that maybe he might feel something for me...just a wild thought and after my not-so-date with Cooper I wanted to talk to him. He didn't answer so I went to my thinking spot-"
"At night?" Thea exclaimed.
"Yes at night, man you Queen's and your safety issues. Now stop interrupting." Thea sat back and pressed her lips together and made a locking motion. "I went there and I saw him with...with Laurel."
"No," Thea and Sara gasped in unison.
"Yeah...he took her to my spot."
"Are you sure he did?"
"Yes, I'm sure Thea."
"I'm just saying...lately Ollie's and Laurel's relationship or whatever it is has been going downhill. Like they hit a box of dynamite and kaboom! That kinda downhill."
"I know what I saw Thea."
"I'm just saying that something's are not always as they seem."
"Are you on my side or his?"
"I'm Switzerland. I just know how misunderstandings work. Have you read a book? Stupid question. Point is those misunderstandings usually turn into epic love stories or tragic lonely endings because the couples never talk it out and then they go their whole life without knowing how the other one really felt and they miss out on this really amazing life and they end up living alone with like 3 cats."
"Thank you Thea, if I wasn't already depressed I definitely am now."
Thea winced. "Sorry."
"One, you're cut off from Fanfiction, cause I know you didn't read an actual book unless Cosmo and Seventeen are considered reading material. Two, I don't even likes cats and
Three, this is not Anne Of Green Gables and I am not Marilla.
"You will be if you don't at least try to talk it out. At least let him explain."
"Thea-" she groaned.
"Okay, new topic," Sara interrupted. "What happened with Cooper?"
"He wanted in your pants," she said bluntly.
Sara blinked. "Seriously?"
"Yup." She sat back on the couch and lifted her feet to the coffee table. When they sat near the areas Oliver had been earlier she moved them away liked she'd been burned. "Duffy here can't even get a real date."
"Oh Felicity. I am so sorry."
She looked at her best friend's, her beautiful best friends and she realized something. They had always been there for her, through thick and thin, they'd never left her and they most certainly had never used her. She had tried her whole life to be loved by everyone that she had missed the fact that there were two people right in front of her that already did. They didn't have an ulterior motive to wanting her friendship. They just loved her and accepted her for who she was. She tried to look at herself through their eyes. A blonde who babbled and liked computers more than people. Yet she'd still earned the trust and loyalty of two amazing people. She was going to be just fine, maybe not right away but eventually. She had come to terms with who she was. If someone didn't like it, then it was their loss.
"It's okay Sara." Sara looked unsure but she took her hand to reassure her. "Really I am."
"How? With everything that's happened how could you possibly be okay?"
Unbidden something her grandmother used to say floated into her mind.
hen her grandmother was alive she had a saying
"Your value doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth."
She didn't understand what it meant until just now.
"Because I've realized something... I am me. This is me," she gestured to herself. "If I'm not good enough for someone then they're not worth me or my time."
"Yeah girl, that's the Felicity we know," Sara clapped and Thea hugged her.
"I'm getting there," she said with a small smile.
"Now back to the important stuff," Sara said as she rubbed her hands together. "On a scale of one to ten how would you rate your first kiss?"
Thea slapped Sara's arm. "Gross, that's my brother."
She blushed and shook her head. "Nope, nu-uh, no way."
"Come on, you gotta give us something," Sara begged.
"We're not talking about Oliver's expert kissing abilities. That's just weird," she said as she glanced at Thea.
"You just admitted he was an expert," Sara yelled as she pointed at her. She clamped her lips shut and closed her eyes. "Oh this is good. Hmm...well since you're not going to spill any kissing beans then I guess I'll just have to spill some of Thea's."
Her eyes flew open. "What?" She screeched.
"Thea kissed Roy," Sara supplied with a smirk and Thea smacked her with a pillow.
"When did this happen?"
"A week ago," Thea said, her face red.
"I want details."
"Nope," Sara wagged her finger. "You're not getting nothing until you fess up buttercup."
She looked at Thea and the blush working it's way up her neck. Oh maybe it was worth it. Whatever had happened was definitely worth it.
"Ten, definitely ten."
Sara squealed and punched Thea in the arm. "Owww," she grunted as she started rubbing at the pain.
"Okay so this girl," Sara pointed at Thea. "Just marches right out onto the football field, right in the middle of practice."
"I was getting sick of waiting."
"You've had a crush on him a long time," she noted.
"So she goes out there," Sara continued. "Grabs him and kisses him, right on the mouth, with God, both of her brothers and the whole football team watching. Then she proclaimed that they were going to homecoming together. The boy couldn't even speak. He barely managed a nod. Then she whipped her hair over her shoulder and strode right off the field."
"You didn't!"
"I did." she said as she slid further down into the sofa covering her face with her hands. "I blame you. You weren't there to talk me out of my stupid idea."
"I can't believe I missed it."
"You missed the panic attack after too," Sara said with a laugh and Thea sent her a glare.
