Linda walked into jitters and stepped up to the line for the counter. She had to be at class in an hour.

She glanced at her phone when she got a message from Adrian, telling her, they were having dinner with her parents tomorrow and not to make any other plans.

She frowned, dread feeling her. Her parents were always worse when around Adrian, she pocketed her phone when the line started to move.

"What can I get you?" she looked up in surprise to see Oliver Queen working behind the counter.

"Um, I-" She fumbled.

"Hey, it's Linda, right?" asked Oliver.

"Yeah, we met the other night." Linda was surprised he remembered her name. "You work here?"

"I'm working the counter, so I would imagine so." He grinned at her. "This you're first time here?"

"I usually come here when it's busier," Linda admitted.

"Rush hour." Oliver nodded. "Probably why I haven't noticed you before."

"And you don't know me." Linda pointed out.

"Doesn't matter. I would have noticed you." Oliver's eyes slid over the length of her.

Linda's felt her cheeks heat up at the way he looked at her.

"So what can I get you, Linda?" Oliver asked, tilted his head at her with a small charming grin.

"A Carmel Capachino and one buttery croissant." She answered.

"That will be four dollars and 97 cents." Oliver runged up her order.

Linda rummaged through her bag for her wallet and passed over a five dollar bill. "Keep the change."

Oliver nodded. "Your order will be ready in just a moment."

Linda stepped to the side and waited for her order when her name was called she accepted her ordered, offered Oliver a friendly smile before walking away.

Oliver followed her with his eyes watching as she went and took a seat at an empty table by the glass window.

He had spoken with her for only a few minutes and he still didn't know what she was doing with Adrian. She seemed kind, friendly, sweet, too good for the likes of Adrian.

Oliver had kept an eye on Linda as she sat by the window every now and then. At first, he thought maybe she was meeting someone but fifteen minutes had passed and she still sat by herself.

He turned to his co-worker. "Hey, Jessie, I'm taking my break early, cover for me, will you?"

"Yeah, sure." she nodded. "You got twenty minutes."

"Alight, thanks." Oliver moved out from behind the counter grabbing up a bagel and heading toward Linda's table.

Linda looked up, eyes widening when she saw Oliver slide into the seat across from her. "Mind if I join you?"

"No, um, not at all. Are you on break?" Linda asked.

"Yeah, I figured I spend it getting to know one of Barry's new friends." Oliver tore a piece of his bagel off, chewing slowly. "So how long have you known Barry?"

"Not long," Linda admitted. "My friend Caitlin introduced us just a few days ago. They have a few classes together. How long have you know Barry."

"Seems like forever. We met when we were just kids when my family came here for a business trip but we didn't live in the same city so we didn't see each other all that much but when I moved here about five years ago. We go really close. I think of him as a brother."

"I understand. I've known Felicity since she and her mother moved here when she was ten and we've been best friends since and I've known Caitlin since high school. They're like sisters to me."

"I actually have a sister." Oliver told her, his lips ticking up into a smile at the thought of his little sister, Thea.

"Yeah." Linda smiled. "How old is she? What is she like? Are you close?"

Oliver grinned at her obvious interest, he leaned forward on his elbows, his face lighting up as he spoke of his sister.

Linda watch mesmerized how something as simple as talking about his little sister could make his entire face light up like it was Christmas morning. It was then she realized while being in Oliver's company that for the first time in a really long time, she didn't feel like she was trapped or like she was suffocating in her despair. She felt completely at ease like she was just having lunch with a new friend and enjoying herself for once.

When Oliver's break was over he stood up. "It was great talking with you, Linda. I hope to do it again sometime."

"Yeah, me too." Linda agreed and watched him returned to work, moments later she got up to leave, a small smile gracing her lips. She really liked the thought of spending more time with him.


The others had gathered at the college union, winding down after their last classes. A lot of them had met up with their significant other. Linda kind of felt like the third or fifth weel except there was more than just the five of them but she was thankful Adrian was not there.

"So, Linda has Adrain ever mention Oliver before?" Caitlin wondered.

"No," Linda shook her head. "Why?"

"It just seemed like there was a history there and not a good one," Caitlin commented. "They looked ready to kill one another at the party."

"Really? I didn't see that," said Felicity. "When was this?"

"It was after you went to go dance with Sara," Barry told her.

"What happened?" asked Sara curiously, sitting close beside Felicity. The two were spending more time outside of class together.

"Well, Adrian was pushing Linda around, trying to get her to leave and I guess Oliver didn't take too well to that." Said Caitlin. "He kind of put Adrain in his place."

"What?" Felicity's eyes widened and she frowned in disappointment. "I wish I could have seen that." She really hated Adrain and thought it was high time that someone did something about how he treated her best friend.

"Honestly, I'm surprised Adrian didn't really fight back," said Ronnie with a look of confusion. "I mean, he's not the type to be pushed around."

