Blank Space

~ Chapter 23 ~

"Strengthen your stance, Felicity. Your foundation needs to be strong before anything else." Diggle scolded, pushing her legs back to a better stance.

Felicity groaned, trying to build her foundation like Diggle had taught her in the past couple of days, but it was harder than most people would expect. She was pouring sweat, and all they had done was try and build her core.

"Good, better." Diggle nodded, putting his fists back up holding his gloves that gave her something to try and hit.

"John, I don't know how much more I can do today." Felicity huffed, swinging at his hands.

"Ten more minutes, Felicity. You need to pace yourself." Diggle advised her.

Felicity just nodded, and breathed in and out. She kept hitting Diggle's hands. One after the after until she had no more strength left in her to hit. Felicity was now huffing and puffing, gasping for air, as she walked off the mats in the gym toward the water.

"So, why are we keeping this a secret from Oliver, again?" Diggle asked, as he joined her where she was.

"Because," she said after gulping her water down, "he doesn't want to be with me because he thinks he has to protect me all the time... which is completely true right now... But, if I know how to protect myself..."

"He might reconsider." Diggle finished for her, nodding.

"It hurts not being with him, John." Felicity sighed, putting the water back down.

"Well, then we've got a lot of work to do." Diggle chuckled, holding his hand out to her to join her back on the mats.

"Really? More?" Felicity groaned, following him.

"Oh, yeah," Diggle laughed. "Lots more."

"Be glad I like you, Diggle." Felicity laughed as she readied herself for another round.

He shook his head, laughing with her, and readied himself as well. And, then they went at it again and again, endlessly, until Felicity heard her phone ringing. Felicity tried to catch her breath as she held up her finger at John and jogged over to her phone.

"It's Oliver." She whispered to Diggle.

Diggle's eyes widened and he said, "Just answer it."

Felicity nodded, and pressed accept.

"Hello?" She breathed into the phone.

"Hey, sorry to bother you. But I can't get ahold of Diggle. Have you heard from him?" Oliver asked into the phone.

What? He was calling about Diggle? Really? She thought to herself.

"No, Oliver. I haven't." She said, making sure to let him know that she was mad by her tone and how short she was being with him.

"Oh, okay." He said, almost surpised that she was mad at him.

"How's Thea?" She asked, not wanting to hang up just yet.

"She's better. She's working with Laurel now for her community service." Oliver said, and she could hear that he was relieved that she wasn't being short with him.

Unfortunately, at the mention of Laurel's name, she felt her jealousy ping up again. She didn't know why, either, because she had nothing to be jealous about, but she was still somewhat hurt from him going to see her.

"Oh, okay. Well, good." She nodded, trying to even her tone so she didn't show her jealousy.

"Yeah, it'll be good for her. Maybe it'll grow her up a bit." She could hear the smile in Oliver's tone, and she suddenly wanted to smile too, but then she remembered that she was still mad at him.