Angel Face - Oliver Queen 🌷

35 || Thea's Birthday Disaster 💊

I smiled around at the inside of the Queen Mansion - it was filled with people, lights, and music. It was the epitome of a girl's 18th birthday party. I slowly pulled the glow band from off my head as to not mess up my carefully constructed ponytail.

That's when I noticed John on the other side of the room and I smiled at him, tossing the band on the table as I walked by. "Hey, Johnny."

He nodded at me, "Harley."

"I think we should talk." I jerked my chin, motioning for him to follow as I led him over to the balcony. I closed the door behind us and it was like all the music cut off then - a dull thump in the background. "So... Oliver told me about what happened at Black Hawk the other night."

"Of course he did," John scoffed, turning to me with uninterested eyes. "Were you gonna lecture me, too. "

"Ah, you know how much I love a good lecture, but no." I licked my lips hesitantly, taking a small step closer. "I'm not gonna yell at you for trusting an old friend... in fact, I think we understand each other more than we realize."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah..." I nodded slowly, looking around at the darkened sky and the stars that spilled across it. "Did you know that my Mom died... killed actually. Shot in the Glades." I told him - that wasn't something I liked to share with everyone, the only people I've ever really talked about it with was Tommy and Oliver.

"No, I didn't," John shook his head, his features softening. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, I was only five," I shrugged it off. "But, today, my Dad tried to get me to sign over my rights to this little free clinic she had opened - she adored it, and it's probably one of the few things I actually have to remind me of her."

"Why are you telling me this." John cleared his throat.

I took another step forward, ducking my head to get him to look at me, "because... although it may be a little different - the love I have for my father, and the respect you have for the man who saved your life... it doesn't change the fact that, we're blinded by that admiration."

John shook his head, running a hand over his mouth, "Harley, I know this man... he's not in on these heists."

"Maybe... maybe not..." I shrugged. "But, you'll never know that until you take a step back and look at it from an outsiders point of view."

"Like, Oliver," He scoffed and I pressed my lips into a thin line, not saying anything. "Tell me, Harley, what did you do when your Dad asked you to sign those papers."

"I signed them..." I admitted and he tossed me a pointed look. "But, that didn't make him right for asking me to do that and it sure as Hell doesn't make you right about Gaynor." I rested a hand on his chest, carefully slipping the bug underneath the flap of his collar. "I need you to be better than me, Johnny. I need you to stand up to Gaynor, like I couldn't with my Dad. Too many people are going to get hurt if you don't."

"It doesn't matter anymore, Harley..." He trailed off, looking away from me and I slowly dropped my hand from his chest - letting it fall to my side. "There was another heist tonight, and I was with Gaynor the whole time."

"Yeah, Oliver told me," I crossed my arms. "He also told me he hit one of the guys pretty bad."

John looked at me then, a realization lighting up his eyes. "So, there'd be blood - we can identify who's behind this once and for all."

"Yeah, we can..." I quirked an eyebrow, waiting to see if he'd come to it all on his own or if he'd need a little push.

"I'll handle this." John told me and I bit my lip, watching him head for the door. "If there's any problems I'll reach out to you or Oliver." I nodded, shooing him off.

Once he was gone I leaned back against the railing of the balcony, letting the cool air blow against my face. Did I just really plant a bug on one of my friends?

"Did you do it." A familiar voice filled my ears, but I didn't move, I kept my eyes closed and my head tilted up towards the sky.

"Yeah... I feel dirty." I admitted, and silence fell over us as I felt Oliver come over and lean up against the balcony railing next to me.

"Just an hour and a half left before our date."

I peeked my one eyes open to see Oliver looking around the balcony casually, his face clear of any emotion. I sighed, finally looking over at him, "I just bugged Johnny - you could dash out of here any minute to stop another heist... and that's what you're thinking about."

"It's all I've been thinking about all week," he smiled charmingly at me and I rolled my eyes at the cheesy line. "I've been meaning to ask... what made you, you know, want to ask me out, anyway." He turned to face me, leaning against his one elbow.

I shrugged, "I was talking to Laurel the other day and I had asked her about how her and Tommy went from being best friends to, you know, more than friends."

His eyes flickered between mine curiously, "what'd she say."

"She said that it came out of no where..." I breathed out, tilting my head back slightly to look up at him, smiling softly. "That one day Tommy had asked her out on a date, no prior indication that he was interested in her, or none that she noticed at least."

Oliver hummed in response, "sounds familiar."

I narrowed my eyes at him, but he only smiled back at me, "she told me, at first she didn't feel the same way, but she knew that if her and Tommy were to ever take that step... it'd be really great. So, she asked him out. One thing led to another and... look at them now." I shrugged, it was really that simple.

If Oliver and I were to ever work out, it'd be really great. I mean, he knows everything about me and he's truly amazing...

"So, you want to be like Tommy and Laurel?" He teased and I laughed, shaking my head lightly.

"No, I want to be Oliver and Harley..." I told him, my eyes taking in his whole face. "We're way cooler than them." He opened his mouth, what he was about to say - lost as he raised a hand to the ear piece he had on. I frowned at the look on his face. "What is it?"

"Gaynor kidnapped Carly, I gotta go." He quickly headed for the door and I followed.

"I'm going with you."

He paused in the open, sliding glass door, holding up a hand to stop me, "No... I need you to stay here, I'll be back before you know it." I sighed, watching as he took off and disappeared in the crowd... when was he going to trust me enough to finally come out into the field with him?