'Welcome to our new home!' Isaac exclaimed as I met them in our new apartment.
'How did you get this so quickly?' I marvelled at Isaac and Elliot's achievement.
'Well, while you were having make out sessions with your boyfriend,' Elliot started sarcastically, making me roll my eyes. 'We looked round this part of the city, Orchid Bay, and found this apartment. They weren't asking for too much money, either. So we took it.'
'It certainly is nice,' I said, looking around the main room.
It was very modern looking, the kitchen and living room open plan and very black, white and chrome. Opening the cupboards of the kitchen, I found that they were already stocked with utensils, cutlery and other equipment. The rooms were all already decorated and furnished, as if the previous owner had left all their things in a hurry.
'These apartments have just been built,' Isaac explained. 'This was used to show everyone around, it seems, and they included all the furniture in our rent for a low price.'
'What, were they desperate or something?' I asked.
'Starling City hasn't got a very good reputation,' Isaac explained further. 'Not many people want to move here because of all the crime.'
'True,' I nodded in understanding.
Picking my suitcase up from the living room, where the boys had left it for me, I felt my phone buzz in the jeans pocket. Dumping the suitcase down in my room, I answered the call.
'Hey, Aria, it's Tommy,' Tommy's voice came through the phone.
'I thought you'd had enough of me for one day,' I laughed, sitting down on my bed.
'Are you able to come over tonight?' Tommy requested, already making plans.
'Yeah, sure,' I agreed.
At least I didn't have work the next day.
'Good,' Tommy exclaimed. 'Oh, and dress up, we're going to Corrado's.'
Corrado's was the word Tommy and I used to refer to Corrado's Italian Bistro, an expensive restaurant we had been in once after I had fantasied about going in for months. The steak was especially famous throughout the city.
'Okay,' I said. 'See you, Tommy.'
---
Making final adjustments to my hair, I straightened out my coral dress and flicked my hair to the side, just before I remembered to turn the curling iron off. It was ages since I had been to a restaurant as formal as Corrado's, and the thought of slipping up in front of Tommy making me feel sick.
'Isaac, Elliot, I'm just going out with Tommy,' I announced, my voice ringing through the apartment.
There was no answer, or even a sign of life. I guessed they were already up to something.
As a black BMW pulled up outside the apartment block, its window rolled down to reveal its driver to be Tommy.
'Nice,' I said, not realising I was talking aloud.
'I take it you like it,' Tommy smiled. 'Come on, we're going to be late!'
'Okay,' I nodded, opening the passenger seat door.
'You look... beautiful,' Tommy complemented me as I sat next to him.
'Thank you,' I said, not accustomed to compliments. 'As do you.'
'You think I'm beautiful?' Tommy laughed.
I didn't mean it in a girly or feminine way, but I really did think Tommy was beautiful. I clearly was still attracted to him.
'You know what I mean,' I rolled my eyes, slapping Tommy's arm lightly.
'Hey!' Tommy whined, before starting to drive the car forward.
As we drive into the city centre, I saw the sign for Corrado's glisten in the summer dusk. However, instead of carrying on to the car park, Tommy kept driving the car.
'I thought you said we were going to Corrado's?' I askd Tommy, confused.
Why would he pass the restaurant? If we were late we would miss out reservation.
'We're not going to Corrado's,' Tommy said suddenly.
What was he up to? Had Merlyn put him up to this? I just wanted to get out the car and run. But I didn't. I just had to keep my cool. Act as if what he had said didn't bother me. I decided to just go with it.
'Where are we going?' I asked him nervously.
'To my house,' Tommy explained. 'Well, our old house. My father's house. He wants to speak to you.'
Oh no. Merlyn knew I was back. But I couldn't say anything suspicious. The less Tommy knew, the better.
Pulling up outside the Merlyn household, I trembled as I opened the car door.
'It's only my dad,' Tommy said abrightly. 'It's not like anything bad's going to happen.'
He had no idea.
Swinging the front door open, I found that the place was in darkness. But I felt as if someone was there, as if eyes were burning into my back of my head. Like Merlyn was watching me.
As light flooded into the room, I was dazzled by its brightness, making me jump and alertly try to find Merlyn. But he wasn't there.
'Surprise!' I heard shouts and clapping from every room, people flooding into the corridor.
No. This couldn't be happening. I found surprise parties way too embarrassing. But, it was happening. And I was right in the centre of it. The special guest.
'Tommy, I-' I said hesitantly, wanting to leave at once.
There were too many people. Too many people who had heard of my return.
'Smile!' A deep voice shouted my way, followed my a blinding flash of light.
It was a reporter from the Starling City Star News, taking a picture of me next to Tommy amongst the crowd and balloons and fuss for their next issue.
It was all too much, but I had to act natural. People had put effort into organising it, particularly, I presumed, Tommy. It would be a harsh way to repay him if I ran away.
I was just going to have to try to enjoy it.