"That's what I get from having a early life crisis," she groaned.
They all burst out laughing at her words.
By the end of the night she felt more like herself, but more confident. She had realized she was worth something and that she was important. She hated everything she had gone through to get to that point but it was necessary. Who knew how long it would take for her to finally realize her self worth if she hadn't.
Oliver was right about one thing...sure she was a Duff and proud of it.
He was laying on his bed turning Felicity's glasses over in his hands when his phone buzzed. He practically fell off the bed in his rush to answer it.
"Hello?" He breathed.
"Hey..."
He sighed, it wasn't who he wanted it to be on the other end.
"Thea. What's going on? How is she?"
"Okay, she was victim of a sugar coma. She's asleep now." He ran a hand across his face. "Ollie, what's going on between you two?"
"Honestly? I don't know." He didn't. All he knew was that he just kept...hurting her. It was killing him. She should hate him...he wanted her too. It would make his choice to stay away from her that much simpler.
"Well I suggest you figure it out. You're breaking her heart."
"That's the last thing I want to do," he said in anguish.
"I believe you. So why don't you do something about it?"
"I can't," he choked, trying all he could to hold back the tears that were gathering in his eyes.
"Well...then you don't deserve her."
He closed his eyes. "I know."
"Oliver...don't let what you think you deserve keep you from having what you actually do." He stayed silent. "Just think about it."
"Yeah..." he managed through his tight throat. He hung up and laid his head on his bent knee's. His phone buzzed again and he groaned at the name on the screen.
L: "So are we going to the dance or are you going to humiliate me some more?"
His grip on the phone nearly cracked the glass as he typed out a reply.
O: "See you at seven."
He shut off his phone.
He came into the land of the living by the sound of a deep singsong voice. "Wake up sleeping beauty...rather sleeping ugly. I gotta stop spending so much time with Thea."
His eyelids were heavy and they threatened to close again when someone started pushing on him. He groaned and swatted blindly at whoever it was. "Go away," he mumbled sleepily. He'd tossed and turned all night long and had only just fell to sleep around five. If the dim sunlight beaming on his face was any indication it only had to be going on eight o'clock and he was exhausted, mentally and physically.
"Queen, get up or so help me I will drag you from this bed..." the voice was closer now and he squeezed his eyes shut trying to feign sleep. "Well...I guess I'll have to tell Felicity how you really feel." His eyes flew open and his head lifted from the pillow only to smack against Tommy's with a loud thud. "Owww! What the heck?" Tommy backed away and started to rub at the knot already forming on his forehead.
"Sorry," he said as he sat up against the headboard.
"You have a really hard head."
"So I've been told."
Tommy sat in his desk chair and rolled a football around in his hands. "I was talking in the literal sense but I won't argue about that. You're as ornery as an old mule."
"What are you doing here?" He glanced at the clock. "At seven forty five?" He said with surprise.
"I'm here to tell you how much of an idiot you are."
"You've filled your quota Tommy. I get it, I do a lot of dumb crap. Can we move on?"
"I'm not talking about you run of the mill 'Ollie' shenanigans."
"Then what are you talking about?" He asked in confusion.
He stopped twirling the ball. "Laurel."
He cringed. "What about her?"
"You know what. You finally stuck it to her and now you're taking her to homecoming? Why on earth would you do that?"
He got off the bed and moved to his dresser. He turned his back to Tommy in avoidance while he tugged on a fresh t-shirt. "How do you even know about that?" He asked before he started to explain. "I had too. I didn't have much choice in the matter."
"Sara," Tommy stated. " And you always have a choice. You're just to much of a wussy to back out and really make your own decisions."
He whirled around. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You've always let other people make the plans and you just go along with them because you're too afraid to make your own choices." He opened his mouth to object but Tommy put his hand up. "Nope I've dealt with your mood swings and broody man pain for years. It's time I had my say." Tommy stood up and moved toward him. "You hide behind this idiot facade and you're anything but. You've gone after everything in a skirt just because you could...and because you couldn't have the one you wanted."
He breathed in sharply and looked toward the window. His fist clenched at being reminded of all his past exploits.
"You can do anything you want Oliver, the world is yours for the taking yet you've settled on doing what other people tell you because it's easier and you don't have to be responsible for anything that goes wrong." Tommy turned and picked up a stack of college letters off his desk and thumbed through them. "Harvard, Yale, Princeton.. You don't want to go to these schools. You want to play football yet every single one of these applications are filled out." He dropped the stack back onto the desk, a few papers drifting to the floor from the force.
"It's what's expected of me Tommy."
"Who care's Oliver!" Tommy exclaimed as he threw his arms in the air. "I'm so sick of hearing the constant 'It's what's expected of me' bull. You're worse than some of those teens on reality TV."
"You're one to talk. I don't see you living your dreams." Tommy pulled a folded envelope out of his back pocket and held it out to him. He looked at him a moment before taking it and pulling out the parchment. "Dear Mr. Merlyn we are pleased to inform you that you've been accepted into..." He trailed off and his head snapped up to look at his best friend. "UCLA?"
