2 kids

Skinny dipping?

Alex.

Somehow we survived the six hour long flight to the other side of the country.

The exhaustion has been slept off and replaced with excitement. Or it has been shaken off in the form a fucking pleasure wave trapping our senses.

I glance at Ashley standing a few feet from me, talking with the girls.

She's going to be the end of me. She's going to make me lose my mind one day.

I've managed to avoid drugs for years, but the second she walked into my life she had me wrapped around her finger and addicted to her.

"Can you tell me what the hell is going on between you two?" Ace strolls up to me, frowning.

"I have no idea," but I admit. "It's working, and it's amazing. I'm not planning on ruining it."

"You'll ruin it if you don't decide, mate."

I stare at him, as River and Park make their way to us. Ray and Francis are somewhere behind, arguing something irrelevant.

"I'm not going to put a label on it," I say coldly.

River pats my shoulder, "She'll do it for you."

"Or she'll walk away again."

The thought of losing her again terrifies me to the very bone. If she ever walked out my life again I'd feel as lost as never before. I wouldn't survive. I can't survive without her in my life. I won't let her leave again. I won't let go of her again. I won't repeat the same mistake.

"No fucking way," I say. Ace raises his eyebrows, saying 'told ya so'.

"Stop playing your games, mate."

"You should shut up," River states.

"Unlike Alex I'm not obsessed with a lady. I've got it under control."

He doesn't.

Neither of us has never had control over the games we played. We thought we did, we thought we knew the rules and knew when to stop. Truth is, we had no clue. We threw ourselves out there with what we thought resembled vague ideas, plans.

Ace no longer has any control over his games, just like I no longer have control over mine. I lost my game when Ashley entered, and he lost when his brother walked back into his life. And he'll only continue losing if he doesn't admit his default.

I guess he'll have to fall to the rock bottom like I did before he'll realise. Funny how stubbornness can cloud your perception.

Neither River nor Parker say anything, and I keep my mouth shut as well. Ray and Francis catch up with us, offering a helping hand in loading all the suitcases in the van. We're in for a short road trip until we reach our final destination. We've been told to split up in two groups, and take turns driving. These people are putting way too much trust into us. They better know what they're doing otherwise it will quickly end in a disaster.

Like a rule of thumb Nina refuses to step into the same car as Ace. They spent ten good minutes arguing like a married couple at the airport, both before we took off and after we landed in LA. We all gave up on trying to calm them down the second they both snapped at Ray trying to help. Poor Ray, he's been through a lot of blame today.

"I refuse to be in a car with both," he declares.

"You want to walk?" Violet teases him. "I'm sure you'll be there by the end of tomorrow."

He rolls his eyes. "If either of them snaps at me just once, I'm losing my mind. And snapping back."

"They're very peaceful when they're alone," Sophie observes. "Pick a side."