Your palms begin to sweat as you pull up to the Dischord Records house with Dave in his mom's car.
"Why are you so nervous?" Dave asks, looking over at you and noticing your change in demeanor, "You've met most of them before"
Dave was right, sort of. It'd been two weeks or so since you'd started dating and you'd spent almost every day and night together since then—you were truly inseparable. Most of those nights were spent at shows, so you had vaguely met a bunch of people but tonight felt different.
"I don't know I just feel like I'm invading your zone...this isn't a show where I'm just there to watch, this is a hang out with your friends! I doubt they want some girlfriend tagging along every time they see you!" You lament and he laughs.
"You'll be fine, at these type of things everyone brings girlfriends, its like a family reunion. Plus, honestly no one thinks anything of me bringing you! They all think you're really sweet and this type of scene isn't petty about stuff like that, no one thinks you're a tag-a-long" He says reassuringly but you aren't totally convinced.
"Julia this is totally low key! We're just gonna grill up some food in the back and then a couple people are gonna come over and we're going to fold record sleeves for Dain Bramage's album. If you still are worried just think of it as you helping me with my career, nothing more" He says and you shrug.
"You're right I guess" You say, getting out of the car and Dave slings his arm around your shoulder as you walk up the front steps.
"Hey!" Yells Ian Mackaye, shaking Dave's hand. You had seen Ian around at a few shows with Dave but had never been introduced to him.
"Hey man good to see you," Dave says with his enthusiastic smile, "I want to introduce you to my girlfriend, this is Julia—Jules this is my 'boss' Ian" He says, putting boss in air quotes and you reach out your hand for Ian to shake.
"Its nice to finally meet you!" You say enthusiastically and Ian nods.
"Nice to meet you too, are you gonna be helping us with the record sleeves?" He asks.
"Yeah totally! I'm excited, I know how hard everyone's worked to have this record finally out" You say and Ian smiles.
"Cool! I'm glad you came down then, we need all the help we can get" Ian says, wiping his hands on his jeans, "Everyone's out back, we're having burgers and veggie burgers and we'll start working in about an hour.
Dave thanks him and leads you to the backyard where thankfully you recognized almost everybody. Meeting one of Dave's all time heroes was enough for one day.
For February it was strangely warm and even though it was brisk out, no one was uncomfortable if they had a light jacket on. While Dave and his band mates talked to Ian at one picnic table on the porch, you sat on folding chairs in the yard with Skeeter Thompson from Scream, his girlfriend, and some other people you didn't know as well yet.
Even though you barely knew anyone, Skeeter kept bringing you into the conversation and making you feel like less of an outsider, even though aside from Dave you were 10 years younger than anyone there.
After it got a little darker out you all headed inside and sat at a long table in the dining room and began working on folding the records. This was your favorite part of the whole evening, simply because of how comfortable and at ease you felt.
You worked by candlelight since Ian could barely afford rent, let alone a high electric bill. Ian played hardcore music on a record player in the background and you talked about everything from politics, to music, to your thoughts on the future of DC and the conversation never lulled.
There had to have been at least two-dozen of you at that table but because of how tight knit the community was, it felt like an intimate dialogue between a couple close friends.
Towards the end of the night, after the chores were done, you were all sitting around the table telling stories. A couple bottles of wine were being passed around for those who drank, but the straight edge people were having just as good of a time as those who were slightly intoxicated.
Skeeter Thompson and Pete Stahl were together telling an especially hilarious story about a night on tour in Arkansas and you couldn't stop laughing long enough to breathe.
"Man, I fucking hope we get big enough that we can tour soon!" Dave calls out, half drunkenly, once the story is over and his band mates grunt in agreement,
"That sounds like the coolest thing ever." One of them agrees.
"Yeah there's nothing like it dude. You'll do it one day, I can practically guarantee that. You got that raw talent man, its gonna get you far" Says Skeeter knowingly and Dave beams with excitement.
A little later Ian kicks everyone out because he has to work in the morning and by then Dave is sobered up enough to drive you home safely.
"That was great! I had so much more fun than I thought I would" You exclaim as Dave starts the car.
"I told you you'd have fun!" He teases, leaning over and kissing you before shifting into drive, "And may I say, once again I was reassured by all my friends that you were a hit!"
"Really?" You squeal and Dave laughs at your excitement.
"Yep! Everyone loves you Jules—they definitely think you're preppier than the rest of us but in all honesty they think its cute, even Ian said you were a cool new perspective!" He says and you feel a happy flush spread to your cheeks.
"I'm so happy! That was so fun! I haven't had a conversation that interesting at a party in forever"
"Yeah that was great, especially those stories. I was fucking on the floor, some were so fucking funny" Dave says and you laugh a little but your smile falters.
After a second of silence you ask, "Did you mean what you said about touring? That you can't wait?"
"Yeah I did." Dave says, looking away from the road for a second to give an excited smile.
"The more I hang out with guys who have toured I've noticed that I really have this itch to just see more of the world. Like obviously I'm never leaving Virginia permanently—I'm living here forever, I know that. Its just I wanna see what's out there, how the other half lives." He explains.
"I get that" You nod understandingly, you wanted that too you just knew you wanted a diploma a little more.
"Plus you've heard the different stories about tour! Shit, Dischord bands go all over the fucking world! The guys in Scream aren't that much older than us and they've been all over the US, all over Europe. They have seen so many different cultures and get to see the whole world while playing kick-ass music—what I wouldn't fucking give to live that life." He stares out at the road, a faraway look in his eyes, and you feel your heart sink.
"Not anytime soon though, right?" You ask and you feel needy even as you say it.
"You have nothing to worry about princess" He says with a laugh, "I just folded my first album by hand in a the tiny house in the suburbs my label runs out of. I don't think anyone's pounding on Dain Bramage's door offering to book us shows in Paris or even fucking Pittsburgh for that matter, anytime at all soon. Looks like you'll be stuck with me for a little longer."
"Oh jeez! How will I be able to handle that!" You tease and he feigns anger and pouts.
"I kid, I kid!" You say a few seconds later and he laughs and flips you off.
"I'm so lucky" He says as he pulls up to your house in what feels like no time at all, "Thanks for coming tonight."
"Anything for you Dave" You say and he kisses you.
"I'm serious. Thanks for giving up your Sunday night to help me with my music. Not many girls would do that" He says and you roll your eyes.
"I'm not gonna pretend like I believe that" You say and he laughs, "But thank you for saying this, it means a lot. And thanks for the past two weeks by the way. Spending all this time with you has been really special."
"Its been special for me too" He whispers into your ear and you feel chills as he kisses your cheek.
"See you in geometry tomorrow" You say breathlessly as you get out of the car and then you mentally kick yourself for saying something so lame.
"Yeah, see you there. Bye Princess" He yells, before driving away. You wait until he's completely out of sight to go back inside, wanting to keep a hold of him as long as possible, since before you know it he could be gone.
