Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“So clearly I missed something,” Laurel smirked, dropping down to the couch and pressing play on the movie she’d selected but immediately turning to Sara with that curious, nosy grin that used to drive Sara mad. Sara shrugged, smile playing on her lips, and Laurel rolled her eyes overdramatically. “C’mon Sara, I know Tommy only dropped me off 15 minutes ago but whatever this is -” she gestured to Sara’s face, raising an eyebrow at the dopey, uncontrollable smile that Sara couldn’t’ve got rid of if she tried, “ - I haven’t seen it before. And I seem to remember you promising to give me all the details of anything that happens between you and Ava to make up for me apparently missing the entire build up, so spill.”

“Who says this is about Ava?” Sara asked indignantly, and Laurel gave her a look .

Yeah, okay. That was fair. She couldn’t see her expression right now, but she knew if she looked in a mirror she’d see the same look that’d been on Ava’s face all afternoon staring right back at her, all twinkling eyes and a gentle, bashful blush, smile bright and uncontrollable. Not that she could help it, because Ava - perfect, beautiful, incredible Ava - thought she was important, thought she was special, thought she deserved her affection.

“Ava loves me,” she murmured softly, testing out the words.

Her heart sped up slightly and she ran one hand over her face, laughing softly to herself. Holy shit .

Laurel nudged her leg with her foot and Sara blinked, looking back over to her, heat creeping up her neck the moment she met Laurel’s eyes. “Yeah?” Laurel encouraged quietly, barely a whisper, and Sara fiddled with the pendant hanging from her neck - those two intertwined canaries she’d spent hours staring at over the last few months, even when thinking about Ava had hurt more than anything she could imagine. She should’ve realised back in December, really - it’d been obvious Ava had feelings for her from the moment she’d slid that necklace across the kitchen counter on Sara’s birthday with a tentative, affectionate smile - anyone else would’ve noticed it if they’d been in the room. (If they hadn’t been preoccupied pretending their heart wasn’t jumping out their chest like she was, entirely distracted by these cautious, thoughtful gestures and the soft, quiet smiles Ava kept sending her way).

Everyone else had noticed it, Sara reminded herself with a wry smile, and Laurel nudged her again.

“She invited me on their camping trip,” she admitted quietly, quickly losing the ability to pretend to be anything but the sappy, lovestruck, tongue-tied mess she was (it wasn’t as if she’d been fooling Laurel anyway.)

“And?” Laurel prompted and Sara grinned, the whole story tumbling out before she had the chance to stop it - going to Ava’s after exams, the walk, Queen’s park, talking about the camping trip, the inadvertent love confession, and the long, blissful sunny afternoon spent under an oak tree talking about anything and everything and listening to Ava tell her all about the best parts of the camping trip that she couldn’t wait for Sara to see.

“So after all that … you said yes?”

Sara rolled her eyes, half heartedly tossing a chip in Laurel’s direction. “Of course I said yes - in what world would I refuse? She’s - she’s Ava . She asked me if I wanted to spend two weeks camping with her and her family, because she usually spends most of the time swimming in the lake and going on hikes, and - I quote - ‘it’d be nice to have you there beside me’.”

Laurel’s grin widened and Sara couldn’t help the blush that crept across her cheeks, pulling up a cushion to bury her face in a pathetic attempt to hide it but failing miserably. Ava loved her. Ava loved her, and wanted her to spend the summer with her and her family, relaxing and hanging out and falling further and further in love. Laurel snorted and Sara groaned in response, her muffled “Shut up!” lost under Laurel’s laughter.

“God, you’re so far gone,” Laurel grinned when she finally pulled the cushion away, tossing it onto the floor. Sara groaned for what felt like the fifteenth time, but Laurel held up her hands. “Hey, I can’t judge, I know me and Tommy are just as bad, but - ”

“But?” Sara interrupted, raising an eyebrow. Laurel shrugged.

“I dunno. It’s different, I guess, ‘cause it’s you. And maybe it’s me that’s changed - I know I was away for a whole year and I missed a lot - but it feels like you really found yourself this year. And I know that’s related to you and Ava finding each other too. And besides - you know. You’re really cute together.”

“Who’s the sap now,” Sara muttered under her breath. Laurel reached across the couch, grabbing Sara’s phone and unlocking it to see the picture of her and Ava kissing in the middle of the soccer pitch at championships that she’d set as her background, turning it to face her with a raised eyebrow.

“Still you,” she smirked, and Sara swiped the phone out of her hands, grinning down at the photo Zari had taken for a moment too long before letting her phone drop back down to her lap.

Laurel’s expression softened. “You should invite her on our roadtrip,” she said casually, as if she wasn’t aware this was a Big Deal.

Sara paused, eyes flickering back over to Laurel, and Laurel shrugged. “You know Tommy will end up coming, so it’s only fair. Plus I’m not sure you’ll be able to cope that long without her, she seems to be here more often than she’s not.”

“It’s okay with you if Tommy comes, right?” Laurel asked, grinning so excitedly at Sara that it would’ve been almost impossible to say no. Not that she ever would’ve - Tommy had been a part of this family since before he and Laurel ever dated, since way back when they were barely more than kids and he’d spend his weekends on their couch watching TV or playing soccer with Sara in the garden, attempting to avoid going home. She’d never had an older brother, but this must’ve been what it was like - having someone there to ruffle her messy hair when she’d just got back from soccer practice, let her know when her shoelaces were untied, or grin at her from across the room and compliment her on the test score he’d heard about or the tackle he’d watched during her last game.

“Of course I don’t mind,” Sara replied emphatically, but Laurel hesitated.

“Are you sure?” she asked again, teeth catching on her lip as she attempted to decipher Sara’s thoughts. Sara swallowed. It didn’t take much to work out why Laurel was cautious - in another world, a happier world, one where everything went to plan and she didn’t still have this gaping, Nyssa-shaped hole in her chest - she’d’ve been able to bring her girlfriend too. Laurel reached out to curl her fingers around Sara’s wrist and squeeze it gently, voice slightly softer and far too understanding as she added, “I know it’s been a rough year for you, and this has always been a family trip - and I don’t want to take away from that by bringing him too.”

Sara shook her head, tapping her fingers against her leg. Laurel wasn’t wrong . This was the one week in the year that Quentin had completely set aside - no cases, no work, no nothing except Sara and Laurel and the various old, slightly run down hire cars he got from the same garage on the corner of the street every year, leaving them all wondering whether they’d end up stranded on the other side of the country. Ever since Dinah left, it’d been the one week that was theirs .

But then again … one day, she’d like to be able to bring someone on family road trips too. If Nyssa ever came back there was a space here for her, carved out in this little family who loved her more than her own ever would.

(She wasn’t coming back.)

Sara swallowed, shaking her head when Laurel murmured her name, ignoring her quiet plea for her to actually talk about all this rather than bottling it all up until it eventually spilled over. Tommy should come. It wasn’t fair to deny Laurel something she wanted too - someone to curl up with on the back seat and point out the sights to, someone to swim with and climb with and go for walks in the middle of the night to look at the stars with, someone who loved her and would stick around and never let her go.

“Don’t you want to?” Laurel asked gently, and Sara’s fingers curled instinctively around her necklace.

She bit her lip, the memory of soft summer sunlight on her skin and Ava’s hand heavy in her own coming to mind, her laughter echoing in Sara’s ears as she pulled her through the park, happy and carefree and excited about getting to spend the summer like this, with her girlfriend right beside her. I love you too, Ava murmured against her lips, and Sara’s heart fluttered familiarly in her chest.

Laurel gave her shoulder a teasing nudge and she blushed.

“Invite him,” Sara repeated, nodding this time, attempting to sound more sure of herself.

She’d get the chance to have what Laurel had eventually - or so Amaya had told her, repeatedly, after that mess with Oliver had fallen apart. She didn’t need to force things, especially when she wasn’t ready to get over Nyssa, still clinging to the faintest hope that one day she’d return. It’d happen when it happened, and when it did it’d be worth the wait and the heartbreak and everything else in between.

“One day,” Laurel reassured her quietly, knowing instinctively where her thoughts had drifted without having to ask. “You’ll get this too,” she promised, leaning over to press a light kiss to Sara’s temple, tucking her hair back behind her ear. “You’ll find someone eventually who makes your world tilt on its axis, who fills you with warmth and is there even when you don’t feel like you deserve them. And you’ll love them for it, more than you ever thought you could - you’ll love the sound of their voice in the morning, their gentle touches and casual affection, the way they whisper your name like it’s more precious to them than anything else in the world.”

Sara swallowed, eyes fixed on Laurel, unable to tear them away. Laurel grinned at her, fingers squeezing hers tightly. “And when you do, I want you to bring them on this crazy, ridiculous road trip with us all. I want them to be a part of this family.”

Sara wondered if Laurel remembered that conversation two years ago, the one that had been one of the first moments that Sara had considered that maybe one day, a life - a future - with someone other than Nyssa could be a possibility. The soft, knowing smile on Laurel’s face told Sara that she probably did.

“I’ll invite her,” she finally conceded, “ after graduation.”

And she couldn’t even bring herself to be annoyed at Laurel’s frustratingly smug grin.

Ali perched on the arm of the couch, eyes drifting over to the basketball game Spencer had just muted on the TV but quickly losing interest. “Another family meeting? Are you feeling okay?”

Spencer rolled his eyes. “I’ve got a few years to make up for, so I think I get a free pass.”

Ali made a skeptical noise in the back of her throat but didn’t have a chance to continue before Ava flopped down onto the couch, pulling her knees up with her. “Everything okay?” she asked Spencer softly, too quiet for Ali to overhear.

Spencer smiled. “Yeah, it’s – everything’s good. There’s just something I want to tell you all, and I figured this was easiest.”

“Cryptic,” Ava teased, and Spencer groaned.

“You’ll find out in a minute, okay? Just be patient.”

