Walking After You | Dave Grohl

twenty-four

brace yourselves, there's a big one coming. please, don't hate me for this. 

24

"Just the man I wanted to see," Silva called out, meeting them halfway across the lobby. The smile on his face was unusual enough for Dave to know that it carried bad news. Still riding on the high of their perfect day, and afraid whatever was coming would ruin that rush, Dave felt the sudden urge to grab her wrist and run in the opposite direction. The look on his face must've translated his thoughts because the manager quickly threw an arm around his shoulders. "Do you mind if I steal him for a couple of minutes? Thanks," he asked, not leaving time for an answer before pulling him away from Nessa's side and in the direction of the front desk, where Krist and a few people she didn't recognize were already standing, talking quietly amongst themselves.

Nessa noticed how tension lines formed at the center of Dave's forehead as he appeared to be growing frustrated by the conversation. She wasn't able to hear what was being said but could presume it probably had to do with work by the way Dave's face was slowly morphing into pent-up exhaustion. She frowned a little, not wanting to see his day end on a sour note after he had just seemed so happy, but pressed her lips into a tight smile when his eyes met hers, silently trying to let him know that it was okay and that she understood. He had to work, and she was grateful for just being there, standing in the same space as him.

"There goes the full weekend off, huh?" Shelli asked, appearing from behind and taking his place next to Nessa, both arms crossed against her chest and exhibiting a knowing smile. She was used to it by that point, having spent the majority of the time on the road with them, but could empathize with the disappointment of having an already very short time cut even shorter. "From what I've gathered, some big-shot local radio station found out they're staying here and have requested an interview. They're offering good money for the exclusivity as well."

Nessa nodded, finding the works of Dave's chosen career to be fascinating. To be able to see the industry up close would then be understood as both a privilege and a curse, as she realized it took way more than just sheer talent, ambition, and luck to prosper in that world. It took guts. And it took a strong mental build to handle the fact that you were nothing but a pawn in a huge chess game. But she believed Dave had plenty of both. "I'm more concerned about him," she confessed, studying his expressions from afar. "He was excited to have a few days off."

"Dave was excited to see you," Shelli corrected with a light chuckle, softly nudging Nessa's side with her elbow, content to see her cheeks take on a peachy shade of pink. The affection between Nessa and Dave could be seen from a distance, still painted by the adolescent innocence of someone's first love since they were never granted the time to actually enjoy it. "You should've seen him. After you wrote back saying you were coming down here, it was all he could talk about for days. He was pumped, playing twice as hard each show."

Nessa turned to look at her recently made friend, diverting her eyes away from the meeting happening at the front desk. She was thankful for the kind words warming her troubled heart. "Well, the feeling was mutual," she said, remembering how she'd been a giddy mess during the weeks before the trip, so much so that she couldn't concentrate in class and even her students took notice. "It's so weird that lately, I've been seeing him more often on tv than in person."

"I know," Shelli agreed, showing her an empathetic smile. Then, she sighed once the boys started making their way toward them while management disappeared into the elevator quarters. "Think about it this way, though," she started. "All of this is weird for them, too. They're living a very different life, and yet he still hasn't changed a bit. That has to mean something, right?"