Hello! I'm sorry I couldn't update earlier but these last two weeks have been quite busy. Thank you so much for your interest in my story. I have everything sorted out, like how it's going to develop and end, but it's quite challenging because I'm totally new in this writing thing.

Chapter 2

Justin Timberlake – Cry me a river

Felicity woke up feeling a bit nervous. She knew she shouldn't, because in the end it was a very simple thing: tutoring a student. Explaining him something she would love to do all day long. Everything was supposed to be under control, and she had even prepared a power point lesson on her laptop.

It was the idea of tutoring Oliver Queen that made her uncomfortable. When he had been only a few inches from her face, she had really understood why every girl at the Academy was swooning after him, despite his questionable reputation. With those deep blue eyes he was really dreamy…..

Felicity moaned that she had enough of those silly thoughts and rolled out of bed. She had breakfast and wore the school uniform, the price to pay for being part of the Starling Academy. Although she did thing it was a good thing, because nobody would be judged for the way they dressed. Not that teenagers wouldn't find other ways to judge you anyway.

Her mother, an American history professor at Starling City University, dropped her to school on his way to lectures. Just like every morning, Felicity met with Jeb and their friend Emily at their locker.

"Helloooo! Jeb has just updated me on the latest. That's beyond exciting!" She said giggling.

"Emily!" She sighted. "I'm not sure I like the way you're making it sound"

"Well, once the whole school finds out that Felicity" She paused to mouth "Who?" While gesturing the quotation marks "is tutoring Oliver Queen in computer science, I'll tell you, it's going to be a big deal!"

"The school doesn't need to find out." Jeb was scratching his head "I know you live for these things Em, but how can you think this is gossip material?"

"Can we not go this direction please?" Felicity grumbled "It's this afternoon and probably another one. I'm going to make sure he learns and understands everything to pass that test and then we can put a seal on it". She said the last words slowly and firmly.

"And besides, he's got a girlfriend right? I mean how could he not have one?" Jeb asked.

"Yeah, I've seen her. Dunno her name though" Felicity nodded.

Silence. Jeb and Felicity looked at Emily.

"Come on! Emily, we know you know everything about her!" Jeb smiled.

Emily rolled her eyes.

"Knowing his reputation I wouldn't feel safe if I was his girlfriend" She said "Her name is Laurel Lance. Senior of course. Captain of Speech Club and cheerleader. She'll definitely be valedictorian!"

Felicity and Jeb couldn't help snorting.

Talk of the devil and he is bound to appear. This was what they must have thought once they begun to head to their classroom and then turned the aisle.

Oliver Queen, Tommy Merlyn, Laurel Lance and a few other students were walking in the opposite direction, laughing about something. Felicity slowed down just a few feet before them and said cheerfully:

"Hello Oliver! How are…" But she didn't finish the sentence. He walked past her without responding.

It was like he hadn't noticed her, and if he had, then he'd ignored her .In front of his friends. In front of all the students. Felicity went blank and looked down at her feet. Jeb took her quickly by the arm and lead her forward, followed by an outraged Emily.

"Did he like just ignore you?" Emily questioned.

"What a JERK!" Jeb said. "He DID see you" Emily nodded.

"Perhaps. But I guess he was too concentrated in himself to look around him" Felicity smiled, trying to hide some sort of disappointment. She hadn't expected anything more than exchanging greetings, but it had felt awkward.

During Computer Science Oliver had arrived in class late as usual, and when the bell rang it had been Felicity who had rushed out to get as soon as possible to Algebra. Or better, to avoid him.

The Computer Science Club room was on the second floor of the Club building, and had a view on the baseball and softball practice field. Felicity worked with her fellow members on the competition project and once they left she did some homework while waiting for Oliver.

When the clock turned 4, she put away her books and opened her laptop. After 15 minutes he hadn't arrived yet. Well, he wasn't exactly a punctual person, she had learnt that. At 4.30 he still wasn't there, so she looked down at the practice field and saw nobody, except a few girls of the softball team who were doing some stretching. Did he forgot or was he just very late?

