Angel Face - Oliver Queen 🌷

19 || CNRI Benefit 👗

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I ran a hand down the skirt of my dress as I made my way into the building. Tommy was hosting a CNRI benefit for Laurel and he told me it was mandatory that I was present since Merlyn Global was now the primary funder for CNRI. The room was filled with people, lights, and music and I smiled around the room.

Tommy was always so good at putting benefits together, I never could. Which was odd seeing as it seemed to be like a sixth sense for Starling City's elite.

I spotted Laurel over by the bar and I quickly made my way over to her seeing as she was the first person I recognized here. I came up beside her and ordered a quick drink, "Tequila sunrise." I told the barista before turning to Laurel beside me with a slight smirk. "Hey, Laurel."

"Hey, Harley," she laughed slightly, taking a small sip of her own drink.

"So, wanna hear a funny story," I began, licking my lips. "Last night Tommy and I were having dinner with my Dad before he left for some Australian conference and Tommy brings up that Merlyn Global is now sponsoring CNRI. And I thought that was weird cause Tommy's never really been into the whole business thing, never really wanted to get into the family company - but, then I remembered this girl who he happens to have the biggest crush on just so happens to work there."

Laurel gave me a small smile and a quirked eyebrow, "does this story have a point."

"Yes," I gave a firm nod. "Please put him out of his misery."

Laurel's smile turned into a curious frown, "what do you mean?"

"I mean, Tommy's had the biggest crush on you since you were all 16 and still in High School and now he's really putting himself out there," I told her. I mean, it wasn't like her and Oliver were still together and he had to pretend like he didn't feel those things. They had dated for a while and then they broke up because Laurel didn't think Tommy was up for a real relationship. Now, I think he is and I think Laurel's the one girl who can show him that.

Laurel bit her lip to contain a small smile, "sounds kind of familiar." The subject change was painfully obvious, as was the pointed look she was giving me.

I feigned innocence, taking a big sip of the drink the bartender had given me. "Hm?" I raised my eyebrows, pretending like I had no idea what she was talking about.

Laurel rolled her eyes at my antics, leaning in against the bar. "Tommy told me that Oliver kissed you."

I licked my lips, "oh, that."

"Yeah, that," Laurel mocked my tone, and I looked down at my drink, busying myself with stirring the orange liquid in my glass. "If we wanna talk about big crushes... Oliver's adored you your whole life."

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes, "that's not true. I was always the younger sister, and then there was you and Sara who he was crazy about."

"Maybe, but if you ask me for my opinion, he would've picked you any day."

I frowned up at her, "you really thought that?"

"Yeah, I used to hate you for it," she said it so casually, like it was no big deal, but to me it was. I shifted in my spot, looking back down at my peach heels. "It was always, 'I just brought Harley here last week and she loved it' or 'I can't, it's Friday which means Friday movie nights with Harley'. You were some tough competition when it came to Oliver's attention."

"Oh..." I trailed off, I never really noticed that before. Laurel gave a soft parting when she noticed Tommy and walked over to him while I stayed behind with my thoughts.

Did that really happen? I guess I never really noticed how much Oliver and I acted like a couple before, I mean sure we'd go out to eat or we'd be each others dates for benefits but it always felt the same as when I'd do those things with Tommy or even Laurel sometimes when Oliver couldn't make a certain event.

"Hey, Tommy said you were here."

Speak of the Devil...

I slowly turned around to see Oliver walk up to me, looking as dashing as ever in his suit. I smiled at him, trying to push what Laurel said to the back of my mind, but it was kind of permanently there.

Like he could read my mind, he frowned curiously at me and reached out to touch my bare arm, "are you okay?"

My eyes darted down to his hand before flickering up to his blue eyes, "no, I'm not." I finally admitted.

He took a small step forward, his confusion turning to worry in an instant, "what happened?"

"You did," I finally admitted. "You kissed me. And I thought it was crazy how you could suddenly go from seeing someone as a friend to seeing them as more so fast. But, according to literally everyone else, it wasn't as sudden as I thought. Apparently it's been there my whole life, and I'm the crazy one for not noticing."

"Harley-"

"No, don't Harley, me," I cut him off at his tone, like he thought I was making too big a deal of this. It was a big deal. "I hate it, Ollie. I hate having to second guess everything I do so I'm not sending you some kind of mixed signals. I hate not being able to just have a conversation with you without feeling guilty for not..." I trailed off, pressing it my lips into a thin line.

"For not feeling the same way," Oliver finished for me. He said it was more of a statement like he already knew the truth rather than a question.

I sighed softly, "I don't know..." I admitted, shrugged uncomfortably. "I've never thought of you like that Oliver. I've never... looked at you like that. How do you know if you... if you feel like that?"

"You wanna know how I know?" He asked, and I nodded timidly. He cleared his throat, taking a small step closer to me and leaning against the counter next to me. "I remember every moment we've spent together, Harley. Every dinner date, every movie night, every gala, every banquet, every birthday, every holiday, everything... and when I think back on all those times we've spent together, it's not just fun, it's... more than that."

He licked his lips hesitantly, looking down at the hand he had resting on the counter and he tapped his fingers against the counter top. "It was different. It made me feel different than I ever did with Laurel or Sara... and I realized that I'd rather hang out with you any day over my own girlfriends."

Laurel's words came back to me then and I immediately dropped my gaze to my glass.

"And then it got to the point where I wanted more," my eyes darted back up at that, feeling the heat on my cheeks as his intense gaze held mine. "It got to the point where whenever you were in the same room with me, it wasn't enough. I wanted to hold your hand, I wanted to kiss you, I wanted to be with you... and that's how I knew."

He fixed his coat button over his torso and licked his lips hesitantly, "that's how I knew what I felt about you was more than just what a best friend should feel."

"Oliver, I..." I broke off when John came over to us. He gave me a curt nod and I dropped my eyes down to my half empty glass as he whispered something in Oliver's ear. Oliver nodded, looking at me, but not saying anything. I could see the battle in his eyes. "Go," I gave him a small smile. "The world needs saving... I can wait."

He held my gaze for a second longer and then he was gone, following John through the crowd and disappearing from sight.