"He didn't want to make a scene." Linda frowned. Adrian could have defended himself. He was skilled in Martial arts. She knew he could have fought back against Oliver if he really wanted to.

"Hey, Barry," Caitlin said, turning to Barry. "You and Oliver are really close, You would know how he and Adrain know each other, right?"

Iris leaned into Barry's side. "I don't think Oliver would mind if you told them."

Barry smiled wrapping an arm around he shoulder before turning to the others. "A couple years ago, Oliver slept with Adrain's girlfriend." he glanced at Linda. "I'm guessing this was before Adrain was with you. Anyway, Adrian didn't take it well as you can imagine. It resulted in a fight and I think that was the last time they saw each other until the party."

"Did Oliver know the girl he slept with was his girlfriend at the time?" Linda wondered, thinking about the time she spent with him when he was fully aware she was seeing Adrian. Was going after Adrian's girlfriend a pattern with him? Is that all he saw her as? Or did he actually enjoy talking with her?

"Not until Adrian confronted him about it. Things got messy after that." Barry said. "Adrian and Oliver have been on bad terms ever since."

Linda wondered if Adrian hit that girlfriend like he did her and if that was what drove her into Oliver's bed? She honestly didn't think she was the only girlfriend he ever hit or beaten.

"Hey, do you guys mind if we crash?"

Linda looked up to see Oliver approaching with a teenage girl, who looked to be around sixteen, she had long wavy brown hair, blue eyes, and a petite figure.

"You know, you don't have to ask." Barry smiled at his friend.

"Hey, Thea." Iris smiled at the younger girl.

"Hey, Iris," The girl didn't wait for an invitation as she moved to take a seat.

"Hey, Ollie," Sara greeted.

"You guys know each other?" Linda asked in surprise.

Oliver smiled at her as he slid into the seat next to her. "Sara and I are both originally from Starling City. Her sister used to date one of my close friends back in Starling City, Tommy."

"Everyone this is my sister, Thea." Oliver sent a smile at his sister.

"Hello, Thea," Linda smiled. "I'm Linda."

"Hi," Thea returned offering up a smile. "How long have you known my brother?"

"Not long." Linda smiled. "But he seems like a good brother."

"The best." Thea grinned.

Linda looked down to hide her smile, it was nice to see that Oliver's adoration for his sister was returned. It was clear to her in that one response from Thea that she thought the world of her older brother.

When she looked back up she caught Oliver staring back at her and her heartbeat quickened at the way he was looking at her with his gorgeous blue eyes. Her stomach fluttered in a good way, she ducked her head down and her hair fell in front of her eyes. She pushed it back, looking at Oliver through her lashes and fought back a smile.


Felicity made her way across campus grounds, sifting through her bag, she stumbled backward when she walked into a hard chest.

She threw her hands out to brace herself as she lost her footing, closing her eyes tightly expecting to land on the ground in an embarrassing heap but instead she felt hands steadying her by gripping her shoulders. "I am so sorry," she apologized looking up, she caught sight of familiar blue eyes. "Oliver."

"You okay?" asked Oliver with concern.

"Yeah, thanks for stopping my fall," she gave a small laugh. "That would not have been pretty."

"And I would think you have enough bruises already."

Linda's smiled faded, her eyes widening. "What?"

"I'm not an idiot, Linda. I promise you, I'm a lot smarter than I look." He let his hand drop from her shoulders. "I know what kind of man your boyfriend is."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." she lied, she looked away from him to avoid his gaze.

"Yes, you do. You still have a split lip, you can try and cover up most of your bruises but you can't cover that up." Oliver argued.

"I fell." Linda still refused to look at him.

Oliver's eyes narrowed. His mother used to use that same excuse, that same lie when it came to when his father got violent with her. "And What? You fell into his fist? I find that very unlikely."

Linda finally turned her gaze back to him at his insistence. "Why do you care? You barely know me?"

"Because you're not his punching bag. You don't deserve to be treated the way he treats you. No woman deserves to be treated that way." Oliver responded heatedly, his eyes flashing with righteousness."

Linda felt emotion well in her chest at his words but she pushed it down. "I have to get to class," she moved to step around him.

Oliver put his hand out to halt her movements. "Let me walk you?"

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why?"

"I just trying to be your friend." He sighed. "I'm sorry if it didn't come off that way a minute ago. I just hate to see someone being mistreated."

Linda looked at him closely, looking for a sign that he was working some ulterior motive but she couldn't see that he was. "Okay." She said, finally.

"Good," Oliver gave a small smile falling into step with her as she resumed her walk.


When Linda stepped out of her last class of the day she was surprised to find Oliver waiting for her.

"Hey," Oliver pushed off the wall.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Linda smiled in surprise.

"I thought we could get some coffee after your last class." Oliver was hoping to spend some time with her. He thought with what she went through Adrian she could use a friend to just talk to.

"Yeah, sure," Linda smiled at the offer. She pulled out her phone and sent a text to Adrian, knowing if she didn't come by his place right away he would be calling her, trying to find out where she was.

