Long Time No See

Chapter 2

I rolled over and my head flooded with pain. I groaned. I picked my suitcase up of the floor and opened it wide. Pulling back the curtain, I was blinded by sunlight. My window overlooked the back garden; a pool. Perfect. I pulled out a bikini and slipped it on, pulling shorts and a singlet over it.

Walking downstairs I entered a room I had guessed was the kitchen. I was right. Izzy greeted me with a smile.

"Here you might need this," he handed me a glass of water.

"Thanks," I took it gratefully, smiling. "I saw a pool out back, I feel like a cold pool would be very refreshing right now."

"It's funny, the guys had the same idea. We're having a barbecue by the pool, I came to check if you were up." He grinned.

"Amazing." I smile back.

I walk out into the sun, taking in the heat. It was never this warm in England. Axl and Slash stood talking by the barbecue, Steven was lying on a sun lounger with Duff next to him. I took of my shorts and top and suddenly felt eyes on me. Axl wolf whistled and I responded kindly sticking up my middle finger at him, laughing. I dropped my clothes into a pile, and sat down on the edge of the pool with my feet in the water. Ah.

A minute or so passed when my sunlight was blocked by something tall. I looked up squinting, using my hand to create shade for my eyes.

"Mind if I join you?" Duff said starting to sit down.

"Feel free," I said gesturing to the pool edge.

He sat down and placed his legs into the water. It took me a minute to realise he was shirtless and I tried pathetically to stop myself from gawking.

The wind suddenly picked up and my brown hair whipped around my face. It died down again but my hair remained tousled. Duff picked up a piece of hair in my eyes between two of his fingers and tucked it behind my ear.

"Thanks," I say sheepishly.

"No problem," he says smiling at me. Why was he so damn attractive?

"What are you doing tonight?" Duff asks out of nowhere.

"Umm nothing I suppose, it's not like I know anyone here."

"Would you like me to show you around a bit? I imagine it's a bit different from England."

I smiled thinking back to rainy England, "sure I'd love to."

"Great," he smiled.

"Lunch is ready!" Slash shouted from the outdoor table, laying down a plate of sausages. Duff picked himself up from the pool edge and extended a hand to help me up. I gripped onto his arm and pulled myself up. As I did, my foot caught on the drain and I started falling backwards. I hit the water with a splash. After resurfacing flustered, I realised I hadn't released from Duff's grip and had consequently pulled him in with me. How embarrassing.

"I'm so sorry," I blurted, humiliated.

Duff started laughing hysterically flicking his hair out of his face very sexily. I was also conscious of the others laughing and found my self laughing with them. Duff then wrapped an arm around me signalling that it was ok that I had just drenched him. I pushed up out the pool and Steven threw me a towel. Duff climbed out after me and we all sat around the table.

"I don't remember you being that clumsy Sasha," Axl looked at me with a gleam in his eye.

"Neither do I," I responded truthfully, making Axl chuckle.

After a while we had finished lunch and lay around in the sun a bit more, with the occasional swim. Before I knew it the sun was setting and I went to my room to prepare for my tour from Duff. I wanted to look nice but not too dressed up, I thought as I stepped into the shower. I rinsed my hair thoroughly, removing the chlorine, and dried off. I wrapped the towel around my body and stared at my suitcase. Feeling the sudden urge to unpack, I started folding clothes from my suitcase and placing them into the oak chest of drawers on the corner of the room.
A knock on the door startled me from my monotonous unpacking. I looked up as the door clicked open. It was Axl. He looked at me in my towel, which I forgot I was wearing.

"Oh crap sorry Sasha," he apologised.

"No no don't worry," I laughed, "how can I help?"

"Well I was thinking that we haven't really had a chance to properly catch up just the two of us. So I was wondering if one night I could take you to dinner and we could catch up."

"Well I can't do tonight, but tomorrow night sounds good," I smiled.

"Perfect," he returned the smile. "Out of curiosity why can't you do tonight?"

"Duff is showing me around the city a bit," I looked at him.

"Oh is he now?" Axl smiled, but his eyes seemed to indicate differently. "Ok well I'll leave you to unpack," he said as he shut the door.

I finished unpacking after a while and pulled on a nice outfit, similar to last nights, put on some makeup and sorted out my hair.

I walked downstairs where Duff was waiting. He smiled, "ready to go?"

"Yup," I looked him up and down. He wore a shirt unbuttoned until the end, where it was tied, and a pair of tight black jeans. He looked good.

"You look great by the way," he said as we walked out of the driveway.

"Thanks, so do you," I responded. I needed to work on my conversational skills.

"So where are you from?" I asked, curious.

"Seattle," he responded.

"What's that like?"

"Isolated and cold for a lot of the year. Not many people come up there as its so far away but I still love it."

"I've heard of a few other bands from there," I pause. "Umm Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and a few others. I think that the Nirvana drummer, Dave is really cute."

"Do you think I'm cute?" Duff says looking at me, smirking.

I playfully hit him, "I'll tell you but you can't tell Duff," I giggled giving him a clear wink.

"I promise," Duff chuckled back.

"I think that Duff," I paused for effect, "is very self absorbed," I finished giving him a devious look.

Duff pulled a face, pretending to act offended at my joke. "Well if that's the case then you can walk home yourself," he said pretending to storm off.

"No Duff wait!" I exclaimed laying on the damsel in distress voice, "I would die without you! Come back you're my soulmate," I said placing the back of my hand to my forehead dramatically.

"I thought so," he said grinning. He ran back towards me and picked me up like a fireman, cradled in his arms. I started laughing as he rocked me like a small child.

We walked for a long time around the city. Eventually Duff took me to this secluded area away from all the noise.

"I come here to get away," Duff looked at me in the dim light.

"It's beautiful," I said looking out over the view of a busy night.

"Like you."

I looked over at Duff surprised. I could swear he didn't like me like that. Despite my thoughts, Duff leaned in closer. Closer. My eyes explored his face, and then his lips compressed against mine and they fluttered shut.

So I wrote all of this in the car on an 8 hour journey and I'm shattered so it may be truly awful but thanks to anyone who reads it!