I remember the day my life took a complete one-eighty.
It was a sunny day, green grass, and not even a lick of clouds in the sky. It was anything but perfect, It was my mother's funeral. I remember the rows of chairs filled with cocktail waitresses who worked with my mom, security guards who walked us home late at night, and the nice lady who lived next door. Some other people scattered around, but no one was really significant.
I remember seeing my mother, curled blonde hair and a soft silk dress, different from her tight short ones. I stared at her grave for a long time, Donna Smoak, beloved mother. Everything else blurred together, because none of it was important, it certainly wasn't going to bring her back.
I was sitting on my neighbor's couch, now dressed in pj's, when someone knocked on the door. It was a woman in a suit. She whispered back and forth with my neighbor before finally walking in and kneeling before me.
"Hi Felicity, my name is Grace and I'm from child protective services. I'm going to take you to your new home…" she said softly. I drowned her out after that. I didn't need to hear anything else, I was only five, but already a bona fide genius. Later I would learn that CPS found out my father was Malcolm Merlyn from my birth certificate. He had been contacted and alerted of my mother's death, I guess he decided he wanted me. Before I knew what was happening I was on a private jet and standing in front of the Merlyn mansion.
Ten years later and here I was graduating high school.
"Felicity Megan Merlyn! You're gonna be late for your own graduation," Tommy screamed from my doorway, then proceeded to run toward, grab me around my waist, and spin me around.
"Tommy, put me down, put me down!" I shrieked.
Tommy Merlyn was my big brother and the best one I could ever have. I was eternally grateful for Tommy because he was the only person who's never walked out of my life. A year after I moved to Starling City Rebecca, Tommy's mom, was killed. In some twisted way it brought us closer. We learned early on to just rely on each other, because shortly after that Malcolm left us too.
"We are going to celebrate tonight my genius little sister. Dinner with the Queens at six o'clock, then Ollie, Laurel, Sara, you, and me are going to the hottest clubs tonight!" Tommy then pulled my arm toward his car yelling a quick goodbye to Isa, our housekeeper. "Wait, we need pictures, Isa come help!" He grabbed my cap and placed it on top of my head and placed his hands on my shoulders. "I'm so proud of you Barbie, fifteen and graduating. You're gonna change this shit city and do something great, or end up in jail for hacking into the pentagon," Tommy leaned forward and kissed my forehead, while I laughed. We took a few pictures worthy of Malcolm Merlyn's approval and left.
It was like any other graduation, except it was a bunch of snobby rich kids graduating, even higher profile parents, and paparazzi swarming the perimeter. My name was called, I walked across the stage and heard Tommy cheering embarrassingly loud, which made me smile.
Two hours later and we were back in Tommy's car on our way to the Queen's mansion.
"Did dad know your graduation was today?" Tommy asked me tentatively. I could see his hands tighten around the steering wheel. Tommy hated that dad abandoned us and at some point in time I believed Tommy was resentful of being stuck with me, but he knocked that idea out of my head years ago.
"I sent an email, but he either didn't read it or just didn't bother to respond," I said softly. "Don't worry about it dear brother, dad not coming to my graduation will just be added to my ever growing list of daddy disappointment and abandonment issues," I scoffed.
"Well Barbie, time to forget all that self deprecating crap, because this summer we'll travel the world. I want to take you to Barcelona, to the villa where my mom took me," He grabbed my hand and kissed the top softly. "You're my favorite baby sister Lissy," he whispered.
Tommy and my relationship wasn't always this mushy and soft. Around summertime Tommy always tries to make the days memorable because my mom died around this time.
"I'm your only baby sister Tommy," I replied laughing, "but knowing dad who knows how many secret siblings we might have!" I sneered. If you haven't noticed I have unresolved daddy issues.
Tommy was pulling into the Queen's impossibly long driveway, that in all honesty was longer than necessary. I shed my gown and raced Tommy to the door like we'd been doing since I was five.
Tommy's hand slapped the front door first and he turned to me with a smug look on his face. "Never going to beat me Barbie!" he grinned triumphantly. While then leaning on the door, but falling face first as Raisa opens the door.
"Mr. Tommy! Always causing so much trouble!" Raisa scolded, hands on her hips with a disapproving look. Raisa was a good person and I adored her. She turned her attention towards me, "Hi Ms. Felicity! I'm so proud of you," she placed her hands on my cheeks and I leaned into her warm embrace. "I knew you were a good child the moment I saw you, now you are all grown up," she rambled.
"Thanks Raisa, now that I'm home more maybe I can keep Tommy out of trouble," I laughed.
"Good, that boy needs some more guidance," she said while shooting a warning look at Tommy, who was still on the floor.
"Wow, I feel so betrayed. I'll have you know I helped groom that genius child Raisa. Both of you acting like I can't hear," he pouted.
"Come on, both of you. The others will want to see you too," Raisa sighed. As Tommy walked farther ahead ready to go cause some kind of mischief, Raisa leaned over and whispered, "while you watch over Mr. Tommy, please keep an eye on Mr. Oliver as well?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course Raisa, I think it's a given with Tommy and Oliver. Also known as the playboy duo," I reassured her.
Oliver Queen. He's Tommy's best friend, two years older than me, and impossibly gorgeous. I'd known Oliver basically my entire life. To the rest of the world he was this billionaire playboy with a god complex, but to me, well I don't know what kind of relationship Oliver and I have.
