Arrowheart

Chapter 33

Oliver: "Relax. Don't overthink it too much. All you have to do is feel it."

His arms come around me, keeping my body pressed against his as he helps me get into the proper stance to shoot my first arrow.

Oliver: "Let go."

I let the arrow fly toward my target, actually managing to land on the red bull. (The ring around the bullseye)

Oliver: "That was really close."

Elizabeth: "Well, it's hard to focus with you touching me."

I turn in his arms.

Oliver: "Did you want me to stop?"

Elizabeth: "Of course not."

I kiss him.

Oliver: "I have to go. I'll see you when I get back."

Elizabeth: "Crossing another name off the list?"

Oliver: "That would be my objective."

Elizabeth: "I'll be waiting for you."

He kisses me.

Oliver: "I'll try not to keep you waiting too long."

We kiss once more before Felicity walks in as he is leaving.

Felicity: "You two are cute."

Elizabeth: "We've been getting a lot closer lately."

Felicity: "I've noticed."

She sits in front of her computers.

Elizabeth: "Hey, Felicity, where is Diggle? I haven't seen him all week."

She turns toward me.

Felicity: "He and Oliver fought, and Diggle left."

Elizabeth: "What? Why were they fighting?"

Felicity: "Oliver chose to go after Edward Rasmus instead of helping Diggle catch Lawton, and Lawton got away. Diggle got mad and said Oliver chose you and Hannah, protected by bodyguards, over him. So he left."

Elizabeth: "I had no idea any of that happened. I hope they can patch things up."

Felicity: "I do, too."

I resume my training until Oliver finally returns. He places a laptop in front of Felicity.

Felicity: "Hmm. Let me guess. Some bad guy missing his fancy new laptop."

Oliver: "Harold Backman. He's who Starling City's worst call when they want to launder money in the Caymans."

She opens it.

Felicity: "Shouldn't we just turn this over to, I don't know, the IRS?"

Oliver: "We will, just as soon as you return the money to the rightful owners."

Felicity: "Well, it sounds like a very nice idea, but Backman's files are all protected with an asymmetric encryption algorithm."

Oliver: "Really? So it's gonna take a while to break in."

Felicity: "Days, at least."

Oliver: "Better get started, then."

I put my bow down and turn to Oliver.

Elizabeth: "Hey, Ollie, we were wondering,"

Felicity stands up.

Felicity: "When are you planning on making peace with Diggle?"

Oliver: "He's the one who left. I did everything I could to stop him."

Elizabeth: "Except apologize."