Ava sighed overdramatically and leant back into the couch cushions. Sara had said the same thing to her only a few hours before, whispering the words against her lips with a smile when Ava’s fingers had toyed with the hem of her shorts, brushing against the bare skin below. Soon , she’d promised, breath mixing with Ava’s and falling hot against her skin. Soon, Ava had conceded, trailing her lips across Sara’s jaw –

Ali’s words snapped Ava sharply out of her dazed distraction, bringing reality crashing down with a sudden chill. “You’re not leaving again, are you?” she asked in a small voice, eyes wide and uncertain and looking properly like the baby of the family that she hadn’t been seen as in many years. Ava’s heart jumped into her throat and a cold, unpleasant feeling settled in her stomach. Suddenly, it struck her just how similar this all felt to the family meeting Spencer had called five years ago, the one where Barbara couldn’t be in the room, where Robert hadn’t met anybody’s eyes, where sweet, naive, 10 year old Ali had kept tugging Spencer’s arm to ask if he was coming to her lacrosse tournament and he’d carefully eased her hand away and told her that he needed to talk about something else - something important - right now.

Ali pouted, sinking down into the couch cushions and huffing sulkily. The breath sent wisps of hair flying away from her face and she frustratedly shook them away. She’d gotten a new haircut recently and was still trying to get used to its length, particularly the way it always seemed to fall over her eyes now, so Ava nudged her and handed her the scrunchie from around her wrist.

“Thanks,” said Ali, and Ava smiled, pulling her legs up to cross them in front of her on the couch and return her gaze to Spencer, who was shifting his weight a little nervously as he stood in front of the tv with his hands in his pockets.

Ali and Spencer were the siblings who now, after Spencer’s five years away, had the most distance between them - perhaps even more than Ava and Layla. Ali had been so young when Spencer left and grown up so drastically in that time that there was almost no common ground between them anymore. But since Spencer had come home, Ava had watched as they discovered how similar they were, finally becoming close after so many years of distance and indifference, and now, Ava recognised with heartbreaking familiarity the expression on Ali’s face, knew without ever having seen it that it had been the same expression she had worn five years ago.

“Hey, no,” said Spencer, curling his hand around Ali’s wrist. “No way Ali. And even if I was, it wouldn’t be right now - not yet - and I wouldn’t tell you guys like this.”

“Wouldn’t tell us what like this?” asked Layla as she appeared in the room, settling into the old, cracked armchair.

“If I was leaving,” said Spencer, “which I’m not . It’s - that’s not what this is about, okay?”

“So here’s the thing.” Spencer’s voice sounded uncharacteristically hesitant. Each time he looked up, his eyes flickered away almost immediately, and Ava noticed that he was blatantly avoiding their parents’ gaze. “I’m …” He gulped, glancing up at the ceiling. “I’m leaving. Moving out.”

A beat of silence.

“You mean to your own place?” asked Layla, wrinkling her nose in confusion.

“No,” said Spencer, voice cracking a little. “Leaving Star City. I’m joining the army.”

Ava felt Spencer’s eyes on her and kept her gaze fixed on her phone, hoping Ali was the only one who could hear her heart rate now starting to slow after her momentary panic. The four of them stayed quiet, and Ava knew they were all caught up in the memory of the turmoil from Spencer’s announcement that he was joining the army. It had created one of the first truly tense periods in the Sharpe household that had continued for several months, both before and after Spencer’s departure. Ava dragged her finger over the edge of her phone’s screen protector, trying not to dwell in the silence between them all. Now that she thought about it, - not that she hadn’t spent far too much time thinking about it before - it was Spencer’s departure that had shifted everything away from the somewhat normalcy and general contentedness that had existed in their house for the past decade. After he left, Layla began to act more superficial, more outwardly shallow, pouncing on the already existing differences between her and Ava and widening the chasm between them exponentially. Ali’s attitude and sarcasm suddenly skyrocketed, and though she was never really that troublesome, it definitely proved an abrupt change from the stubborn but otherwise bright, chatty and mostly agreeable kid she had been. And of course, Ava remembered who she had become. Closed off, reserved, unsure about every single aspect of her life and her personality. Terrified of being gay, pushing away basketball out of fear (and admittedly, anger at Spencer), becoming someone who invested more in her studies than anything else, who didn’t confide in her parents, who argued with Layla - even Ali sometimes - and who determinedly did everything possible to quietly piss off her mom as the years went by.

“Alright, what’s up Spence? Everything alright?”

Ava glanced up in surprise at the sound of her father’s voice, not having noticed him or her mother entire the room.

“Yeah,” said Spencer, running his hands over his thighs in what seemed like a little bit of a nervous tick. “Yeah, I uh … I just wanted to talk to you guys. About a um … idea I’ve been thinking about for a few weeks and I wanted your opinion on it.” His eyes flickered across the room. “ Everyone’s opinion of it. I’ve made decisions before that affected this whole family and I didn’t think about the consequences back then. I don’t wanna make that same mistake, even though this isn’t as massive as joining the army.”

Ava saw Barbara and Robert exchange slightly confused, wary looks. She was sure Spencer had noticed it too.

“So I’ve been thinking a lot,” he said, nails picking at a loose seam in his jeans. “After being discharged, obviously I need to figure out what I’m gonna do with my life. When I first came home, the plan was to stay for Ava’s graduation and then get in touch with some of the people I was in PT with and see if they could hook me up with a job somewhere. Anywhere.”

“You said -” Ali began fiercely and Spencer shot her a look.

“I meant what I said,” he said calmly. “Just … let me finish okay?” He waited for Ali’s reluctant nod before continuing. “Being here though … it’s made me realise how much things have changed since I left. I uh …” He laughed, glancing away with a slight flush on his cheeks. “I kinda don’t want to leave.”

“The army ?!” Ali exclaimed, bolting upright on the couch. “What the hell do you mean you’re joining the freaking army? You’re kidding right?”

“When?” demanded Layla with wide eyes. “ Why , Spence? You … you haven’t even finished high school!”

“You don’t have to have finished,” said Spencer with a small shrug. “You just have to be 17. I wanna do something with my life, not just sit around and follow a career already set out for me,” - Robert glanced away - “and never do anything meaningful and just be another person who everybody forgets.”

“What about us forgetting you, huh?” said Ali, the bitterness in her voice heightened by incredulous tears of confusion and anguish. Spencer swallowed, avoiding her question to take a step forward and look down at Ava.

“Aves?” he asked quietly. “Say something. Please.”

“You don’t have to leave,” said Barbara immediately, and a small smile crept onto Spencer’s face.

“Yeah,” he said, a little quieter than before. “That did occur to me. The longer I was here, seeing everything I missed, helping Dad at the clinic, seeing friends I’d forgotten I even wanted around - I don’t think Star City ever felt like home until now.” He swallowed, looking up to meet Robert’s eyes. “I never told you what I did in the army, did I?”

Robert frowned. “You were a soldier.”

“To start, yeah,” said Spencer with a small, bashful grin. “I actually became a field medic.”

“Spencer Sharpe became a field medic?” echoed Layla, arching an eyebrow. “You mean the same Spencer Sharpe who was so adamant about not becoming a doctor and joining the family clinic that he refused to even watch Grey’s Anatomy when it came on TV?”

“That was like, the one thing you said you never wanted to do!” said Ava incredulously.

“Yeah I know,” said Spencer, shrugging. “But I guess back then, the only reason I didn’t want to do it was because I was a shitty, angsty teenager who wanted to be in absolutely no way similar to his parents. It wasn’t until I was out there that I realised it was actually the only thing I really wanted to do.”

Robert let out a soft, disbelieving laugh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “That’s why all the staff around the clinic kept saying how confident you were these past few weeks. I just thought that you’d grown up a lot, not that you’d gone and become an actual honest to god doctor while you were away.”

“Not quite a doctor,” Spencer said quickly. “But uh … that’s kinda the plan right now.” He ducked his head and bit his lip nervously. “I know I turned this all down five years ago when you offered it to me Dad. But if it’s okay with you, I was hoping I could come work at the clinic for a bit because honestly … I can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing.”

“Offer’s always been open to you Spence,” promised Robert gently. “No matter how many times you turn it down, the door’s always gonna be open, okay?”

Ava wanted to throw up. Spencer, gone.

She’d spent the entirety of the last month panicking after Perry Hawthorn’s quiet, scandalised whisper, “Did you know that Meg Pearson is a lesbian? That’s why she always dresses like that and is freakishly obsessed with wanting to join the boy’s football team. How weird is that?” Ava’s one reassurance had been that once Spencer sorted out everything with his SATs, she’d have time to sit down with him and talk to the one person in the world she knew would understand her if she asked whether what Perry said was true, if the same factors then made Ava a - that thing - too. She didn’t want to be. Didn’t want to be like that , she just wanted to be normal.

But she remembered Spencer telling her once that his friend Andrew didn’t like girls like the rest of the guys, he liked guys instead, and Ava had frowned and asked if that wasn’t right at all because she remembered her aunt Susan saying something about it once and Spencer had shrugged and told her, “Don’t listen to everything the family says Aves. They … they have a very particular way of seeing the world. People are more complicated than that. And besides, what’s the big deal? He likes guys instead of girls. There are worse things in the world, right?”

The terror, the nausea, the absolute overwhelming, icy, suffocating dread kicked in now and then because somewhere in the back of Ava’s head, she knew that there was something about Perry’s accusation that felt a little too personal - less like silly, 8th grade gossip like it was about Meg Pearson, but instead, actual honest truth. Something that made sense. But she told herself that it was okay, that Spencer was right. There were worse things in the world. She would talk to him later and ask him and he would tell her that if she was or wasn’t like that then it was okay, and Ava could let it go and stop worrying. But now … now he was leaving.

“Ava?” Spencer asked again, a tinge more anxiety in his voice.

“When do you leave?” Ava whispered. Spencer sighed. Looked down at his feet.

“After Christmas.”

Ali exploded into another series of disbelieving, angry abominations, hurled towards Spencer in a teary rage as Layla shouted, “That’s one month away! How could you decide to leave and only tell us now ?” while Robert and Barbara finally involved themselves in the conversation and tried to exert some calm over the situation.

Ava got up from the couch and ran upstairs.

“Yeah?” said Spencer, eyes full of relief. As Robert nodded and Barbara moved to stand and carefully smooth Spencer’s hair, Ava felt as though a tightly coiled string that had been wearing thinner and thinner with each day that passed over the last five years suddenly snapped, the tension breaking and ice melting and something warm and light and reassuring seemed to seep through the air. She knew that Spencer’s departure and return wasn’t the sole reason for everything that had happened over her time at high school, but there was something about knowing that that period of uncertainty and distance between them all had ended, that gave Ava more comfort in being a part of this family than she had felt in a very long time.

