OUT OF THE RED ↝ dave grohl

twenty-five.

NOVEMBER 1st, 1990, OLYMPIA, WA

           THE WILSON'S PHONE rang shrilly as Reagan stood behind the counter, the cash register popped open in front of her as she counted money. She sighed, glancing with full contempt at the phone and shifting the stack of dollar bills into her other hand before picking it up.

"Wilson's Auto, how can I help you?"

"Yes, hello, how much for you to do a dance on the hood of my car?"

Even through the disgruntled, manly voice that she'd adopted for the sake of pranking, it was obvious that Chris was on the other line. Reagan rolled her eyes at her friend's poor attempt to catch her off guard.

"Chris, shut up. You can't call me at work like this!"

"How else are we supposed to talk? You're always there!" Chris complained.

Though Chris could not see her through the phone line, Reagan glared murderously as she continued to sift through the stack of money in her hands.

"You're not supposed to remind me of that."

"Sorry. I forgot. How was trick-or-treating last night?"

"Fine. Now I've got to go, before someone sees. I don't want to lose my job!"

"Wait!" Chris protested. "Don't hang up yet! Has Dave come back?"

Reagan furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you kidding me? Is that why you called?"

"Well, I have to know if he's back! And if he used the dreaded L word on you."

"He's not back," Reagan answered plainly, feeling her back stiffen. She could act as unbothered as she wanted by Dave's absence, but truthfully, it was starting to weigh her down. She'd yet to stop replaying what he'd almost said to her and in an effort to soothe the scalding burn he'd left on her in his wake, she'd told Chris about it.

But most of all, she missed him.

"Damn. Do you think his plane crashed?"

"Chris!"

"Sorry, sorry! I just don't see why he isn't back yet."

"Maybe he just hasn't called me," Reagan said. The very thought of Dave ignoring her made her feel sick, but it was a plausible explanation. For all she knew, he had done his days of soul-searching in Britain and had decided that he didn't have feelings for Reagan after all.

"I doubt it. The kid is crazy for, Reags. I know that and I haven't even met him," Chris said positively. "Give him a chance to relax. He's coming home from a different continent."

"I am giving him a chance!" Reagan cried. "You're the one who called me demanding to know where he is!"

"True. Only because I'm anxious. Are you going to tell him the L word back if he says it?"

Reagan fastened her grip tighter on the cash she held. Chris's question had been the same one she'd turned over in her head ever since Dave had left. Not only would using the L word in front of Dave throw her into a total state of vulnerability, but she was hard-pressed to make sure she meant it if she chose to say it.

"Why are you asking me this now?"

"Because I'm happy for you, bitch," Chris responded. Reagan could hear the smile in her voice, even through the derogatory name calling.

"Oh, thanks. I had no idea there was something to be happy about," Reagan shot back sarcastically.

"There definitely is. You found someone who makes you happy. Accept it."