Patience

Twenty-six

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around. It took me a moment to realize where I was; I was in the apartment. I closed my eyes again and began to relax, but they shot back open when yesterday's events flooded my mind. I suddenly remembered that I had fallen asleep on a park bench. I looked over and saw Axl sleeping next to me. I was instantly filled with anger. I quickly sat up, but the fast movement made my head hurt, and my face throb.

"Ouch," I whispered, placing my hand on my face. It was warm and tender, and I assumed there was a bruise there now.

I threw the covers off of me and got out of bed, which woke Axl up. I began packing some more clothes into the bag I had the night before so I could go find somewhere else to stay. From behind me, I heard Axl sit up in bed. I didn't turn around, but he began talking to me.

"Lucy, let's talk. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have hit you. That was a douche move, I know," Axl said.

"Damn it, Axl you can't take that kind of thing back. And what the hell am I doing here? If I wanted to be here, I would've come back," I told him. He must've drove around looking for me last night.

Axl got out of bed. "Let me get you some ice for your face. It'll help the swelling go down," Axl said. He gently placed his hand on my shoulder. Everything in me wanted to collapse into his arms so he could hold me, but I instead brushed his hand away.

"I know it helps the swelling go down, but I don't want any. I'm leaving," I said, slipping my shoes on.

"Lovely Lucy, you can't. Please stay. Give me another chance," Axl begged.

"Another chance? Axl, you blew it. Maybe you should work on your temper. Maybe I'll change my mind if I can have a boyfriend who won't hit me when we have some sort of minor inconvenience," I snapped at him as I left the room.

I walked over to our kitchen table and grabbed an apple from the small fruit bowl we had sitting out as a center piece. I ate it on my way out of the apartment building. Once I was on the street, I stopped a taxi, and I knew exactly where I wanted to go.

I was headed to Slash's house.

I climbed into the cab and gave the driver the address. I leaned my head on the window as we drove. I admired the endless view of the ocean until we had made a turn, so I couldn't see it anymore. I just wanted to get to where I was going.

I couldn't help but question where I was going in life now. I felt like everything was perfect. Like I had it all, and suddenly it was just ripped away from me. I would equate my feelings to whenever someone tries to pull a tablecloth out from underneath some fine china, but the chinaware shatters and breaks.

I'm that fine china and Axl pulled the tablecloth. I'm shattered, broken to pieces, and you can't just glue me back together and call it good. It doesn't work like that.

I said if he could change I would go back, but will I? I liked Axl. I loved Axl. I loved him, but I'm not so sure about myself anymore. Maybe I'm just mad? Am I heartbroken? I'm not sure. I don't know if I should be yet or not..

"Miss, we're here," The driver said, snapping his fingers in my face. I blinked a few times and shook my head. Time to face reality, again.

"Oh, right. Sorry," I said as I handed him a wad of cash.

I walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. I waited until Slash answered.

"Lucy, come in," Slash said, looking surprised, and a little concerned. He shut the door behind us and I looked around.

"Lucy, it's so good to see you. Are you okay, though? What happened to your face?" Slash asked, studying the mark under my eye.

I dropped my bags and said nothing. Instead I just stepped forward, and I kissed Slash. He seemed surprised, and tried to pull away. We both stepped back, and said nothing. I walked up to him and placed my hand on his chest, and looked up at him. I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to, so badly. Then, as we leaned in for another kiss, his phone started to ring, interrupting us. Slash pulled away.

"I should answer that," Slash said as he rushed over to the phone.

"Hello? Hey, Axl!" Slash greeted. He shot me a glance, and I just looked away, a little ashamed.

I knew Axl was looking for me so I just shook my head. "No, don't tell him I'm here," I whispered.

Slash was about to say something to me, but stopped. "I- I don't know where she's at, Ax. Sorry, dude," Slash said, and he hung up.

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god," I said.

"Lucy, what's going on? You need to tell me everything, or I'll let Axl know you're here," He said, "Because we shouldn't have done what we just did."

"Fine," I said, giving in. Then, I explained everything. Everything from why I left the tour to what happened to my face.

"Oh, so, I'm just a rebound until you and Axl get your problems all sorted out? Is that right?" Slash asked.

"Wh- no. No, that's not it, at all," I said, knowing that Slash was probably right. Whenever I was first getting to know the band, Slash definitely had the warmest welcome. He always had a way of making me feel right at home, so it made sense that I always ran to him.

"Well, it seems to be it. This is the second time, Lucy. Every time I think you like me, I find out you don't. You just need someone to help you take the edge off," Slash said.

"Slash, no. I didn't mean it like that," I said.

"Yeah, right. The only reason I'm letting you stay here is because Axl did that to your face," Slash said, pointing to the bruise under my eye.

"So, I can stay here?" I asked.

"You can stay here, but if you try and kiss me again then I'm going to kick you out," Slash said.

"Deal," I agreed.