“Ava! Please open the door. I know you’re upset and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Can we talk?”

“Aves, it’s been a week. We’ve only got a few weeks left before I leave, can you please just talk to me.”

“C’mon. Get any flavour, my treat. You can even get three scoops if you want.”

“This isn’t gonna make up for you leaving Spencer. You can’t just buy me a damn ice cream and pretend everything’s fine.”

“I know Ava. But there’s not a whole lot more I can do. Just let me do this?”

“There’s something you’re not saying Aves. It’s me , you can tell me anything.”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re leaving.”

“I’m not vanishing off the face of the earth, you can still call me. I’ll still visit. I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep secrets from me.”

“It’s nothing Spencer. Just drop it, okay? It’s nothing.”

“Oh,” said Ali, and Ava smiled at the soft surprise in her voice. “So when you said you were staying, you really meant you were staying .”

Everyone laughed and Ava elbowed Ali teasingly in the ribs before reaching over to tap Spencer’s shin with her toe. “Glad you’re sticking around,” she said sincerely, and then smirked, “but if you think me moving out means you get to claim my room, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Messenger
(Zari Tomaz)

avalance rose y’all
Active now

SUN 11:06AM:

You:
Hey guys

I think Ava & Sara are gonna be That Couple

Nate:
By which you mean what exactly?

You:
You know

/That/ high school couple

The ones who end up spending the rest of
their lives together without any doubt at all

Nora:
Wow I love the faith that Z has in me, @Ray
and @Amaya

You:
I didn’t mean THAT

I was just thinking about it and I can’t imagine
them not ending up together you know

Ray:
Yeah

I know what you mean

Wally:
if they get through college and stuff, how soon
do you think they’ll get married

Kuasa:
Guys they’ve literally been dating just over a month

Nora:
You say this as though we didn’t spend almost a
whole school year imagining how cute they would
be together for Months before they even realised
they liked each other

Kuasa:
You raise a good point

Nate:
@Wally I reckon a year

Mick:
No way

Probably two

Amaya:
I think four

Gary:
what if they get married while they’re at
college???? people do that

Nora:
Ava Sharpe doesn’t do that Gary

You:
Ava Sharpe also doesn’t usually like big
fancy over the top promposals in front
of her whole school and family but here
we are

Jax:
I’m pitching in with gary tbh

Lily:
Nah I’m with Mick

Ray:
I agree with Amaya

Zari added Ali Sharpe to the chat.

Zari added Laurel Lance to the chat.

Laurel:
What

Ali:
the fuck

You:
How long do we think it’s gonna take for
Ava and Sara to get married, go

Laurel:
I’m sorry what?

Ali:
oh, probs like 3 years after they finish
college or smth

Laurel:
What is this

Ali:
@Laurel probs that group chat they used
to set ava and sara up all year and failed
miserably until april :-)

Laurel:
Oh right

Lily:
Excuse u ali we resent that

You:
Are we willing to put money on these predictions?

Mick:
Hell yeah

Nate:
This bet is gonna be even more agonising
than the last one

You:
I know :-)))

Ali:
wow ur encouraging underage gambling

You:
I can remove you from this chat

Ali:
k putting in 20 bucks

Amaya:
This is insane

Nate:
I’M IN FOR 20 TOO

Gary:
we are the Worst people

Nora:
Are we literally betting on when they get
married when they haven’t even had sex
yet?????

Ali:
GROSS I DON’T WANNA KNOW WHAT MY
SISTER IS OR ISN’T DOING

Laurel:
Yeah ditto

You:
@Laurel @Ali liars, you know you’d be the
first demanding to know

You in on this bet laurel???

Laurel:
This is wrong in so many ways

You:
Oh we’re aware

Laurel added Tommy Merlyn to the group.

Laurel:
30 on four years after college.

Tommy:
What does that even mean?

Nate:
Don’t worry about it Merlyn

You in?

Tommy:
In for what?

Laurel:
He is

You:
Perfect

Tommy:
Is this a cult?

The rough, abrasive polyester of the graduation robes was oddly grounding, and Ava let out a soft, whistling breath through her teeth. She scuffed her boots against the carefully mown grass, the principal’s voice a quiet hum in the background repeating endless cliches wishing success and bright futures upon the diverse and vibrant graduating class. Ava couldn’t bring herself to listen, in case his speech muddled the one she had carefully prepared in her head, the one she’d spent hours, and days, and weeks, and months carefully writing out, drafting, revising, rewriting, until it was as close to perfect as she could think of. She hadn’t shown the full thing to anyone. Just parts of it to some people - a paragraph to her parents, a line or two to Ali and Spencer, a snippet to Nora, a slightly larger snippet to Sara.

(With Sara, it had been just a few days ago while they’d been hanging out in the tree house with a ridiculous amount of cushions and snacks and Ava’s laptop in the corner playing a movie they’d paused over half an hour ago as Ava had spiralled over the thought of her graduation speech. Somehow, Sara had ended up on her side on the pillows as Ava lay just a little above her, quietly reciting one part of her speech that she was still hesitant about. She still felt sick every time she spoke it aloud, and her only reassurance was seeing that Sara wasn’t watching her, instead had her eyes shut as she absentmindedly played with the knot that Ava had tied her shirt in just above her belly button. Out of everyone Ava had reluctantly revealed parts of her speech to, Sara was the one who stayed quiet the longest once Ava was done. When she finally opened her eyes, they were hazy with awe and pride and adoration and Ava’s breath caught in her throat, any demanding inquisitions about what was wrong with it dying on her lips. Sara shook her head, pulling Ava’s face down towards hers.

“God, you’re … you’re something Aves,” she murmured, kissing Ava with an impact that Ava wasn’t expecting. “That was so good. Beautiful. You’re beautiful. And so smart. Fuck, I’m gonna bawl my eyes out at grad when I hear the whole thing.”

“You really mean that?” asked Ava in a small voice, and Sara smiled sincerely at her, fingers carefully tracing the bones of Ava’s cheek and jaw.

“Yeah baby,” she said softly. “I mean that.”)

Now this was it. This was when she couldn’t just stand in front of her bedroom mirror reciting the speech over and over again until Ali threw something at her door and yelled “For fuck’s sake Ava, even we know that damn speech by now!”

This was the moment to say both thank you and honestly, fuck you to Star City High School, to Star City overall , to the place she’d called home and grown and learnt so much from in the short four years that it had been her whole life.

“And now, it’s my pleasure to invite to the stage our wonderful valedictorian Ava Sharpe. Ava has been one of our most spectacular students from the time she first joined us at Star City High School four years ago, and has continued to be a model for kindness, modesty, drive, intelligence, spirit, resilience and character. Please give her a round of applause.”

Ava took a deep breath, rolling her eyes to herself at the sound of her friends’ (and family’s) loud obnoxious cheers. She could feel the sheet of paper in which her speech was neatly printed rustled in the inside pocket of her robes, but she knew she wouldn’t need it. It was just for reassurance really.

It was the same portable podium that had been used for every school assembly. It was as familiar as the rest of this school was, right down to the little scribbles of graffiti underneath that her fingers had become well accustomed to tracing during speeches about prom to her grade, announcements in assembly, helping set up for an infinite multitude of school events. She curled her fingers around the smooth but worn wooden edges, smiled a little wryly at the tiny etching of F*CK GOTHAM CITY HIGH SCHOOL along the bottom that had clearly been missed by the staff. With a soft, steady exhale, she glanced up. Somehow, her eyes immediately found Sara in the sea of students, teachers and parents seated before her.

Sara smiled encouragingly.

“Remember this moment,” said Ava, gaze scouring over the crowd of students in navy robes. With a jolt, she realised how comforting all their faces were. The familiarity, even if she didn’t know them all personally, of having seen them everyday in hallways, classes, sports games. Her lips quirked upwards. “That’s what they always tell us, right? To take a hold of every moment of this part of our lives, because nothing will ever be the same afterwards. Except every moment feels like it’s on super speed, rolling into the next one and pulling you with it until you blink and suddenly we’re here. Graduation day. When did that even happen, I swear we were overexcited freshman with terrible hairstyles, awfully edited instagram photos and schoolbags double the size that we were like, five minutes ago.”

Everybody laughed, and Ava saw Nate, Mick, Jax, Amaya and Sara all poke Ray pointedly as Ray flushed.

“Then again,” she said with a small laugh, “those schoolbags did make for great pillows during those ‘plan for your future’ seminars that felt like they wouldn’t be relevant for another million years.”

Ray made some ridiculously corny finger guns, as another student called out “See, thank you!”, predictably from similar friends teasing him about his own turtle shell freshman year schoolbag.

“Weirdly enough,” Ava continued, “today’s that one time that this moment seems to last forever. A million years all caught up to today, but today is for us. Our time to hold onto everything we know and love - and maybe hate at the same time, high school’s complex - for a final day of being Star City High School students. Making history and all that. A history that’ll hopefully be remembered, by students following in our footsteps, teachers who’ll continue to roam the corridors, and by us, as we all step into everything that’s to come in our lives. Not necessarily together - not like this . But not alone either.” Ava dragged her fingers along the indent that lined the sides of the podium. “I don’t want to pretend that the last four years have been a picnic. They haven’t. I know a lot of you, but there’s even more that I never got a chance to know very well and for every person whose worries and insecurities and heartbreak I had to witness, there were five more whose anguish I was oblivious to and for that, all I have to say is that high school really sucked, huh?”

Another round of laughter, with some additional appreciative whoops and a quiet smattering of applause. Ava steadied herself, attempting to swallow the lump in her throat as the words for the next section of the speech shifted to the tip of her tongue. “I don’t know about you guys though, but I don’t think I could ever take any of it back. Not being the kind of stuck up annoying nerd for a good two years before realising that was just … you know. Annoying.”

(More laughter.)

“I wouldn’t …” Ava hesitated, closing her eyes for a moment. “Wouldn’t take back coming out. Even though it terrified me, it made me realise just how lucky I was to know the people I did at this school.” She opened her eyes and let her eyes fall briefly on Sara before shifting back to the stands where she could see her family sitting near the front row. “I wouldn’t change everybody finding out I was adopted, because it was that that made me realise nothing had actually changed. I was still the same Ava Sharpe I always had been, and for that, I’m eternally grateful for you all. For the people that this school has brought into my life - this year especially.”

