Book 4: The Way We've Always Done Before (Axl Rose FanFic)

Ch. 12: Dirty Little Secret

"Hazel! Hazel!" Izzy voice was high and trembling as he tore around the corner of the house and began attacking the back door.

Will and I watched him from the chairs on the patio, our glasses of iced tea resting on a table between us. We had been busy reminiscing about Lafayette when Izzy came crashing through the side gate.

"Yes?" I called out softly, raising my eye brows at him.

He whipped around and gasped. "Hazel!"

He rushed over to me and began inspecting me. For what, I have no idea, but he pulled away when he finally approved of my condition.

"I was so worried," he admitted.

I giggled and shook my head. "Why?"

He looked over my head, a solemn expression on his face. I turned in my chair to look at Will, who seemed to be sending Izzy a telepathic message with his eyes that I couldn't decipher. I turned back to face Izzy who was looking back at me again.

"It's nothing. I was just worried you'd get lost or something," he murmured. "But you're safe. That's all that matters."

He heaved a sigh and sunk down into another lawn chair beside me. I handed him my glass of tea and he gratefully accepted it, gulping it all down until it was just ice and a single lemon at the bottom of the cup.

"Jeffrey!" I screeched, laughing as I pried my cup from his fingers.

"What?" He demanded, talking around the ice cube bulging in his mouth.

I shook my head and stood up from the chair I was in. "Now I gotta' go get more tea!"

"Be a doll and grab me a glass too," Izzy teased, winking at me.

I rolled my eyes and headed towards the sliding glass back door. I slid it open and closed it until it was open just a crack. I headed for the fridge where a pitcher of iced tea was waiting for me.

I hummed to myself as I grabbed out a glass for Izzy and began filling both cups. I gently set the pitcher back into the fridge, grabbed out a lemon slice, and dropped it into Izzy's cup. I picked up both glasses and headed towards the door.

"You can't hide it forever. If you won't tell her, then I will," I heard Izzy hiss.

Will chuckled bitterly. "There's no way she can't know. It's all over, it's everywhere I fucking go."

"But you know how it is back home. Like, no outside news comes through," Izzy growled, his voice slowly raising in volume.

"Shhhhh..." Will ordered. "She might hear you."

"See? You obviously know she probably has no fucking clue about what you did. And good. I hope she does!" Izzy snapped.

There was a long pause and I could almost feel the fury in Will's eyes and I could only imagine the look that he was giving Izzy. I took that moment to come out, all smiles, pretending like I hadn't heard a thing.

"Hey! I got the tea!" I cheered, skipping over to Izzy and handing it to him before settling down in my seat.

As soon as I'd walked out, they went from glaring at one another to smiling at me. I grinned right back, praying it was enough to mask the curiosity that was now clawing at the back of my mind. As I watched them drink, I wondered what they were keeping from me, and why Will was so keen on keeping it that way.