The Berserker

Chapter 23

I readjusted my jacket, pulling the collar down, while glancing at my phone again. It was nine o' clock. They would be here soon. Three minutes later, I heard Damon.

"There you are!" Damon called, waving his arm vigorously. "Glad you could make it!"

When he reached, he took my hand and placed a kiss on my knuckles. I grimaced but let him finish.

"And, you look beautiful."

"And you haven't changed," I commented smiling slightly. "Please refrain from your flirtatious half hearted flattery."

"Half hearted?" Damon gasped, "never half hearted and I am not flirting with you. I'm being a respectable gentleman greeting a lady."

I tilted my head skeptical and decided to change the subject.

"I heard you took my nephew on as a student and met my brother."

Damon straightened immediately, clearing his throat.

"Yes, I did. I did. Did he uh," his hands slid into the pockets of his ripped jeans, "say anything about me?"

He anxiously waited for my reply, and I chuckled.

"Nothing aside from the fact you were surprised to know he was my brother. Was there something I shouldn't know about?" I asked when he exhaled relieved.

It almost seemed like his head was about to be chopped off. Given Peyton's message about his first impression, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

"No, no, he just - he's just scary, unlike you. That's all."

Peyton was scary and I wasn't? I laughed finding it so funny. Damon was truly something to believe that I wasn't scary.

"What are you laughing about?" he asked, genuinely confused which made me laugh harder. "Atla, seriously. What are you laughing about?"

Waving a hand dismissively, I composed myself. "It's nothing. You're just funny that's all."

"Okay," he said skeptically. "You know," his tone changed to a higher pitch, "I could be a comedian one day."

I smiled. "Sure. A comedic dance instructor."

"Yes - woah well that's new." Damon's eyes widened along with his smile, and I followed his gaze to see Maya and Gabriel walking together, his arm slung over her shoulder.

Damon whistled. "Guess they're finally dating. He finally worked up the courage to ask her out."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I didn't like it, not one bit. My eyes narrowed on Gabriel, who noticed me. He flinched, removing his arm from Maya's shoulder.

"Atla, I'm glad you could make it," Maya said hugging me briefly, confused to Gabriel's sudden distance.

I held her a little longer whispering, "You okay?"

She nodded, whispering back, "I'm better."

As I released her, my gaze flitted to Gabriel who nodded in greeting. I nodded back stiffly. Once again, a sister of mine was pursued by a man - a boy perhaps was more accurate - who led a double life.

"So, when did you two become a couple?" Damon asked, smiling impishly.

"We're not," Gabriel blurted out, and Maya's face fell, but she quickly covered it up.

I had to give Chris his credit. He stood up for what he wanted a lot longer. Apparently long enough to take Chelsea to Taiwan or whatever his home country to meet his parents. My eyes narrowed as Damon held up his hands.