(A couple of whoops and wolf whistles erupted from the audience, followed by warm, knowing laughter that made Ava blush and roll her eyes.)

Ava watched Barbara dab a handkerchief to her eyes, and then returned her gaze to Sara, properly this time, trying not to let the way her chest constricted at the way Sara was looking at her trip her up in this last part of her speech. “I’d like to think we’ll all know each other forever,” she said a little softer, clearing the dryness from the back of her throat and trying not to look too hard at Sara, at the wide eyed, stunned expression on her face. “That we’ll stay in each others’ lives until the end of our days, through college and grad school and competitive careers, travelling, figuring out what the hell we wanna do, and the insanity of falling in love, getting married, raising families.” Ava exhaled shakily. “But if we’ve been told anything about ‘real life’, it’s never what you think it’s gonna be. So if, God forbid, fate steps in and pushes us all our separate ways, as one last farewell to this year’s Star City High School graduating class, I ask you all this. In ten years - or twenty, or thirty, or forty - if you have kids, or families, or people in your lives who you tell about these ‘good old days’, about the elations and disappointments of this era in your life … tell them about all of us. About the nights we stayed up until early hours of the morning, messaging each other on facebook because we had no idea how to finish the assignments we’d left until the last minute. About that time a visiting rescue puppy chewed through his leash and peed on Mr Williams’ leg. About the kids who moved away, and the music competitions we won, and the little inside jokes -” She smirked, “- the bets about your fellow students’ love lives.”

A chorus of widespread, unrestrained giggles and snickers erupted from the crowd.

Ava’s smirk softened into a small, proud smile. “And you better tell them about the time our girls soccer team became state freakin’ champions.”

(A burst of overwhelming cheers.)

“Tell them about the walls we crashed through and the mountains we moved. The magic and the laughter and all those moments in between that we forgot about until now.” She paused, and for the briefest of seconds, it hit her with overwhelming suddenness that this was it. She blinked back the abrupt tears, a quiet, breath of a laugh slipping past her lips. “Tell them everything. Then one day, even when we’ve all started to forget, all these adventures will be remembered.”

(They were all on their feet before she’d even taken a proper step back from the podium. Deafening applause, hoots and whistles and waves and salutes, the endless wave of familiar faces engulfing her the moment she stepped back down to the crowd. She laughed with them, feeling the all consuming blanket of relief encircle her coupled with the faintest flares of pride as the clapping continued even after the principal resumed his position on the podium.

It was only when Ava finally reached her seat again - next to Sara - that the other students eventually went to sit down, but she was still jostled by pats on the shoulder, small nudges and nods and smiles and waves of thanks and congratulations from every corner of the crowd that surrounded her.

“Hey,” murmured Sara, so quiet it could barely constitute a whisper. She leaned over, kissed the tiny place where Ava’s jaw met her ear. “That was incredible. You’re fucking incredible. God, I love you so much.”

Ava snapped her eyes shut, her shoulders relaxing at the feeling of Sara’s fingers curling around her knee, at Sara’s lips against her skin. “I love you too,” she whispered.

Sara smiled. “I know. You said.”

“No I didn’t.”

“You didn’t have to.”)

Parties at the Queen house had always been amazing. Lavish and spectacular and full of a ridiculous amount of streamers and helium balloons and grazing tables and an impeccable playlist and far too much alcohol provided given they were all underage and were at a mansion unsupervised by any adult over the age of 19. It didn’t matter though, because unlike almost every other party Oliver had thrown at his own house over the years, this one had a carefully curated guest list of Sara’s nearest and dearest from her graduating class, which thankfully was a couple of dozen less than the usual stampede that showed up to Oliver’s parties. This party was for Sara. For Sara and her friends and their first night as high school graduates.

Somehow, the party had already kicked off and was in full swing by the time Layla dropped Ava and Sara off (which was on time ). They were immediately dragged in by an already tipsy Nate and a definitely drunk Gary, thrown into a room full of pulsing music and flickering fairy lights and laughter and out of tune singing and Sara immediately wrapped an arm around Ava’s waist, leaned into her at least for a second before everything about tonight inevitably got crazy.

“I’m gonna go get us some drinks,” said Ava with a grin, kissing Sara’s forehead. “You track down some sober members of our friend group.”

“Deal,” laughed Sara, hip bumping Ava as she walked away.

It didn’t take long - all of two minutes in fact - for Sara to be ambushed by a legend; Zari it turned out, who Sara had barely had any time to talk to all day.

“Hey - oomph !” Sara laughed a little uncertainly (and definitely breathlessly) as Zari attacked her in a sudden, emphatic hug. Sara caught her footing, attempting to meet Zari’s eyes but failing when Zari buried her head against her shoulder, wrapping her arms around her waist. Zari sucked in a quiet, slightly shaky breath, causing Sara’s to leave her in a rush as she curled her arms protectively around Zari’s back, one hand lightly trailing up and down. “What’s this about?”

Zari shook her head slightly but didn’t respond and Sara considered pulling back so she could look her in the eyes, but instead let her take the time she needed to pull herself back together, waiting a moment and reminding herself that she’d never been able to push Zari into talking about her emotions, and that wasn’t about to start now. “What’s wrong Z?” she eventually repeated, trying her hardest to keep the worry out of her voice, but failing miserably.

Zari’s breath hitched. “‘m glad you’re here.”

“Did something happen? Do I need to kick someone’s ass?”

“No,” Zari laughed tearily. “No it’s not … I just. God. I’m gonna miss you so much,” she whispered into Sara’s shoulder, so quiet that Sara had to strain to hear it. Her heart clenched in her chest at the tears she could hear in Zari’s voice and she tightened her arms around her, swallowing the wave of sudden, unexpected emotions that threatened to wash over her.

“I know,” she eventually murmured, moving one hand to Zari’s hair and absentmindedly smoothing it down. She bit the inside of her lip, closing her eyes and reminding herself  that she could visit Zari anytime, but still making a mental note to ask Ray to check up on her during the first few weeks to check she was doing alright with both her and Amaya scattered across the country. Zari‘s grip on Sara tightened almost imperceptibly and Sara swallowed again, attempting to stop her voice from shaking. “I’m gonna miss you too, Z.”

“Hey guys. This is Zari Tomaz - she’s a new transfer student.”

Sara glanced up from the cafeteria’s mystery meat of the day to where Ray and Jax had finally joined their lunch table with a girl Sara didn’t recognise between them. She had very light brown - almost olive - skin, dark eyes and dark hair that shimmered with reddy brown highlights every time the sun hit her having flickered through the high windows of the cafeteria.

Jax nudged Zari and nodded around the table. “This is Mick, Nate, Amaya, Kendra and Sara.”

“Hi Zari,” said Amaya warmly, flashing Zari that same beautiful, soft, welcoming smile that was known to win anyone and everyone over. “It’s nice to meet you. Where’d you transfer from?”

“Seattle,” said Zari, visibly relaxing at Amaya’s gentle demeanour.

“What do you think of Star City so far?”

Zari shrugged. “Only just moved over the weekend. Still figuring it out, I guess.”

“You gotta know the things that make Star City worth it,” said Kendra with a grin, leaning into Ray as he slipped into the seat beside her. “Don’t worry, we’ll teach you.”

Zari smiled even as a slightly shy, embarrassed flush appeared on her cheeks and she twirled the straw to a juice box between her fingers, eyes scanning the table curiously, trying to silently learn whatever she could about the people sitting around the table.

Sara bit the inside of her cheek, glancing back down at her plate. She hated having eight people around the table. There needed to be a gap. A spare seat. For Nyssa, for when she came back.

(She wasn’t coming back.)

Jax and Nate started pointing out the various cliques around the cafeteria to Zari, telling her ridiculously embellished and overly dramatic stories about all their fellow students. Sara watched as Zari glanced over at Amaya and Kendra with an arched eyebrow, a dry, slightly amused expression on her face. Amaya grinned back, mouthing “Just roll with it.” and Zari ducked her head with a quiet laugh, returning her attention to Nate who was telling her about Ava Sharpe and her friend group sitting on the other side of the room. Sara didn’t hear the joke Zari made, but Nate laughed and Jax smirked too and even Mick cracked a smile, and Sara didn’t even need to look across to Kendra, Ray and Amaya to know they looked just as smitten with the ‘new girl’.

“What kind of things are you into Zari?” asked Ray, trading his ham and egg sandwich for Jax’s apple. “Music? Science? Sport? Are you a theatre kid?”

“God no,” said Zari with a short laugh. “You wouldn’t catch me dead in some stupid costume in a school play.” She shrugged again, shaking her hair away from her face. “I like sports though. Played soccer at my last school.”

“Oh for real?” said Jax with a beam. “Sara’s on our girls’ team! You should try out for this season.”

“Is it a good team?” asked Zari, her gaze fixing on Sara for the first time.

Sara’s eyes flickered up. Her eyes were a similar dark shade of brown to Nyssa’s, and it took far too much effort not to look away. “Yeah,” she said, forcing a smile onto her face. “We’re not bad. We made it through to qualifiers last year but our couch Rip Hunter is aiming to get through to playoffs this season.”

Interest and excitement sparked in the corner of Zari’s eyes. “Oh, cool.”

With relief, Sara dropped her gaze back to her tray. Beside it, her phone buzzed. She knew it was from Amaya without having to look. Amaya checking up. Asking if she was okay. Why she was so quiet today (as though she hadn’t been quiet and withdrawn every single day since Nyssa left.) Sara didn’t open it. She didn’t want Amaya to have to spend her lunchtime coaxing Sara to talk about her feelings when she was clearly interested in Zari and getting to know her. Zari, who had actually brought something fun and interesting to the group for the first time in weeks, who wasn’t dragging everybody down with day after day of being a sad, mopey, pathetic mess even as she knew with nauseating certainty that Nyssa was gone for good.

Zari was mischief eyed and bright and fun and had joking, sarcastic looks already about the boys and their antics, she was clearly witty and smart if Ray had taken a shine to her, and hell, she was even a damn soccer player. Sara choked back the bitter scoff in her throat, violently stabbing a particularly large chunk of stew.