Tommy rocked back on his heels and smiled. "Yeah. Remember that out of town game a few months ago? I talked to a recruiter while we were there. I applied but I didn't think I'd get in. I was shocked when I got that letter."
"When were you going to tell me?"
"Right now," Tommy supplied. He sat down on the corner of the bed, letter falling into his lap. "What's wrong?"
He looked up and shook his head. "You're going to LA and Felicity's going to Boston."
"Oh..." Tommy whispered in understanding.
"I'm going to be here by myself."
"No body said you had too."
"What do you expect me to do Tommy? Waltz right up to my Dad and say 'Hey, I know I'm your legacy and all but I want to go play football which is exactly what you told me not to do but I'm gonna do it anyways' He'd have an heart attack."
Tommy sighed and thought for a long minute. "Then compromise. Get a business degree. Built in backup plan right there. Then one day if everything goes differently and you change your mind then you can still join the family company."
"I don't think he'd go for it."
"It's worth a shot." He nodded and handed Tommy back his letter. "Just like telling Felicity is worth it."
"Did I not just tell you she's going to Boston?"
"So what?"
He rubbed his temples. "When has a long distance relationship ever worked?"
"If one ever did work it'd be the two of you."
"Doesn't matter. She can't stand me at the moment. I don't even know if she'll ever talk to me again."
"Do you know that eighty percent of marriages fail because of lack of communication?"
"You're really starting to scare me Tommy."
"Blame Thea," Tommy said with a grin. "She's trying to get me in touch with my 'sensitive side."
He ignored him and continued on. "Besides, me and Felicity are hardly married."
Tommy made a buzzing noise with his mouth and he jumped a little. "Wrong again my friend. 'Oh Felicity do you want me to kiss it better?' 'Here take the shirt off my back so you wont get cold.' Oh and my personal favorite. Remember that time at the Anderson's pool party in seventh grade when you ninja chopped that brownie out of her hand? Man her face was priceless," Tommy reminisced.
"There was nuts in that brownie."
Tommy pointed at him. "Exactly."
"Is there a point to all this or did you just wake me up to annoy me?"
"Both," he answered at he sat back down and leaned back in the chair. He couldn't help but wish he'd fall backwards so they could abandon the current topic of discussion.
"I'm just saying you and Felicity have been connected for years. You've both have ignored it and I say it's high time you acknowledged it. Sure you guys aren't exactly on the friendliest terms at the moment but it's all due to miscommunication." Tommy put a hand to his chest. "One good soul bearing conversation could fix it all and you could find your happiness."
"I'm not good at heart to hearts," he informed him.
"Good grief," Tommy grunted as the chair dropped back to the floor with a thump. "I have a mind to lock you two in a closet until you figure it out. All the sexual tension would eventually explode. I'd give you guys ten minuets, fifteen tops."
His body heated as his mind went to a few days prior when he'd been to hold her...and kiss her. Oh he'd give anything to have that opportunity again.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"What?"
"Your face. It's pink. Is that a blush?"
"No," he rebuffed.
"Yes it is! Oliver Queen can blush. Oh this is just too good." Tommy said as he bent over laughing.
"Shut up or I'll shut you up permanently."
Tommy wiped a tear from his eye. "You know I'm starting to see why you and Felicity love each other. You're more alike than you think."
He froze. "No one said anything about love."
Tommy strolled over to his night stand and picked up Felicity's glasses before turning to him with a smug smile. "You didn't have too." He looked down at the spectacles. "I'll admit this is either really cute or really creepy. Do you watch Dateline?"
"Felicity doesn't...love me," he refuted, a burning sensation starting to tingle his thumb and forefinger from his furious rubbing.
"If you seriously believe that..." Tommy handed him the glasses and he held them carefully against his chest. "Then you're dumber than I thought."
He watched as Tommy left. He couldn't be right. Could he? It seemed impossible to believe Felicity liked him let alone loved him...in the way he wanted her too. In the way he loved her.
He lifted the lenses up and peered through the glass. If only he could see through her eyes. Then he wouldn't have so many questions.
Felicity, Sara and Thea spent the next day together doing 'girly stuff' as Thea called it. She claimed that a mani/pedi could fix a host of problems, from breakups to breakouts. She had her doubts about the last one. Her friends kept trying to convince her to go to homecoming, even offering to ditch their dates. She had begged off instead offering to help them get ready for the night.
"How are you going to write your homecoming piece if you don't go to homecoming?" Sara asked as she picked out a color of polish from her rack.
"I'll figure something out, maybe Mr. Diggle will let me off the hook," she answered as she plugged the flat iron into the wall.
"Hate to tell you this hon but Mr. Diggle may be your bud but he's anything but a pushover."
"Please, he's nothing but a big teddy bear."
"You got the big part right. Have you seen his arms? They're like twice the size of Roy's." Thea exclaimed as she wiggled her freshly painted toes.
