✯𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞✯

None of the guys felt like driving to get all their instruments, so Izzy just got his guitar, Slash got Izzy's extra acoustic guitar that he had, and Duff grabbed his bass and amp out of his car.

The five of them sat around Izzy's living room trying to piece the song together. Izzy and Slash came up with their riffs. Duff came up with some of his smooth, deep melodies. Steven came up with a drum beat by banging his hands on the coffee table. And Axl started singing some lyrics while they all tried to put it all together.

About 30 minutes passed and Samara returned home. "Oh there she is." Slash said as she walked into the house."Hi." she said, closing the door behind her. "Let me guess. You're Duff?" she asked, looking at Duff as he looked back up at her."I am." he replied with smile."There," Axl said, "she finally got to meet him. Is everyone happy now?""Man, are you still mad about that?" Izzy asked with an laugh."I not mad. I just don't get why everyone loves Duff so much." he replied."Oh, thanks Axl. Love you too." Duff said jokingly as he took a drink from the last beer bottle. "We're out of beer." he said, sounding defeated."We can get more tomorrow." Axl replied. "We have an interview in the morning, no more drinking tonight." he explained."Okay, mom." Steven joked."Yeah, whatever." Slash chimed in. "Come on ladies, let's go home so we can wake up bright and early tomorrow." Slash said sarcastically as he stood up off the couch. The rest of the guys got up along with him."Can I stay here?" Steven asked, looking at Duff.Duff just looked confused for a second, not understanding why Steven was asking him "I don't care. Ask Izzy, it's his house." he replied.Steven just turned around to look at Izzy and he didn't have to say a word before getting an answer."You can stay, Stevie. Just don't be running around the house in the middle of the night and don't raid the fridge again." "Yes!" Steven whispered with an excited smile.

After Duff, Slash, and Axl left, Izzy and Samara decided to go to bed while Steven was already asleep on the couch."Wait," they heard as they started walking up the steps. "Samara, you wanna have a sleepover with me in the living room?" Steven asked."Steven, no. Go to sleep. Stop trying to sleep with my girlfriend." Izzy replied."Oh, so Axl can fuck my girlfriend and put it in a song and it's fine but when I fuck somebody's girlfriend, it's wrong?" "Steven... if that's your issue, then fuck Axl's girlfriend not mine. I had nothing to do with that." Izzy told him before the two of them walked back upstairs, Samara laughing and Izzy just shaking his head.

"Are you okay?" Samara asked him as they were going to sleep."What do you mean?" he asked."You've been quiet... and all straightforward and weird." she explained."I'm always quiet, straightforward, and weird." he replied.She just laughed a little. "No really though, I mean more than normal. You just seem off, like something's bothering you.""No, I'm good." Izzy said."Are you sure?""Yep." "I mean I know you might not want to talk about it, but-""Nothing's wrong!" Izzy snapped, cutting her off.Samara just paused for a second."Sorry. I'm just tired, that's all." he explained. "I've only slept an hour in the past two days. I'm okay, I promise. Now go to sleep, I love you." he reassured her before giving her a kiss on the head.She just smiled a little. "Good night. I didn't mean to bother you.""No, it's okay you were just trying to make sure I was okay. Now really, go to sleep before I fall asleep while you're talking and hurt your feelings and make me feel bad." he said with a smile and she smiled back before rolling over and dozing off.

✰☆✰

Izzy and Steven had gotten ready to go to the interview where they would meet the rest of the guys. Samara stayed at home, and the two of them got in Izzy's car and started driving to the studio.

"Did you set Mikayla's house on fire?" Steven asked, catching Izzy off guard and making him almost slam on the brakes."Wh- why- I- what?" Izzy asked nervously."I don't know man, you just seem pretty off about the whole thing." Steven shrugged. "I mean, I wouldn't put it past you. You're kinda scary." "What's that supposed to mean?" Izzy asked in response with a confused tone."Well not in a bad way. Like in a cool, intimidating way. You know?""I guess." Izzy said as he turned on the radio to try and stop the conversation.

When they arrived at the studio, Axl, Slash, and Duff were standing outside smoking as they waited for Steven and Izzy."Let's get this over with." Izzy said, walking into the building past the other guys and they threw their cigarettes down as they followed in behind him.

✰☆✰

The interviewer let all the guys introduce themselves and they told their names and what they play.

As the interview went on, Izzy kind of just tuned everything out as he sat there bored and lost in thought. That was until the interviewer started talking to him.

"So Izzy," he said, grabbing Izzy's attention and snapping him out of his daydreamy state. "We've gotten word that your ex girlfriend, Mikayla Black, tragically passed away in a house fire just a couple days ago. Is there anything you'd want to say about the situation?" "Karma's a bitch." Izzy said blankly before taking a drag of his cigarette."Well, alright then." the interviewer said laughing a little before quickly moving on to the next question.

With that, Izzy finally realized something. Throughout this whole thing, he'd learned a pretty valuable lesson; one that would stick with him forever...

Maybe being the quiet guy isn't such a bad thing after all.