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Post by Laurel Lance on Apr 23, 2014 16:07:47 GMT
Tommy was talking about completely leaving his past behind, which sounded great in theory, but Laurel wasn't counting on it just yet. It wasn't that Tommy was lying, but more than he didn't know just what it all entailed. He had never held a job before, he didn't know what it was like to get up and go to work 5 days a week. To be on time every day, rather than showing up whenever he wanted. It was bound to rock his world.
"I just want things to get back to normal. A small group of people we can spend time with and just have fun." Normal... it was such a strange thought. Things hadn't been normal for five years. As much as she hated Oliver, he had clearly been a huge part of her life, since her life hadn't been normal since his senseless antics.
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Post by Tommy Merlyn on Apr 23, 2014 22:55:22 GMT
A small group to have fun with? As much as Tommy loved parties and large groups, he had to agree with that. He liked being with large numbers, but even in those numbers he didn't talk to more than a number of people, at least for any length of time. Remembering names got annoying for that many, and then remembering all the details and stuff. It was easy to have them as "friends", but he wanted real friends, and preferred them in a smaller grouping.
"That's the dream," he told her. "You know, Thea could always use a good roll model in her life. I'm trying, but it's not working well. You could always give that a shot, and maybe...no, that actually might be too weird, having a 17 year old girl hanging out with us as one of those friends."
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Post by Laurel Lance on Apr 23, 2014 23:54:07 GMT
"I like it that way." Laurel went out to the clubs with Jo once in a while, but that was usually Jo literally dragging Laurel out, and then Laurel would sit at the bar all by herself while Jo went off and danced and had fun. It was the usual way things happened in Laurel's life.With a small group of people, they were just around and enjoying the company of each other, no need to make a flashy scene or even go out.
"Thea?" Suddenly all of Laurel's attention was on Tommy again, ignoring her dinner. "What's going on with Thea?" Laurel hadn't kept in much contact with Thea Queen since Oliver's death. Did Thea hate Laurel for not finding out and stopping Oliver that day? Did she hate Laurel for living when Oliver didn't? Laurel really wasn't sure where she stood in the young girl's mind, but that didn't mean Laurel had forgotten about her. Sure, the girl had acted out a bit, but like Oliver, it was covered up with Queen money.
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Post by Tommy Merlyn on Apr 24, 2014 14:23:12 GMT
Where to even start? The easiest way would be to give her a quick point of reference, but that point of reference was Oliver. Would that be too sore of a subject to bring up? Or would that work out? He wasn't sure, so he remained silent for a few moments, trying to think. "Well..." He paused. No, saying it like that was the best way.
"I haven't had many run-ins with her, but she's trying to be Oliver." That should basically give her the gist of it, but he went on, "Drinking, drugs, partying. All that. A friend texted me a picture of her at a party and I had to go get her because, well, that combination looked like a drunken sex sort of situation was going to be upon us soon, and I didn't want that for her." He wasn't sure if he should have said "rape" or not, or how that technically would count.
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Post by Laurel Lance on Apr 24, 2014 14:51:27 GMT
Sighing, Laurel could only think of the younger girl that she had seen nearly everyday, only five years ago. "I should have realized that. She idolized Oliver, I should have realized she would have followed his lifestyle, even if he was still alive." Thea had always been prone to mood swings, but what teenage girl wasn't? Though it was the way she watched her brother live his wild lifestyle and get away with everything that was the concerning point.
"I'm glad your friend sent you that picture. After the accident, I spent a few months visiting Moira and Thea, but once the shock wore off, I got wrapped up in law school and my own life. I'll visit her after work tomorrow and talk to her." It wasn't Laurel's job to rein in Thea, but Thea had been like a little sister to her and Tommy. She was always present when they hung out at Oliver's house, whether they wanted her around or not. It was just how little sisters were, especially ones that looked up to their older sibling.
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Post by Tommy Merlyn on Apr 24, 2014 15:03:19 GMT
He nodded, "I think that would probably help. I'm not sure if she'd take the help or advice though. For some reason I assume not." She was strong willed and probably didn't want to listen to either Tommy nor Laurel and what they might have to say, or how they would "judge" her life, as he figured she might put it.
Neither of them did anything about Oliver's life, after all. He figured she wouldn't expect anyone to try to step in when all she was trying to do was emulate him. On the upside, Grayson seemed like a good guy and might be able to help her out. Or she might corrupt him. He really hoped that wouldn't be the case.
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Post by Laurel Lance on Apr 24, 2014 15:18:16 GMT
"Oliver wouldn't have." It had been five years since Laurel really spent time around Thea, but if she was anything like Oliver, then she would buck and fight the advice and help. "Thea was always better though, she had her moments as a young girl, but she was always smart. She was so young, I'm not surprised that she turned to drugs and alcohol to fill that void."