"So you know much about his arms do you?" she teased.
"Yes," Thea giggled. "Quite a bit. They're very strong."
"Okay, come on, that's just gross," Sara whined and made a gagging noise.
"But it's okay for you to talk about Felicity and Oliver kissing?"
"I've been rooting for them for years. It's like finally seeing progress with my favorite OTP."
"I don't know what I find more disturbing, the fact that you called me and Oliver your OTP or that you're more investing in our relationship that we are."
"So there is a relatio-"
"Slip of the tongue."
"That been happening a lot? Maybe even with Oliver?" Sara grinned.
"Okay, that's enough."
"What? Not into french kissing?"
"Shut up."
"Any other scary facts you'd like to enlighten us with Sara?" Thea asked as she started curling her hair.
"I've been trying to think up ship names."
"Ship nam-Please don't," she moaned.
"Every ship has to have a name. Like Laurel and Oliver were Lauriver." Sara stuck her tongue out. "Yuck. I'm really glad that one crashed and burned. I think there was gun powder on that boat too."
"Oh my gosh. What is my life?"
"How do you feel about Olicity?"
She whipped around to look at her, glare in place. "Say one more word and I'll tell Laurel you were the one who put hair remover in her shampoo when you were eleven."
"You wouldn't!" Sara gasped.
"I would."
"What did Oliver do to you? Besides kiss you senseless."
"He showed me what I could be...if only I put a little effort in."
"Great, you were already scary, now you're terrifying."
"Speaking of terrifying. Do you know my brother is scared of you?"
"Which one?" She asked looking up from painting her toenails a bright red.
"Both of them...but most recently Tommy. He came home muttering about 'Scary Smoaky' while holding his hand."
"I didn't bite him that hard."
"You bit him?"
"He was going to sing like a canary. I had to do something." Thea shook her head and laughed as she returned to her own nails. "So how do they feel about you and Roy?"
"I'm pretty sure Oliver and Tommy have already threatened him within an inch of his life. I'm actually quite impressed that Roy hasn't run away from me screaming yet leaving me to go to the dance alone."
"He likes you...a lot."
"Like you like Oliver?" Thea inquired, turning from the vanity.
"Let's not go there."
"Why can't you just admit it?"
"It's counterproductive. No reason to want something you can't have. It will only hurt in the end."
"Okay miss Debbie downer. How do you know you can't have it before you ask?" Sara questioned.
"Logic and common sense," she replied.
"There are two things in this world that logic doesn't apply to... and that's math and boys."
"Math is plenty logical."
"Say's the girl that passed Calculus in ninth grade."
"It's really not that hard all you have to do-"
Sara put her hand up. "Please don't, I'm learning just enough to graduate and I don't need to get confused."
"That's not hard to do, you're blonde," she shot back.
"So are you Felicity," Thea burst out laughing.
"Oh...right." Then they all started laughing so hard that they had to hold their stomachs.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to homecoming?" Thea asked when they all sobered.
"I don't even have a date Thea, and besides I can't face Laurel..." 'or Oliver,' she added silently.
"The Felicity I know isn't afraid of anything."
"I hacked into the FBI once Thea and after that I didn't use a computer for a week."
"Exactly, you're so scary you scared yourself."
"Should I be worried that that actually made sense?"
"You know you love me."
She hugged the brunette. "I do."
"Does that mean you'll do something for me?"
"Thea," she moaned.
The girl poked out her bottom lip. "Please, don't make me go without my bestest friend."
"Suck that lip in. Flattery will get you nowhere and bestest isn't even a word."
"What are you the word police?" Thea barked out as she crossed her arms in mock anger.
"Help me out here Sara."
Sara stood up and sat down beside Thea on her bed and much to her horror poked out her own lip. "Please Felicity, don't make us go without our bestest friend," Sara begged, her hands clasped together in a pleading motion. She barely managed to hold back her laugh at her friends antics. "Did that help you make your decision?"
"That was not the kind of help I was asking for."
"You get what I give you," Sara smirked.
She crossed her arms and stared at them for awhile. Both of them pleading. "Okay," she finally said and both her friends started jumping up and down screaming.
"What's going on in here?" Her mom came into the room, smile on her face upon seeing her girls in such a jovial mood.
"Felicity agreed to go to the dance with us."
"Well done," she said with a conspiratorial grin at both Thea and Sara.
"Wait...Mom were you in on this?"
"Maybe," he mom answered before looking at her friends. "I told you the poked out lip works every time. It's her kryptonite."
Thea and Sara both started laughing again at her shocked expression.
"You girls better start getting ready," Donna said tapping her watch. "Fashionably late isn't when the dance is over." She looked up and pondered her words for a moment. "Then again I may be wrong, things have changed a lot since I was your age."
She shook herself from her thoughts and waved her hand at them where they stood watching her. "Get going," she shooed them. "I'll be waiting downstairs with the camera when you're ready."
