The Games We Play Chapter (7/8)

Chapter 8

Chapter 7


Step Five: Take Pity On Him- You’ve spent a week flirting with other guys and taking sexy to the max. You’ve played it cool, ignored his phone calls and hung out with basically everyone but him. You’ve given him a chance to miss what he always takes for granted. Now’s the time to take pity on your man and respond to his advances.



(Oliver POV)



I glanced up at the clock for the third time that evening. Six forty five…it’s Friday night, six forty five, and Chloe is nowhere to be found. The meeting started a little over an hour ago and it wasn’t like her to miss one. Then again…with everything going on I guess I couldn’t blame her.

I sighed and turned my attention back to the four men in front of me. There were four boxes of pizza scattered around the table and two boxes of bread sticks. We ordered Pizza Hut forty minutes ago and it just got here about ten minutes ago.

Everyone was sitting around laughing as Bart did an impression of a Walrus with two breadsticks sticking out of his mouth. Even Clark was chuckling. I frowned. Why is no one worried about Chloe…it could be that they’ve probably spoken to her since Monday…well I haven’t and its driving me nuts not knowing what’s going on...I could just ask them but after the scene the other night I’m afraid to mention her…

She’s been ignoring my calls since she picked up as I was leaving a message at Isis on Tuesday. That was the last time I heard her voice. Three days and four dozen different kinds of flowers later and still nothing…I shook my head as I realized this whole plan that Chloe schemed up…was backfiring.

It was working all right…but on the wrong guy….Me to be exact. The chime of the elevator knocked me out of my thoughts. I stood up quickly and everyone turned in my direction. I walked over to the elevator and folded my arms across my chest.

The gate opened and Chloe came into view. She glanced up, saw me standing there and her mouth twitched slightly. Oh no…this was not amusing. I raised an eyebrow.

“You’re late.”

She moved into the apartment and nodded.

“Sorry, my meeting with the kids at the foundation ran late.”

I nodded and we stood there quietly for a couple of minutes before Bart broke the silence.

“Hola Senorita. I saved you some pizza.”

She turned to Bart and grinned.

“Thanks Bart.”

I watched her walk over and say hi to everyone. I followed not far behind her and as she unbuttoned her jacket I helped her get it off. She glanced over her shoulder and gave me a small smile. I tossed the jacket on the chair and leaned over to grab a slice of pizza.

Before my hand reached it Chloe cleared her throat and spoke in a low voice.

“Umm I was hoping we could talk Ollie…if that’s okay…”

I straightened up and nodded my body relaxing. She wants to talk…this is good.

“Sure Chloe. Why don’t we go outside?”

She nodded. I placed my hand on the small of her back and we made our way outside. I turned and as I shut the doors I could hear Bart whining about not being able to hear what’s going on now while the other guys chuckled. I shook my head and faced Chloe.

She stood there for a few minutes before she started pacing. I scratched the back of my head and started to speak.

“Chloe...”

“Oliver...”

I chuckled and she laughed. I motioned for her to go first. She sighed.

“I’ve been avoiding you.”

I gave her a smirk.

“You’d think I was the plague.”

She gave me a small smile, but I could see the seriousness in her eyes.

“I’m sorry Oliver. I didn’t mean to avoid you…I mean I did, but not the way you think. I just needed time.”

I walked around her and rested my back against the railing. I placed my hands in my pockets and relaxed against it.

“Time?”

She nodded and spoke with animated hands.

“I never meant for this to happen. We’re friends Oliver and the other night…when you kissed me…”

She paused, stopped moving and met my eyes.

“It scared the crap out of me, because I liked it. This whole time you probably thought I was mad and yeah at first I was. I tried to be angry and blame everything on you so that I could feel better, but it didn’t work. I didn’t stop you that night…because I wanted you.”

I swallowed hard. There is definitely a ‘but’ to that sentence. When she didn’t continue I spoke.

“But…”

“No buts. I wanted you and if we weren’t interrupted things probably would have gotten a lot more complicated then they already are.”

I watched her closely before I spoke.

“I like you. This obviously isn’t the most opportune time to tell you and I certainly didn’t plan for what happened the other night…I had planned on telling you. I was just hoping that I could get you to spend some more time with me first…get to know me better so you could see the kind of man I am.”

I looked down and kicked at a non-existent pebble. I heard heels clicking on the ground and then felt a warm hand on my cheek. I looked up and her thumb brushed lightly across my cheek. Her eyes were full of emotion as she spoke.

“Oliver, I know what kind of a man you are. You’re kind hearted, intelligent, funny, mischievous, down-to-earth…and so many other things. But most of all you’re a hero. I don’t know why you would think that I think any less of you.”

She paused and a smile graced her face.

“You’re one of my best friends…and there is a part of me that can picture you as more than that.”

I opened my mouth, but she placed a finger over it and shook her head.

