Straight Shot ➳ Oliver Queen

12. Blame

C H A P T E R   T W E L V E

BLAME

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5 YEARS AGO

Oliver's POV:

I couldn't help but smile when I stepped out of the elevator onto the top floor of the office building. I barely even noticed the sound of the silver doors sliding shut as I spotter Karter, her head on her palm, her elbow on the desk. She slowly scrolled with the mouse of the computer, evidently bored with whatever assigned task, or lack thereof, she was in charge of.

"Hey, Katie." I greeted happily and she perked up a bit, like I had awoken her from a dazed state.

"Oliver." She smiled. "Welcome to Queen Consolidated. How can I assist you today?" She repeated sarcastically, mocking the greeting she was supposed to use when clients entered the office.

I chuckled and shook my head. "If you hate this job so much, why don't you just quit? Your trust fund awaits." I reasoned.

"No. No trust funds, no freebies. You know that's not my style." She explained to me for the thousandth time. Her father was one of the richest men on the East Coast. I never understood why Karter put herself through horrible jobs like waiting tables, stocking shelves, or being my father's secretary when she was sitting on millions of dollars. "If I wanna keep paying my college tuition, I need this job."

"You know, normal parents pay for their kids' college."

"My grandparents didn't pay for my mom's tuition. She waited tables and babysat every weekend."

"So that's what this is about." I realized. "You're trying to be like your mom."

"My mom was one of the most amazing human beings I have ever know. I could never be a fraction of who my mother was."

"I think you're already pretty great." Karter gave a shy smile, the kind were her cheeks turned a rosy pink, making the pale freckles that dotted her nose stand out. "Come on. Everyone left like an hour ago." I gave her a suggestive smile, which she returned.

"Hallway?" She said, catching on.

"Hallway." I confirmed. She jumped up from her desk and I took off towards the elevator. I heard her light footsteps behind me, eventually speeding past me as she outran me. After she had bolted into the elevator, she teasingly waved goodbye as the doors began to close since I hadn't made it in time. Just before the doors closed all the way, she slid her hand through the opening and grabbed my sleeve, yanking me into the elevator with her. She pressed the button for the seventh floor and the elevator began the descent.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Karter as she watched the floor count displayed above the doors dwindle. The corners of her lips were tugged into an unintentional smile. Her red hair was tucked behind her ears and she bounced on her toes like a giddy child.

Before she could notice, I looked towards the door. Just as I did, the elevator halted and the doors slid open, exposing the bare bones of the seventh floor.

The floor was in the middle of a total remodel. The process was moving slowly since my father only allowed construction on the weekends when no one was in the building. During the week, he held many important meetings and welcomed many visitors. He saw it as unprofessional to have the sound of drills and hammers echoing through the vents when he was in a board meeting or listening to pitches.

The hallway floors throughout the building were covered in a smart, grey carpet, but before they had been recarpeted, they were smooth, brown, white, and beige patterned floors. This is the floor that was yet to be replaced on the seventh floor. The flooring was horrendous, but it wasn't without its perks.