The Berserker

Chapter 3

A couple of days passed since that incident, and I made sure to lay low not doing anything out of the ordinary. I went to work and came home not going out to cause any trouble at all informing Peyton, so he would be relaxed and at ease. I delivered the locket to Tyra in a small box at her doorstep at night making sure no one would see me. Peyton actually accompanied me when I did, and I was glad.

It was Saturday and my time to visit my family. The following Monday Nicky would finally be here, and though it pained me because I felt like I was losing Peyton, I knew he would be happy. I still needed a distraction though, so a family visit sounded about right.

On my way out, I grabbed a bagel holding it in my mouth.

"Atla, hold up!" Peyton said as I had a foot out the door.

"Hmm?" I turned around to see a flying object heading to my general direction. I caught it with one hand inspecting it. It was one of my sweaters.

"It's getting colder out."

I gave him a thumbs up before closing the door behind me.  I threw the sweater in my passenger seat swallowing a bite from my bagel. I drove out of the driveway leisurely. Visiting my family has always been a struggle. I didn't like Chelsea's and Maya's Mom too much, and my Dad tried too much with getting us to click. He had no idea what happened in our first encounter and for his sake I'll keep it that way.

Coming back from that hell, I was sent to psychiatric hospital. Dove is a doctor there and the first she saw me was after they had attempted to get rid of one of my triggers. I had snapped losing control, nearly injuring seventy people fatally. When she realized I was the daughter of the military veteran she married, she would not accept it. She pulled me aside to tell me to stay away from her family, which included my father. I told her straight that my father is my family, and she won't be the one to tell me to stay away from him.

I parked the car alongside the curb noticing another car that didn't belong to them in their driveway. I finished off my bagel mentally preparing myself to face Dove. I looked at my sweater given to me by Peyton. It gave me the resolve I needed and I climbed to the front entrance ringing the door bell.

A silhouette walked towards the door, and I waited hands in my pockets for the person to open it. Chelsea opened it dressed up, and I frowned missing something.

"Atla, you're here! Come on in." Chelsea opened the door wider, and I stepped in giving her a tight smile.

"You look nice," I complimented, "Did I come by at a bad time?"

"Oh no. We just came back," Chelsea laughed walking inside and I followed her down the entrance hall.

"You have guests over don't you? I can come another time," I said trailing off when I saw the four boys I met the other day all sitting in front of a couch across from my Father.

"No, please stay," Chelsea whispered clutching my wrist pulling me in. "Dad look who's here." Chelsea called out diverting Dad's attention from them to me.

"Atla." Dad stood up walking towards me. He held out his hand, and I took it shaking it before he pulled me into a one arm hug.

"Hi Dad. Good to see you," I glanced at the four boys on the couch who shifted awkwardly. "Is this a bad time?" I asked.

"Oh no," he threw an arm around my shoulders leading me to sit in an armchair. "One of these boys are dating Chelsea. Would you like to help me out?"

I looked back at Chelsea who smiled nervously. "You're dragging me into this because?" I asked crossing one leg over the other.

"He didn't ask me for permission," my father stated simply.