Her eyes immediately landed on Dave, who sat on Nate's front steps, pat and nate beside him. They saw Julia, and stood up, helping their drunken friend up off his ass.
Julia felt a mixture of anger and relief. She was angry that she had been awaken from her slumber, angry she had driven all the way to Nate's house to retrieve her shitfaced ex-fiancé, angry that her journey to move on from him had been derailed. But she was also relieved, relieved to see that he was ok, and in company of two sober friends, relieved to see his face again.
She leaned over the center console, and opened the passenger door. Nate and Pat dropped him into the front seat, his head immediately snapping up so he could see Julia.
She was further saddened by his warm, chocolate eyes, which were bloodshot from crying that night, and Dave felt immense relief, like he had taken a breath that had been suppressed for so, so long.
He observed Julia as she talked with Nate and pat. He relished in her beauty, lucky to have the makings of such an incredible woman next to him. He barely noticed as pat reached through the window and patted his shoulder, absolutely mesmerized by Julia.
Nate and Pat went back inside, and Julia let out a heavy breath, leaning back against her seat, her eyes falling shut as she collected herself. Dave extended his arm across the center console, reaching for her hand, which was cold and clammy. He wrapped both his hands around it, as if he were trying to warm her up again.
He glanced up at her. Her tear stained cheeks glittered in the moonlight as she stared blankly down at her knees. "Julia?" He mumbled, clutching her hand tighter.
Her eyebrows knitted together. This was the first expression of emotion Dave had seen from her that night. Another teardrop rolled down her cheek. "I've been trying to move on for so long." She began, squeezing her eyes shut. "Why are you making this so hard, David?" She asked, a sob escaping her throat as she turned to face him. Dave squeezed her hand tight, his heart plunging to the pit of his stomach. Her cries of anguish tormented him.
"I'm sorry, Jules. I-I just love you. That's all I can say. You're the love of my life." He said, resting his head against her shoulder. Tendrils of his soft, dark hair tickled the side of her face.
She cried even harder.
Dave wrapped his lanky arms around her, pulling her body closer to his. "Please don't cry." He whispered, his voice cracking. Julia didn't have the strength to look up at him. She only knew he was now crying from the way his body shook pitifully against hers, his salty tears dripping onto her skin.
"We should run away together.." Dave suggested through heavy cries of anguish, pressing his mouth against her soft, honey blonde hair. She embraced him lovingly, her heart practically shriveling up.
"We can't, Dave. We have responsibilities." She mumbled sadly. "It doesn't matter. None of it matters." He whispered, sitting up and taking her round face in her hands desperately.
Julia sniffled, and removed Dave's hands from her face. "I cant even trust you anymore."
Her words were the truth and only that, but they shared the ferocity and pain of a knife twisting through his heart. The dull sound of silence fell over the two.
"I'm sorry." Was all he could manage.
"Me too."
_______________________________
Dave had fallen asleep immediately after being guided by Julia to her bed. She had tossed a fluffy grey blanket over top of him, and wedged a soft pillow underneath his head.
She laid beside him, his soft snores lulling her to sleep. Her eyes were heavy and begged for slumber. She hadn't felt this exhausted in a good while. Dave had sucked the energy out of her.
She ran a hand through his soft chocolate hair, before quickly pulling away, and turning over on her side, facing away from Dave.
A tear slid sullenly down her cheek.
Sometimes, she wished her and Dave Grohl had never crossed paths.
