Arrow in My Heart // Green Arrow Fanfic

-18. Terrible Person -

I awoke after what felt like a few hours of sleep, head throbbing, heart still heavy, and stomach wanting to be outside my body.

I poured two pills into my palm and swallowed them, not bothering to get out of bed to get water to chase them down.

Under the covers, my body felt heavy, as if every word that Fiddler had said to me last night was being carried underneath my skin. My eyelids felt like someone had been trying to force them open all night, and I rubbed them, hoping to become more alert.

My phone felt like a hundred pounds in my hand as I tapped the screen a few times and raised it to my ear.

A perplexed voice answered. "Hello?"

"Laurel?"

"What's wrong?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Um, I'm not feeling too well, so I won't be coming in today."

Laurel sighed, and my heart dropped. "Eva, what's going on? You've never taken a sick day."

"Nothing, just feeling under the weather."

"Are you sure that's-"

I cut her off. "I just need some sleep, and then I'll be fine." The pause that followed made me grimace. Why was I being short with my boss?

"Okay." Laurel didn't sound convinced, but it didn't matter. I was off the hook for work.

Having accomplished what I needed to, I bid her goodbye and hung up.

I knew I needed to eat something, but working up the gumption to stand seemed insurmountable. Groaning, I got to my feet, stumbling to the kitchen.

I'd barely opened the cabinet with the cups in it when a soft knock sounded at the door.

Was it Fiddler?

Visions of cuddling with Fiddler on the couch while watching Netflix swarmed my brain. Feeling hopeful, I trudged to the door, pausing to look through the peephole.

Oliver.

Outside my door.

With flowers.

I rested my forehead against the door and wished I could sigh without being worried that Oliver would hear me.

"Eva?" He knocked again. "Are you home?" Something unpleasant was twisting inside my gut at the sound of the worry in his voice. My nausea doubled as I silently stood there.

Terrible person.

I was a terrible person.

"I know you." The sound of Jason's voice was quickly becoming an extremely annoying sound.

"Oh. Hello." Oliver didn't seem any more pleased to hear Jason than I was.

"Are you here to see Eva?"

Oliver spoke slowly. "Well...I am waiting outside her door." A small smirk formed on my face, because I could vividly picture Oliver's sarcastic smile.

"Is she not answering?"

"No." Oliver's voice sounded odd. "She's probably gone to work already."

"I can give her the flowers when she gets back, if you like." I grit my teeth. Fiddler was already insecure about Oliver. What if Fiddler came over and saw flowers from him in my apartment?

"No, but thank you." Oliver's tone was very polite, and I couldn't help but remember Fiddler's treatment of Anne last night at Olive Garden. It appeared Oliver handled irritation and inconvenience better than Fiddler. "I should be going."