Shipwreck To Soulmates-Thea Queen

iv. Welcome Home Bash

"Oliver, Isobel, I want to introduce you two to someone..." Moira stated cautiously as she guided the two over. "This is John Diggle. He'll be accompanying you from now on."

Isobel scoffed, slightly offended. "We don't need a babysitter."

"Darling, Oliver and Isobel are adults." Walter agreed. "And if they don't feel they need armed protection-"

Isobel's phone went off again, interrupting the second conversation of that day. "Jesus Christ with this thing." Isobel muttered, pulling the device out of her pocket.

INCOMING CALL: Laurel Lance

She declined the call, not even able to put her phone back in her pocket before it went off again.

"Somebody's popular today." Walter commented, chuckling at his own remark.

INCOMING CALL: Laurel Lance

"If you'll excuse me." Isobel waited until she was in the next room, peeking over her shoulder to make sure nobody had followed behind her, before answering. "Hello?"

"Hey. What should I wear to your welcome home bash?"

Isobel let out a breath of relief and frustration. "That's why you called me again after I declined your call?"

"Well, I really just wanted to hear about what's going on with you and Leslie." Laurel admitted.

"Jesus, Laurel. I'm gonna see you in a few hours. You couldn't've waited until then?"

"Maybe if you guys weren't who you were."

"The hell does that mean?"

"You guys are Iz and Les. You're literally the 'it' couple of Starling City. And being your friend should have perks like knowing what's going on before the media does."

Laurel was, of course, referring to their engagement, which had been put out on several news sites before the women had a chance to even tell their families. "That wasn't my fault." Isobel reminded her. "And being my friend means you'll find out when I figure it out."

"But-"

"Goodbye, Laurel."

XXX

"So, what'd she say?" Leslie asked anxiously, biting her fingernails as she sat on the edge of Laurel's bed.

"Uh, no comment on what to wear to the party." Laurel teased, rightfully earning a pillow smack to her face.

"What about the other thing, dodo?"

"Jesus, Les." Laurel rolled her eyes. "You're an adult. You shouldn't have your friends dealing with your shit."

"You already talked to her, so just tell me what she said." Leslie begged.

Laurel rolled her eyes, knowing she was going to give in to Leslie's request. "She said that she'd let me know when she figured it out. So, clearly she has no expectation of what's going to happen or not either."

Leslie buried her face in her hands. "She was lying. She always gives a vague answer when she's lying. God, I feel like I'm back in intro to economics in college, fawning over her every move, waiting for her to ask me out all over again."

"Don't you think you're reading too much into this?"

Leslie panicked. "What if I'm not reading enough into this? What if I'm missing something? Oh, god, Laurel, what do I wear tonight."

"Okay, okay, breathe." Laurel took her friend's hands into her own. "I can't help you with the first two, but you should definitely wear whatever's gonna get Isobel's jaw on the floor. How about this?"