She texted him that she was getting a coffee with Caitlin and she would be by a little later. She felt a twinge of guilt about lying but she knew she couldn't tell him the truth. He would not take it well if he knew she was talking to Oliver, let alone getting coffee with him.

"How did you know what my last class was?" Linda wondered.

"I ask Barry to ask Caitlin." Oliver gave a small grin. "Don't worry I'm not stalking you."

"I didn't think you were." she laughed lightly and Oliver's grin widened, liking th sound of her laugh.


Oliver and Linda ended up at Jitters, he grabbed a booth by the window. "Why don't you take a seat and I'll get our drinks. I think I can remember your drink order."

"Okay, thanks." she slid into a chair setting her bag on the table, watching as Oliver headed to the counter. He moved around the line to the front, stopping to talk to the barista behind a counter before several minutes later he walked around behind the counter and started whipping up their drinks himself.

Her phone beeped with a notification. She had a message from Adrian. She opened the message up.

You better not keep me waiting too long. We're meeting up with my parents tonight.

Linda closed out the message and slipped her phone back into her bag, her stomach twisting in knots at the prospect of having dinner with Adrian and his parents again.

"Everything okay?" Oliver slid in across from her, setting her cup in front of her.

"Yeah, everything's fine." She put her phone on silent and slipped it back into her bag.

Oliver watched her closely. "Adrian?"

"No," she shook her head. "It was someone else."

Oliver frowned not really believing her. "And was it the same someone else who gave you that bruise on your arm?"

Linda looked down at her arm in surprise to see her sleeve had bunched up revealing the bruise on her arm, dark purple in the shape of fingers. She hastily pulled her sleeve down. "That's nothing. It was an accident."

"I seriously doubt that." Oliver frowned. "I saw how he treated you at my party, remember? I'm sure you have more bruises to go along with that one."

"It's not from Adrian." Linda insisted, the lie coming easily to her. She didn't want Oliver to pity her or look at her like she was this broken girl even if that was how she felt sometimes.

Oliver was silent for a moment knowing she was lying. He didn't know if she was trying to protect herself or Adrian by lying. He hoped she wasn't trying to protect Adrian after it was clear to him he liked to beat up on his girlfriend.

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" he responded surprising Linda.

"What? I'm not-" she shook her head in denial.

"You are but what I don't get is why? Are you trying to protect him or yourself?" Oliver wonder, searching her eyes. "Or has lying about what you go through become second nature to you?"

Linda fell silent and looked away from him, feeling like he could see inside of her, down to everything she tried to keep hidden. Her pain, her helplessness, how hopeless she felt.

"Look, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Oliver said, reaching out and touching the back of her hand.

Linda eyes fell down to his hand and brought her gaze slowly back up to his kind blue eyes full of understanding. "But I'm here if you do."

Linda felt a wave of gratitude for the kindness he was showing her. "Thank you." She murmured quietly.

Oliver released her hand and wrapped it around his cup.

"Can I ask you something?" Linda wrapped her hands around her own cup, absorbing the warmth into her skin.

"Of course, you can," Oliver responded, offering up a faint smile.

"Why are you taking such an interest in Adrian and me?" Linda wanted to know if this was about the grudge between him and Adrian or was this about her.

"I'm just trying to understand why someone like you would be with Adrian when he continuously puts his hands on you. You have to know you deserve better." Oliver answered, frowning.

"Someone like me?" Linda repeated, her nose crinkling in confusion. "What do you mean by someone like me?" She didn't want to bother with denying again that Adrian was abusive when Oliver made it pretty clear he didn't believe her and knew the truth.

"Your kind, you're smart, you have lots of friends," Oliver's gaze locked with her own. "You're beautiful."

Linda's felt her heart skip a beat in her chest hearing him call her beautiful and saying such nice things about her. His kind eyes and sweet smile were having an effect on her as well if the fluttering in her stomach was anything to go by.

"You can do so much better than a guy like Adrian," Oliver said, his intense eyes never leaving hers.

She felt herself blush and tucked her dark hair behind her ear, as her lips formed a sweet quiet smile that was almost bashful.

Oliver watched as her cheeks tinged with an attractive pink, the endearing way she pushed her hair back and her sweet smile that had such potential to light up a room.

It was then, at that moment, staring into her dark eyes that were full of wonder and surprise at his complimenting words that had him making a promise to himself.

He was going to find a way to help her because from where he was sitting she deserved a whole lot better than Adrian Chase.

She deserved to be with someone who would never even think about hurting her.

She deserved to happy and she deserved someone who would always be there for her.

Maybe by being her friend he could show her that she didn't have to suffer at Adrian's hands. She could be free and he would help her. She didn't have to be afraid. He would protect her. He would keep her safe.

He promised himself that he would help Linda see that she deserved to be happy. He would help her see that she deserved better.


A/N: Feel free to leave a review.:)