She Wouldn't Say Goodbye. (Guns N' Roses)

Chapter Forty-Three

-Kat-

We stood on the side of the road, Steven and Duff holding their thumbs out trying to flag down a ride. I was smoking a cigarette thinking of how shitty the whole situation was, my scalp felt hot from taking the brunt of the sun, it was like my black hair was on fire. I couldn't help but steal glances at Izzy, who was acting cool- like nothing had happened between us a while ago. Jojo and  Danny had been elected to stay at the car to watch all of the gear that we obviously couldn't travel with. "You know no one's gonna stop right," Izzy said taking a drag off of a cigarette, his brown boots kicking up red dirt as he stumbled about, he let out a large plume of smoke before crossing his arms. "It might help, you never know man!" Steven yelled as a blue Chevy truck whizzed past him and Duff. I giggled, shaking my head at them before looking towards Izzy again, he lowered his head looking over the top of his black wayfarer sunglasses, catching me right in the act. I could tell his eyes were still glassy, his world slowed down from the dope but the look he shot my way made my stomach do backflips, my knees weak, whatever you want to call it. The corners of his mouth upturned in a smile as he saw my face soften, my bottom lip ending up between my teeth and It felt like I couldn't stop staring.

 Izzy still peering over his glasses winked at me just before breaking our eye contact, he looked around with a huff, "Why'd it have to be so fuckin' hot out here?" Izzy put his cigarette between his teeth, before reaching down to undo the buttons on his white shirt. "Right man it sucks out here." Slash agreed, kicking up the desert with his faded Converse, watching with some amusement as the red earth blew around with the wind. I stood, trying not to look at my best friend unbuttoning his shirt as if he were a car crash I shouldn't witness, tuning out Slash laughing like an idiot and Duff and Stevie screaming at the cars that passed us by. And that bastard knew he had my attention as he spun around to face me again a glimmer of sweat across his chest, he puffed his cigarette and even that was meant to tease. The only thing that broke my out of my haze was a hand clamping down on my shoulder, "Hey, you alright, Girlie?" Axl questioned, feeling me tense up underneath his grasp. I nodded my head 'yes' before I even spoke, "Yeah, uh, of course, I'm just hot that's all." He looked at me skeptically before seeing the beads of sweat across my forehead. "Do you wanna walk back to the store or something?" He asked, removing his hand but trying to get me to look at him. "I-I'm okay, Ax, no worries,"  I spoke, paying attention to Duff and Steven more than the conversation. They still stood with their thumbs out as the rumbling of a semi-truck coming near us could be heard. I looked up just as the semi pulled over to the dusty roadside where we stood.  A middle-aged man looked at us from his window, Slash ran up and hopped up to the passenger side of his rig to talk to the driver. A few seconds went by before he jumped back down, "Hey guys, come on!" Slash yelled, overjoyed to actually have someone stop to pick us up. Axl and I both jogged over, ready to get the hell out of here. Steven and Slash had already packed into the sleeper area of the truck leaving a bit more room beside them. "Do you wanna sit upfront with me?" Duff questioned looking down at me, Axl and Izzy jumped up into the cabin beside us, "Sure, sounds good." I smiled, trying to act like I wasn't high as I knew Duff didn't do heroin. Duff nodded and gestured to the door, "Ladies first." Izzy watched as I grabbed onto the side of the door. "Here give me your hand." He spoke, his white button-down just barely hanging on his body, he looked at me his hazel eyes drifting across my face and body before a smirk crept across his lips. I grabbed Izzy's hand and he quickly pulled me up into the cabin, even though he was skin and bones he had no issues throwing my weight around. But then again it's not like we all aren't basically starving to death since the five of us are poorer than dirt. "Thanks, Iz." I smiled, before sitting down in the front passenger seat. Izzy nodded back and looked disappointed when he realized I wasn't sitting in the back with him. Duff hopped in next watching out for his head since he was so tall before closing the door behind himself, he and I shared the seat surprisingly having just enough room to be moderately comfortable. The driver looked over at us, "Everybody in?" He bellowed, pressing on the gas pedal. "Yes, sir, we're all good," Duff responded smiling. "Where are you guys headed?" "Trying to make it up to Seattle," Duff said, answering the man's question. "What's up in Seattle for you kids?" The driver nodded. "These guys are playing in a band," I answered, earning a look of appreciation from the trucker. "Really, what's the name." He questioned, trying to look briefly at the boys in the back. 

"Guns N' Roses," I spoke, instantly smiling afterward.