December 1958

A lot has changed since then. I am now sixteen which puts me in year eleven, John is eighteen and out of the hell hole known as Quarry Bank High School. A lot has stayed the same. My dad is still a drunk bastard who beats me senseless whenever her gets the chance. But one thing, or person rather, makes everything so much easier. John.

Most people wouldn't expect it from him, with his tough guy act that he puts on around other people but we can let our guards down when around each other. He also comes from a awful background which he told me all about a couple years ago. I decided to keep the details of my...story, I guess you would call it, to myself. I knew to do this because as I got older I started getting more attention from guys you know getting asked on dates and little perverts yelling things as I walked past them, and every time something like that happened in front of John I would have to practically hold him down to stop him from flinging himself at them. He has always been very protective of me. So I knew he would kill my dad if be found out half the things he did to me.

It didn't help when I got a boyfriend. Josh is a guy I met at a party, I usually wouldn't go for the bad boy/player type, but something just made me say yes when he asked me to the pictures.

Unfortunately, John knew Jack or knew of him. When John passed by us while we were kissing John sprinted over and was ready to throw a punch at him when I took his arm and pulled him aside. That was the first time John ever yelled at me, and boy did he yell! He kept saying how he was no good, how he would hurt me in the end and lots of other things along those lines, he then apologized for yelling at me and told me that I deserved the best and Josh wasn't the best. I managed to convince him that I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself and he walked away with a huff and a disapproving glare toward Josh.

Josh wasn't a bad boyfriend. He did hit me and push me around but I had to remind myself that it was nothing compared to what my dad did to me and I was lucky that I had him. He loves to go to clubs, that's not really my cup of tea but I go to make him happy. The bad part is whenever he goes he gets mad drunk and lots of times forgets about me and takes home other girls. I learned to deal with it, because I knew it wasn't love it was just sex to him.

Today was my last day before winter break and when that last class finally ended I must of been out of the school within three minutes! I was going to see John practice with his band. It has been two weeks since I had seen John, which is the longest I have ever gone without seeing him. I had to avoid him because my dad gave a nasty beating for moving his beer that was beyond covering with makeup. So now that my wounds healed some and I had a good amount of powder on my face I can finally see him.

I swung his gate open and knocked on his door, to my surprise John's Aunt Mimi opened the door. If she was not working she would be sure to be out while John was playing "that godawful sound that will get you nowhere in life". Mimi has always been a strict person but she had a heart and she seemed to take a liking to me more and more as the years went by, I think she was just happy John maintained a relationship. She saw that it was me and her mouth curved up slightly at the edges.

"Oh hello Claire dear,"

"Hello Mimi are the boys here?"

"Yes, which is exactly why I am on my way out you can show yourself in and run down to the basement."

"Thanks,"

Immediately after I step in the door I hear the sound of three guitars and John's lovely voice singing the lead with two of his band mates singing the back up. Paul and George were just like my brothers we clicked but we weren't as close as John and I. Pete was another story he always seemed moody and just not interested but I was friendly to him.

I tip toed down the basement stairs not wanting to disturb the music. I leaned against the wall and just watched them play. John was hitting each note perfectly along with the other boys. I knew they would make it big one day.

When they hit the last notes I broke into applause and shouted "whoos" and "yeahs". I saw John look up and grin. He got up and ran over to me and threw me over his shoulder.

"I've got one!" He yelled sarcastically. While I was hitting his back laughing hysterically as he ran the both of us around the room.

He finally put me down and wrapped his arm around my waist leading me back to the other boys.

"How do you do Miss Jones?" He asks with a mock posh accent

"I am quite well kind sir and you?" I respond with the same accent

"I'm great," he says looking at me with a smile returning to his normal voice.

I free myself from his strong arms around my waist and run over to George and Paul and give them both a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Where have you been?" George and Paul say simultaneously, smiling

"Um...busy" I say nervously and I get even more nervous when I see John look at me with a doubtful face.

"We'll it's about time you come back to one of our practices! We've missed you!" George says with a grin.

"I missed you guys to." I respond sincerely "Well, come on I came to see you guys practice!"

"You mean you don't care about talking with us?" Paul says with a mock hurt expression.

"Of course not! You teddy boys are nothing but trouble and I need to stay away from the likes of you!" I respond while sarcastically scolding him while pointing my finger at him.

"Maybe you should stay away from Josh then." John cuts in with a serious tone.

I turn to look at him with my smile now gone and notice he is staring at my left arm. I look down to see that the sleeve had gotten rolled up halfway revealing countless bruises and deep scratches caused by a mixture of Josh and mostly my dad.

With a sudden feeling of panic I roll my sleeve down and give a look with combination of pleading, anger and sadness.

John's POV

I couldn't believe what I saw. Her forearm was covered with gashes and dark, huge bruises I could tell they went up and down her entire arm by seeing half of a huge bruise where her sleeve stopped.

I wanted to get up and strangle whoever did this to my beautiful Claire. I already had a pretty good idea as to who did.

That son of a bitch Josh. I knew he was a bastard but I didn't realize he was capable of doing such awful things to such a kind, beautiful girl. He didn't deserve her, not in the least. She should be with someone who would never hurt her, someone who would always tell her how beautiful she is, someone like me.

God, what am I thinking I am looking into this poor girls eyes on the verge on tears and I am thinking about how to woo her.

"Well," George said interrupting me from my thoughts "Paul and I have lots to do so we should get going. Shouldn't we Paul?"

"What? We have nothing to...oh yeah we have that thing with Mike and that other thing afterwards with...that one guy." Paul says looking in different directions before scurrying out the door leaving me alone with Claire.

Suspense! Please tell me what you think and thank you to everyone for your kind reviews they mean a lot and make me want to keep updating!