Ripping Wounds [James Hetfield]

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

March 1983

It's been 3 months since the last time had gone to a local pub and performed there. 3 months since she met two geeky-looking young men, one with dirty blonde long hair, and another one with shining dark brown hair, looking a bit pale than his friend. 3 months since the accident that made her not being able to go on stage and play her guitar for quite some times.

Today's a normal day on spring as a high school student had ended for Lexy when the ringing noise roared from the school bell. The fields in front of school were glade green and filled with bunch of students who were eager to enjoy the sun, including Lexy. Although, something seemed unusual for her. The young man she knew very well, sat inside his old navy blue Mustang car with a smoking cigarette between his fingers.

"Hey, Cliff!" Lexy hit the car's door with her palm as she's looking inside. "There's no class for a 21-year-old man here, what are you doing?" She said playfully.

"Am I not allowed to come here? I used to study in this school, you know," Cliff answered as he squinted his eyes due to thick white smoke flew out of his mouth. 

"Ooh it's just strange to see you around here. Are you trying to hit on some chicks here? Damn I'll tell Audrey. . ." She chuckled, slowly walking away from that old car as she jokingly threatened him that she would tell Audrey, his girlfriend at that time.

Cliff was totally done with her jokes that beeped the horn and tucked his head out of the side window. "I'm here to pick you up!"

"What?" She stopped and turned her body around, just to make sure if she heard the right thing. Not going to lie, but the butterfly inside her started to ramble. This meant she didn't have to go home!

He reversed his car, stopped right beside Lexy. "Remember those guys in L.A. who asked me to join their band?"

"The ones that keep calling you every day?"

"Yeah, I'll catch up with 'em. The blonde guy who was hitting on you would be happy to see you again. Come in."

"Oh shut up," she scoffed and proceed to get her place on the seat beside Cliff. Apparently today was her lucky day. She didn't have to come home and feel the pressure her brother gave her every single time she came back from anywhere, interrogating her with bunch of nonsense. "So, you're finally joining them?" The first question from her as Cliff stepped on the gas gently. 

"Don't know it yet . They asked me to jam a few songs and see what's gonna happen."

"Good for you. 'Looking for the bassist called Cliff Burton from Bay Area' wouldn't be the headline on every newspaper now," she chuckled, remembering the moment when she visited his house, and his father, Ray Burton, would complain and ask him what trouble he caused that his name had to appear on newspaper. Cliff would've explained why his name was on the newspaper and Ray would always ask and ask again.

"Exactly. This is why I wanna jam  with them so they stop calling." The build-in radio started humming bluesy songs by Thin Lizzy. It was definitely a chilling day for both of them. Cliff loved Thin Lizzy, and Lexy. . . well, every time she's with Cliff then everything else doesn't matter.

After a solid 30 minutes ride from Castro Valley to El Cerrito with full of singing and humming, they finally made it in front of a small pastel green-painted house with a big window facing front. Anyone who passed the road in front of it could see from the window that there were at least 10 people huddled in the small house.

"James! The bassist is here! And shit, look who's coming with him," a loud childish voice slowly faded in as Lars ran towards the front door, with a smirk on his white pale face.