Maybe Zari was just gonna turn out to be a better version of her.

(Sara kind of hated her already.)

“I can’t believe I sort of hated you when you first moved here,” Sara mumbled into Zari’s shoulder.

Zari snorted, fingers curling into Sara’s top. “Cos I was better than you, right?” she teased.

Sara hesitated, shrugging a little. “Yeah, kinda.”

Zari pulled away, her eyebrow raised in the same, familiar quirk that Sara remembered so clearly from that very first day. They’d all grown up over these last few years, but Sara could still see the small glimpses of vulnerability in Zari’s eyes that she’d only realised was there later, once they became friends. The same simultaneous excitement and nervousness for everything that was to come, for this new adventure they were all about to embark on.

“That’s bullshit Sara,” Zari said bluntly. “I … I didn’t even know who I was when I moved to Star City. And then I met you. And everyone else of course, but you … you were falling apart and your life was at this horrible low but you still were determined to let people help you, to still be kind to your friends and put in 110% into soccer every single practice and try hard at school and everybody knew you were barely holding it together at the seams but you were amazing Sara. You still are. There’s a reason you’re the captain of our team. And like, the unofficial captain of this group of jackasses too.”

“Shut up,” said Sara, swatting Zari pathetically. “I’ve already cried way too much today, I just got my mascara sorted again.”

Zari rolled her eyes. “Whatever, you can try all you want for being cool and emotionless but we’ve all seen how gross and sappy you are.”

Sara glared at her, but there was something about the glint in Zari’s eyes that made her snort at give her a small, playful shove instead. “For real though Z. I’m sorry I was a bitch to you when you first moved here. You reminded me so much of me but me before I became this hollow shell after Nyssa left. I dunno. I was threatened by you.” She laughed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Man, I never could’ve ever imagined that you would become my best friend.”

Zari smirked, nudging Sara with a wink. “For a couple of years, at least. Before Ava came along.”

Sara flushed furiously. “Okay, no , you know what. That’s false.”

“Oh, really?” said Zari, raising an eyebrow.

“ Yes really,” said Sara indignantly. “Look. Before I realised I had feelings for Ava, yeah , that was what I thought she was for a while. And she is still I guess, she’s my best friend but -”

“See -”

“ Shush, I haven’t finished ! Ava is … she’s …” Sara bit her lip, glancing away as her cheeks burned. “God, I think she’s the love of my life. And I’m pretty sure that’s what she was back before I even realised I had feelings for her. You Z. You were the first real best friend that I had. Amaya and Ray and the others - they changed my life. Of course they did. And I love them more than anything. But you never wanted anything from me - not to see me do better or push me to be a better version of myself or anything. You just showed up in Star City and yeah, there was something about both of us that made us butt heads but then, somehow we both just realised that we needed this. Each other. And it was different from Amaya and Ray, and it was different from Ava.”

Sara saw Zari’s throat bob, and tried to tactfully pretend she hadn’t heard Zari sniff.

“This is why we don’t do this,” Zari mumbled, making a vague and indistinguishable hand gesture. “This feelings bullshit. Look at this - Amaya did my makeup flawlessly. I blame you Lance.”

Sara smirked through her on wet eyes and tugged Zari into another hug. “C’mere dumbass.” She smiled when Zari didn’t hesitate, just sank back into the hug that despite their rare occurrences, felt as natural as ever. Sara snapped her eyes shut, letting out a soft, quiet sigh. “Love you Z.”

Zari clutched her tighter. “Love you too.”

“Chips or veg?” Sara asked, holding out the two plates in front of her, looking for a second opinion. Ray paused, but without giving him the chance to speak Sara rolled her eyes, sliding the plate of neatly sliced vegetable crudités back across the counter towards the hummus and popping a chip into her mouth.

“I know we talked about this the other day,” Sara said softly, leaning back against the kitchen counter, “but I’m really glad I made friends with you.”

Ray rolled his eyes affectionately, nudging her shoulder with his own, and Sara let herself lean into his side. “You mean you’re glad I forced you to be friends with me,” he corrected, and she had to hold back a laugh. Yeah … that was far more accurate.

He held out a piece of paper to her, crumpled on one corner and covered in her familiar scrawl, a faint coffee spill staining the edge. “You left this in class, and I figured you might want it back,” he offered with an over enthusiastic smile, and Sara stared blankly at the paper for a moment before shifting her attention back to her lunch.

“I don’t want it,” she insisted, and his smile wavered for a split second before he fixed it firmly back on his face. She shrugged, aiming for nonchalant, but something about Ray’s innocent persistence grated against her nerves. “Keep it if you want,” she offered sarcastically, eyes flicking over his smart polo neck and jeans, backpack far too large and probably stuffed with textbooks he’d taken out of the library for fun.

“I saw your score when I was handing the tests back,” he commented casually, sliding onto the bench beside her and grinning over at her but only managing to maintain his bright smile for a moment before it started to slip and he leaned back, instead settling on a frown. “I’m Ray.”

Sara groaned and Ray tapped his fingers against the table, waiting for a response even though he seemed like the type of person who learnt people’s names during those awful bonding activities on the first day of kindergarten and never forgot them. Sara ignored him, and he raised an eyebrow at her, continuing what he’d started earlier. “You’re smart. I know you are. Or you could be, if you put a little bit more effort in.”

Sara shook her head, wishing he’d leave her alone to eat her lunch in peace.

“I think you just need some decent friends to prove it to you,” he added with a quiet confidence that made Sara’s heart clench in her chest. She glared at him, stabbing a potato wedge onto her fork.

“We’re not friends,” she said harshly, but Ray just smiled.

“Maybe not yet. But we could be. I’ll see you around Sara.”

She’d never meant for it to happen. She hadn’t become friends with him for a few months after he’d insisted on sitting with her every once in a while, not really – she’d assumed they were completely different people, and she’d wanted nothing more than for him to leave her alone. But he hadn’t. He’d infuriated her, sitting opposite her in homeroom and flicking through flashcards as if she didn’t know exactly what he was doing, inviting her to hang out on evenings he knew her family was busy, dragging her along to movie nights and later, when Sara reluctantly let herself become slowly wrapped up into the legends’ comfort and support and reassurance, creeping out onto the roof with her and Amaya and talking until the sun came up. He’d been there from the very beginning, gently coaxing her into letting him help her, letting him introduce her to his friends, sticking by her every step of the way until they’d found themselves here, surrounded by people they loved and who loved them right back.

And somehow, they’d managed to collect the best group of friends anyone could wish for along the way, even though she’d never intended for any of it.

Sara smiled when Ray held out his phone to show her a photo, both of them in freshman year grinning over at the camera with blue and white stripes painted across their cheeks, probably from one of Sara’s first few high school soccer matches. “Amaya found it the other day,” Ray murmured softly, and Sara ducked her head down so her hair fell in front of her eyes, attempting to hide her face from view, as if Ray hadn’t been able to see straight through her since day one.

She bit her lip and her phone buzzed in her pocket, undoubtedly Ray making sure she had a copy of the photo too.

“Whatcha thinking?” he prompted when she remained silent for too long, trying her hardest to hold on to the memories which were already slipping through her fingers, just out of reach. Sara let out the breath she was holding, eyes still fixed on the floor.

“I’m not sure I’m ready for this to end,” she eventually admitted, and Ray reached out to curl one arm around her shoulders.

Sara leaned into him, closing her eyes for a brief moment, trying to savour these moments which were starting to feel more final, less like gentle affection and more like a goodbye. “This isn’t the end,” Ray reminded her, sounding so certain that Sara paused, playing the statement again in her head before murmuring a faint agreement. “We’re only just getting started.”

Four years ago;

Messenger
(Sara Lance)

Amaya Jiwe
Active now

THURS 9:23PM:

hi so idk how to do this bc you
were rlly nice whenever u talked
to me and i was an asshole and
decided that being gross to anyone
who had their life together in any
way shape or form more than i did
justified me being a jackass to them
but turns out i do actually rlly need
to take you (and that weird super
happy other nerd ray or whatever?)
up on your offer to help me out with
my grades and stuff it that’s still ok
with you

for the record, i did actually think you
were really nice when you introduced
yourself a few months ago

i’ve just kinda been a bit of a mess this
year and you remind me a lot of my sister
who i love a lot but i’ve sort of been trying
to do everything possible to not be like her
and i guess that just turned into me being a
bitch to you

i also don’t know why i’m telling you all of this

It’s been a bit of a night

9:41PM:

Hey, you don’t need to apologise

I remember you from middle school,
you’ve always been fun to be around,
high school can just be hard to adjust
to, you know?

And listen, I’ve lived in Star City most
of my life, I know how much everyone
loves Laurel Lance. It can’t be easy
having to compare to that

yeah

you don’t say

you figure all that out without me
even saying one nice thing to you?

No, I figured all that out through Ray,
who has a twin brother who he thinks
is better than him in every way

isn’t ray like, an honest to god genius?

Yup

I’d be willing to bet you probably are too

i’d just like to pass at this point

if i don’t they’re gonna kick me off the
soccer team

Is that why you messaged me?

yeah

does that also make me a shitty person?

No way

It makes you someone who has something in
their life they can’t lose, and if you ask me,
that makes you the opposite of a shitty person

wow

you’re really sweet

:-) I’m usually pretty good and being able to
tell when someone’s worth it

I had a feeling about you

i guess i’m just not used to that

You’re dating Nyssa al Ghul right?

yeah, why?

Why don’t you guys come sit with us at
lunch tomorrow? She’s friends with Kendra
Saunders isn’t she? Kendra and Ray just started
dating, so you won’t just be surrounded by
a bunch of nerds ;-)

;’D that would be cool

as long as your friends don’t mind?

They won’t! Nate and Jax are lovely

And honestly, I’m dying to have a few more
girls around

you’re surviving on your own with
three 14/15 year old boys?

i honestly can’t blame you

is it okay if i bring mick and leo too? we
usually sit with them

Go for it! And we can sort out a time to meet
up and start studying then as well x

thanks amaya

i really owe you

No you don’t Sara :-) Just promise you’ll let
some of us be your friends from time to time

funnily enough, for the first time,
i don’t actually hate that idea

Messenger
(Sara Lance)

Nate, Amaya, Jax and 6 others.
Active now

FRI 4:54PM:

Nate named the group
“legends™”

You:
what the fresh hell is this

Ray:
YAY WE HAVE A GROUP CHAT

Mick:
Oh hell no

Mick left the chat.