Getting ready turned out to be fun and and hectic at the same time. They all did each others hair and makeup so it sped up the process. Thea wore a beautiful nude colored dressed covered in little blue beats across the bodice, paired with nude heels and a rose colored lip gloss. Sara was rocking a tight black dress with red accents and matching stilettos. Her hair was down and wavy. It was only when they had their hair neatly in place and their makeup perfect and she looked at them that she noticed she didn't have anything to wear.
"Oh my gosh!" She gasped. "I don't have a dress."
"I took care of that," Thea announced as she rose from her chair and reached into her closest to pull out a black garment bag.
"Hey! How did that get in there?"
"That don't call me Speedy for nothing," Thea winked as she hung the bag on the mirror and unzipped it to reveal the most beautiful emerald green dress she'd ever seen. Her mouth literally dropped open as she stepped forward, her fingertips running over the chiffon of the skirt.
"Thea I can't wear that, It's too much."
"I think it's just enough." Thea answered as she pulled it from the bag and helped her put it on.
"Plus it'll blow Oliver's socks off...or his shirt. Whichever you prefer."
"Sara!" She choked as she turned from the mirror.
"What? You guys made out. You can't tell me there's nothing there."
"It was platonic," she countered but the denial sounded weak even to her own ears. She smoothed her hands down the front of her dress to rid herself of some of her nervous energy.
"His hand was under your shirt," Sara pointed out as she fastened a silver necklace around her throat. She sent her a glare in the mirror as she put in her earrings.
"As awesome as it is that you and my brother have 'something' going on I would rather not hear about his...sexual needs and preferences," Thea requested.
She smacked Thea lightly. "We kissed, there was nothing sexual about it."
"Are we talking about the same Oliver here? My brother Oliver Jonas Queen-"
"That could make eating a ice cream cone sexual," Sara interjected.
"Ewww! Sara!" Thea shouted as she covered her ears.
"It's not gross if it's true."
"It's my brother, true or not it's still gross. Especially when he's interested in my best friend."
"He's not interested in me," she protested for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Felicity my brother's had a thing for you since he was five years old."
"He did not."
"Does too."
"Okay children," Sara broke in. "You don't believe her Felicity then why don't you find out yourself."
"And just how do you suggest I do that?"
"Ask him of course."
"You're joking right?" She asked incredulously.
"Nope I'm as dead serious as that run over possum we saw on the way here." She and Thea wrinkled their noses and shuddered. "Too graphic?"
"Just a smidge," Thea said as she lifted two fingers up that were a milometer apart.
"So what? You're saying I should just go up and ask him point blank if he likes me?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"I can't do that Sara. I can't handle much more rejection. Especially not from him."
"He won't reject you."
"You can't know that."
"Yes I can, I'm as sure of it as I am that I'm going to be godmother of your future children."
"Hey! What makes you think you'll be godmother?" Thea shrieked.
"You're Oliver's sister. You have a built in position. That makes you the Aunt and me the Godmother."
"Um guys...guys!" They kept talking and she put her hand in her mouth and whistled loud enough they both covered their ears. "You're getting a little ahead of yourself."
"Do you think we're too far ahead Thea?"
"Nope, not at all." She responded to Sara before turning to her. "I've already started on the baby quilt. If you have a girl you're going to name her middle name Dearden right? It's a Queen family tradition."
"This is going too far," she declared.
"Seeing as you're standing here and not in a school closet making out I tend to disagree," Sara chimed in.
She rolled her eyes and took a breath before glancing at her phone screen. "Oh would you look at that. It's time to go." She rushed from the room like her dress was on fire.
"Oh you look gorgeous!" Her mother cried from the bottom of the stairs as she made her way down.
"Thanks Mom," she said as she pressed a kiss to her mom's cheek.
"You'll ruin your lipstick," her mother warned.
She pressed a finger to her lips and it came away clean. "Smudge free."
"Perfect for making out," Sara added as she handed her the clutch she had left upstairs. She almost growled but Thea descended the stairs and her Mom was soon arranging them for what seemed like a hundred photos. When they finally managed to escape. They were all seeing stars from the camera's flash.
"Good thing we're not driving." Thea announced as they strolled down the drive to the waiting limousine. "I can't see."
"What about your dates?" She asked as they slid inside.
"We're meeting them at the dance," Thea informed her. "This my dears is all for us."
The car was filled with chatter the whole way to the school but she didn't feel much like talking. She was too nervous. Sara and Thea noticed and didn't try to draw her into the conversation instead leaving her to gather her thoughts. Should she say anything to him? Or would it ruin whatever it was they had going on if he found out? She thought of their kiss again. Yeah that plan was pretty much shot the moment that made out on a rock in the woods. It was kinda romantic now that she thought about it.
"We're here," Thea squealed as the car came to a stop pulling her from her silent musings. They all climbed from the car and when they got to the door Sara stopped abruptly in front of her.
