Book 2: Nothing Seems to Please Me (Duff McKagan FanFic)

Ch. 8: The Experience, Man

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!"

Slash's singing voice tore through my dreams, making me jerk awake and growl in frustration.

"You're so going to pay for this," I muttered into my pillow.

"That's only if you actually decide to un-ass those blankets and come fight me," Slash teased. "Which I doubt will be any time soon, judging from how tired you look."

I tried opening my eyes but my body just didn't feel ready for waking up just yet.

"What time is it?" I demanded.

"It's three in the p.m."

I tried my hardest to do the math in my groggy brain, but it was difficult to focus when all I wanted to do was fall back asleep. If we came back to the house around five in the morning, and I actually fell asleep around six....that was how many hours of sleep?

Nine. Fucking nine hours of sleep and I still feel dead.

"It's too early," I groaned.

"Too early?" I heard Axl laugh. "You got pissed with us last night for being tired and now, here you are, snoozing away the day while the rest of us are wide awake."

"That's cuz I work all night. Not just party, butthole."

"Yeah, well, maybe you should get up."

"Leave her alone, guys," I felt a chill run through me at the sound of Duff's voice. "She's not ready to get up. She's had a rough night."

"Sorry, Max," I heard Steven say. "We just wanted you to get up and hang out with us. We have a gig tonight so we won't be able to chill with you today."

I sighed and forced myself to sit up. There was light flooding in through the window, and it hit me in the face like a brick wall. I hissed at it and the guys all laughed.

"It's like watching Dracula rise from his coffin," Axl teased me.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm awake, okay? Happy now?"

Steven sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I let my head drop onto him and his long hair tickled my cheeks. I closed my eyes and just kind of dozed on him.

"Where's the gig tonight?" I asked.

"At the Whiskey," Slash said.

"Mmm."

"And we got a new song to perform!" Axl's voice was swelling with excitement. It was almost like he was talking about his child or something.

I lifted my head and stared at him through squinty eyes. "Oh, really? What's it called?"

"'Welcome to the Jungle'," Axl said. I smiled, remembering when I had said that to him and realizing that he had been acting strangely after I'd said it only because he must have started working on the song in his mind. "It only took three hours to write. We actually finished it up while you were sleeping."

I grinned. "Can I be the first to hear it?"

Axl shook his head and I pouted.

"Why the hell not? I inspired the damn song!"

"Too bad," Axl said. "We want you to come to our show and hear it."

"You can't listen to it acoustically," Izzy added from his spot on the couch. "You gotta' hear it when it's the whole band. You gotta' get the experience, man."

I groaned. "You guys are so dumb. I've heard songs on the electric guitar before. What makes this any different?"

Slash grinned at me from under his curtain of hair. "You'll see."