Categories > Celebrities > Guns n' Roses > Kindred Spirits
Axl didn’t notice the violent stare she gave him. He missed the way her eyes were red and glassy despite her anger. He didn’t notice the way her nose was a little pink on the tip, never saw how she was hunched over slightly, and it was just an oversight to him when she shrunk into herself as they got started. It went over his head at how hurt and little she looked. She’s a kid.
“We are here to review the case of W. Axl Rose vs. Vera Prince in a libel suit is that correct?” the judge said.
“Yes,” his lawyer agreed for him, she gave a nod of confirmation as did her attorney. Her attorney spoke up first, he was a little man that looked excessively bored at the whole ordeal.
“My client would like to argue that what she wrote, was not intended for any malice.” the attorney droned. “It was told from the character’s perspective.”
“This was not the author’s opinion?” the judge inquired.
“It is now,” Vera pointed out sharply.
“Miss Prince are you familiar with Mr. Rose’s work?” she rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.
“Yes, very familiar,” she answered. “I’ve been listening to him since I was twelve.”
Wow, Axl thought sardonically. Three whole months.
“Yet, you called him-“
“Difficult, plays the victim, makes it really hard to stick up for him sometimes, and it plead with him to grow up already.” she listed off the top of her head. “I didn’t think it was a big secret. He’s the only one that turned it into a trademark. Ask anyone,” he clenched his jaw as the girl went on her voice getting more and more harsh. Her voice had a savage bite, it was dripping with anger that reminded him far too much of someone. “Axl Rose is just as famous for his hairline trigger temperament, as he is for his vocals. So you’ll excuse me I thought it would be relatively inconsequential if I wrote the same things he has heard a million other times.” Now she was giving him flat out deja vu, he was startled when she spun in her chair and got up to stand up in front of him.
“You know why I said all that stuff?” she dared him looking him dead in the eye, despite her anger her eyes revealed she had probably cried right before they got in the room.
“Because it’s true, how do you think I know all this shit? Because this one never shuts the fuck up about any of it. Plus, I’ve got evidence of my own to back it up! It takes five people to break up a band not four. It wasn’t entirely his fault but he still had something to do with it. That’s not even what I’m mad about, look at this situation! You are suing an author because I said you could be mean sometimes.” He opened his mouth but she cut him off, she was genuinely pissed off. “No! For once you’re going to listen someone else for the first time in your adult life. Besides the fucking voices in your head I mean.” The judge yelled at her to sit back down and carry on with the hearing as planned. She completely ignored him as she continued to yell and glare at Axl.
“Had you actually read the book you would know that I wrote many other things about you because I used you as an idol as a backdrop in the novel. You big. Stubborn. Petulant. Moron. I will not write an apology, or a retraction. I will not apologize for my work. I won’t even informally apologize to your face, right in this room. I will not justify or censor my art, that - for the record - is something I learned watching you. So in short - fuck you.” She dropped back in her chair, her shoulders give a resigned slump. “You might want to add verbal assault to your list of complaints. Give him whatever he wants but I’m not apologizing.” she opened her purse and threw something across the table, it was a copy of the book.
“Try actually reading it. Then come and talk to me. You know I was genuinely hoping,” her voice caught as she got up. “that I was wrong about you.” She got up and left leaving him slightly stunned, the judge granted him a month to decide on whether or not he wanted to press charges and take it to trial, now hat he had more of a case. Axl was only half-listening as he took the book and wondered why he didn’t respond. Maybe it was to avoid counter-suit, but maybe she was right. He had to respect her for sticking up to him like that. Something I learned watching you.
She was a smart girl after all.
“We are here to review the case of W. Axl Rose vs. Vera Prince in a libel suit is that correct?” the judge said.
“Yes,” his lawyer agreed for him, she gave a nod of confirmation as did her attorney. Her attorney spoke up first, he was a little man that looked excessively bored at the whole ordeal.
“My client would like to argue that what she wrote, was not intended for any malice.” the attorney droned. “It was told from the character’s perspective.”
“This was not the author’s opinion?” the judge inquired.
“It is now,” Vera pointed out sharply.
“Miss Prince are you familiar with Mr. Rose’s work?” she rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.
“Yes, very familiar,” she answered. “I’ve been listening to him since I was twelve.”
Wow, Axl thought sardonically. Three whole months.
“Yet, you called him-“
“Difficult, plays the victim, makes it really hard to stick up for him sometimes, and it plead with him to grow up already.” she listed off the top of her head. “I didn’t think it was a big secret. He’s the only one that turned it into a trademark. Ask anyone,” he clenched his jaw as the girl went on her voice getting more and more harsh. Her voice had a savage bite, it was dripping with anger that reminded him far too much of someone. “Axl Rose is just as famous for his hairline trigger temperament, as he is for his vocals. So you’ll excuse me I thought it would be relatively inconsequential if I wrote the same things he has heard a million other times.” Now she was giving him flat out deja vu, he was startled when she spun in her chair and got up to stand up in front of him.
“You know why I said all that stuff?” she dared him looking him dead in the eye, despite her anger her eyes revealed she had probably cried right before they got in the room.
“Because it’s true, how do you think I know all this shit? Because this one never shuts the fuck up about any of it. Plus, I’ve got evidence of my own to back it up! It takes five people to break up a band not four. It wasn’t entirely his fault but he still had something to do with it. That’s not even what I’m mad about, look at this situation! You are suing an author because I said you could be mean sometimes.” He opened his mouth but she cut him off, she was genuinely pissed off. “No! For once you’re going to listen someone else for the first time in your adult life. Besides the fucking voices in your head I mean.” The judge yelled at her to sit back down and carry on with the hearing as planned. She completely ignored him as she continued to yell and glare at Axl.
“Had you actually read the book you would know that I wrote many other things about you because I used you as an idol as a backdrop in the novel. You big. Stubborn. Petulant. Moron. I will not write an apology, or a retraction. I will not apologize for my work. I won’t even informally apologize to your face, right in this room. I will not justify or censor my art, that - for the record - is something I learned watching you. So in short - fuck you.” She dropped back in her chair, her shoulders give a resigned slump. “You might want to add verbal assault to your list of complaints. Give him whatever he wants but I’m not apologizing.” she opened her purse and threw something across the table, it was a copy of the book.
“Try actually reading it. Then come and talk to me. You know I was genuinely hoping,” her voice caught as she got up. “that I was wrong about you.” She got up and left leaving him slightly stunned, the judge granted him a month to decide on whether or not he wanted to press charges and take it to trial, now hat he had more of a case. Axl was only half-listening as he took the book and wondered why he didn’t respond. Maybe it was to avoid counter-suit, but maybe she was right. He had to respect her for sticking up to him like that. Something I learned watching you.
She was a smart girl after all.
Sign up to rate and review this story