Time After Time

“Hello! Come on in! Thank you for coming. I’m Rose.”

“Hi! I’m Josh. And this is Max, Chris, Matt, and Dan.”

“It’s very nice to meet you all.”

Josh Franceschi smiled back at the girl with long red hair and freckles who lead them to the living room of Gustav Wood’s apartment. It wasn’t too big, but not too small either. It was in a perfect size to contain a little party with guest numbers around twenty. Josh’s eyes wandered throughout the room. He spotted some people he recognised; people from the recording company, some managers, and photographers for gigs.

But the person he looked for the most was standing next to window, chatting with a man he recognised as Young Guns’ past manager.

“Gus!” Josh nearly shouted in excitement.

The half-Norwegian man stared back at him and smiled. The vocalist of You Me at Six quickly realised that something had changed with Gustav, even though he hadn’t be able to tell which part. He felt that that friend of his had turned somehow… darker? More mature? There were more dark circles under the man’s pale blue eyes, but as they did a little hug, Josh could also tell that he got a lot gentler.

“Thanks for coming, Josh. I really appreciate it. And you bring everyone too,” Gustav pulled back to greet the other members of You Me at Six. Josh chuckled in response.

“Of course I do. You’re coming back to London, after all. This is worth celebrating. How are you…?” the brunet tried to be as careful as possible when he looked at Gustav again.

“I’ve been better,” he smiled—genuinely, which made Josh relieved. “But I think I might get better soon. Hey, enough about me. Let’s get you guys some drink!” Gustav excused himself from the man he was talked to and walked to the kitchen, Josh tailing behind.

When they both entered the kitchen, there were several people there, including the red-haired girl with Australian accent who opened the door for Josh and his friends.

“Rose, do you think we have enough drink for five more people?” Gustav asked as he walked, to the only female on the room that could possibly named ‘Rose’.

The girl turned around and nodded, “Still got plenty. If it ever runs out, I’ll go get some more.”

“You’re possibly the least person I could ask to buy more beer, since you don’t even drink a drop,” Gustav chuckled and helped her handing Josh a bottle of beer.

This ‘Rose’ stared at Josh and smiled again, “We’ve met. At the door.”

Gustav stopped sipping his own bottle of beer, “Oh, right. Rose, this is Josh. Josh, Rose.”

They shook hand and Josh couldn’t help but notice how small and warm her hand was. And even though they didn’t say anything, Josh wasn’t so oblivious to the fact that they must be dating. Was she the one who helped Gustav back when he exiled himself in faraway Australia? Maybe it would question he’d ask him some other time, if he ever will ask it.

“Oh yeah, Rose, Josh is from a band called You Me at Six. I’m sure Gab knows him,” Gustav smirked at Josh. Josh blinked his eyes in surprise. This girl didn’t know him? He wasn’t so snob that he expected everyone knows who he was, but if she was dating Gustav, he kind of expected her to know him.

Rose must had read his expression, because she then threw an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry. I should’ve known that you’re famous.”

But Josh just laughed, “That’s okay. This is actually refreshing.”

Gustav had to leave them because there were more people looking for him, so Josh stayed with Rose in the kitchen, chatting about how Josh drinks beer while Rose drinks soda.

“You’re Australian and you don’t drink?”

Rose chuckled, “It’s a little unusual, I know, but the truth is, one third of Australian young people define themselves as non-drinker at all.”

Their conversation then flowed steadily into how Josh knew Gustav, life in London, being in the music industry, before Josh was being reminded that he had to be in some other party. It was 24th of December after all.

Before Josh and his friends had to leave, Rose asked for their signatures and writing ‘To Gabriela’ instead of ‘To Rose’, which made him asked about who was this Gabriela.

“She’s my best friend. She’s a total band… groupie? She basically bathed herself in Kerrang Magazine.”

Josh nodded and laughed, “And what about you? Don’t you want some of my signatures with your name on it?” He teased.

Rose laughed back and shook her head, “My interest is a little different than her.”

“So what is your interest?” Josh handed the book that he just signed to Rose. “Not bands, I assume?”

“Well, my current interests are Gustav Wood and London’s underground train,” she received the book from him and made a face that said that she hoped he didn’t think of her as such a weirdo.

But Josh just stared at her, smiling after sometime. He could see why Gustav was with her. He could see why that friend of his needed someone who would enjoy littlest, most mundane thing to overcome how hard and cruel life could be sometimes.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rose.”

“And it’s a pleasure to meet you too, Josh! Thank you for coming. It really means a lot for Gustav—and me.”

She walked them to the door and after Josh left, the only think he could think of was how thankful he was because apparently Gustav Wood was in so much better condition than he imagined. He couldn’t imagine what would happen if he were the one to lose his ability to sing. But despite everything, Josh Franceschi felt like Gustav might be one of the strongest people he ever knew.