Sara added Mick Rory to the chat.

You:
play nice

but i repeat

what is this

Nate:
We’re hanging out at lunch everyday
now right? We’re a squad! We need
a group chat

Nyssa:
Please never say the word ‘squad’ again

Kendra:
Hey no this is a good idea! We can organise
study dates and hang outs and going to Sara’s
soccer games without a long text chain!!

You:
wait, you guys are coming to my
match????

Nyssa:
No, I’m definitely not gonna be there ;-)

Leonard:
Yeah we wanna see u get pummeled ;-)

Jax:
ur the worst snart

You:
hey len catch me aim a penalty kick
to your head :-)

Amaya:
How much would everyone hate me if the
first plan I made with our nice shiny new
group chat was a study sesh for the math
test on Monday?

You:
immensely :-)

Amaya:
Too bad, my house, tomorrow, 2pm
<3 <3

You:
ughhhhhhh

Ray:
C’mon Sara, you got a B on your last
algebra test and Mr Alden’s face was
priceless!

You:
yeah, i know, studying is just gross

Nate:
What’s noooot gross is coming watching
you kick ass at your game tonight!!!

Nate started a plan.

Nate named the plan Friday night lights.

Nate updated the plan time to 7PM.

Nate updated the plan location to Star City High School.

Kendra:
Nate as a football player surely you
know that ‘friday night lights’ is not
a term used for soccer matches

Nate:
Look it SOUNDS better than ‘sara’s soccer
game’ OKAY

You:
;’D ;’D

you guys don’t have to come btw

if you’re busy or something

Leonard:
Nah i’ve got nothing better to do

Jax:
hell no ofc we’re coming!!!

Ray:
Yeah, this is exciting Sara! Your first
match for Star City High School!

Nyssa:
As long as @Ray doesn’t make a massive
obnoxious poster ;’D

Ray:
Why, are they not allowed?????

Nate:
Oh buddy

Ray:
What?!?!?!

Amaya:
We’ll be there Sara <3

Seen by: everyone.

Instagram

nathanielheywood posted 1 new photo:

Proud of you @saraalance !!! <3  

Tagged: raymondcpalmer, lensnartt, saraalance, jeffersonjax, nyssaalghul, amayajiwe, kendraasaunders, mickrxryy.
Location: Star City High School

Liked by: saraalance, noradarhk, nyssaalghul, jeffersonjax, raymondcpalmer and 94 others liked this.

Friday 21 February.

saraalance posted 1 new photo:

high school can kinda suck sometimes but sometimes it’s also really really cool. especially when your friends show up to your very first schs game and make dumb obnoxious signs and cheer for you the whole match and force u to take dumb cheesy photos like this one :-) :’) <3 <3 (winning the game just makes it all eeeeven better) #schswolves

Tagged: nyssaalghul, raymondcpalmer, nathanielheywood, kendraasaunders, amayajiwe, mickrxryy, lensnartt, jeffersonjax.
Location: Star City High School

Liked by: laureldlance, amayajiwe, raymondcpalmer, lilssstein, oliivxrqueen and 156 others liked this.

Friday 21 February.

Now;

Dad

iMessage
(Sara Lance)
Tuesday

8:02pm:
Hope you’re not too exhausted after
last night sweetheart, wanted to just
text to say I’ll be home late tonight -
big investigation my squad is leading
so don’t wait up

8:02pm:
Money for takeout is under the keys
bowl if you need it. Love you

iMessage

10:28pm:
be safe, love u <3

Read: Tuesday.

Laurel <3

iMessage
(Sara Lance)
Tuesday

10:36pm:
hey are u home?

10:36pm:
Nah, out with Tommy, Ollie and Felicity!

10:36pm:
We were thinking about taking a day trip
to Central City but if you wanna hang out
I can come home

10:37pm:
don’t you dare

10:37pm:
go to central city thanks

10:38pm:
spend the WHOLE day there

10:38pm:
actually spend the day AND the night
there that will be a fun a cool couples
retreat or smth ya know

10:39pm:
Are you still drunk from last night?

10:39pm:
what

10:39pm:
no

10:39pm:
i just want you to have a nice day

10:40pm:
Uh huh sure

10:41pm:
Don’t burn the house down or whatever

10:41pm:
Invite Ava over so there’s someone responsible
in the house please

10:42pm:
i will :-)

10:43pm:
OH

10:43pm:
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh

10:43pm:
Oh oh oh oh I get it now :-))))))

10:44pm:
;-) ;-) ;-)

10:45pm:
god you’re the worst

10:45pm:
look it might not even happen

10:45pm:
i’m just gonna invite ava over and see

10:46pm:
What about dad?

10:46pm:
working late

10:47pm:
Isn’t that ideal ;-)

10:47pm:
i’m going to ignore you now

10:48pm:
HAVE FUN ;’D ;’D <3 <3 ;-) :-))))

Having spent the whole year complaining about sign out day, Ava was surprised at how relieved she was that it was still hovering in the distance, one more thing still on the list before everything - this whole crazy high school experience - was over once and for all. It wasn’t that she wasn’t ready for high school to end, because she sure as hell was - finals had definitely proven that. But for all its ups and downs, high school had changed Ava irreversibly and she would never be more grateful for what she now had at the end of the rollercoaster four years. This rollercoaster year in particular.

Her voice was still hoarse from all the laughing, crying, cheering and loud, out of tune singing from graduation day and night, and for the first time ever, Ava was actually hungover this morning. She didn’t mind though. Not when she had the luxury of sleeping in without disturbance until midday, and waking up to exactly the text she wanted to see -

Sara (ur fav human in the world
& is better than u) Lance

iMessage
(Ava Sharpe)
Tuesday

12:08pm:
hey you hope you’re not feeling too
gross and hungover this morning <3

12:08pm:
(i’m assuming you’re hungover given
that it’s past noon and u haven’t been
online since 3am)

12:09pm:
but when you wake up text me bc i’m
bored and also hungover and you should
come over and watch stuff with me xx

12:12pm:
Hi

12:12:
This is literally the worst feeling
in the world I want to detach my
head from my skull

12:13pm:
omg baby you really are hungover

12:14pm:
Y e s

12:14pm:
Not as bad as you were after regionals
though, I’m not feeling nauseous at all

12:14pm:
My head is just fucking killing me and
my mouth feels like sandpaper and oh
my GOD i am NEVER drinking again

12:15pm:
you’re so fucking cute

12:15pm:
Don’t be condescending I hate you

12:16pm:
:’D :’D :’D

12:16pm:
I’m gonna go beg Spencer to make me
his miracle juice smoothie bullshit

12:17pm:
omg pls bring me some <3 <3

12:17pm:
No you were mean and mocking me

12:18pm:
wow hungover ava is touchy

12:18pm:
Bye going to go drink my miracle juice
enjoy yours

12:18pm:
Oh wait, you don’t have any :-)))

12:19pm:
WOW HUNGOVER AVA IS BITCHY

12:19pm:
it’s kinda hot, reminds me of old times

12:20pm:
I am 100% kink shaming you for that

12:20pm:
brb screenshotting the fact that ava sharpe
knows about kink shaming

12:20pm:
Sara, I’ve had Nora and Gary as my
best friends for over a decade and
I’m dating you, this is unsurprising

12:27pm:
Sent 1 attachment.

12:27pm:
Miracle juice :-)

12:28pm:
:-(((((

12:28pm:
i want the miracle juice and cuddles
from the cute girl holding it </3

12:29pm:
There’s enough left if you want some x

12:30pm:
HEY THE NICE VERSION OF MY GIRLFRIEND
HAS RETURNED

12:31pm:
Never mind I’ll have the rest

12:31pm:
I’M KIDDING AND I MADE BROWNIES
WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO
WAKE UP COME OVER AND WE CAN
HAVE SOME PLS

12:32pm:
I’m just gonna shower and have something
to eat really quickly and then I’ll walk over

12:33pm:
see you soon <3

It was nearing 1:30 when Ava finally made her way over to Sara’s, and was immediately tugged inside by Sara who snatched the miracle juice from her hands and pulled her out of the already fierce sunshine towering high in the sky.

“Hi,” said Ava, glaring when Sara looked gleeful at the hoarse edge to her voice. “ Don’t. Spencer’s cure works wonders but I’m still fucking exhausted.”

Sara’s face softened and she reached over to tuck some of Ava’s hair behind her ears, slinking up onto her toes to kiss Ava gently. “I know you are,” she said, her voice much sweeter than Ava was expecting. “C’mon. I’ve got brownies upstairs already and we can just chill out and watch stuff all afternoon.”

“Netflix and chill, huh?” said Ava dryly and a surprising flush appeared along the back of Sara’s neck as she moved to pull Ava up the staircase.

“Something like that,” she said with a vague shrug, tightening her fingers around Ava’s.

Sara’s room had never been lovelier than it was then as they rounded the corner into the space that had become as familiar to Ava as her own bedroom. Sara had kept the curtains almost completely drawn and had the hallway aircon running so the room was alight with soft, muted afternoon sun but was cool and familiar and full of the vibrant yellows and reds and orange hues that had always filled Ava with a wonderful warmth of safeness.

The safeness of Sara , of these quiet, magical moments of normalcy with her as they sat side by side on her bed, sharing what was probably the biggest singular brownie chunk Ava had ever seen in her life. She didn’t care though. Not when Sara held her fork out for Ava to take the bite as though they were in an honest to god movie , and Ava felt her stomach do stupid little somersaults at the soft affection in Sara’s eyes every time Ava stole a glance in her direction. An early episode of Parks and Recreation was playing on Sara’s laptop, but even as Ava attempted to watch it with wholehearted focus, the feeling of Sara’s nails dragging ever so lightly over her scalp, the way her toes were tracing tiny little patterns over the top of Ava’s foot, the feeling of bare legs pressed up close against Ava’s and the smallest flash of her stomach where her tank top had ridden up was making Ava’s already hazy head spin just a little.

“Hey. Sara.”

