Chapter 10 – Prom

"Hey Felicity, so will you go to prom with me?" Oliver asked

Felicity opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before responding.

"Oh Oliver, I …I …I'm really s…s…sorry but the whole 'p…p…prom' thing isn't my s….s….scene. Why d…d…don't you go with T…T….Tommy and Laurel? Thanks for asking anyway!"

Oliver couldn't believe his ears, he assumed Felicity would love to go to prom with him. He watched her as she talked and he very much doubted that she knew that when she lied she went bright red and stuttered, so he knew that his girlfriend had just lied to him but he couldn't understand why.

A few days later…

"C'mon Speedy you wanted to drop off these brownies for Felicity!"

"I'm coming! I hope she likes them."

"Of course she will!"

The arrived at Felicity's home and were about to ring the bell when they heard the conversation from inside, neither Smoak woman could be described as quiet and the windows were also open.

"So has Oliver asked you to Prom yet?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't you seem happy about it? You've been looking forward to Prom for ages especially since you and Oliver became an item."

"I told him I couldn't go with him."

"Why? Did he expect too much after Prom?"

At Felicity's blank look, Donna elaborated.

"You know what usually happens on Prom night, between couples and a hotel room…"

"NO! MOM! Oliver would never assume something like that…"

"So if that's not it, what is?" asked a baffled Donna

"The tickets cost $200 then I have to buy a dress and shoes to match plus there'll be a party afterwards at a club and to get in will cost another $100. I can't afford that."

"But honey, Oliver's…"

"Mom, don't even think about finishing that sentence! I'm not with him because of his money and I'm not going to tell him about it either. I don't want him to think for one moment that I care more about his money than him. It's only a couple of hours one night. It'll be fine. I'll make a night of it, I'll watch all the teen films on that night, it'll be fun!"

Donna didn't believe the false cheer Felicity was trying to convey.

"Honey I could help you out with the cost…"

"Mom, that's sweet, I have enough money to cover the cost from my previous tutoring jobs but I don't want to spend it all on one night. I'm going to need new clothes for college, plus books and if I can manage it a new laptop, they will last me longer than a few hours!"

"I could get a loan?"

"NO! We're not going into debt for Prom, mom I'll be fine. Plus it will be nice for Oliver to spend time with his friends…"

Oliver and Thea were outside listening and Oliver felt like a complete idiot, he never had to worry about money and he just assumed everyone around him was the same. He forgot that Felicity and her mom were not independently wealthy like his, money never seemed to be an issue before because he and Tommy stopped their wild partying ways, gone were the days where they would head off to Ibiza for a weekend because they could, not that Felicity would have wanted to know them then. They spent a lot of time at either the mansion or Felicity's place doing normal 'teenage' things, watching films and box sets, playing games and surprisingly cooking or attempting to cook! Plus going to the movies, crazy golf to name a few, things that didn't cost too much money. Oliver grabbed Thea's hand and got back into the car and drove off.

"What are you gonna do Ollie?"

"I don't know! Maybe I could surprise her with a ticket for the Prom…"

Oliver chanced a glance at his sister and the look she gave him didn't give him much hope.

"Ollie, she would see through that instantly! You have to think of something. She loves you, not the Queen name, that's special! I really hope that when I fall in love it will be with someone who sees me and not someone who wants to get mom and dad's money!"

"Do you really worry about that?"

"Ollie, I may be twelve but I can probably count on one hand how many true friends I have, the rest just want to be known as my friend. They say whatever they think I want to hear. I really want to fall in love…"

At Oliver's look

"…when I'm much much older of course! But it doesn't change the fact that there are some people that are more interested in the Queen name than the person! Ollie, you need to do something, no one should have to miss their Prom because they can't afford it, it would be different if she really hated Proms but she doesn't!"

"You're right speedy! I need to think of something."

Prom night

"Felicity! Wake up honey!"

"Ughh, why?"

"I have the night off and we're going out instead!"

