You Drive Me Wild

Chapter 4: How Wonderful Life Is

Izzy knew he had to step in if he was going to save their band from self implosion. Their manager went to "speak" with Axl then Slash but nobody told him what the argument was about, or why everyone was such in a pissy rotten mood so his berating of the guys did little to resolve anything.

 Once Izzy sorted out Axl, knowing Slash would come around on his own, that left the crew on the bus to deal with. Most were chill guys, loyal, and hardworking, they'd keep their mouths shut for the right incentive or simply by being asked nicely. 

He'd let Steven handle that part. Poor Duff was currently drinking out the mini fridge of their complimentary small liquor bottles. Once those small plastic bottles were done, and had in his grasp a bottle of vodka. His plan was to drink into oblivion. Izzy felt for the guy. What a shitty way for this to all come out. 

Fucking Axl and his big fucking mouth. Izzy knew he had to talk sense into his best friend. For all their sakes and the future of their band. Their fucking album just debut and although sales were slow, they really just begun. This was their FIRST official tour and already it had gone down the shitter in a matter of only a few fucking weeks! 

Axl didn't immediately answer the door after Izzy knocked a few times. 

"Axl it's Izzy open the fucking door man. We gotta talk!" 

Friends since their early Indiana days, Izzy knew Axl better than anyone, where he came from, what shit he dealt with, and went through. Religious trauma, family trauma, arrests from overzealous asshole cops, never quite fitting in, the anger, mixed with some good times during their first band days. Axl now had a control freak streak inside him along with a demon of pure rage and agony that'd rear itself during stressful times. But sometimes, Axl was a fucking asshole and needed to be put in place. 

Finally the door opened. Axl was looking downward, almost contrite. There was also a nice bruise swelling on his cheek. Courtesy of one enraged Slash. 

Izzy let himself in. 

"Look Izzy I know what you're gonna say but it's those two FUCKING FAULT. Shit what the fuck were they thinking hooking up? They're not gay! They love fucking chicks, Duff has a girl back home, what the fuck?!" 

So he was still very hung up about the why? Sometimes he got like that. Almost obsessive over details in such an intense manner. It was just one of the many odd things about Axl. 

"Drop it Axl, the problem isn't them hooking up, it's you exposing the band like that! To the crew! The bus driver! Shit all we need is bad press and that's ON YOU! Not them. They've manage to keep it under wraps until this afternoon on the bus where you lost your shit because...why they're fucking and that bothers you? It's their business not yours!" 

Honestly he could never really figure out what would trigger Axl into one of his foul moods, or rampages. Sure he'd see a certain gleam in Axl's eye, or a particular expression that was a warning sign but often it seemingly came out of nowhere, at least to him, and others. Only Axl knew what set him off and he was unlikely to ever share. 

"You're mad at me? They're the ones threatening the band with their antics! They're acting selfish putting themselves above the goddamn band! The band comes first! They're putting the band at risk!"

"And that should have been discussed by US in private! Not on the fucking bus!" Izzy really wanted to throttle Axl about now. 

Axl kicked the wall, swore up a storm before plopping down on the bed with a long drawn out sigh. 

"....I know I should have handled it better on the bus. I just saw them...and it pissed me off. Like they don't understand or cared what their actions meant for everyone! For me! I told Slash they had to split up, or one or both had to leave the band."