Last time Barry and Oliver met and this is going to be a pretty... sensitive chapter honestly. I don't like bullying at all, I've had my fair share, so this chapter and story in general isn't easy for me to write, but it also allows me to tell how I felt when I was getting bullied, kind of get it off my chest. I mean it's not quite fun receiving insults from every direction and getting made fun of because you're not wealthy, athletic, or popular. I'd go deeper, but I have a story to write! :p
Barry PoV
Okay, so I discovered the guy who saved my life was actually Felicity's friend and Moira's son, Oliver Queen, Iris had texted me earlier telling me she ran the prints and they turned out to be his. I saw Felicity run up and talk to him when second hour started, or at least I assumed it was him. I only saw him from behind, so I couldn't quite get a good look at him then. However, I was surprised to find him walk into the Art Room during lunch. I was there talking to Mr. Wilson about the projects we were going to be working on over this year. The guy was really nice and laid back and answered any and all questions I had, and I had a lot. Eventually I was done with my little interrogation with the poor guy and turned around to see Oliver still in the Art Room working on a project. I wonder why he was in here for lunch? Felicity said he had a group of friends he'd hang out with, so where are they? So I decided to go over and thank him or keep him company. I sat down in front of him and he seemed unphased by that action so I broke the silence. "Umm... you're Oliver... right?" It took him a short time to look up and realize I had just spoke to him. He looked up at me and let out a simple "Hmm?" I leaned forward slightly and repeated myself "Are you Oliver? Like... Oliver Queen?" He simply nodded his head in reply. "Yeah, why do you ask?" It came off pretty rude, but seeing him flinch at the tone of his own voice made me think he didn't like it either. "Umm... Thanks." He raised an eyebrow at this, and it was very obvious he knew what I was thanking him for. "Thanks for what?" I shot him a look that basically said 'you know I know.' "Oh come on, don't play dumb. I know you saved me the other day. I managed to get your prints off my jacket and tested them, plus Felicity running straight up to you after I told her I was going to run them kinda gave it away." He laughed a little at my explanation. "Well, you got me." I gave him a slight smile, then wondered, why the hell did he choose to save me? He could've done nothing and yet, for some reason, he chose to save my life. "Why'd you do it though?" He sighed "Snart's a douche, he only cares about himself, and seeing him treat you like that pissed me off, I mean, you did nothing wrong and you even apologized for it. Besides that it was the right thing to do. Everybody else just sat there like mindless buffoons, and that's just not fair, y'know?" I was... surprised to say the least. Nobody at CCHS ever cared enough to help me out in any sort of way, and to have this stranger save my life was a huge change. It really meant a ton to me, I had no idea how I could ever manage to repay him. "Wow... Umm... Thanks, thanks a lot. That's actually really nice, it means a lot, honestly." He smiled at me then held out his hand. "Well we've not formally introduced ourselves. Hi, I'm Oliver." I smiled back at him and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you Oliver, I'm Barry."
"So, Barry, what hour do you take this class?"
"I've got it right after lunch, actually."
"Really? I do too, you can sit at this table with me if you'd like. I am the only one that sits here only because everybody else in the class thinks I'm a jerk."
"Yeah, I'd love to. Do they really think you're a jerk? From your actions I'd say you're the total opposite."
He shrugged. "It's my mother. I'm sure Felicity has already filled you in on that. Everyone at the school despises her, and since I'm her son they hate me too. Little do they know I hate my mother too, as awful as that may sound..."
"No, it's fine, I understand. I wasn't the biggest fan of my foster father after he adopted me. I always told him I hated him. I mean, I had a right, he'd just thrown my father in jail for wrongfully accusing him of murdering my mother." He gave me a surprised look. "Yeah, I know, sounds... horrible. But, the point is, my father didn't kill my mom, I distinctly remember there being some guy there... My father and I both saw a man clad in black clothing kill my mom, my dad told me to run as far away as possible, only because he was worried about my own safety. Next thing I know my dad is being thrown in prison, my mother is dead, and I was parentless. I'd dedicated my life to getting my dad out of prison... but... he died last year. In prison. He didn't deserve that." Oliver seemed to be absolutely speechless. "Wow, Barry... I'm sorry to hear that... I can understand losing a parent right in front of your own eyes. I was on a cruise with my father last year and we got caught in a terrible storm, ended up sinking the ship. The only survivors were my father, a shipmate, and I. My father woke me up while we were drifting around in the middle of the ocean on a raft told me that there wasn't enough supplies for all of us to survive, and that he wanted me to be the one to live on, right his wrongs... So he took the life of that guy and himself, right in front of me." Wow, I couldn't believe he'd gone through something similar to me. I just stared into his eyes for a while and he did the same. I noticed how blue his eyes were then. They were absolutely stunning, captivating, welcoming... I studied him even more and came to the conclusion that Oliver was a really attractive guy. I went to reply back to him and then the ringing of the bell broke both of us out of the trance we were in. "Umm... well... So could you tell me what exactly we're working on?" He grinned slightly and began explaining to me what the class was doing prior to me coming here. I was going to really enjoy this class to say the least.
School had just ended and I was leaving my PE class, I had just finished changing out of my gym clothes and I did this as fast as possible. I was super self-conscious after my incident in Central City. They didn't just stop at raping me that day, they even went as far as to carve the date into my leg. What made this even worse, is that that day was the anniversary of my mom's murder... I had the date of two of the worst events in my life carved right onto my leg. It depresses me each time I see it and feel it. I'd gotten changed and went to leave the locker room when I was pulled right back into the locker room. Snart. "So you a fag or something?! I saw the way you were acting around that jackass Oliver Queen, oh and not to mention those little 'fuck me!' Looks you were giving him." I started squirming. I could not have this today. I was actually having a decent fucking day for once in my life. "Just... Leave me alone... please?" He laughed maniacally at my request. "No, no, no. I won't. Oh hey, by the way you queer, what's this?" He pulled my pants down and pointed at my scar. "S-Snart... P-Please just... stop." He laughed that sickening laugh again. "Oh, touchy subject? Good. Because anything bad that happened to you was most likely because you're a gay whore, right? I bet whoever you left behind in Central is glad you're gone." Tears were now welling in my eyes. I was never going to get away from the bullying, the insults, the pain... It would always be in my life. "P-Please..." He threw me to the floor and kicked my face. Hard. Then he kicked me in the chest a few times before letting out a chuckle that felt like he was literally spewing pure evil and venom. "There will be more of this. Later, cocksucker." I sat there for a while even after he left. My chest hurt terribly. He likely cracked one of my ribs, after all, he was wearing fucking steel-toed cleats. I had a gash on my cheek and it was bruised around it pretty badly. Eventually I got up, gathered my stuff and walked home. I had to hide this from Felicity—and Oliver. I couldn't let anybody know about this, I remember telling Iris and Eddie about the first time I was bullied at Central City High. My bullies just did it worse the next day because I was a 'little snitch'.
I'd felt so much pain already, that this wouldn't phase me for a little while...
Ugh, it was sosososoooo difficult to write this. Even though it was just a tiny scene, it's always tough. I never received anything as bad as this (Thank god) but it did push me to the point where I couldn't walk into a public school without feeling endangered. So eventually I switched to online school, and I have to say it was the best decision ever. Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter. Barry is already developing feelings for Oliver, mostly because of how kind and relating Oliver was. (And attractive obv.) Soon he'll realize his feelings completely and complications will arrive!