False Starts || Dave Grohl

Chapter 17

"Always Coming Back, I Could Not Forget You Girl"

April 29, 1991

Olympia, WA

Dave sat across from me, bags under his tired eyes and facial hair outlining his chin and upper lip from having not shaved in a couple days. He was frantically scribbling lyrics into one of his spiral notebooks while I tiredly sat across from him, holding his free hand in mine.

Neither of us were able to sleep, too eager for our departure to Los Angeles in a few hours.  Eventually we gave up, tired of tossing and turning in our queen-sized bed, and made our way to a 24-hour coffee shop down the street.

Since we arrived, Dave has been silently writing while I watched. A kind smile on my face whenever he'd look up. It was a nice change of pace and scenery.

"What do you think?" He flipped the book around so I could read the lyrics messily displayed on the page, some scribbled out and replaced with something else. "It's not finished yet."

'Alone + Easy Target' was splayed across the top of the page, larger than everything else. "Could you play it for me when we go home?"

"What do I get in return for this free show?" He winked playfully, pulling the small book back across the table. "I don't perform for just anyone Rosemary."

I release his hand, crossing my arms over my chest to seem like I was thinking. "I'll wash your laundry while we're in Los Angeles."

"I was thinking of something a little more..." He glances around the empty shop before leaning forward, "pleasurable."

Following his lead, I lean forward into my forearms until our foreheads touched. Using my pointer and middle fingers to slowly walk up his arm. "I might need a little convincing."

"Oh yeah?" His voice was smooth as he breathed the words out. "I may be able to arrange something."

It was nice to feel like we were finally back to having a normal relationship. Some days felt awkward and forced, but I knew they were inevitable. Dave and I went through a trauma together and it'll take time to completely get back to our old selves.

"Hey," his voice pulled me out of my thoughts, "I love you."

"You're a cheeseball."

I thought he was leaning in to kiss me, but it was too late when I realized he had other plans. His tongue slid up my cheek, grazing the corner of my mouth in the process, causing me to jolt away from the brunette man.

As a result of my quick movements, the chair I was sitting on flipped backwards, sending me to the hard floor below. "Shit," I groan.

Dave couldn't hold back his humored laughter as he knelt down next to me. "Guess you really did fall for me."

"Fucker," I mutter under my breath while taking his extended hand. He did his best to cover up his laughter but the shit eating grin on his face made it evident he was still laughing. The barista eyed the two of us with curiosity as he wrapped me into a hug. "Remember who you're sharing a seat with during this drive Grohl."

He leans back, "I'm so scared Pierce."

His words and the cocky smirk on his face tempted me to tease him, but I wasn't in the mood for a public indecency charge this early in the morning. "I hate you."

"You wound me." He places his hand over his heart before leaning down to finally press a light kiss to my lips. The feeling of his mouth against mine caused every negative emotion I was feeling to evaporate. My hands moving up to hold his face and deepen the kiss. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine. "We should probably head back."