-CHRIS-

-A Cat and The Grinch Ride On Public Transport-

The recording studio was about a twenty minute tram ride from Alex's apartment, and in that time I experienced both a feral cat with paranoia and the modern-day Grinch as Octavia and Alex travelled via public transport.

Octavia tensed, jumped and scratched herself nervously as more people entered the tram, making it the most amount of people she'd been around in years.

Alex on the other hand, ignored every single person and contorted his face to disgust any time someone stood too close to him.

Finally, after passing the main shopping district, we managed to get some seats at the back. Octavia and I sat as Alex stood and tried to touch the least amount of surfaces he could. We sat in silence for a little while, before I decided to crack out some more conversation.

“How long were you in rehab for?” realising the inappropriateness of asking the question without context as soon as I said it. Octavia continued to watch out the window, but responded.

“Three years.”

I nodded silently, feeling kind of awkward.

“How long have you been in your band?” She asked softly, still watching out the window.

“Ah,” I said, thinking back as far as I could. “Since I was like, fourteen. What's that…thirteen years? Alex and I have been in Velvet Sidewinder for ages, in fact, thirteen years makes us together for a decade. We actually won the battle of the bands once in high school a couple years back.” 

As I spoke, I could see Alex's mouth curl upwards into the tiniest of smiles, then fall back down into misery as a loud child reminded him of all the humans on the tram.

“We've been a professional band for about seven years now.” I continued. “Working for Dave for all of them.”

“What’s he like?” Octavia asked.

“Who? Dave? Dave is…. certainly something to work with. He only acts professionally when he's pissed, other times… I gotta admit, he's pretty laid back. As long as we get our stuff done that is.” I replied, attempting to change Octavia’s negative option of him.

“Dave’s a narcissistic piece of shit” Alex spat, joining the conversation. To this Octavia nodded, then turned her head to look at me. 

“I don't report to him directly like Alex has to” I stuttered, trying to find reason for my passive opinion of what appeared to be somewhat of a jerk. 

“What was he like when you were younger?” I asked, curious.

“Eight year age gap.” Octavia started, looking back to the window. There was not a chance she planned on making eye contact during this story. 

“He… was good..at things.

I… wasn’t.

He was always the golden child. 

Good grades.

Proper Etiquette.

Great manners.

He was exactly what my parents wanted in a child. He was self indulgent, selfish and a lair, but What'd that matter? So were my parents. A businessman and an a lawyer for criminals”

I could see Alex going to correct her with attorney, but a gentle elbow in the junk shut him up quickly.

“You know that thing I mentioned, the accident when I was a kid?” Octavia continued on, oblivious or ignoring Alex’s muffled groans. “He totally could've prevented that- shit, he probably was the cause of it all in all. I was eight, it was hardly my fault-”. 

Sensing the story straying into an emotional and unwanted direction, Octavia abruptly stopped and then restarted, cutting out the story. 

“What I’m saying is, is that Alexander is-”

She paused a second time, realising what she was about to say. She turned her head to look at Alex and squinted under her sunglasses.