Arrow's Daughter

Chapter 5

I awoke with a start. Sweat poured douse my body as my heart raced. Gasping for air I moved my legs to the side of the bed before slipping out. I walked to the window and just gazed out . I knew that I wouldn't go back to sleep so I flicked on a light and saw that it was 4am. I went over to the desk and pulled out a piece of paper and my chalk pastels and started to draw once again. I pulled my iPad out and started to play some soft music.
After turning the music on I soft knock on my door came. I stood up and walked over to open the door. Oliver stood outside my door.
"Sorry." I say realizing my music was a little loud.
"No, it's fine. I've been up for an hour. I just heard that you were up and came over to see why."
"Oh, you can come in." I say before closing the door behind my fathers tall figure.
"So, Why are you up so early that would kill Thea if she woke up this early on a normal day?" I smile as he sits on the padded bench at the foot of my bed. I perched myself on the edge of the desk.
"Nothing." I say shrugging my shoulders. "You?"
"It's something Peyton. Not just nothing." He says looking at me a face with concern.
"I'm fine." I say looking away towards the window. I don't notice him walking up to me until his hand touches my shoulder. Instantly I flinch away without thinking and hold my hands behind my neck, my arms going up above my head in a protective position.Flashbacks from my home started to form in my mind I jump away from him and move quickly to the window. I felt a rip in one of my stitches in my arm from the sudden movement. My breathing is suddenly sharp and jagged. I can't get enough air into my lungs. I hear Oliver softly calling my name but I can't focus on him. I jab my thumb nail into my leg and try as hard as I can to pull myself out of my panic attack. Moments later I can breath and pull my head out from under my arms and between my knees. There is a soft touch on my back and up and down movement that's in time with my breathing. I look up tears on my face.
"I- I'm so-sorry." I choke out between hiccups.
"It's okay. It's not your fault." He says he pauses for a few minutes before quietly asking. "Peyton, were you abused?" I slowly nod my head. The light pressure on my back stopped and was replaced by hands placed on my hands. I look up to see Oliver sitting by my feet looking at me with upmost concern.
"Peyton, who was hurting you? Your mom?" I shook my head.
"Stepdad. My mom never knew." I say barely a whisper coming out of my mouth. I feel a trickle come down my arm. I glance at my arm and see a small stream of blood coming from under my shirt. We stayed like that for several minutes. I got up slowly and went to the bathroom. I rolled up my shirt sleeve and looked at my arm. One of the stitches ripped. I took off all my bandages and changed them, washing out my arm one. I grabbed the needle I use from my hygiene kit and carefully restitched my arm.
I went back out into my room to find Oliver sleeping on my window seat. I quietly went into the closet and got changed into my clothes for the day. A plaid flannel, boot cut jeans and a black shirt. I looked at the clock seeing it was 6:00 I desired to let my dad sleep for a while.
It felt weird saying 'my dad/father' I went over to my desk and continued my drawing from earlier. It was 7:30 when I walked over and gently shook him awake.
A hand grabbed mine and I was on the floor being straddled by Oliver. His hand up to my throat. Out of instinct I kneed him in the stomach and flipped him over pressing my leg to his chest my plastered arm to his throats his other arm twisted above his head.
"Morning." I said smiling before letting him up.
"Oh, Peyton. Sorry-"
"Instincts I know." I say helping him up.
"I'll go get changed and if you want I can walk you down to the dining room for breakfast." He says. I nod and sit down on the end of my bed playing on my phone.
Oliver comes back in blue jeans, a grey t-shirt and tennis shoes. I stand up and follow after him going down to the dinning room.
Thea and Moira were sitting eating their food. Eggs were set out on plates with pancakes and bacon.
"Morning." I said taking a seat next to Thea. Oliver taking a seat next to his mother.
"Morning Peyton. How did you sleep last night." I looked at Oliver before living straight through my teeth.
"Great. It was nice to sleep without beeping noises and people just outside the door talking all night long." I said before taking a bite of egg.
"Well that sounds like a hard place to sleep in." I laugh at Thea's comment. A few minutes later Oliver spoke up.
"Peyton tomorrow you, Thea and I could go to your old house and help you pack some more of your things for you to bring back."
"We would have to stay overnight because I live like four hours away." I say trying and failing at cutting my pancake. Carefully I took the pancake and ripped it with my fingers into smaller chunks. Finished with ripping my pancake I took the small cup of maple syrup and poured it on top of the pieces.
I began to eat the baked good and finished in moments. The rest of the meal was quiet except for the sounds of cutlery and plates. Moira left when she finished and went to the office. Thea excused herself before rushing out the door to hop into her friends car on their way to school.
The doorbell rang when I brought my plate to the kitchen. I walked back out to find Oliver talking with a tall brown haired man that was about the same age as Oliver.

"Oliver, you want to go see how things are going at Verdant-. Who are you?" He says noticing me standing in the doorway.

"Um, let's go to my room and talk. I think you might want to sit down Tommy." He said. Oliver turned back towards me. "I'll come get you after I tell him okay? Then we can go into town. There's a few other people that I want you to meet hopefully before the press gets wind of this." I nod and smile before following him up the stairs and walk past him into my room.
Minutes later I hear Tommy yell.
"She is your daughter?"