Laurel saw it all the time at the courthouse, young people on trial for acting out. Even if they weren't the type of clients that Laurel represented, she was still exposed to it, she knew how it happened and she couldn't blame Thea. "I should have stuck around Thea more. That could have been any of us. I could have easily accompanied my father to the bar every night, it probably would have been easier than sitting alone in my house."
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Post by Tommy Merlyn on Apr 24, 2014 17:14:31 GMT
"I don't think anyone can blame you for not going with him, though. I don't know his situation, but I imagine he's not taking things well, or at least right away." He figured Lance had gotten over losing Sara a bit by now. Drinking at first? That was obvious, but he didn't think it was going to be that bad anymore. "She wants to be like Oliver, and that's how she thinks Oliver was."
That wasn't all there was to Oliver, but she had the right start, Tommy had to admit that much. To someone like her, this probably seemed like the gist of who he was, and it wasn't helping, "I don't know what Thea needs. She might need a firm dose of reality, she might just need someone who was close to Oliver. I don't know."
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Post by Laurel Lance on Apr 24, 2014 19:39:11 GMT
"My father is not in a good place." leaving it at that seemed easiest, without bringing in all the details. Tommy knew that her father had taken up drinking, but Laurel hadn't told him how bad it was. Literally dragging him out of bars, holding his entire body to help him stumble out to her car, it was the worst she had ever seen her father.
Taking the last few bites of her dish, Laurel set the fork in the dish and gently pushed it aside and out of her way. "I don't think bringing up my relationship with Oliver will be helpful, I doubt she wants to be reminded of him. I think you were right before, she might just need a friend that isn't using with her."
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Post by Tommy Merlyn on Apr 24, 2014 20:13:57 GMT
He wasn't going to ask about her father regardless. It wasn't his place, and hearing her say it wasn't good was enough to make him eliminate that from any possibility. He took a few more bites of his lobster to keep up, having neglected his food. The sooner they could go, the better, as he'd said earlier, regarding others and their seats.
"I don't think she needs any reminding of your relationship," he told Laurel, "I'd have to agree, she just needs a friend. A friend who can be a good role model. Although I don't think that's going to be easy to get her to listen and change, but it can be a start. I hope." He was concerned about her. He had no siblings, only his father. Thea was almost like a little sister to him now, with Oliver gone.
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Post by Laurel Lance on Apr 24, 2014 20:24:02 GMT
"I got wrapped up in my school, you got wrapped up in partying, Moira got wrapped up in the company and Thea got left behind." It was hard to believe Thea was only 17 with how independent she had been forced to become. Nodding, Laurel knew that Thea would probably push against Laurel, but Laurel had the advantage of having a relationship with Oliver, the master at pushing against authority. "I don't intend to talk at her, I think she might just need someone to listen and be present. Give her attention without needing alcohol or drugs."
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Post by Tommy Merlyn on Apr 24, 2014 20:44:31 GMT
He hadn't thought of things like that. He figured Thea was probably left alone, and that the shipwreck had splintered all of them in different directions, leaving her with nothing and no-one. He pushed the remains of his food aside and asked for the check. "I think that's probably what she needs. I have no idea if it's going to work at all, but I have faith in you."
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Post by Laurel Lance on Apr 24, 2014 21:25:05 GMT
"I'm a lawyer, I'm always determined to plead my case and win." Smiling to Tommy, Laurel glanced at the waitress when she brought the check to Tommy. Laurel hadn't seen the total, but she could only imagine, considering how expensive every restaurant they went to was. "Thank you for tonight, it was a good date. I think I should head home after this, I have a lot of work to catch up on." "It wasn't like they had never slept together before, it had happened multiple times, but this was different. It was more symbolic than anything else, not going back to Tommy's room on their first real date. Laurel needed things to be different now, that they could spend time together without sex being involved every single time. Not that the benefits were bad, but now they were working towards something more meaningful. [/b][/b]
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Post by Tommy Merlyn on Apr 24, 2014 21:38:36 GMT
He nodded as he paid the check and rose to his feet, "I'll take you home then." He knew she had work, and he didn't mind having to take her home. It's not like he just did this for the sake of sex or something, no, he wanted a good relationship with her, and this was part of it. He wanted to be useful and helpful, and trying to push for sex was stupid. Besides, he wasn't interested in sex, he was interested in her.
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Post by Laurel Lance on Apr 25, 2014 1:59:38 GMT
Setting the napkin that had been on her lap onto the table, Laurel scooted the chair back as she stood up, maneuvering around the table to meet Tommy. Placing a hand on his shoulder, Laurel smiled to him. "Thank you." She had felt nervous telling him she had to go home, waiting for his response. Laurel never once thought that Tommy would get mad at her, but disappointed maybe, some sign that things hadn't changed all that much. He had offered to take her home instead. Sheneeded this, she realized, needed to learn to trust someone again. Sliding her hand down his arm, Laurel slid her fingers between his and held his hand as they left the restaurant.
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