althea - josh kiszka

chapter 4

After weeks of practicing, Greta Van Fleet was about to perform their very first concert as a complete band. Althea had caught on to the band's style very quickly, and she knew all of their songs as if she'd written them herself. She'd even begun helping with the writing process on a few unfinished songs.

The band had just gotten to the venue - a rough looking bar in Frankenmuth. The guys had played there multiple times, so the crowd was familiar with their music. Although Althea knew how small the show was and how it was so not a big deal, she still couldn't shake the first-performance jitters.

They had just finished unloading all of the equipment and making sure everything was ready to go. Jake was leaning against the stage, looking out across the bar.

"Jake, please have words of wisdom. I'm about to run out of this bar and never come back." Althea said, walking over to him.

"Damn, I wish. I'm just as nervous as you." Jake said, running his hands through his hair.

"Nervous? I thought you didn't get stage anxiety."

"I don't," Jake sighed, looking at Althea, "Jita is coming tonight, she's never seen me perform before."

Oh, that makes more sense.

"Jake!" Althea smiled, her energy rising. "I didn't know you guys were that serious." She said, nudging him with her elbow.

"We're not dating or anything, I just mentioned it and she said she wanted to come. No biggie." He shrugged.

"Mhm," Althea smiled knowingly, "You sure seem all 'no biggie' about it."

"Shut up," Jake said, looking away from her, "I'm already nervous-sweating and you're making it worse."

"Well sorry I'm not in a position to be a love therapist, I can feel my fourth nervous-pee coming on."

"Shit, me too." Sam said, walking up to the pair with Josh and Danny in tow.

"Guys, we have nothing to be nervous about! It's not like any of these guys care about how we do anyway." Josh said, motioning to the uninterested bar goers.

"That's true, look at this guy." Danny laughed, jerking his chin toward a guy at the bar who was currently crying over his bottle of beer, two other bottles sitting on the counter in front of him.

"Damn, tough breakup?" Althea joked.

"We've all been there." Jake said, shaking his head with a smile.

"Alright, go time?" Danny asked, looking up at the clock.

"Go time." Sam smiled.

Here goes nothing, Althea thought as she walked up the steps leading up to the stage.

Josh cleared his throat, adjusting the microphone stand.

"Hello, we're Greta Van Fleet, and we're gonna play you a few songs tonight if that's alright."

A few people whooped and there was a whistle or two, providing some encouragement.

As their set progressed, the nerves melted away and it was obvious in their quality of performance. Danny was banging on his drum set without a care in the world, twirling his drumsticks between his fingers when he had a spare moment. Sam was in another universe, and it was obvious by his distant stare and fluid movements. Jake strutted around the stage confidently, a smirk on his face the entire time. Josh was as vibrant and full of life as ever, his high notes ringing out in a seemingly effortless manner as he used his arms and facial expressions to put on a show. Althea was completely rid of any worries as she got lost in the music, her body responding to the tune like a wave in the ocean. Her hair flew around her in every which way, her eyes closing and her torso leaning forward and back as her fingers flew across the fretboard of her guitar.