“Mm?”

Ava reached up to curl her fingers into the hair at the base of Sara’s head, tugging lightly to drag her face down into a chaste, slightly off-angled kiss that Ava hoped would be satisfying enough that she could pay attention to the rest of the episode. But just as she moved to pull away, - to settle back into Sara’s side - Sara let out a quiet noise of surprise and approval, sighing into Ava’s mouth and curling her fingers in Ava’s hair. The bowl and fork clinked in Sara’s lap and Ava went to break free from Sara’s lips to move it, but Sara just tugged her back in and absentmindedly placed it on the bedside table, immediately taking Ava’s face in her hands and ever so lightly brushing her thumbs over Ava’s jaw.

It tickled every single time, but Ava knew that the little half gasp, half giggle she let slip was exactly what Sara was looking for and she felt Sara’s lips curve upwards into a smile.

“We’re missing the episode,” murmured Ava.

“We’ve seen it before,” said Sara without a second’s pause, dragging her lips to Ava’s jaw and down her neck, and Ava startled a little at the barely there sensation of Sara’s teeth daringly brushing against her skin.

“Don’t get cocky,” she warned a little breathlessly, even as her eyes flickered shut when Sara’s fingers cheekily slipped under her singlet. “If my family sees a hickey, I swear to god I’ll kill you.”

Sara laughed into the dip above Ava’s collarbone. “Have I mentioned how cute it is that you’re this cranky when hungover?”

Ava wanted to shove her away just to make a point, but the weight of Sara leaning against her and the smell of Sara’s deodorant, shampoo, the soft smoothness of recently shaved legs sliding against Ava’s (which was something Ava had never considered as anything particularly enticing until dating Sara) was way too hypnotising to give up, even when faced with her pride.

“You’re really good at this,” said Ava before she could stop herself. “You know that right?”

Sara chuckled, kissing up Ava’s chin before placing the smallest of pecks to Ava’s lips. “Not so bad yourself Aves,” she said, the fingers under Ava’s top still tracing the lines of muscle on Ava’s stomach and sending sparks with every minute little touch. “Reckon we should actually watch some of this episode?”

“Yeah,” said Ava, already finding her eyes dropping distractedly to Sara’s lips. “Maybe just a bit.”

It took four more episodes of Parks and Rec for Sara to find the courage to move. Admittedly, the episodes were only half watched because Ava’s lips were stupidly distracting and Sara’s hungover brain didn’t have the self control it usually did, but neither did Ava’s, it seemed.

(Although truthfully, in the past couple of weeks, it’d been Sara who had drawn the line every time their control had spiralled away into the distance, Sara who had broke away from Ava’s lips, smiled when Ava chased them with a quiet whine of disappointment and a slightly breathless complaint of, “Sara, we don’t need to take it slow anymore. I’m okay with that.” Sara had been the one to press a kiss to the hollow of Ava’s throat and murmur, “I know. But I have a plan and I want to stick to it.”

“You don’t have to do anything special for me,” Ava said immediately, resting her weight on her elbows. “I don’t need a big grand gesture Sara. I just want you. ”

Sara’s heart skipped a little and she leaned back down to kiss Ava again. “Just trust me, okay? Soon.”)

In her head, Sara had planned to be suave. Smooth and graceful and pulling Ava into a slow, agonising kiss that they’d both started to become wonderfully familiar with in recent weeks. She’d wanted to be so onto it that Ava figured out what was going on immediately and everything just fell into place from there.

In reality, the butterflies in Sara’s stomach turned into weighted bricks that had her frozen, nestled into Ava’s side and longing to surge upwards and kiss her but rooted to where she was, tucked into Ava’s arms and every single place where she could feel Ava’s body against hers burning with want.

“Hey,” said Ava quietly, slipping her fingers under Sara’s top to tap a comforting yet infuriatingly teasing pattern along the bare skin of Sara’s hip. “Are you feeling okay? You’ve been really quiet the past hour.”

Sara swallowed, nodded into Ava’s shoulder, then pressing a kiss to the base of her neck just for additional measure.

“You sure?” said Ava, fingertips starting to trace tiny little circles and Sara’s head spun a little. Okay, this was just ridiculous. With a sudden burst of resolute determinism, Sara sat up and slid across into Ava’s lap.

Ava blinked, her hands automatically shifting to Sara’s hips out of instinct. Sara being here was incredibly familiar at this point. A comforting weight that Ava craved way too often when it wasn’t there. Ava had gotten so used to this - to Sara’s hair and her skin so close and her thighs strong and secure around Ava’s, her fingers light and careful as they explored the divots and freckles and lines and scars on Ava’s (visible) skin. Ava loved this. She loved Sara like this.

“Hi,” she said with an amused chuckle, tugging Sara forward by the hem of her top.

“Hey,” said Sara, and Ava frowned with slight concern at the breathlessness in Sara’s voice, for no apparent reason.

“You okay?” she asked, bringing her hands to rest at the waistband of Sara’s shorts, her thumbs sliding gently over Sara’s hip bones. Sara’s eyelids flickered suddenly, and before Ava could even process Sara moving, Sara had reached down, lifted her top and tugged it over her head.

“Um.”

Something about Ava’s astonishment - the way her whole body seemed to go into shock for a moment, her jaw going slack and her eyes dropping down to Sara’s body and her grip on Sara’s hips tightening instantly - made Sara less nervous. In fact, it made her smile.

“Haven’t you been complaining about how slow we’ve been taking it for the past two weeks?” she teased. Ava made a quiet noise that sounded like agreement but didn’t move, instead just stayed staring in what Sara wondered for a second was real, legitimate shock. She swatted her girlfriend lightly. “Aves! Eyes up.”

Ava’s cheeks burned red, eyes darting up to Sara’s face. “Did I miss some massive hint that we were doing this today?” she asked, and Sara felt a distinct satisfaction in the hoarse edge to her voice that she knew had nothing to do with her hangover.

“No,” said Sara softly, shaking her head and gently carding her fingers through Ava’s still slightly damp hair. She couldn’t help but laugh quietly, leaning in to press a kiss to the corner of Ava’s mouth. “No, you didn’t. I wanted it to kinda be a surprise.” She sank her teeth into her bottom lip, quietly triumphant when Ava’s eyes dropped to her mouth. “I also uh … I kinda wanted to wait until we’d officially graduated so that …” She glanced away with a noncommittal shrug. “I dunno. It’s stupid.”

“No it’s not,” said Ava immediately. “So that what?”

Sara hesitated, smiled a little shyly, then glanced down at her lap. “So that we weren't just a high school relationship anymore. So that we'd made it through all that when we did this. Now that we've graduated, it's kinda like … we've really actually got this whole future ahead of us and … I dunno, maybe it's dumb but I wanted to wait until we got here before we did this."

Ava didn’t respond for a while. Almost long enough that Sara started to get worried. But the minute she shifted in Ava’s lap, - whether to pull away or lean in a little closer, she wasn’t sure - Ava blinked, reaching out to slide a hand into Sara’s hair and pull her into a kiss that was somehow so searing that Sara felt a spark go flying up her spine, but also so soft that she almost melted into Ava, gentle but still enough to make Sara regret waiting this long because they could’ve been doing this weeks ago and damn if Ava wasn’t a quick learner.

It hadn’t taken long in their relationship for Ava to realise that Sara’s lips were going to be her big downfall, because nothing in Ava’s entire life so far had been quite as distracting and intoxicating as kissing Sara Lance. To the point that it actually took far too many minutes for Ava to remember that Sara was, in fact, topless in her lap, upon which she pulled away and finally let her eyes flicker down again to take in the unbelievably unfair expanse of soft, ever so slightly tanned, freckled skin on display.

“You’re like …” She shook her head, not even bothering to be embarrassed about her inability to construct a proper sentence. In the most inarticulate way possible, her brain was mush. “Jesus Christ , Sara what -”

Sara grinned with that frustrating glint in her eye, running her thumb over Ava’s bottom lip. “Aves, baby. You’re staring.”

“Yeah, can you blame me?” Ava scoffed. “Look at you!” Despite the heat pooling in her stomach and the sparks igniting through her whole body, Ava had to work extremely hard to ignore the quiet ebbs of panic calling out from the back of her mind. Because yeah, maybe it was a little overwhelming. Ava knew that she’d wanted this for weeks - more than that, if she was honest with herself - and yeah it was Sara, but it was also Sara who was half naked in Ava’s lap and okay, right, they were going to have sex and it was all great and exciting but also just as terrifying as Ava had been trying to pretend it wasn’t because she really didn’t know what to do and all she was used to here was her hands on Sara’s hips, maybe roaming under her shirt but not this - not this vast expanse of so much skin -

It took barely a second for Ava to start spiralling before Sara’s grin shifted into a softer, more reassuring smile. Gently, she tiled Ava’s chin upwards and kissed her softly, kissed her again and again because this, Ava knew how to do and this she could do every day for the rest of her life until the world burned down around them. When Sara pulled back, Ava could see the familiar glint of mischief in her eyes and raised a suspicious eyebrow.

“What?”

Sara grinned, lightly pushed Ava down until her head hit the pillows and her back hit the mattress. “You first.”

“You expect me to roll with that when you’re out here looking like this?” said Ava dryly and Sara burst out laughing, so loud and bright and familiar that it instantly quelled almost all of Ava’s anxieties, made them vanish into the cool, late afternoon air in Sara’s sunlit bedroom. Sara reached over to pick up her top, twirling it on one finger and smirking widely.

“I can always put this back on to minimise your distractions,” she said teasingly, to which Ava just swatted her hand with an exasperated eye roll.

“Don’t you dare.”

Sara chuckled, trailing her fingers down Ava’s arms with that familiar twinkle in her eye as she gazed up and down Ava with a gaze so reverent and entranced that Ava’s breath stuttered a little. “It’s an unofficial rule,” Sara said, inching Ava’s tank top up her stomach. “Virgins first.”

Ava scoffed so loudly, so full of half-hearted, disdained amusement that Sara snorted. “That’s not a fucking rule,” said Ava wryly.

Sara laughed, leaned over, and kissed Ava’s nose. “No, it’s not. But I’m instituting it now because I want to, so there.”

“You’re such a child.”

“Don’t be mean to the girl who’s about to have sex with you.”