"Sara, what-"
"Listen Felicity, as soon as you walk through these doors the old you is done and in her place is the new confident, don't take anyone's crap,especially Laurel's Felicity... got it?" She nodded, a little scared of Sara's voice.
"Good, cause you're going to woman up, walk in there and take what's yours."
"He's not a piece of proper-"
"Shush and do what I say." Sara grabbed her arm and dragged her inside.
Coming from dark to light temporarily blinded her and she had to squint until she got her bearings. She heard a whistle come from behind her and turned to find Tommy Merlyn.
"Does anyone here that sizzling noise?" Tommy cupped his ear. "It can't be coming from where I think it is." He stepped to Sara's side and looked at her with a smirk. "Oh but is. You Felicity... are Smoakin hot."
"Haha, like I haven't heard that one before Merlyn," she retorted with her new found confidence. She leaned over and whispered to Thea. "I actually haven't heard that one before."
Thea choked back her giggles. Sara gave her another stare down before she and Tommy disappeared into the crowd. A moment later Roy appeared and kissed Thea's cheek after telling the both of them that they looked beautiful.
"I'll stay with yo-" Thea started.
"No, go have fun," she encouraged her while smoothing a hand down the front of her dress.
"Felicity..."
"I'm serious," she stressed.
"You'll be okay?"
"Sure, if you can't find me I'm probably hiding in the writing lab." Thea opened her mouth and stepped closer to her before she sighed. "Thea I'm fine, go." It took some convincing but she finally persuaded her to go and soon she saw her and Roy enter the dance floor.
She glanced around the room but there was no sign of Oliver. Maybe she should just sit down. It was when she was turning that she caught a pair of blue eyes that were trained on her intently. She'd know those eyes anywhere, even in the pitch black. Okay so maybe not then because it was kinda impossible to see in the dark unless you were a animal or had special night gear and shutting up now, she cut off her inner ramble.
She took a trembling breath and she started forward, putting all her focus into not tripping over the long skirt of her dress. She took her time examining him in his suit as she moved towards him. Oliver in tux was her new favorite thing. She was pleased when he met her halfway and they both stopped and stared at one another appreciatively.
"You look beautiful," he announced, his voice light but full with meaning. Could that be a good sign?
"Thanks, so do you." She winced and closed her eyes. "I don't mean you're beautiful, not that you aren't cause you totally are but I meant something else. I meant handsome," she finished finally as she sucked in a breath.
'Come on Smoak, where's that confidence you had earlier?' She chastised herself.
Oliver squeezed her shoulder and she opened her eyes with a smile.
"You look very handsome," she said and was thrilled when her voice came out even.
He stared down at her in wonder, making her cheeks tinge pink. "Thank you."
She gathered her courage and managed to swallow once before she opened her mouth. "Oliver, I kinda have something to tell you."
"Really?" He asked, his curiosity piqued.
"You know how we said it was just platonic between us?"
"Yeah..." he hedged. She plowed ahead.
"What would you say if I told you I didn't want platonic?" His lips parted and his face remained impassive. Had she read the situation wrong? Oh she was going to kill Sara and Thea. She opened her mouth to backtrack when a dramatic gasp sounded from behind her. Laurel who looked as beautiful as ever came around to stand at Oliver's side, sliding a arm around his waist.
"Aren't you just the most handsome man here," she exclaimed as she pressed a kiss to his cheek, leaving a her mark. "I'm so glad your mine." Oliver's face froze and his mouth opened before Laurel turned to her in mock surprise. "Fe, how wonderful to see you. I didn't expect you to come."
"Well what can I say. I have two very persuasive best friends."
Laurels eyes lowered down her frame, sweeping over her with her critical eye, no doubt with a snide remark poised on her tongue.
"I'm so glad you could make it," she answered in her sugary sweet tone. "Do you remembered what we talked about the other day?"
"Hmmm...let me think." She put a finer to her lips. "You know I don't remember. You'll have to remind me," she said snarkily. She noticed Oliver's lips twitch and it caused her to smile wider.
Laurel's sweet facade shattered like a bullet through glass then. "You little bi-"
"Call me what you want, loser, nerd, gold digging whore...duff. I really don't care. That's your perception of me, not mine and if I'm being perfectly honest then I'd have to admit that I really don't care what you think Laurel. Sure I'm a Duff..." She paused to glance at Oliver who was watching her closely. "Everyone is. Believe it or not to someone you are too. So you can threaten me and make my life miserable but that won't change the person I am, it only makes me stronger. I guess I can think you for that, because if you hadn't I wouldn't be standing here today...finally done with your crap." Laurel's mouth dropped open and Oliver's stretched into a grin.
Laurel's face twisted and she leaned forward. "Why you-" She not-so-regrettably got cut off when Principal Steele announced they would be crowing the Homecoming King and Queen. Laurel grabbed Oliver's jacket with force and dragged him behind her towards the front. He looked behind him the the whole way, starring at her, a torn expression marring his features.