'Why are you doing this for me?' I asked Tommy.
He didn't have to. I would have really preferred if he hadn't.
'To celebrate you coming back,' Tommy smiled. 'You're special to me, Aria. I didn't want you to feel unwelcome back in Starling. Many people care about you, and wanted to celebrate too.'
Many people were there. People from the SCPD. Quentin Lance. Laurel Lance. Moira Queen. Her daughter Thea Queen. Helena. Even Isaac and Elliot had joined the party; they must have known about it all along. And then there was Malcolm Merlyn, a big smirk on his face. I bet he was feeling happy I hadn't been able to escape him.
'Hey, Helena,' I said as she joined me, seeing I was clearly lost in the excitement I wasn't particularly feeling.
'You don't seem... Alright,' Helena said caringly. 'Are you okay?'
'I'm fine,' I said, putting aside any of my worries. 'I'm just a little... Overwhelmed.'
'I understand,' Helena nodded. 'I usually hate parties too. All the noise and the people I don't know, I just feel so... Awkward.'
'Exactly what I was thinking,' I laughed.
'So who are your friends over there?' Helena asked, pointing to Isaac and Elliot. 'I don't recognise them, and they seen to really know you.'
What did I say?
'They're just my roommates,' I said truthfully. 'We know one another from a... While back.'
'Yeah, they do have a similar accent to you,' Helena pointed out.
'Hello Aria,' Moira suddenly came up to us, giving me a hug.
The year before leaving on the Queen's Gambit, I had gotten really close to the Queen family, Moira often acting quite motherly towards me. She looked as though she had missed me too, her eyes glistening with sadness and a new found relief.
'How are things?' I asked her, talking about the company as well as Moira's personal life.
'They're not too bad,' Moira said reassuringly. 'Demands are high at the company, but it's getting easier.'
'My friend, Isaac, recently joined Queen Consolidated,' I told Moira. 'Trust me, he's a really good worker.'
'I'll give him a better job then,' Moira smiled, doing just as I wanted her to. 'He can be the assistant head of his department.'
'Great!' I exclaimed happily. 'Don't worry, he won't let you down.'
'You've got to tell Isaac the news!' Helena said straight after Moira left to talk to other guests.
'Okay,' I agreed, and I led the way to Isaac and Elliot's corner of the room.
But instead of getting to the boys, we ran into Laurel instead.
'Aria!' She hugged me like old times with the widest smile on her face. 'I'm so glad you're back!'
'It's nice to see you too!' I greeted her.
'I was so worried about you all year,' Laurel told me. It was so... Empty without you and- sorry.'
Laurel tried to refrain from crying as she spoke, trying to forget about her sister Sara, and her boyfriend Oliver. Laurel was the person back in Starling all last year who had been affected the most, losing not one, but two people extremely close to her.
'Hey, it's alright,' I reassured Laurel, giving her another hug.
'So, how are you after the whole thing where you went missing?' Laurel asked rather comically.
'I'm fine,' I laughed at Laurel's remark. 'How's the last year been for you?'
I really shouldn't have asked her that. I had forgotten for a split second how rough Laurel's year must have been, losing Sara and Oliver. I was so stupid.
Laurel's face fell, remembering about how awful it must have been.
'I'm sorry,' I apologised quickly, trying to undo what I had started.
'No, it's alright,' Laurel said. 'I've been mourning long enough. I have to cope with the fact that I won't see them again. But I've got my work to concentrate on, and I need to celebrate about your return! You're a great friend, and I shouldn't just shove you aside like that so I can be sad all the time.'
'Don't worry about me,' I reassured Laurel, feeling really bad.
She had the right to mourn Oliver and Sara. I still hadn't gotten over their deaths either.
'But I need to pay attention to you!' Laurel exclaimed.
'Not just me,' I said. 'What about your father?'
'He's useless,' Laurel said unpitifully. 'All he does is work. To forget about everything.'
'What about your mum?' I asked her, still trying to get Laurel to support her family.
She needed someone to turn to apart from me, who she could trust and rely on, especially someone in her family.
'My mom... Left us,' Laurel says said sadly.
'I'm so sorry,' I acknowledged my sadness for her.
Laurel really was troubled.
'Don't be,' Laurel smiled, but with hatred in her eyes towards her mother. 'She knew about Sara leaving on that boat. She blames herself.'
'Is there anyone else in your life?' I asked, concerned. 'You need a family, Laurel.'
'I don't need a family,' Laurel shook her head. 'I have you. And... My boyfriend!'
'You have a boyfriend?' I asked, extremely pleased for her.
Laurel did have someone she could trust. Who she could love. I felt so happy for her. She needed this relationship to override her pain she would always feel about losing Oliver and Sara. The fact that she had been able to move on from Oliver meant she was able to move on in her life, instead of being in a deep dark pit of sadness.
'So, who is he?' I wondered who had provided Laurel with such happiness.
'Tommy.'