“Let me finish. That part of me likes you too. Ever since the night of the fundraiser I’ve had these feelings for you that have been driving me crazy and making me feel like a horrible person. So I took time to evaluate these new feelings.”

She was still extremely close to me and I raised an eyebrow.

“And…what did you come up with?”

That was when I saw the shift. She moved back slightly and her eyes clouded over as a sad smile graced her lips.

“I came up with this. You’re a great guy Ollie, and I like you…but I’m in love with Clark…and I’m just not willing to give that up for something I’m not sure will even work. When I asked you to help me ‘snag’ Clark…I didn’t realize…”

I titled my head to the side.

“You didn’t know how I felt.”

She nodded, placed a hand on my arm and squeezed it.

“I’m sorry Oliver.”

I shrugged and looked away for a minute to gather my thoughts. I turned back to her with half a grin on my face.

“Don’t be. It’s my own fault. I went into this knowing how you felt about Clark and knowing how I felt about you. You know…a while back I went to Clark…I told him how I felt about you and made sure it was okay with him that I ask you out.”

I saw her body tense.

“He told me…it wasn’t okay…that you were spoken for. I let him know that if he didn’t get a move on it and tell you how he felt that I was going to step in.”

I shook my head, laughed and looked back at her.

“And then when the whole date thing happened he was mad and he seemed so worried that he’d have competition to get to you. I just realized something though…Clark doesn’t need to worry, because no one can compete with the way you feel about him…it took me some time to realize that, but I think I got it now.”

I watched a breeze blow her hair around her face and she tried to get it to settle. She hugged herself lightly before speaking.

“I wish things were different.”

I smirked.

“No you don’t.”

Her eyes met mine again and she shrugged. I nodded. I looked over the balcony and inhaled deeply. Her small voice broke the quiet.

“Are we okay?”

I turned to face her and smiled.

“We’re fine sidekick. Clark’s a good guy…he’ll treat you right.”

“Mmm if he ever makes a move.”

I pushed myself away from the railing and placed a friendly arm around her shoulders as we walked back toward the doors to go inside.

“Trust me, I have a feeling he’ll be making a move sooner than you think.”

She gave me a sideways look of confusion and I just grinned. I opened the doors and four heads whipped back around and away from the glass doors. I looked at Chloe and she chuckled. I moved my arm and watched her walk toward the guys.

She pouted and glanced over at Bart.

“Bart, where’s the pizza you said you saved me?”

He looked down and then around the table. His head popped back up and he gave her a sheepish look.

“Uh…it’s possible I ate it?”

She gave him a playful glare.

“Do you eat everything?”

His face scrunched up.

“No, I don’t eat beats…they’re gross.”

The guys laughed and Chloe rolled her eyes. She turned around and started walking toward the back of the apartment. Bart called out to her.

“Where you going beautiful?”

“To see if there’s some food in this place, I’m starving.”

Bart grinned.

“I could eat…I’m right behind ya beautiful.”

I watched them until they were out of sight. I cleared my throat and Victor and A.C. must have gotten then hint because they made some excuse about throwing out the garbage and they were gone. I faced Clark and he was sitting on the couch, leaning back with both arms over the back of it.

He raised his eyebrows at me and I rolled my eyes.

“I know you heard everything. You and your inconvenient super hearing.”

He grinned.

“I didn’t hear everything…and it’s not inconvenient for me.”

“Obviously. Well I suppose the best man has won then…”

I watched as he stood, reached out, and patted my back lightly.

“I know you care about her Oliver, I’m sorry things didn’t work out with the two of you.”

I chuckled.

“No you’re not, but that’s okay. You and Chloe have a history Clark. I should have never cut in on that. I’m sorry.”

He nodded and then smiled.

“It’s okay. Just be happy nothing too serious happened between you two.”

I gave him a startled look.

“Why?”

“I was having thoughts about throwing you out of your office window…if anything more substantial had happened, I just might have followed through with it.”

I laughed and shook my head.

“You’d never do it Boy Scout. So we’re good then?”

He nodded and stuck out a hand. I took it and shook.

“We’re good.”

I tried to pull my hand away, but he didn’t let go, in fact his grip seemed to get tighter. I frowned, worried that he was going to break my hand, and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Ugh, I kind of need my hand back Clark.”

He was looking at me with a serious look in his eyes.

“I know I haven’t talked to Chloe yet, but from here on out Oliver…she’s off limits…for real this time. I’d never tell Chloe who to be friends with, but I’m not going to have someone else who I consider a close friend steal the girl I love out from under me…got it?”

I didn’t say anything for a minute. How did I think I was going to come between Chloe and Clark…I must have been out of my mind. They had something that I hoped one day I’d be able to find. Until then though I could be happy with Chloe’s friendship.

“No worries Clark, I’ll keep my hands off your girl. Trust me; it wouldn’t do any good anyway.”

I smirked and he released my hand with a smile. I might not have Chloe, but I know she’ll be happy with Clark and he’ll treat her well, because if he doesn’t the Justice League will set him straight…