'SCARS..'
The Queen Mansion,
9:10 pm
"Huh.." I sighed.
These nightmare of heels, which were my signature mark just a few years ago, were seriously effing with me right now.
I sure as hell couldn't fight in them.
But hey, it was a party, after all. Can't really wear those League of Assassins boots, which are a pain to lift, by the way. Still more comfy than these. "HUH!"
Though, they'd certainly match the dress!
Besides, I had to look good. My face will sell...buy a lot of money today, for a good cause. A luxury that my mask cannot afford.
Still, really glad that my fashion sense has prevailed this far.
The ballroom was lit up with a gigantic chandelier gracing us with it's stimulating light in the middle of the huge hall.
Fancy liquor was being served at the bar with light music humming in the background.
Food names I hadn't ever heard of, were being served by the many servants and soaking it all in, I wondered, 'why was this much money being wasted...in an event to raise money..?'
Well, I guess, it's all a marketing trick. Shining things do attract greater dough and the place was buzzing with the elites of the city just waiting to open their cheque books...heavy cheque books.
But I didn't want to get much involved. Not my scene. Not for me.
15-year old me would have invited my dealer in for a dose. Guess, I've matured with time.
"Oohh...chardonnay!" I said, licking my lips and running after the waiter carrying them.
Sigh. Maybe not that much matured.
I did miss the party girl version of myself. It has been so long. So long.
So, I quietly grabbed a glass, drinking a sip at a time whilst hiding myself, looking here and there frantically with a keen sense in a desperate attempt to avoid being seen by my mother.
She still doesn't like me drinking. As I gulped half a glass of that magic potion in a go, I thought, 'oh, well!'
But as I swiped another glass off the tray, I felt a tall figure sneaking up on me.
My instincts told me to hit whoever it was immediately. But being paranoid wasn't in the job description. So, I held back.
Turns out, it was the right call.
For there stood, the Assistant District Attorney of Starling City, Laurel Dinah Lance.
The former lover of my brother.
Yeah...maybe I shouldn't say it like that.
Anyhow..
Laurel had moved on from Oliver's death. It was probably easier for her to do so when they were not dating. At least, that's what it seemed like to me.
But before I spoke a word, I drank that second glass in it's entirety, to her surprised..and almost critical response.
Liquid courage, I guess.
But at the same time, I honestly hoped that she wasn't drinking again, or I would blame myself for the trigger.
"Hi, Laurel!" I said, raising the empty glass to her graceful presence.
"Hey there, Thea. Boy, you're fashionably late to your own party. Reminds me of your brother," she chuckled.
"That actually makes me feel good," I replied.
"You look gorgeous by the way. You should dress like this more often," she smiled to me, checking out the dress in process.
"Why, thank you, Laurel," I said, bowing down to her like some princess with a crooked smile.
With the pleasantries done with, an awkward silence passed between us.
"So, how's it going?" I asked, breaking it. As a courtesy.
What was the point, after all? She had a decent job, - got another promotion recently - had her sister back and she was sober again. The only sane one left among the crowd, to be honest.
"It's okay," she replied.
For god's sakes, we had literally nothing to talk about.
To break the ice, probably, she took out the big guns.
"So, Thea, what happened to that guy you were dating? What was his name, again?" she thought back long and hard before eventually getting it right.
"Roy, was it? Yes..Roy."
Aw, crap. Not this again.
"Well, we broke up months ago..so, nothing in the dating department, I guess."
It was mutual. Just a tad bit more from my side.
I had too much on my plate after Oliver's death and he...well, his 'Team Arrow' didn't stop hunting Slade.
I thought he did for me. Probably not, in hindsight.
Still we began to hate each other by the end, and not only for the reasons above mentioned.
That was the last I saw of him and the team. No vigilantes in town since the night of the break-up. Well, apart from me, I guess.
'Did they get Slade and retire?' I used to wonder.
Well, now I know better.
They're all probably dead. Well, except Slade.
But he will be. Soon.