Felicity decided to wait no more than another quarter of hour and then she would go home. No way she was going to be fooled; Oliver Queen was irresponsible and wasn't really interested in learning about computer science to fix his failed test.

She sat at a table where there was a computer under construction. She was handling a motherboard when Oliver appeared in the room and said breathlessly "I'm so sorry Felicity!"

Felicity took a deep breath and said "Do you know what time…." But when she gazed at him she couldn't finish what she was saying. Oliver's hair was wet, and it seemed like he hadn't dried himself much before putting his clothes on. Stop staring at him and go back being angry, she thought. But the problem was that he was still wet.

"You know, I do like wasting my time, but I'd rather waste it doing something else than waiting for you!"

She said trying to sound sharp.

Oliver came closer to sit near her and saw that Felicity was still holding the motherboard in her hands.

"What are you doing? Are you like building a computer?" He seemed stunned.

Felicity made a "What sort of question is this" face and answered "I've been doing it since I was 7 years old".

He made a half smile and said "You are…well it's remarkable! I've never met a genius like you!"

"I know you don't care hanging around geniuses" She said.

"Ha-ha, well but I can recognize one, can't I?"

"Well you didn't recognize in the hallway this morning…" She said in a low voice.

"What did you say Felicity?" He asked.

"Nothing!" She froze "We better start revising now. You see that laptop? Sit there!" She ordered him.

Oliver raised an eyebrow amused but obeyed within a second. Yes, it was about time to start learning about that darned subject. His jaw almost dropped when he saw that Felicity had opened the power point file, she was quite serious about her task. Felicity turned out to be a good teacher, she made things look easier, although sometimes she would speed up talking and Oliver had to ask her to slow down.

"Talking too fast, again?" She said at least 4 times. And every time Oliver had tilted his head.

Felicity was leaning near his head when Oliver was finishing the last exercise. His short hair was almost dry and he smelled of soap, perhaps bergamot. She wanted to inhale that perfume but felt too timorous to do such a thing.

Oliver turned quickly to Felicity and said "Hey I made only two mistakes!" Their faces were so close that she noticed he had a few freckles on his cheeks and nose. No, it's not the right time to start counting them.

"Good boy!" She said smiling nervously and pumping her fist up in the air. Oliver seemed perplexed.

"We're done for today" Felicity turned off her laptop and put it back in her backpack. Without looking at Oliver she asked "Would next Monday, same hour, be ok?"

"Sure!" Oliver stood up and came near her. "Felicity…."

"Yes?" She was almost hissing.

"Thank you! Really. I'm kind of hopeless with this but today I felt like I can overcome this obstacle. It's a good start and it's all your merit!"

Felicity's eyes widened. She shook his hand and said "You're welcome"

Oliver was lying down on his bed with his eyes closed. It wasn't yet 10 o'clock. After dinner he'd played a while with his little sister Thea, who was just eight years old, and then he had retired to his room, feeling tired.

Perhaps his brain had worked too much, he'd laughed at himself.

The phone rang and their housekeeper told him it was his friend, the young Mr. Merlyn.

"Hey buddy! Why are you calling me at this hour?"

"As if I've never called you at 10 p.m. or later!" his friend cackled. "How did it go, how is she?"

"Who?" Oliver didn't seem to understand.

"The computer kid!"

"Oh right" Oliver made a pause. "She's cute!" Nope, this wasn't the answer he was supposed to give. The face of Felicity Smoak appeared in his mind, with her sheepish smile, and her green glasses she kept fixing on her nose. She was cute indeed, but she was nothing more than a kid.

Oliver cleared his voice "I mean she is good, today was already a win. A few more lessons and I can get rid of that damned test!"

"I see!" Tommy sighed, sensing that something wasn't in the right place "Well, talking about more interesting things, you're still coming at Danielle's party Saturday night?"

"Yeah I think so. Laurel doesn't really like Danielle, but I can convince her!"

"I bet you do mate!" Tommy said "See you tomorrow then?"

"Sure Tommy. See you tomorrow!"

"And sweet dreams!" He said in a singing voice

"Get off!" Oliver laughed, hung the phone and went back to bed.