New Beginnings || New Limits [Prequel]

13| An Offer

***

Today was the day that we were going to break ground at the site for the Robert Queen Memorial Applied Sciences Center. The cameras of the press were clicking away as they waited for the ceremony that Moira had organized to begin.

"Look at you." Roy said as we made our way through the crowd, my arm in his the other day forgotten. We had an unspoken agreement not to touch on the subject, and I couldn't completely understand why when we have always spoken so openly to one another. But in this case it seemed a night that was best forgotten, there was no denying that there seemed to be a shift between us no matter how much we attempted to ignore it. "girl from The Glades running an entire building. I knew you were phenomenal the day I met you."

I stopped and looked into Roy's clear blue eyes. "I couldn't have done it without you. You know that."

Roy dug his hand in the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small velvet pouch. Having been given several go those pouched in the past I already knew what this one contained. "Almost forgot."

I watched silently as he opened the pouch and let the charm full in the palm of his hand. The charm was a small microscope and I instinctively rolled my eyes at the sight of it. Even if I loved it.

"Funny." I said as I let him clip the charm onto the bracelet.

"You have to remember this day."

Before I could reply Walter appeared out of the crowd with two glasses of champagne that he handed Roy and I. "Good evening Mr. Harper."

"Please call me Roy." Roy replied politely as the two men shook hands, the two had met many other times during other Queen hosted events but they have always remained civil.

"Well, thank you for joining us Roy." Walter said before turning towards me, and although he didn't show it I could feel the nervous excitement radiating off of him. "Diane its time."

I nodded as I followed Walter onto the stage and took my seat beside Moira and Diane who was sitting beside his father. It had been a couple of days since I had seen or spoke to Daniel, and I had already begun to believe that he had given up his attempts to get closer to me. That thought immediately disappeared when he mischievously winked at me, though I had to be grateful that he didn't say anything. Possibly due to the fact that his father was sitting right beside him.

"Good afternoon." Walter dressed the crowd that instantly quieted, the only sound was the clicking of cameras. "And thank you all for coming. Welcome to the future site of the Robert Queen Memorial Applied Sciences Center."

Everyone applauded excitement, excitement that was running through me too. It felt that this project was completely severing my ties with my past, that now I could completely move on. Have the normal life that I wanted, even if it tended to be incredibly mundane and ordinary.

"Now, this is a building that will stand as a monument to the man whose company and vision are his greatest legacies."

"Whoa! Whoa!" Oliver Queen exclaimed as he suddenly stumbled on stage with a glass of champagne carelessly in his hand. "What about me? Right? I'm a legacy. Hey! Thanks for warming them up, Walt."

I watched in irritation as Oliver practically shoved Walter aside. Not wanting to make a scene in front of all the press Walter forced a smile as he moved to the side of the stage to take his seat beside Moira.

"What is he doing?" I heard Daniel mutter under his breath, clearly disappointed by his friends actions. And although I was just as angry as everyone else involved with the project, I couldn't help but study Oliver as he continued to speak nonsense to the crowd in a fake drunken slur.