Ace Huxley's Daughter

11

9am was simply too early.

Easily put that. I was not a morning person in the slightest. Blake knew this. Blake had experienced pre noon Olive. He thinks she's hilarious but he knows I'm grumpy. He let himself in for this.

I pulled my door open, the band snapping their heads around, glaring at the space I was now occupying. It's like a gorilla has escaped from the zoo and just shown itself in the bathroom. The 3 men stared, like I was going to murder them. Until dad cleared his throat.

"Morning Pops." I grunted, stumbling down the narrow hall and collapsing into the booth beside him. "You're up early."

"Blake wants me to drive with him." Nigel chuckled. "Shut it you."

"Hey. I'm not saying a word. I know better than to talk to before coffee Callie let alone before noon." I clenched my forehead together.

"Nothing ever changes huh Pops?" I tilted my head back at Joe slightly. "You and Blake."

"Me and Blake were never a thing Joe." He raised an eyebrow. "We weren't!"

"Alright, alright." Dad pushed me up slightly, pushing his bottle of water in front of me. "Although. If you and Blake-"

"DAD." As if on cue, 3 quick paced taps at the door and it was opening before we answered. There was very few people who could openly wander into this van without anyone caring. The band, me, Hannah, a few specified high crew members, and Blake, of course. Eyes like black holes, hair so brown it looked black in the dimly lit room and freckles that came out the more he was in the sun. The last time I'd seen Blake before starting back with Dad earlier this week was nearly 3 years ago and maybe that night ended with us on the cusp of something that could never be.

Blake was Nigel's stepson. He'd been around almost as long as I could remember. We were close. Me, Blake, and Hannah. Practically inseparable until the divorce. Things had been hit and miss since then with all 3 of us. Me being dragged from this life and then growing up and uni and whatever else. There was exactly 3 years and 2 months between me and Blake. When we last saw each other, we got very close. But the age difference wasn't right and we both knew it. The pull was there though. It was last night. I could feel it.

"Morning guys, Sunshine." He grinned at me and I scowled drinking from the bottle and forcing the cap back on until he laughed.

"Morning Blake. Sleep well?" He nodded back at Nigel. I felt uneasy. Maybe I'm just tired. Hungry. Really hungry.

"Breakfast?" Blake's head tilted at me like he was reading my mind. I nodded, leaning up and pressing a quick kiss onto my dad's cheek, grabbing the bottle he'd given me as I stood up.

"I've got my phone if anyone wants me."

"We won't. Have fun." I rolled my eyes at Dad. I knew exactly what he meant. He meant I don't want to see you for at least 24 hours. 'Live a little kid. You don't live enough. Explore. Be crazy. Do crazy things.' I do crazy things dad. They end up awkward. I've got Sonny walking around here somewhere and for some dopey reason he's fascinated by me. I am sexually attracted to the guy. Nothing more. He's obnoxious. Full of himself with an ego so big I'm genuinely worried he's going to fly away.

Blake held a handout for me, faking a bow as he pleaded for me to take it. I rolled my eyes and did, stepping down onto the plastic stool and then into the damp grass. Morning dew attaching itself to my converse.

"You're so grumpy in a morning."

"I can show you grumpy freckles." He pulled me into a decompressing hug, holding me so tight I could swear he was trying to weld my bones together. "Hi."

"Hi." He pulled back, setting me back down on the floor, taking my hand and turning me in a circle. "Let's see. Ripped jeans. Vest top. Leather Jacket. You dressed up."

"I did not." He smiled. "You want me to go put my leggings on because-"

"Not a chance." He pushed his fingers into mine, tugging on me quickly towards his van parked not far away. I say van. It was just a black workman's van he'd jazzed up inside. Brand new, fitted out with the back turned into a bedroom so he didn't need to sleep in the tour bus and he at least got some privacy. He pulled the passenger side door open, walking around the front and climbing in beside me. "Got your passport?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "You know, if you're kidnapping someone, you're not supposed to tell them." I pulled my door closed, looking behind me into the back of the car. He'd tidied up. The whole van actually. When I walked back here yesterday to grab a bottle with him, it was disgusting. I chuckled to myself, knowing he'd only done it because I mentioned it looking like a bomb had gone off.

"Nah, gotta give em some warning so they don't make a scene."

"Oh well, I'll just make a scene then shall I?" He smirked, clicking his belt into place before looking over at me, head gently shaking. "Where are you taking me to then Freckles?"

"There's some food places like 10 minutes down the road and then we're heading up to where we need to be where we can get flat out drunk and pretend to be totally normal 20 something year old's who's dad's aren't touring the world."

"Ah. To be a normal girl." His hand planted itself on my thigh.

"You didn't say you were coming on tour Pops."

"It was kind of last minute. Mum kept adding shit for me to do, trying to find a way out of me coming. Nearly worked."

"It didn't then?"

"Oh no it did. I'm a robot. A clone." He chuckled.

"Still following mummy's orders?"

"Oh my god. Don't you start too." I groaned.

"Hey, woah. Okay. Food. Then we talk because there's something there."

"I'm not talking about it Blake." He squeezed my thigh. "It's fine."

"Obviously it isn't Olive. What's going on babe?" I pulled on my belt, shifting slightly in my seat.

"Can we just go?"