Bandom One-shots book 3

You Can't Leave! ! Alternate Version !

~November 7, 1991~

The clock on the wall ticked slowly, each second echoing in my mind as I paced my living room, waiting for Izzy to show up. An uneasy feeling settled in my chest, a sense that something monumental was about to happen. When he finally walked through the door, his eyes looked distant, like he was already somewhere far away.

He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and the air felt charged with tension. I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn't come. It was as if the very atmosphere was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable.

"Axl, I'm leaving the band," he said, and my heart dropped.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I shot back, my voice sharper than I intended. "You can't just walk away from this! From us! We've poured our lives into this—this was our dream when we left Indiana!" My anger flared, desperation clawing at my insides.

"It's not that simple," he replied, his voice steady but his eyes betraying a deeper turmoil. "I need to do this for myself."

"For yourself?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What about what we built together? We've fought tooth and nail for this! You're just going to throw it all away?" My heart raced, each word fueled by the rising panic within me.

Izzy was calm, unnervingly so. "I can't keep going like this, Axl. I'm losing myself in all of it."

"Losing yourself?" The words felt like a slap. "You think I want to lose my best friend? You're my brother, Izzy! How can you leave me now, after everything we've been through?" I felt the heat rising in my chest, anger mixed with something deeper—a fear of abandonment that gnawed at my insides.

"Axl, you'll be fine. You're talented; you don't need me to carry this band," he said, but the determination in his voice only fueled my frustration.

"It's not just about talent! It's about us!" I yelled, the words tumbling out in a rush. "You're the heart of this band! Without you, it'll never be the same! I can't just replace you!"

The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating. My heart raced, and I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. I never wanted to show this side of myself, but in that moment, I felt utterly exposed. "Izzy, please," I said, my voice cracking. "You don't understand. I need you. I can't do this without you."

He looked away, pain flickering in his eyes. "Axl, it's not just about you. I have to find my own way."

The words struck me like a knife, and suddenly, the anger morphed into something else—a deep, aching vulnerability that spilled over. "Izzy, I..." I hesitated, the words tangled in my throat. "I love you, man! I love you! You're my best friend, my everything. We're supposed to be in this together. How can you just walk away?"

The admission hung in the air, a raw, unguarded moment that felt both terrifying and liberating. I watched his expression change, shock and confusion mixing with something I couldn't quite place.

"Axl..." he started, but I could see the weight of my words settling in.

"I don't know how to do this without you," I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper. "You've always understood me in a way no one else ever could. This band—this life—means nothing if you're not by my side."

Izzy's gaze softened for a moment, but then he shook his head, determination flooding back into his features. "I can't keep doing this, Axl. I need to go."

I felt my heart shatter, the reality of his decision crashing down around me. "No!" I shouted, desperation creeping in. "Don't do this! I need you! You can't just leave me!"

He sighed, looking pained. "Axl, please. I need to find myself again."

As he turned to leave, the weight of everything hit me like a freight train. "Izzy, please don't go!" I cried, my voice cracking. "I love you! Don't you get it? This isn't just a band for me; it's us! You mean everything to me!"

He paused, the door half-open, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hope in his eyes. But then he sighed deeply. "Take care of yourself, Axl," he said softly, and he walked out the door, leaving me standing in a crushing silence.

I felt as though the ground had fallen away beneath me. The reality of his absence hit me like a wave, leaving me gasping for air. I was alone now, the silence in the room deafening. Every song on the radio, every moment I had shared with him replayed in my mind like a haunting melody.

In the days that followed, I wandered through life like a ghost, the emptiness overwhelming. The anger turned to sorrow, and I couldn't escape the feeling that I had lost not just a friend, but a part of myself.

One sleepless night, in a haze of despair, I picked up my guitar. I needed to express what I felt, to pour all this pain into something tangible. That's when "Don't Cry" came to life, the chords flowing from my fingers, the lyrics spilling out like confessions.

I wrote about the anger, the love, the memories we had shared—the dreams we once had. Each line was a cathartic release, a way to process the heartache that consumed me. I wanted him to know that even though he was gone, the bond we shared would always linger.

As I strummed the final chords, I felt a mix of sorrow and hope wash over me. "Don't Cry" wasn't just a song; it was a tribute to what we had, a reminder of our journey together. I hoped that wherever Izzy was, he would hear it and understand that no matter what happened, he would always be a part of my world.

That night, I poured every ounce of my pain and love into that song, hoping it would reach him somehow. I knew the road ahead would be difficult, but I also knew that our friendship, no matter how strained, was something worth holding onto. And maybe, just maybe, we could find our way back to each other one day.

~You Can't Leave! ! Alternate Version ! ~