"Thea, you alright?" she brought me back from my mental field.
"Hmm. Yeah, yeah. I'm here," I said.
"By the way, what about you? Seeing anyone interesting?" I quickly asked before she asked me another question.
That was when her expression became a bit weird. Almost depressed.
"No. Not really. Actually, Thea.." she paused for a second..more than a second.
"You know what, I shouldn't," she finally remarked and was about to go away when I stopped her by her hand.
"What? Come on, Laurel. I've known you since I was 3. We're practically sisters. So, just..tell me what happened?"
She paused again, likely thinking about her course of action.
And then she continued, "it's just that, Thea...three years ago, when Tommy..died, we..me and Oliver...we were dating.
But then, we ended it because..it would have dishonored his memory.
We still loved each other but what else could we do? So..so, when Ollie died, all that lost time..it just felt so worthless. It still does..I don't know."
"Laurel," I called out to her.
"I mean..maybe it was the wrong decision. To break-up? He struggled with his personal life and I drank..I don't know if-"
"Laurel.." I stopped her from pouring her heart out - to me, of all people - any further.
"My brother is dead. You have to move on.
Dead is dead. They don't want anything to do with you and neither should the living.."
She was obviously a bit shook at my words.
"You've got to keep living on and you've got to accept it."
"I know," she said. "But..this isn't about me, Thea. It's about..you."
"What now?" my eyebrows tilted back.
"I have been going to these meetings to help me with my feelings. The 'what could have been'. It's really..really hard. But I have been trying. And then, I saw you drinking over here..all alone and I thought that you, too, lost a brother. For a second time, too.
So, I don't know what I was thinking to come here and talk to you and all but if you ever feel like you need to vent out your feelings or whatever, trust me, these meetings, they're very..useful."
"Thanks, Laurel. I appreciate the gesture but I don't need meetings or therapy..I'm fine."
She still looked worried and passed on her final lesson of the day, "Ignorance isn't bliss, Thea. Not for us anyway. This can lead you to a very dark path.
I should have called you about this earlier. For these scars don't ever go away. So, just know, you've got friends. If not me, then find someone else to share it with. But don't be alone. Just don't be alone," she declared and walked away past me after placing her hand on my shoulder, almost consoling me.
"And, oh...before I forget.." she turned to me again.
"Yeah..?" I looked to her.
"I had one of my people put a file - a big red file - in your room. Check it out when you have the time.."
"What file?" I questioned her.
She just walked away, giving me a prolonged look.
What was that about?
Whatever.
But still, scars and the dark path that follows.
She had no idea how right she was.
Yet, these scars? They can be a symbol of strength when you need it. They can be a vest that shields you when you get hit. They can get you to the top of the mountain, if you let it.
I still wouldn't wish it upon anyone, though. For, it's a trade. A deal with the devil, one might say.
Gosh, I need a drink.
But therapy? That's the last thing I need right now. I'll be more than happy with just his other eye.
Meanwhile, I saw the other half of the Lance siblings. Or more particularly, her hand as it went from checking out the fabric quality of the woman's dress down to her waist, with their eyes meeting for the briefest of the seconds with Sara getting her seal of approval. Smooth.
Sara Lance.
Another ex lover of my brother.
Well, he was..kind of a player.
Still, it felt nice to me that Sara was moving on. Not everyone should descend to the levels of hate that I have descended to.
It's like they say, 'once you let the darkness inside, it never comes out.'
And as I saw her hand essentially rubbing on the woman's waist and going further and further back...uh, enough. I had my share of it for the day.
God, I should take lessons from her. Maybe then, I'll have a second or two of conversation with the Big Belly Burger girl.
Shit..
The Lance sisters have opened a door that should probably stay closed. Probably.
Big Belly Burger,
10:35 pm
The restaurant stays open till 12. And I don't know about other days but she definitely has the night shifts on Wednesdays. So, she must be here.
Stalker alert!
