Book 2: She's Out To Please (Duff McKagan FanFic)

Ch. 12: School Shopping

"Holy shit! Look at that beaut!" Slash whistled, ogling the window display of a nearby motorcycle shop. Izzy and I followed his gaze to see leather jackets and chained wallets dangling just behind the shimmering glass. Obviously, he was talking about the centerpiece of the exhibition: a studded leather jacket, decked out in various patches. "I'd give my left nut for a jacket like that!"

While none of us had any source of transportation, let alone an awesome motorcycle to cruise around on, we all had an undying love for leather and chains. This store happened to have both, and at a hefty price! I nearly collapsed into a fatal conniption when I leaned over to check the price of the leather jacket that hung so provocatively in the window.

"With prices like this, you might have to give up both!" I muttered, reluctantly peeling myself away from the shop and continuing on down the sidewalk. Izzy followed soon after.

Slash stayed rooted to the spot, watching after Izzy and I longingly as though he couldn't believe that we were just going to leave the jacket behind. When he finally realized we weren't turning back around, he let out an exasperated moan before stomping off after us.

It was hard to say no to such a groovy item of clothing, but my wallet wouldn't budge. Besides, we weren't shopping for our next night out at the bar. We were here for proper school teacher attire. My proper school teacher attire. God, that was hard to wrap my mind around!

I still couldn't believe that Kaz had managed to convince Aunt Lois to promote me. When I told the guys about it, they were just as shocked as I had been. Even Izzy, and life didn't take him by surprise very much anymore. As a smack dealer and band member, he had pretty much seen it all. Except for Duff McKagan as a high school English teacher, apparently.

Today, I had somehow persuaded Slash and Izzy both to go shopping with me. And by "shopping", I don't mean the usual "Let's go get groceries and cut coupons" definition that it usually means. No, no. I'm talkin' Izzy checking to make sure the coast is clear while Slash and I stuff our pants with expensive clothes.

At this point, the whole gang was pretty crafty when it came to shop lifting, but I was robbing a high class store today. One of the only stores in the area that held all of the ritzy clothes that people who went to the private school might wear. I needed my best men for the job.

Izzy specialized in observation and always managed to stay under the radar despite his dingy appearance. He was the perfect look out; an invisible eye. Slash, on the other hand, was loud. At times, he could be pugnacious, clumsy, and he stuck out like a sore thumb with his wild afro and lit cigarette. Despite this, he always walked away from high security stores with a decent amount of treasures. I mean, without him, half of my wardrobe might still be hanging in the back room of the Good Will on Hoover Street.

"Man, this is lame," Slash grunted, catching up to Izzy and me as we stopped in front of the posh store I'd been searching for. "I mean, I wouldn't have agreed to come if I had known we were going school shopping."

I rolled my eyes at his childlike attitude. Sure, Slash was a chill dude and we got along the majority of the time. But sometimes, he showed a far more immature side-usually when he was high on something or other-and it always proved to show how he and Steven managed to be such great friends. Both could be extremely juvenile when they wanted to be.

"This is important, okay? I'm a teacher now, and I have to dress the part if I want to make some money. Now, are you with me or not?" I demanded, turning to glance at him.

He frowned, but nodded. "Whatever helps pay the bills, man. But you owe me one."

I watched as the guitarist stepped inside, goosebumps popping up along my skin at the blast of A/C that escaped into the hot, Cali air as he entered the building.