As many times I say he's just Tommy's best friend, he's not. He never was. We weren't close growing up. I was a sheltered genius and Oliver's the boy in your class that everyone liked. We eventually embraced the stereotypes which only drove any kind of relationship Oliver and I could've had further away, it didn't help that I was eleven years old in high school either. That all changed one night when I was thirteen, Tommy and I had gotten into a huge fight.
I went running from the mansion and Tommy was screaming at me. I don't even remember what we were fighting about, just that I was angry and resentful. I was in a midi skirt and a cropped t-shirt, not the best clothing for the storm raging that particular night. I was running somewhere probably unsafe and completely vulnerable to a kidnapping, until a familiar black car pulled up next to me. A car I only recognized because it belonged to Oliver Queen, who let me tell you was only fifteen at the time and had a permit to drive. Not a license.
"Get in Felicity," he demanded as soon as the window was down.
"Did Tommy send you to look for me," I snapped.
"Believe it or not, but he didn't. I came out myself. He doesn't know I'm looking for you," I turned looking shocked. "He called me saying his sister ran out into the storm. He's about to call the police Felicity! Now get in the car." He says.
"You can't take me home. I'm too… I can't go home Oliver," I say softly. He gave me this sad look, like he knew it was bad this time. Tommy and I never fought.
"Felicity, I don't think that's such a good idea…" he says hesitantly.
"Oliver please," I whispered as fresh tears rolled down my cheeks.
He bit his lip nervously. If he took me home then he was doing the right thing and being a good friend for Tommy, but betraying me. Not taking me home wouldn't be fair.
After a few seconds that felt more like hours, he said, "I won't take you home, but you have to call Tommy and tell him you're safe."
I don't know what made me trust Oliver so much in that moment, but I did. So I got in the car and accepted his phone. I made a quick call, received a lot of worried panic and yelling from Tommy before reassuring him I was okay. I hung up quickly and placed the phone in one of the cup holders.
"Where am I taking you Felicity?" Oliver asked me. I didn't respond. "Do you want to come back to my home? Mom and dad took Thea to Europe this week." he told me.
"Okay," I whispered. We drove in silence the whole way back and I stared out the window. I was on autopilot the way into the house and up the stairs. I wasn't really aware of what was happening till Oliver was draping a towel around my shoulders.
"You should change Felicity," Oliver said softly while handing me a black tank top and a pair of sweatpants that belonged to Laurel, which she had left there during a sleepover. "Do you want to talk about what happened between you and Tommy? I didn't get much from him while he was panicking." Oliver asked me.
"I don't want to talk about it," I said.
"Fe-li-city," Oliver drew out.
"Oliver, I appreciate the concern, but you don't need to do this. You've already found me in the rain and you're not forcing me to go back home. I'm just Tommy's little sister."
"Felicity, you're not just Tommy's little sister. I care about you, maybe we don't talk, but you mean the world to Tommy. That means I will be there to protect you whenever," Oliver said in a soft tone. At some point he'd placed his hand on my shoulders and was looking at me in this doe eyed way.
He went from being an acquaintance in my life to something much more important. Someone who would make an impact. Someone I cared about.
"You're a sweet boy Oliver. You put on this billionaire playboy act to hide from the world, but you can't hide from me." I was thirteen and basically falling for my brother's best friend. "Thank you Oliver, for finding me, for caring, for being you." I smiled softly.
"I… Felicity,"Oliver stumbled over his words. Looking for the right ones on how to respond to his best friend's little sister. He eventually sighed and gave up. "Come on you can sleep in the guestroom tonight." He said as he pulled my arms to the next room. He waited while I changed in the bathroom and pulled back the blankets for me.
He helped me get settled into a comfortable position before turning to leave.
"Oliver," I said and grabbed his hand. "Thank you, you're a great guy Ollie," I smiled.
"It's easy to be good around you. You're remarkable Felicity Merlyn." Oliver said.
"Thank you for remarking on it," I said softly right before I drifted off with the lasting feeling of Oliver placing a kiss on my forehead.
"Felicity!" I heard and snapped out of my own world.
"Wha..?!" I stumbled over my words and searched for the source of the voice. Then a little ball of energy with brown hair and a sweet smile launched herself into my arms.
"Lissy! You're all grown up now, you can get a job, and travel, and stay up all night, and drive an-" Thea was rambling in a rapid pace, only to be cut off by the one and only Oliver Queen.
"Hey there Speedy, let's give Felicity a breather yeah?" Oliver asked while taking Thea out of my arms.
"But Ollie," she pouted.
"Hey Thea, why don't you go help Raisa set the table for dinner and this weekend we'll go out for ice cream?" I suggested.
"Really?!" Thea asked excitedly.
"Yeah sweetie and you get anything you want," I bribed.
"Okay Lissy!" True to her nickname, she ran like a blur to the kitchen. Also effectively leaving Oliver and I standing in the foyer alone.
"So our resident genius has graduated?" He asked, while sending me this boyish smile that had me weak to my bones. "How does it feel?"
"Nothing's different, honestly. I'm still gonna be living with my brother, we'll come here for dinner, and I'll still be doing school work." I replied honestly. "It'll all change when I really leave Starling for MIT."
"Are you ready for that?" he countered.
"I don't know, my life changed once, it will again. I'll be waiting for it." I said softly.