I really didn't know what I was doing here. But after that talk with Laurel, I think I really needed to talk with someone. Who better than her?
Anyway, I went inside to order a burger awkwardly at 10:40 in the night.
Also, drinking cola over a whiskey..just feels wrong.
"Hi there!" I said excitedly at the counter to the woman whose back was to me.
"Hey!" she replied as she turned around..to my utter disappointment.
"May I take your order?" she asked.
And after some hesitance on my part, because of the aforementioned disappointment, I just ordered what came to my mind and after a couple of seconds of just standing there, I asked her the question that was burning on the surface of my chest.
"Hey? Wasn't there a brunette who worked here?"
She gave me a look instead of a name and I quietly took my seat, waiting for my name to be called.
"Okay..whatever," I murmured in my lips.
I sat there with my head down, finally feeling the hangover that came with partying all night. "But..but I was just 3 drinks in..and it was just one hour!"
Gosh, I'm getting old.
Just then, I heard the sound of my plate being placed on the table.
I was still not willing to get my head up.
After all, I wasn't really there for the food.
"I heard you were looking for me?"
I recognized the voice.
Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT!
Que internal screams.
I raised my head..just a little to take a peek of her and then get back down. Don't know why I did that.
I saw her smile at me while waving her hand, for the briefest of seconds I looked up.
Holy shit!
"Okay.." I calmed myself as I gathered the strength to sit up decently.
"Well, just missed your free fries..that's all," my reply.
She literally burst into laughter. Now, I don't know if that's encouraging or not.
"That was funny, Thea."
Whew!
"You remembered?" I smiled sheepishly at her.
"Well, it's on the cup," she replied, pointing at it.
"Oh!"
"And...well, I remembered."
Is she flirting with me? Me?
"Well, why don't you take a seat?" I offered.
She looked at the clock and scoffed at it.
"Ah, what the hell, my shift is almost over anyways."
And there she sat. I had my opportunity. I suck at these, really. But I wasn't going to just do nothing.
So, I did the only thing that was appropriate...began stuffing my mouth with the food to compensate for the lack of words.
She was still smiling at me. And for god's sakes, I had to pretend that my cheeks were red due to fast eating.
A dozen fries in my mouth and a drink to gulp all of it down. However sexy must I look!!
"So, Thea. What are you doing at almost 11, in a big belly burger restaurant in the middle of nowhere?"
"I had a craving."
"For chips and a burger? In that dress?" she said as she checked me out.
"After..a party, I guess?"
"Well, I don't like them as much as I used to."
"I see."
"Nice dress by the way," she quietly remarked.
"Thank you..you too," I said.
"Oh, now you're being just modest. I'm in a uniform..in a waitress' uniform. And you look like you're coming off from the Royal Wedding."
"It was a charity event."
"Oh, you do charity? That's so kind of you."
"Yeah, actually my mom does it. I kind-of just show up and help around, I guess."
"Oh. That's great. Not many people respect their parents anymore. Let alone help them out."
"Yeah.."
"What about your father? Didn't you once come in here with him?"
"Yeah..he's gone. I don't like to talk about it," I replied after digesting the fact that the first person that came to my mind when I heard the word 'dad' was Malcolm and not..well, dad.
It wasn't new. I just..noticed it for the first time.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized as her right hand met mine to console me.
Uh...Anyway..
Quickly changing the subject she asked, "So, what do you do? I mean, college or stuff?"
"Ah, hell no. Who goes to college?" I blatantly opened up.
"Uh, hello. I do."
"Whaaaaaaaat!?" I had my fair share of laugh.
"Well, would I be in this dump if I didn't need the money to pay off the fees? Uh..hell no."
Beautiful and hard working. I feel jealous..kind of.
"So, any sorts of plans for the future?" she asked me.
"Well, I have a list that I need to get through first," I replied.
"What about you?"
"Well, as I said, college. I'm studying to be a doctor. Just a year to go now."
"Excited?"
"Very.."
"I'm glad for you," I hit back.
