Unravel Me | Arrow [ COMPLETED ]

chapter one

"I spent my years weighted down by a stone heart
Drowning in irony and settling for anything"
THE WONDER YEARS - 'I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral'

. . .

"What's happening, baby sis?" Tommy slid into the booth, grinning widely at Cali as she rolled her eyes and huffed. She shoved a menu at him. "Aw, is this for me? You're so thoughtful."

Cali swatted him with her own menu, laughing as Tommy cried out in mock pain. He pouted as he rubbed the offended area, but she just raised an eyebrow and deliberately focused back down at her menu.

"I'm paying," she said lightly. "Just so you know."

Tommy's cheeky grin returned in full force, and he leaned forward slightly. "So what's the gossip." Cali just blinked at her menu. Tommy didn't give up. He poked her face. "C'mon," he whined. "You never shout me lunch unless you have something to tell me."

Cali groaned playfully, setting aside her menu and staring at her brother. Her caramel eyes were light and happy, and something in Tommy's smile became softer and more sincere.

He hadn't seen his sister this genuinely happy for too long. It made something warm bloom in his chest as her lips quirked into an excited smile.

"I got promoted at the library!" She squealed finally, and Tommy cheered with her.

"Congratulations bub!" He let out an overjoyed laugh as she launched herself over the table to wrap him in a tight hug. Her entire body was shaking. He held her tight enough that his muscles actually strained a little. "I'm so proud of you!"

Cali drew back, already babbling about what it meant now that she was Head of the Library and how the others were really supportive and she suddenly had so much work to do! Tommy didn't pay much attention to what she was actually saying, because he had absolutely no idea what the Head of the Library was, but he was happy to listen to his baby sister be happy.

She's been through too much. She deserved to be happy. If Tommy could help with that, he would. She was his sister, his family. He loved her with all of his heart. She loved him in return.

They only had each other after all.

Sometime during Cali's ranting, a waitress had taken their order and their food had arrived. Cali paused her tale only to take a few bites and a quick drink before she was back to telling Tommy about this girl named Martha who was apparently a right bitch. Tommy made a mental note to investigate the sudden removal of this woman from the library.

"Oh Tommy," Cali sighed, finally calming down. She rested her head on her hand, staring at Tommy with a tired but blindingly happy smile. "It's a dream come true."

Tommy reached out and grabbed her free hand, his lips aching from his wide grin. "I'm proud of you," he said sincerely. "And I'm sure Mom and Oliver would be too."

Some of the light faded from Cali's face. Her grip on Tommy's hand got a little bit tighter. She let out a heavy breath and closed her eyes for a moment, and Tommy let her be about it because the loss of Oliver and their mother had broken something vital in Cali's heart, and Tommy had never been able to fix it.

"I miss them," Cali said in a small voice, opening her eyes. "I mean, Mom died so long ago but Ollie..."

Tommy swallowed thickly. "Yeah," he said hoarsely. "Yeah, Ollie's death hurt in a different way. I mean, we were so young when Mom...But Oliver was our friend. I miss him more than I could possibly say."