He'd only gone with Laurel to avoid her wrath. He didn't feel like having to deal with her or the whole school talking about why the King and Queen didn't attend together. His every thought was on Felicity and every time Laurel spoke her words went in one ear and out the other. He was grateful when she finally walked off to consort with her two lackeys, Helena and McKenna, the latter shot him a glare over her shoulder.
He tugged at his tie as he turned away and looked around the room. His eyes were only for one person and she didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. Her glasses, who he couldn't seem to part with were burning a hole in his jacket pocket. Maybe she wasn't coming. He had texted Thea earlier but she had never replied. His leg started to jump and he was about to ditch the whole blasted event when he got a flash of dark green and gold. His gaze jerked to find the person he sought. She was beautiful to say the least.
The emerald dress hugged her curves in all the right places, red toenails peeked out from under her hem and matched her lips. Her golden tresses were perfectly curled and her makeup light but still elegant, leaving her porcelain skin glowing.
When she turned and her blue eyes met his he admitted it. He was done for and he didn't mind at all. Why couldn't he fall in love with someone that wasn't so perfect? His feet moved towards her on their own accord and it took everything not to crush his lips to her ruby red ones when he was close enough.
"You look beautiful," he said barely above a whisper.
"Thanks, so do you," she replied before catching her gaffe. Man he loved it when she babbled. He couldn't keep the grin from his face as she tried to dig herself from her hole without success. He squeezed her shoulder and she smiled at him.
"You look very handsome." His heart beat double at his words. He had known she was attracted to him, physically at least but that didn't mean anything. Though he could say the same what he wanted from her was far more than just the physically aspects. He wanted everything, all of her.
"Thank you," he replied a beat later, his heart pounding in his ears. He watched her and he could tell that she was gathering her courage to say something. But what? He dared not hope for what he wanted it to be lest he be disappointed beyond repair.
"Oliver, I kinda have something to tell you."
"Really?" He asked, his voice somehow came out calm.
"You know how we said it was just platonic between us?" His mouth went dry and his palms started to get clammy.
"Yeah..." he trailed off, scared to say anything further.
"What would you say if I told you I didn't want platonic?" His lips parted and he felt like everything around them had frozen in time. All the air had somehow escape his lungs and he felt like his how body felt like it was buzzing with energy. Did she just say what he thought she said? She wanted more than platonic? She wanted him? He could hardly believe it. His hopes got dashed when the little voice in the back of his mind warned him that he wasn't worth her.
Felicity's face went pale and her mouth opened probably to pull her words back when
a dramatic gasp sounded from behind her. Much to his horror Laurel came around to stand at his side, sliding a arm around his waist. His whole body stiffened and he didn't think he could move if he wanted too.
"Aren't you just the most handsome man here," Laurel exclaimed as she pressed a kiss to his cheek, no doubt leaving a thick layer of ugly brown lipstick on his skin. "I'm so glad your mine." He would have hated to see the look on his face then. He was most certainly not hers and she knew it too. She was just trying to hurt Felicity further. He wasn't going to stand for it. He opened his mouth to opened before Laurel turned to Felicity and expressed her surprise at seeing her there. She have her a cursory glance over and he could see her lips twist in happiness as she believe Felicity not to measure up against her. Laurel couldn't be more wrong.
Felicity answer nicely, even after all Laurel had done to her. She was truly one of a kind. He thought she may just get out of this alive when Laurel had to go and say something that made his anger spike to boiling range.
"Do you remembered what we talked about the other day?" He jerked away from her grasp then and what about to light into her when Felicity's shoulder's went back and her chin moved up. She oozed confidence.
"Hmmm...let me think." Felicity put a tiny finger to her lips. "You know I don't remember. You'll have to remind me," she replied snarkily. His lips twitched and he had to press his lips together tightly to hold back a laugh. Felicity smiled and her eyes twinkled. Oh how he loved her.
Laurel's sweet facade ended there as she exploded. "You little bi-"
Felicity cut her off. "Call me what you want, loser, nerd, gold digging whore...duff. I really don't care. That's your perception of me, not mine and if I'm being perfectly honest then I'd have to admit that I really don't care what you think Laurel. Sure I'm a Duff..."
He couldn't tear his gaze from her as she spoke passionately, not hint of doubt coloring her tone. When she paused and looked at him his heart nearly burst with pride.
"Everyone is. Believe it or not to someone you are too. So you can threaten me and make my life miserable but that won't change the person I am, it only makes me stronger. I guess I can think you for that, because if you hadn't I wouldn't be standing here today...finally done with your crap."
He had never been prouder of anyone in his entire life. Felicity had taken care of herself. Just like he always knew she could. He'd give anything and do anything to protect her but she'd just proved that she was strong enough without him. He thought of her earlier words. He didn't want platonic, he wanted so much more. Maybe he could take the chance. Trust that she knew what was best for herself.
His thoughts and Laurel's reply got caught off as Principal Steele announced something he didn't quite catch. Laurel grabbed his jacket and quite literally dragged him behind her towards the crowd of people waiting for them.