"You know..the craving you had? It's getting all cold and wasted," she pointed out.
So, I picked up the burger and took a bite large enough to constitute 30..no, 40% of the whole thing.
"That's some bite," she laughed off.
"Well, I'm actually proud of it," I said chewing with my mouth still full of the food I stuffed it with.
Come on, Thea..you've got to do better than this.
That should have been bust, yet, here she still was, with her slightly tilted head resting on her meeting hands, smiling.
Oh. God. I haven't felt..this happy, no, any happy at all, in almost a year.
Should I ask her out? Should I actually go for it? Be happy? I think I will-
"Well, Thea. It's been great chatting up with you. I kind of have to go now.."
"Oh..okay," I said, to which, she walked away past my seat.
And...here comes the crushing disappointment.
I should have known that this was gonna happen.
Whatever could go right with my life?
My brother's dead. My father's dead. My 'real' father is a psycho nut job who killed about 450 people a few years ago. Whose clothes I wear every night out there in an attempt to honor-
"Hey?" she called for me in the middle of my self-pity state.
"Yeah?" I turned around to see her.
"Do you wanna..I mean...I'm gonna go change and then, head home. Do you wanna maybe..walk around? We'll talk and there's this great place on the way that makes this delicious cocoa. Oh. you'll love it."
It..worked? Just like that, I was walking her home? Well, I am the Dark Archer.
No surprises there. Ahem.
But now, play it cool. Thea. Play it cool.
Play.
It.
Cool.
"Yeah. Let's do it," I said instantly instead. Shame.
But whatever. I had a date (well..sort of a date) with her.
At least, I wasn't going to be alone tonight.
"Great," she said as she turned around, all smiling, and walked back.
It was almost as if I was a 5-year old again. The level of excitement was unmatched. I was gonna go have a good time with someone, who I wasn't going to beat to a pulp with my bow. Goodie!
All my thoughts for the next half an hour or so would have revolved around her. Figuratively and literally.
But...of course, the stupid manager had to put up the news channel.
"The trial of Vincent Miller vs Adam Carey is all set to take a turn for the worse for the accused Mr. Carey as the chief witness in favor of the defendant was found dead in his house with his wife and the two children.
The house was emptied for cash and jewelry but the fact that this witness was set to serve as Mr. Carey's alibi, the suspicious deaths maybe the final nail in the coffin for the former marine servant.
Meanwhile, Mr. Miller, who is running for the city's Mayoral campaign with a staggering support of 85% of Starling versus Sebastian Blood, who's seeking a re-election, in a month's time from now, has refused to comment on the same..."
He will. Once I am done with him.
This could all have been avoided if I had just shown up and did my job today. Their deaths are on me.
Instead, I was talking emotions with Laurel and trying to score with...Sigh.
Because of me, an innocent family just died. Just like mine did.
The stitches burst right open. "No more."
I had something planned for Miller, for tomorrow. He's no idea what's waiting for him..tonight.
Who's...waiting for him.
Time for those scars to do their job. I am better alone, anyways.
11:10 pm
"I'm telling you, she's all over you," the woman laughed, teasing her colleague.
"She comes here practically looking for you."
"Oh, shut up! She's just here to make a friend, that's all.."
"Alright, if you say so," the woman giggled to herself.
"But, what if, hypothetically of course, she was looking for more than a friend, then what you'll do? Come on, she is cute."
The two co-workers' eyes met for a fraction of a second, prompting them to laugh together.
"You're so bad, Evelyn," she remarked.
That's when they suddenly heard the loud sound of a bike's engine.
"Is that her?" her blond friend asked her.
"No. We were just going to go for a walk. She's still there. I'm sure."
"You better check."
So, she went around to do so and instead, found a piece of paper under the plate along with a very generous tip.
"I'm sorry," it said.
"Damn it, Thea!"
Author's notes:-
The diner scene was so fun to write! Let me know in the review section if you ship the couple!
Wattpad karan414
Instagram 414karan
