Beyond The Leather

Chapter 14: Is Everything Alright Slash?

This is a short chapter

December 24, 1985

I started packing my clothes in my duffel bag this morning getting ready to head back home. Tamara had spoken to my mom and everything was set. Come January of 1986 I would be living in LA until January of 1988. I was going to miss home, but my family would be able to come a visit during the summer and on holidays. It wouldn't be the same, but it beats traveling back and forth. And as for my school studies, my home schoolteacher was going to be coming on the road with me. I heard the phone ring and Tamara answered. I then heard the clicking of her heels walking to my room.

"Hey sweety Slash is downstairs, he wants to say bye to you before you leave." She leaned on my door.

"Ok tell him to come up please," I asked while zipping my duffel bag. It was silent, I looked up at Tamara and she made a weird face.

"What?" I asked.

"Well I'm not being judgemental but someone like him can steal something in here. And my stuff is expensive." She raised a brow.

"Seriously Slash is not like that. And don't forget if it hadn't been for his mom you wouldn't have met me and started making all this money to buy those expensive things." I stated.

She scrunched up her face in annoyance and walked out of the room. "Hi, you can send him up!" She shouted intending for me to hear. I got up and grabbed my schedule placing it on top of my bag so I wouldn't forget it. I heard a knock at the door and quickly ran to it.

"No running in my condo, are you animal!" Tamara yelled.

I opened the door and lunged at Slash giggling and laughing. "Oh my God, I'm so glad you came to say bye," I said excitedly.

"I'm glad too. So, you going to let me in or what?" He waved his hands. I moved to the side for him to come in the closed the door behind us.

"Slash this is my manager Tamara. Tamara this is Slash my childhood friend." I hugged him again.

"It's nice to meet you. Your room door stays open and please take your boots off, Slash." She looked at me with a stern face.

"Tammi seriously," I said with annoyance.

"I'm heading out sweety I'll be back in 4 minutes." She turned and headed out the door. I pulled Slash into my room and sat on my bed.

"I can't believe you came."

"Yeah Just wanted to say bye to you before you left. You're going to be gone for a full month." He walked around my room looking at all the expensive stuff that was in there. "How much are these paintings worth holy shit." He said touching the paintings.

"A lot." I giggled.

But wait a second come to think about it. I wasn't leaving till February for London and I would be back in LA come January. So, if he wanted to say goodbye he would have said it in January. I think he has an agenda.

"So why are you here?" I asked raising a brow.

"I just said I came to say goodbye." He laughed then laid on my bed crossing his feet.

"Slash start talking." I got up and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Well, I wanted to know where you would be staying while living in LA. Also wanted to borrow a couple of bucks?" He asked while pulling a bag of weed out of his pocket.

Typical Slash.

"Well, I'm staying here with Tamara 'cause I'm not going to stay anywhere else. And yes, you can borrow money from me. But when you become famous you have to pay it back." I said with a stern voice. I walked over to my dresser and pulled out a wrist bag. I opened it up and took out $400 to give to Slash. "Here." I turned and he quickly moved back on the bed like he was doing something. "What did you do?" I furrowed my brows.

"Nothing, well I got to go." He snatched the money out of my hand and pulled me in for a hug and a kiss then darted for the door. He opened it and tried to run out quickly. But I ran after him and stopped him.

"So, you're just going to leave without your boots?" I pointed down to his feet.

"Oh, shit fuck ha-ha." He picked up his boots and ran towards the elevator.

"Slash is everything alright with you?" I asked concerned walking behind him.

"Yeah, Mani just in a hurry I have rehearsals and completely forgot about them." The elevator opened and he got in and left. Ok, now all of that was weird.

I got back into the apartment and locked the door. I went back to my room and noticed his bag of weed still on my bed. Something was up because Slash wouldn't have just left his baggy here like this. I picked it up and threw it in the garbage. I heard the door unlock open and then close.

"Iman sweety are you ready? We have to get you to the airport now?!" Tamara shouted.

"Yup just about!" I shouted back. I picked up my duffel bag. I looked around for my schedule which had all my dates and hotels in it. I would need to take it with me when I travel. I swore I put it on top of my duffel bag. I looked under the bed, on my dresser, in my closet, and even in my bag. But it was nowhere to be found.

So where did I put it?