His eyes sought Felicity's hungrily and a pang shot through his chest. The next minutes passed in a blur and when he finally rejoined the present his choice was resolute.
After all...there was no choice to make.
She watched him walk away and she felt like he had taken her heart with her. Thea and Sara appeared at her side. "How did it go?" Thea asked, a gentle hand on her back.
"It didn't."
"You didn't tell him?" Sara asked.
"I did...he just didn't say anything."
"What do you mean? What happened?"
"I told him and his mouth dropped open and then...nothing. Laurel interrupted us but...I don't know if he would have said anything even if she hadn't."
"Oh Felicity."
"It's okay Thea," she said while wrapping an arm around her friends shoulder. "I was brave, I shared my feelings and now I won't have to live with the what if." Thea's face fell. "I'm okay Thea...really I'm happy."
The room erupted with clapping as Laurel took the stage a bouquet of roses being handed to her and a crown placed on her head.
She was tempted to be bitter about the whole thing. After all she had finally found what she wanted only to be too late. Story of her life. Instead of being angry though she as going to choose to be happy. Life was too short to be anything but.
When she turned from looking at Thea she noticed Oliver's eyes were on her from across the room. She smiled wanly and clapped when Principal Steele called his name for Homecoming King. She expected his eyes to tear from her's any second so that he could collect his title but he didn't. In fact his gaze stayed fixed on her's despite his name being called two more times.
Laurel was starting to look panicked on stage and smiled largely as she touched her crown nervously. Her mouth formed Oliver's name but she didn't hear it because her gaze was back on him.
"Aren't you going to get your crown?" She called over the music.
He shook his head and a smile split his face as he put a foot in her direction. "No, I'm going to get the girl," he announced as he strode across the room. Sara and Thea backed away just in time for him to grab her face and kiss her.
As soon as his lips touched hers the rest of the world fell away, it was just the two of them, sharing their every emotion through the press of their lips. This time when he kissed her he didn't hold back. He gave her everything and she did the same.
She realized she would never need words of declaration if Oliver always kissed her that way. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she rose on her toes, her hand moving to the back of his head to pull him closer.
What seemed like hours but could have been seconds they finally pulled apart, Oliver rested his forehead against her's and his thumb stroked the side of her face.
"I don't want platonic either," he whispered. "I haven't wanted it for years."
"What took you so long then?"
"I promise I'll never make you wait that long again."
"See that you don't."
"I love you Felicity." Her heart stuttered in her chest then and she couldn't control the giddy smile that stretched her face. It hit her then that all those years of 'ignoring' Oliver had really been her way of avoiding her feeling's for him. She hadn't even recognized that those hidden feelings were love until thought she had lost him. Even at that point she hadn't wanted to admit it, rather choosing to drown her sorrows in a bucket of Ice Cream.
He was her everything. Sometimes it takes your whole life to find that person and sometimes you never do. Maybe you're not made to love but it finds you, maybe you crave it but it evades you. So despite everything logical thought telling you not to hope, you live every day expecting everything to change, for that serendipity moment, for that spectacular earth shattering instant where your whole life changes. Maybe you bump into your soul made in a coffee shop and you look at each other and just...know or maybe they've been right in front of you all along and you've only just realized it. And once every blue moon everything just comes together and you know without a shadow of a doubt that it was always meant to be. That the moment you were born that person was yours. There would never be anyone else and it would be pointless to search for another. Because they ruined the ability for there to be another, they took your heart and regardless if they want it or not they have it.
That why when the next words fell from her lips, they rang true and weren't hard to say at all. In fact it felt as easy as breathing and when those three words finally escaped the ironclad hold she had kept on them for years she finally understood what it felt like to be free.
"I love you." Those words sealed her fate. Oliver's lips pressed to her skin before he pressed his forehead to hers and he let out a long sigh. A slow song started up and he wrapped his arms around her.
"But you don't dance," she interjected and he chuckled.
"I told you once there was a lot of things I'd do for you." She smiled and tucked her head under his chin. "You're my first actually." She nearly choked before she burst out laughing. She pulled back to look at him she could tell he was trying to think of a way to fix what he said.
"It's out there, Oliver. Learn from my mistakes and get used to it." He shook his head with a smile and she placed one hand against his chest and wrapped an arm around his neck, her fingers playing with the hair at his nape.
"I was serious you know," he said sincerely.
She tilted her head. "You've never danced with anyone before?"
"Never," he replied, his blue eyes burning into hers.
"Thank you for waiting."
"I'd wait forever as long as I got you in the end."
She pressed a soft kiss to his lips and marveled at the fact she was free to do so now.
He'd been her first kiss, her first dance, her first love so when she asked him the next question she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was the one she wanted to give it to.
"Be my first date?" She asked softly.
"Oh baby I'll be your last," he said with a huge smile before capturing her lips once again.
Who said there weren't happily ever afters in high school?
But then again...they were the exception.