Prologue.
AUGUST 1962.
Smoking a cigarette, taking a swig from a bottle of beer, I tapped my feet along to the music of the band playing. I was alone, sitting in this room full of drunk teenagers. I didn't want to be bothered. It was dark and all I can see was smoke. I can barely see the faces of the band playing, but they sounded good.
"What's a fine bird like ya doing alone ere eh?" A drunken but familiar voice spoke behind me. "I'm not interested in having company at the moment, thank ya very much." I told Jake, the son of The Jacaranda's owner. "Oh come on. Ya know you want to babe." Jake started to plant kisses on my neck. I elbowed him on the stomach quite too hard, I heard him grunt. "I din't know ya'll be this aggressive! I always thought ya were the flirtatious type." He whispered in my ear, his hot and stinky breath I felt. "Bugger off." I walked out of my table but someone, or something caught my arm. "Come on Laura. Let's go somewhere private." I was struggling and shouting but no one seemed to hear me. Jake pinned me on an empty, dark bar where no one else was. He started to kiss me on the lips, my neck, his hands continuing to my waist. I was struggling to go, and some people might have heard my shouting, because seconds later a few were rushing to us. Luckily enough, there were two bottles of beer on the bar, and I broke them on Jake's head. He was bleeding. It scared the shit out of me. He started cursing and dragged me out of the club, causing a scene. He pushed me violently outside the club, so violently it made me fall to my bum, scraping my right elbow.
CHAPTER 1
My name is Laura Harriet Watts. I'm from Liverpool. People call me Laura, but my mother calls me L. My father died when I was 8. Since then, it's been my mother and I. She never remarried. I guess she loved my father very much, or maybe found the thought rather pathetic. I live with her and my best mate Johanna Taylor. I call her Jo. She moved in with us a few years back, when her parents died at a car crash. Her relatives wanted to adopt her, but she did not want to leave Liverpool for America. She thought her life was here. She's basically a sister to me, and my mum loves her dearly.
Before I unconsciously start telling you the story of my life, I would like you to know, I am not a drag. Some guys might think that I am, because since I turned 18 last December of 1961, I've been going out alot. Drinking, smoking, going to gigs, but I never hit on anyone. Johanna often tells me that I am a tease to men, but I guess I'd only hit on someone I'm genuinely interested in. So here I am tonight, an 18-year old girl who got kicked out of a bar for almost getting raped, walking the streets in the wee hours of the night with no coat on. Of course, I forgot my coat. If that Jake bloke didn't ruin my night, I should be walking home later this evening, probably a bit drunk, and with a coat on.
"Laura!" As I turned around to the direction where the voice was coming, I felt a little dizzy. Have I already drunk too much? "Laura. Ye forgot yer coat." It was Eric, a friend of mine from school. We weren't really that close, but we talk whenever we'd see each other. "Oh, thank ya Eric." He wrapped the coat around my shoulders. I t wasn't really that cold, but with the volume of drunk men lurking around the streets, best be in it. "Are ye alright Laura? I saw what happened inside there. Then I saw you forgot that so I ran after you." "That's very sweet of ya. I'm fine. Nothing a tough Laura can't do." I smiled at him. He was so pure, so genuine. And he was also just 17. He was a kid really, but he could sneak in clubs because he looked at least 20. "Can I walk ye home? Ye know, just to make sure no dope hits on you again." I nodded. "Why didn't ye bring yer car anyways? And where's Johanna?" I fiddled on the buttons of my coat, closing my body in it. "I didn't feel like driving tonight. Jo is feeling sick." Eric and I continued talking about how our nights ended up until we got to my house. I didn't invite him in though, I was too tired. "Thank ya for walking me home Eric. Goodnight." "Anytime. Goodnight Laura." I looked him off until he disappeared in to the night.
I walked in to our house on my tippy toes, afraid to wake up mum and Johanna. "Yer early?" I jumped at Johanna's voice who apparently was still up and watching Elvis on the television. I joined her and sat beside her on the couch. "I got kicked of The Jacaranda." I said with a hint of laughter in my voice. "Kicked out eh? What have ya done?" "Broke a bottle of beer on Jake Williams' head." Johanna couldn't control her laughter. I had to shush her up to avoid my mum from waking up. "Why did ya have to do that?" She asked still laughing but a bit quieter. "He tried to hit on me again. God that lad never learns!" I almost shouted. "Well, guess we're never coming back there again?" "Never again."
