Reverberation - Guns N Roses Fanfiction

EIGHT - the diner

September 14th, 1991

Izzy and I roamed the streets--opting to leave the car where it was since it was such a good parking spot and I knew the space would be gone by the time we got back for the balloons. He seemed apprehensive about it at first, ("Won't we get tired walking?") but I managed to talk some sense into him ("Oh, Izzy--innocent, naive, Izzy--in a town like this, it doesn't matter. You walk too far and you'll end up right back where you started, anyway.").

The eatery we stumbled upon for our late lunch was 50's-themed, with checkered black-and-white flooring and a jukebox in the back corner playing Elvis Presley's Hound Dog. The colour scheme was bright and basic--red, black, and white. The waitresses were all young, scarlet-lipped, and skinny, and paid no heed to us as we entered the establishment with a light jingle of the bell on the door.

"Booth or window?" I asked him, inquiring about our equally-appealing seating options.

"I'm leaning towards window, I think."

"I think so, too," I smiled, following Izzy to the table a few steps away. I was quite surprised, but not at all opposed, when he pulled out my chair for me, and wondered if he'd ever even thought of doing that for me--or anyone--back in '85, when heroin was his oxygen. "Oh, thanks."

He just nodded, a small smile playing across his features.

Almost immediately, a waitress came over to hand us the menus, and asked us what we'd like to drink. I ordered a water, and Izzy did the same. It was then that I began to wonder... Izzy and I were so alike in some ways--our quiet demeanours, the similar senses of humour, our generally introverted habits. What if we'd led different lives, met in different circumstances and saw each other in a different light... would we have been--together? If so, would our personalities compliment one another's, or would it be almost too easy--too dull? Although... could it ever hurt to try? Could certain perfection unleash displeasurable monotony?

"You're supposed to open the menu--you know, read it--in order to use it properly, I think," Izzy suggested with a light, amicable tone.

I removed my fixed gaze from the closed menu in my hands and caught his suspicious eye. I chuckled, "Sorry. I was just..."

"Lost in thought?" Izzy smirked a little.

I paused. "Yeah, you could say that."

His grin faltered slightly. "Is there something on your mind?"

I took a moment to think of something to say, "Sort of. It's no big deal. I was just..."

Should I tell the truth--or a little fib?

Go with your gut.

"Thinking about before."

"Before...?" Izzy raised his eyebrows.

I glanced down at the open menu propped in my hands. Took a deep breath, closed it, and met his gaze boldly.

"I mean before I left LA, when I was with you all. I was just wondering what could have went different; and what if we'd led different lives? Would we still have met?" I shrugged. "Just some food for thought."

He frowned a bit, considering my words. "It's certainly something to think about. But... when you say 'we' do you mean all the guys, or just... you and I?"

A blush swept softly across my cheeks. "Well... if I'm being honest, I was just thinking of us..."

"Oh, that's--"

"Are you guys ready to order?" a perky voice chirped to my right. I jumped a little, so startled that my heart momentarily paused its pumping.

It was the waitress who'd given us the menus, and she had arrived with our drinks.

"Yeah," I said, and smiled awkwardly--at both Izzy and the waitress.

"Perfect!" the bubbly blonde cheered, then proceeded to take our orders. Once we'd finished, she said with words drenched in curiosity, "I'm sorry, I just have to ask--you two seem so sweet--how long have you been together?"

My breath shuttered in my throat and I nearly fell out of my chair. Izzy seemed to be feeling the same way. "I--uh," I choked out a laugh, "we--aren't--I mean, a couple--"

"Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry," said the woman, bringing a hand to her head. "I don't know what I was thinking!"

"No, it's okay," I assured her with a tentative smile.

"Okay," she cringed. "Well, I'll be back as soon as possible with your orders."

The two of us offered her sympathetic smiles.

As soon as she left, I slouched in my seat, letting out a breath. "Well, that was awkward."

Izzy huffed a laugh, and, avoiding eye contact, pulled his glass forward to take a sip. "Tell me about it."

-

We had passed time in the diner by looking out the window, watching pedestrians pass by, and gave them fictitious identities--keeping them humorous but believable. During this time, we'd also ordered an extra plate of fries and a chocolate shake each to munch on as we meandered on in our game of judgement.

We arrived back just in time for the balloons. Actually, the first one was already in the air by the time we reached the Mrs. Dunsters parking lot again.

"Man, did we miss it?" Izzy seemed genuinely disappointed.

"No, you dumbass," I said, "there are like twenty of them--and they add more each year. So, trust me, we did not miss it."

He just stared at the sky, at the gigantesque figure looming over fields and forests, its shadow caught in perpetual motion, gliding over the hillsides.

"It sounds a lot more boring than it actually is, huh?" I commented, elbowing him gently in the side. Izzy elbowed me with equal force back, keeping his eyes to the sky.

"Yeah, for sure," he told me, finally shifting his gaze to my own. I smiled brightly at him.

I turned to look at the small carnival rides to the left of the field where the balloons were sent off, and then the small arena where I knew there were tables set up with otherwise-unknown businesses selling their goods to the crowds. Between that building and the rides were the food trucks and picnic tables, seagulls and crows squawking above all the greasy, spicy, and sweet snacks.

Childhood. This felt like my childhood all over again.

Suddenly, an idea collided head-first into my brain. He seemed to notice a change in my features, and raised his eyebrows in silent question.

"I have the perfect idea," I told him, my grin doing most of the talking for me.

"What is it?"

"Come on," I said, and took him by the hand, "We have to hurry."

-

Short but sweet :') who are these two & how dare they steal my heart

-megan xx

ps. there's like a fckin heat wave happening rn I just wanted to share that bc it's like INSANELY HOT
also I read an amazing book called the knife of never letting go by patrick ness and I need everyone I know to read it thanks bye
also also I have SO MANY shifts this month it is .., crazy how big my paycheck is gonna be