Alex’s POV:

I stared down at the bottle in my hand, watching as I swirled the last of the liquid around in a circle. It had been one hell of a show with an amazing audience, probably one of our biggest yet, and now I was three bottles in, listening to the bad banter coming from the rest of my band.

Aerowyn had basically spent the evening necking beer, to the point where she was now laughing at the smallest of things. Whether that be a terrible joke from Jack, or, to the guys surprise, her own name, she hadn't stopped giggling from her third beer to now.

"So, it's time for a serious question," Jack stated, sitting up straight as he stared back at Aerowyn, inspecting each aspect of her face as she did. I didn't blame him, she was undeniably worth thetimespent staring, but I still couldn't help but envy the attention he received in return.

"And what might that be?" She replied, giggling, again.

"Which song of the evening was your favourite?" Jack asked, the fact that he was vigorously drinking became more apparent with each word he spoke.

"I gotta admit, they were all pretty cool. Not exactly my style, but they're growing on me," she replied, exchanging a smile with Jack who just smirked.

"Does that mean we'll be seeing more of you at shows and tours?" Rian asked, slumping down onto the couch adjacent to the one I sat on. He and Zack had just returned to the conversation after restocking the alcohol supply for the rest of the evening. With the way Jack and Aerowyn were drinking, we needed it.

"Maybe? I'm not too sure, it just depends on how this next few weeks go," she stated. "I still have responsibilities back in Dalewin."

"You mean cleaning out horse shit," Zack added matter-of-factly. I chuckled softly, knowing just how oblivious these boys were.

"Indeed," Aerowyn replied with yet another giggle.

"You must be pretty good if they want you back so bad," Jack mumbled, swallowing the last of the liquid remaining in his bottle before grabbing another.

"Oh, trust me, she is," I laughed consciously and pushed myself up from the couch, grabbing the empty bottles as I did. I made my way over to the small, slowly-filling bin on the far side of the crowded area we called a kitchen. Dropping the empty bottles into the metal container, I gathered the handles of the plastic bag, lifting it from the bin as I tied it together.

The bus was set to leave in less than half an hour, so I figured I should empty it whilst I could. Plus, I needed an escape from the shameless flirting happening between Jack and Aerowyn. As if Jack's bad jokes weren't austere enough, the thought of them being directed at Aerowyn was vexing.

"Okay, I'm going to get rid of this rubbish," I stated, making my way over to the bus door with the bag to hand.

"Wait!" Aerowyn called almost too enthusiastically, "I'm coming with."

I nodded, making my way into the slightly cooler but still warm air that made Miami, well, Miami. The stars were glowing intensely, decorating the dark mural of the night sky. It reminded me of Aerowyn's art. Patterns and colours, embellished onto a plain canvas to create something of beauty. I may have been skilled in the music department, but art was something else. Her skills were quite miraculous, actually.

We walked to the bins in silence, listening to the loud sounds of the city behind us. Miami was always busy, no matter what time it was. The sun had long since set, but that just meant it was the time for the night owls to blossom.

It wasn't until we were making our way back to the buses, that Aerowyn actually spoke.

"Hey, Alex, can I ask you something?" She asked, turning to face me. The moonlight shone down on her as she walked, enhancing her sky-blue eyes, though they were deeper, more… enchanting, than usual.

"Yeah, sure," I replied, watching as a small smile tugged at her lips and she turned back to the night sky.

"You and the guys don't happen to have a partner, do you?" She asked, though not daring to make eye contact again. I stared at her for a second, attempting to formulate the words.

"I mean, Rian is in a relationship, but the rest of us are single," I explained, "why do you ask?"

"I'm just... curious."

For a second I could have sworn I had butterflies, you know that cringy teenage reaction to a… to a crush. But the moment was cut short.

"Jack seems kinda nice, and I was just wondering if I was misreading the signs."

"He's a hopeless flirt," I replied before anything else could escape my lips. I turned my gaze to the sky, burying the new found aching in my chest.

"Yeah, I guess he is," she chuckled lightly, running off inside the bus where the guys were already well into their next drink.

"Here," Rian spoke, handing another bottle in my direction.

I shook my head softly, "I think I'm just going to get some sleep."

He raised an eyebrow curiously, but I shrugged it off and bee-lined for the bunks.

I climbed into my bunk, pulling the curtain shut. My eyes reverted to the wooden slats that supported Zack's bed as I listened to the muffled slurs coming a mere six feet from where I laid. It was blatantly obvious that Jack and Aerowyn were flirting once more, but I refused to allow it to get to me. She was a work associate, that was all.

I closed my eyes, hoping to forgot about the pain. It wasn't the usual type, like a headache, or a stomache ache, but instead the type of pain that made you numb. Senselessly numb.

At least two hours of me denying the truth later, my eyes were beginning to droop. The alcohol was officially setting in, dismissing the thoughts and making way for sleep.

Well, that was until my curtain was rudely yanked open. I turned my head to the whisper of profanities, barely making out Jack's figure through the dark. Everyone else was asleep and had been for a while, so why he was awake was beyond me.

"Dude, I need to ask you something," Jack spoke, his voice quiet, yet bleak. I cringed at his words, already knowing what was coming next.

"Okay, what?" I muttered back, making the annoyance clear in my tone.

"It's been bugging me all night, I just need to know: is Matilde single?"

And here I was thinking Aerowyn was straightforward. I groaned inwardly, leaning back into my pillow as Aerowyn's words only a few hours before circled in my head.

"From what I know, yes, she is." I replied bitterly.

"Hey, dude, you don't have a thing for her, right? I don't wanna be approaching on your girl."

My girl.

"No, of course not, we work together, that's all."

"I've seen the way you look at her," I could almost make out him holding his hands up in defense. "I just had to check."

"Well there's your answer, now can I sleep?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," he pulled the curtain closed before disappearing off to his bunk again.

I rolled over in my bunk, turning my back to the curtain as I faced the wall. Only then did the aching in my chest return.

Notes

Sorry about the update delay! Chapters should continue to be uploaded every two weeks from this point onwards.

- Scream.