Fading to Black // Kirk Hammett

3. Stairway to Heaven

July 28th, 1983

-

It's been three fucking days and I still can't get that guy out of my head for the life of me. I've tried everything. I saw him on Monday and it's fucking Thursday.

I tried non-stop playing guitar, I seriously played for 12 hours straight til' my hands were bleeding and I physically couldn't play it anymore from the pain being unbearable.

Despite taking a break to put some bandaids on my fingers, didn't work.

Next day, I tried smoking a shit-ton of weed. Again, non-stop all day. That worked up until I passed out, or at least I thought it did til' I woke back up and saw that I drew him in my fucking notebook.

So, didn't work.

Then yesterday, I ended up going to a bar with Cliff, and getting totally shit-faced. I guess I ended up crying about it to Cliff for some reason.

So again, wasn't working.

Today was the day that new guy was coming to the bands practice. I was going with Cliff since apparently James really wants me to meet the guy for some reason. I'm not really sure why, but oh well. It won't hurt to meet the dude.

I threw on a white wrap-top that I had, along with some baggy jeans, and my black converse.

I ran outside and slid into the passenger seat of Cliffs car. He turned the car on and began driving off to James's.

I put in a mixtape, that I found in Cliffs glovebox, and Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven started playing. This was probably one of my favorite songs to ever exist. Sure it was popular, and sorta over played, but that doesn't take away that it's an amazing song.

I rolled the window down and hung my arm out the window, taking in a breath of the fresh air blowing in the car.

By the time the song had ended, we had finally arrived at James's.

Cliff and I walked in greeting the guys, I went over to give James a hug.

"Is that guy here yet?" I asked looking up at him.

"Not yet, He should be here in about 10." He said, while holding my shoulders.

"Okay cool, we'll Im gonna go downstairs and play guitar for a few minutes then." I smiled at them and began walking downstairs.

I plugged in James's, spare black and white, flying V. I tuned it and then started playing Stairway to Heaven on it since the song was now repeatedly echoing through my head.

I repeated the intro a few times, practicing it so that I could finally get it down perfectly. A few moments later I heard talking coming down the stairs since I didn't have the amp turned up too loud.

"Who's playing guitar down here?" A familiar sounding voice questioned.

"Oh that's Cliffs sister, the one I wanted you to meet." I heard James say enthusiastically.

I heard them walk the rest of the way down the stairs, but I was so focused on what I was doing to pay much attention to them.

"Hailey!" James shouted.

I immediately shot my head up towards him, and shifted my eyes to the shorter guy standing next to him.

No. Fucking. Way.

It was the fucking guy from the record store.

He widely smiled at me with crooked teeth, "Well hey you."

God he was adorable.

He walked over and sat down next to me, still smiling.

"You two know eachother?" James looked at us extremely confused.