✯𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐨✯

Izzy stumbled out of bed before walking down the stairs and into his kitchen. Trying to kill his headache, he made some coffee and sat down at his kitchen table. He noticed that the slip of paper he'd received the night before was lying on the table in front of him. He fumbled with the paper as he finished his coffee, debating on whether or not he should call the number.

'Here we go again.' he thought to himself as he made his way over to the phone. He dialed the number and waited anxiously for someone to pick up as the line rang. No answer. 'Shit.'

"Hey, uh- it's Izzy... from last night. I'd love to hang out sometime... call back when you get the chance.", he spoke before putting the phone back on the hook. And now we wait.

✰☆✰

Slash, Axl, Duff, and Steven had all come over unannounced and were hanging around the house. Izzy, Slash, and Duff were sitting on the couch when the phone rang. "Someone important?" Slash asked with a joking tone as Izzy stood up from the couch.Izzy just ignored him and started walking to the phone. But before he got to the phone, Axl had already beat him to it."Mr. Stradlin's residence, this is his manager speaking. How may I be of your assistance?" Axl spoke in a fake, 'fancy' tone."Give me the phone, fucker!" Izzy snapped as he snatched the phone from Axl's hand; Axl just laughed as he walked away."Sorry, just ignore him. This is Izzy." "Hey! It's Samara, from last night. You said you wanted to get together sometime?""Yeah, yeah... whenever you're free. Doesn't really matter; I'm rarely busy. You pick a time and a place; I'll be there.""Hmm... alright. Meet me at that one fancy place beside that ice cream shop in north Hollywood, tomorrow night at 7.""Sounds good to me. See you then." Izzy smiled."Yeah you will." Samara replied playfully before hanging up.

"Oooh who was that?" Slash joked in a girly tone as Izzy walked back into the living room."Your mom." Izzy snapped back with a sarcastic tone.The rest of the group just laughed at his comeback.

"So, did you finally get rid of that crazy bitch?" Axl asked."Yeah, thankfully." Izzy replied taking a sip from his wine glass."You know it's bad when even Axl thinks she's too fucked up in the head." Slash laughed."Seriously, dude. She's fucking insane." Duff chimed in."Was she really that bad?" Steven questioned."Yes." the rest of the group replied simultaneously."Well alright then." Steven shrugged.

✰☆✰

The rest of the guys decided to go out and party, but Izzy insisted on staying home."You sure you don't wanna go with us, Iz?" Duff asked him, sliding on his denim jacket as the four of them were getting ready to leave."Really, I'm fine. I'd rather just hang out here, alone. I'm not feeling the crowd tonight." Izzy reassured him."Suit yourself, weirdo." Slash replied jokingly and gave him a pat on the back before the guys walked out the door."Your loss." Axl chimed in as he followed Slash outside."Later, dude. Come hang if you change your mind." Steven told him before closing the door and walking out to the car.

Instead of going out and partying with his friends, Izzy spent his evening alone, buried in his thoughts, contemplating everything and all his past decisions. 'Why do I put myself through this? Why am I not good enough? What's the point? Could she be different? What if she's actually the one? What if I hurt her? I don't deserve her. She shouldn't have to deal with the shit I have going on. Why would I put her through that. She seems so nice. She actually has her shit together. She's too good for me.'That's exactly why he continued to get himself into all those shitty relationships; the ones that left him in shambles and ripped him apart more and more each time. He didn't think he deserved anyone better than the others. He didn't think he deserved to be happy. He thought he'd just disappoint anyone good that he tried to be with. He didn't think he was good enough.

Izzy never gave himself a break. He never let himself enjoy anything. He never tried to get help. He didn't even realize he needed help. He'd dug himself so deep into this mental hell that he'd created for himself in his own mind, that he couldn't see how far he'd gone. He couldn't see the light at the end shining through anymore. He couldn't tell how far he was going. He lost hope of getting out; so he stopped trying. He stopped caring. After being there for so long, that became his normal. He forgot he was there.

Before he went to bed, Izzy thought to himself. 'Maybe she'll realize what a piece of shit I am and ditch me. I can't do it, what if I hurt her feelings? I hope she does, she doesn't deserve all this bullshit I got going on.'With that thought lingering in his mind, he drifted off to sleep, anxiously awaiting the next evening.

✰☆✰