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

Ch. 16: Swimming Lessons

"Guys, seriously, where are we going?"

"Damn, Max, can't you just enjoy the ride?" Axl huffed from the driver's seat.

"No," I muttered, leaning back into my own seat.

Duff was in the passenger's side. He peeked back at me and I noticed the smug grin on his face.

What are these guys up to?

I sat between Slash and Steven in the back seat. Izzy had opted out of going, saying that wherever we were going held no interest to him. That had me worried that I probably wouldn't be interested either, especially since they had dragged me along and were now refusing to tell me where we were headed.

"Don't worry, Max," Steven wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed. "You'll have fun, I promise."

Fun. I hadn't had genuine fun in a long ass time.

"I know I will," Slash said suggestively and gave me a sly wink.

Okay. Now I was terrified.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice was uneasy.

"Slash! Stop scaring Max!" Axl ordered, shooting him a look in the rear view mirror.

"But, Axl-"

"Don't make me turn this car around, mister!" Axl warned.

Slash laughed. "Whatever, dude."

Slash sat back in his seat and turned to look at me. When he saw me staring at him, he checked to make sure no one else was looking before he lifted two fingers to his mouth and began making licking motions with his tongue in between them. I shivered and looked to Steven for comfort. He was grinning down at me from ear to ear and I gave him a nervous smile back.

"We're almost there!" Duff said eagerly.

I stared ahead, through the windshield, and saw a beach stretched out before us along the horizon.

"Oh, hell no!" I said. I lurched forward and grabbed Axl's arms, turning them so that we could pull a U-ey and turn the car around, but which really only made us almost fly into a ditch. Luckily, Axl straightened out his arms just in time.

"What the fuck?" Axl shouted.

"Are you insane?" Duff demanded.

Slash and Steven were roaring with laughter in the back seat.

"Will one of you grab her?" Axl growled.

"Fine, fine!" Steven chuckled.

I felt arms around my waist. I clutched Duff's seat, digging my nails into the leather, refusing to let go.

"Steven! Get her!" Axl demanded.

"I can't dude! She's like a fuckin' cat!" Steven sounded frustrated now as he tugged at me.

I held fast to the seat. There was no way I was going out without a fight. I hated beaches. I hated lakes. I hated rivers, streams, ponds, pools, and bathtubs.

Truth be told, I had never learned how to swim. Ever. My mom was too busy dealing with my dad to teach me and my dad was obviously not much of a father anyway, so of course he never taught me. The closest he had ever gotten was tossing me into the local pool and laughing as I slapped at the water and cried out for help until the life guard saved me.

I didn't want these guys to laugh at me. "Big bad Max doesn't know how to swim and is afraid of the water"-that'd definitely get a chuckle or two.