“Watch me.”

“Wow, I don’t know why I put up with you.”

Ava paused, gazing up at Sara, so captivated by how she looked illuminated in faded sunlight, hair coming loose from its bun, topless with wrinkled shorts and a tacky toe ring and so freckled and beautiful that Ava had to reach out, slide her hands along Sara’s thighs just to remember that this was real, she was real. “Because you love me.”

Sara stopped at that. She reached down and tangled her fingers in Ava’s. “Yeah,” she said softly. “I do.”

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The end of a decade, the start of an age. Thank you for everything SCHS. #schswolves  

Tagged: saraalance, noradarhk, lilssstein, raymondcpalmer, gxryggreeen, ztomaz, nathanielheywood,  jeffersonjax, amayajiwe, mickrxryy, KuasaJiwe, wallacewesttt.
Location: Star City High School

Liked by: saraalance, aliJsharpeXX, ztomaz, noradarhk, and 399 others liked this.

Tuesday 13 June.

Sara hated high school already. Somehow, it was only homeroom and she already had a two introductory essays to write, a chapter to read, two stupid intro exercises to do and she was sure she was behind in every other class, even though she hadn’t had them yet. She sighed, twirling a pen between her fingers and eyeing both the vaguely familiar, and the unfamiliar faces in the room.

Nyssa wasn’t in her homeroom class.

Sara scratched a flaky bit of paint from the side of her desk. She knew that shouldn't be a big deal. She could handle a few classes without her girlfriend - they weren’t one of those weird, fiercely codependent couples who couldn’t stand to be apart. (Those people were weird. They were 14, for Christ’s sake.) She and Nyssa hadn’t even dated for one full year.

It was just that … for the first time, Sara felt alone. Laurel, Tommy and Oliver were all a year above her, and Thea in a different school altogether, and they were Sara’s closest friends. Without them, and without Nyssa, Sara wasn’t quite sure who to approach to try and befriend.

Ava inwardly groaned when she walked into homeroom to find it already completely crowded, no three seats available near each other. She glanced over her shoulder at Nora and Gary, both of whom grimaced and scanned the room on the off chance that they’d missed another spot.

They hadn’t.

“It’s fine,” Ava said, nudging Gary. “You two go take that seat. I’ll find somewhere else.”

She knew how badly Nora needed people familiar and grounding going into what they all knew would be an insane and trying four years, for Nora especially. Gary was just too anxious to find a seat by himself, and Ava didn’t want him doing (or saying) something awkward that would make him some kind of pitiful freshman outcast on their very first day.

Sara shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She recognised a few people. Ray Palmer, who she’d seen around school since they were little kids. Mick Rory. Jefferson Jackson. She was pretty sure that other girl’s name was Maya or something. And there was Ava Sharpe, who’d just walked in and, okay, was taking the seat next to her.

Sara immediately unlocked her phone as an excuse not to make polite conversation. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Ava Sharpe - she didn’t even know Ava Sharpe. They’d been at middle school together but had only shared a couple of classes. The only thing Sara could remember about her was that she’d been in the top basketball team.

“ Okay everyone!” called the teacher from the front of the room - a tall man with an English accent, a sharp nose and angular face. “My name is Rip Hunter. In front of other teachers, call me Mr Hunter. When it’s just us though, feel free to call me Rip. I think the whole first name thing is a bit pretentious, to be honest.”

Sara grinned. He seemed cool.

Ava smiled at Rip’s warm, friendly greeting. He seemed cool.

“Right, now to start we’re, unsurprisingly, going to do an icebreaker. Yes, yes, I know how boring and agonisingly awkward it is but it’s the first day of high school and you all should know that this awkwardness is going to prepare you well for the years ahead. Now please turn to your neighbour and go through the following prompts written on the board.”

Sara sighed, turning to Ava and resting her chin on the palm of her hand. “So. If you had to spend the next four years handcuffed to one person in this room based only on their appearance and what you know of them so far, who would you pick?”

Ava wrinkled her nose, eyes flickering to the whiteboard. “That’s not one of the icebreakers.”

Sara rolled her eyes. “No duh Sharpe. C’mon, live a little. We’re gonna get those icebreakers every single class for the next two days. Might as well do something fun. Rip seems as though he wouldn’t care.”

Ava pursed her lips, glancing to the front of the room to look at Rip, who was watching the class with curious, careful eyes.

“No,” she said, shaking her head, “Rip seems as though he’s the kind of teacher who’s chill because he expects everybody to at least do as they’re told because he’s nice and approachable about it.” She tapped her fingers impatiently over the edge of the desk. “Name one hobby you hope to explore over the following year.”

“Larceny,” said Sara without a moment’s hesitation, flashing Ava a mischievous grin. “Maybe even throw in some credit card fraud while we’re at it.”

Ava’s nostrils flared. “Can’t you just be serious about this?”

Sara raised an eyebrow, resisting the urge to smirk. “Who’s to say I’m not serious? You asked for a hobby, I gave you two. I went above and beyond the call of duty. Your turn, same question.”

“Baske -” Ava stopped, clamping her mouth shut. An uncomfortable chill settled in her stomach and she looked down at her feet, clearing her throat. “I uh … I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Sara echoed. “Seriously? So you’re all up on my ass about following the rules and being straight and boring about dumb questions that don’t serve any purpose other than to pass the time, and then when I flip the tables, you have nothing to say? What was the point of that then?”

“I don’t have a hobby,” Ava shot back, frustration flaring in her chest. “My focus is school.”

“School?” said Sara with a condescending scoff. “We’re 14, Sharpe. It’s our first day of high school. What the hell do you have to be focused on? The SATs?”

Ava’s eyes flashed with indignance, her cheeks flushing a little angrily. “Excuse me if some of us already have higher aspirations than a 9 to 5 job at Sink Shower ‘n Stuff, which is apparently the path you’ve laid out for yourself with your clear attentiveness to rules and your just being a generally uncivil person.”

Sara’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

Sara clenched her teeth, leaning forward in her chair and ignoring the awful scrape of its legs on the freshly polished linoleum floor. “Okay then. No hobbies huh? What happened to Little Miss Top Team in Basketball. D’you flake out? Pressure get too much? Couldn’t handle a single perfect hair out of place when a game got too feisty?”

Something dark and furious and vulnerable was suddenly startlingly present on Ava’s face and Sara had to swallow a lump in her throat as Ava looked away, curling shaking hands into a tightly coiled fist.

“Why don’t you just mind your own business?” Ava snapped, squeezing her eyes shut. “You know what, you were right. These icebreakers were stupid.”

Sara hesitated. Something like regret was starting to peek through the anger and defiance still burning in her blood. “Hey, look. Sharpe. I didn’t -”

Ava sniffed, spinning on her chair to send daggers in Sara’s direction. “Does it look like I want to talk to you Lance? Why don’t you just sit there planning how you’re going to further expand your riveting criminal undertakings this year and that way I finally have the pleasure of not having to talk to you!”

Sara let out an incredulous huff, turning away and clutching her pen tightly. Who the hell did this girl think she was? Maybe she could get transferred into Nyssa’s homeroom class. Or any other homeroom class. Anywhere that stick up her ass Ava Sharpe was not .

The bell for the end of homeroom couldn’t come quick enough. The minute it shrilly pierced through the air, Sara swung her bag onto her shoulder and made a beeline for Rip’s desk. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see Ava doing the same, and for a second, she paused, wondering if maybe it was a better idea to do this in private. But then Ava arched an eyebrow, sent her the most infuriating, challenging stare and Sara scowled.

“Hey Rip,” she said cordially, sliding her hands into her jeans back pockets. “I was wondering if there was any chance I can change homeroom classes? Nothing to do with you, this just doesn’t quite suit me.”

Rip chuckled a little. “We’ve had one class Sara, I don’t think you have an accurate measure of what does and doesn’t suit you in high school just yet.”

Ava snickered, ignoring the heated glare Sara sent her way.

“Okay,” said Sara, pushing some hair away from her face. “What about seats then? Can we change? I’m not really fond of the middle of the room anymore.”

Ava held her breath. That had been what she was going to ask. She refused to spend a single minute more than she had to in the company of Sara Lance.

Rip smiled and squeezed Sara’s shoulder. “Sorry Sara, but no can do. My philosophy is to create a classroom environment in which everybody has to learn to work with, talk to, and appreciate each other regardless of differences. The seat you’re in will be your seat for the next four years.”

“I’m sorry what ?” Sara exclaimed at the same time as Ava spluttered “ Four years?”

“You want me to sit next to her for four years?” said Ava with surprising outward bitterness. “Sir, I’m a dedicated student and I’ll definitely do anything I’m instructed to but please, just let us switch with someone else.”

“If that’s the case,” said Rip, and Sara’s hope soared for a second, “then I’m instructing you and Sara to remain sitting where you are. I’ve heard a lot about you both from your previous middle school teachers and I think you could work together very well.”

“Not if we murder each other first!” insisted Sara, and Ava muttered “Yeah, you’d know.” Sara resisted the urge to flip her off, instead turning back to Rip with wide, begging eyes. “C’mon Sir. This is gonna be the longest four years ever if I have to deal with her everyday.”

Rip shrugged. “Then I guess it’s going to be a long four years ladies. Now if you please, on to your next class.”

Sara waited until they were outside the classroom to swear loudly, shaking her head with a disbelieving scoff. “My sister says Rip makes his classes do projects and special work together. If I have to spend my entire time at high school dealing with your bullshit -”

“ Mine ?” said Ava, taking a step towards Sara. “You’re the one who’s so unbelievably self centred and arrogant. I actually care about school. If you do anything in any way to jeopardise my grades and my chances at college -”

“Relax princess, college isn’t for another four years,” said Sara, crossing her arms. “Maybe learn how to be a normal, less high strung, entitled rich kid and come down to level ground with the rest of us before thinking about integrating with the real world.”

Ava sucked in a sharp, fuming breath. “I don’t have time to waste on you. I’m going to class.”

“Of course you are,” scorned Sara. She shook her head, wondering if it was possible to go through the next four years without having anything at all to do with Ava. “God, I already can’t wait for high school to be over, if only so that I never have to see you again.”

A dry, cool smile crossed Ava’s face. “Well at least there’s one thing we agree on.”