"How did you get Friday night off?"

"A lot of begging and pleading but Barney gave in thankfully! We're going to go have a great meal and have a great time!"

"Mom you don't need to do that!"

"I know but I want to, you can watch your movies anytime. I want you home by 5 and ready by 6, wear your favourite sundress!"

"Fine! Thanks mom!"

"Love you honey!"

"Love you too!"

4:55 pm

"I'll be ready in twenty minutes!"

Donna watched Felicity walk in and run upstairs. True to her word Felicity came down twenty minutes later. She looked wonderful in her green sundress, her hair was down and she had on matching flats.

"Wow you look wonderful honey!"

"Thanks mom, you're the best! Why is the living room door closed?"

"Well I've got a surprise for you later…"

"Can I have look now pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

"No you have to be patient!"

"But you know I hate mysteries and I won't be able to enjoy dinner if I keep on thinking what's behind the door…"

"Ok, you can stop with the puppy dog look! You know it's a little pathetic that you still think that look will work on me!"

"Hey, it worked that's the main thing!"

Felicity opened the door and was surprised to find Oliver standing there in a really nice suit, including a waistcoat and tie, the jacket was on the sofa, he looked HOT, thought Felicity. She must have stood there with her mouth open for a whole minute before she felt her mom push her into the room. Felicity stumbled and Oliver caught her. She was still in shock when she thought she heard her mom call out something.

"Have fun guys and be safe!"

It took a few more seconds for Felicity to come out of her stupor, she shook her head.

"Oliver, what are you doing here?"

"I thought if you couldn't go to Prom then Prom would come to you!"

Felicity hugged Oliver really tightly and eventually released him and took a look at her living room. There were streamers everywhere and a table disco ball thing with flashing lights on the coffee table. Felicity looked back at Oliver and almost let the tears of happiness fall.

"You're amazing! You did this for me?"

"I wanted to spend tonight with you, whether it's here or in the grand hall of whatever hotel the Prom is in!"

"Thank you!"

"Would you care to dance?"

Oliver bowed and Felicity curtsied while giggling.

"It would be my honour!"

Oliver went over to the docking station and pressed play and 'What makes you beautiful' by One Direction started playing, Felicity again had tears in her eyes. Oliver took her hand and they began to dance. It was around the fifth dance when Felicity started to think about what her mom had said before she left, she played the words in her head again and stiffened. Oliver felt this.

"Felicity what's wrong?"

"O…Oliver did my mom …did she give you something tonight?"

Felicity watched as Oliver turned red and avoided her eyes.

"OH MY GOD! She did, didn't she?"

Oliver still couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Oliver she gave me a box as well, as soon as we became a couple she gave me 'the talk', I thought I'd never been so embarrassed in my life but this actually tops it! She gave you a box of condoms as well?"

Both of them were bright red by this time. Felicity buried her head in Oliver's chest.

"I did tell her that we didn't need them…" Oliver said

At this comment Felicity's head shot up. Oliver opened his eyes wide.

"NO! I don't mean it like that! I mean when we decide to take things further, way….way…way into the future, we WILL use protection but I tried to tell her that we, that that wasn't on the cards tonight but she told me that she doesn't want anything to happen to her daughter, the most precious thing to her in the whole world! How can you argue with that?"

"She scared you didn't she?!"

"Hell yeah! She threatened me and she made it clear that she had my dad, Tommy's dad and Laurel's dad on her side, so yeah I'm a little worried what would happen to me if I make you cry!"

"Well then you better make sure you don't! FYI so far so good! Seriously Oliver, this was great thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it, another dance?"

"Of course!"

They danced for ages just holding onto each other, eventually they decided to watch movies for the rest of the night. Donna came back the next morning to find them both asleep on the sofa, they both had their feet on the coffee table and Felicity was wrapped around Oliver and he had an arm around her. She smiled, her daughter was loved for herself and by a decent guy, she was happy.