2 kids

Friendly lenses.

Ashley.

There's something possessive in the way Alex's hand rests on my thigh.

Just rests, like it was his own lap or nothing at all.

Still I can't fail to notice the occasional tightening grip, or the placement itself. Not at the top, not at the bottom, and yet not quite even in the middle. Like's found the perfect spot to claim his possession of me. His domination over me, and sending a clear signal to any other man who tries to walk my way.

And he's been doing so ever since yesterday, when Ace caught me, in his words, drooling, over him. I was only looking at what he was willingly exposing to the outer world. Though Alex's eyes revealed no signs of jealousy, and still do not, I've sensed it in his behaviour. He claimed his seat next to me at dinner yesterday, even at breakfast this morning. Claimed it like he was worried someone else might take it. Claimed it like he owned it, like it was a throne.

The worry in Alex's behaviour is unusual, too unusual.

I look at him, taking in the details of his face. How the sunshine brings out of the purple tones of his hair, in contrast with the white, almost platinum. In the year I've known him, I've wondered if I'll witness his natural hair colour. I've attempted to bribe him into at least telling me, but the only answer I got was his arrogant grin, and 'maybe one day'. His eyes are focused on River behind the wheel, answering his questions, looking a little lighter than usual.

I rest my head on his shoulder, staring at the passing scenery. Highways everywhere around, buildings and occasionally a view of a beach. Less buildings cramped up against each other, yet at the core this city is no different than New York. But the atmosphere... different.

Alex's thumb begins to rub gentle circles on my thighs, in a calming manner while he continues talking with the boys. A conversation about their work so far. All I can hear is Ace complaining about River's obsession over having every song bass boosted.

Mae's interfering every once in a while, taking River's side and pissing Ace off.

"We can't have every song bass focused," he says.

"We don't have every song bass focused," she snaps back. "And even if we had, what would be wrong with that?"

"Don't tell me you want to build our band identity on bass boosted songs?" He gives her no space to answer. "No offence, Ri, but I refuse to let that happen. I want diversity, duality. Not a one way focused orientation."

"No one's saying all our songs will be bass boosted," River calmly answers, making a sharp turn to the left. "Two songs won't kill you. Or change our band identity."

"Could someone tell me what our band identity is?" Alex asks. River shoots him a parental glare in the rear mirror, Ace shakes his head and Mae sighs. Parker chuckles, and I just stare out of the window. "I mean, I don't really feel like we have that established. It's still in the process of being developed."

My mind travels back to the dinner with my dad and his girlfriend before I left. And her son that walked in and changed it all. The joy I felt for my father finally finding a woman who wouldn't use him for us money and leave him after a month, was replaced too quickly. Her son ruined it the second he walked into that restaurant. And killed my appetite too.

The mere thought of having Stephan as my stepbrother disturbs me. There are simply things I can't imagine in my life and having a stepbrother is one of them. Having Stephan as my step brother. Anyone else I could stomach after some time. But him... Jonah is going to kill me when he finds out, and maybe it's for the better. He'll definitely kill him.