A/N- Alright. So before I start this chapter, I just want to inform you that there WILL be some historical inaccuracies. I know that at Harry Harrison's wedding, it was not in 1959, and I know George, Paul, and John were the musical entertainment. But, for the drama of it all, I did a switcheroo and kinda cut it out (oops). So I'm just letting you know, so no one gets flustered from it.
"Ruth, do something with your hair! We're going to a wedding for heavens sake!" Mum exclaimed as I walked into the kitchen. She was ironing Danny's shirt, while Danny sat on the counter beside her.
"Mum! I dunno what to do! You know I'm incapable of these things." I said as I headed towards the fridge. Mum and Mrs Harrison had been cooking and working like mad for this wedding, and naturally, Louise and I had been sucked into it to help. My fingers were still raw from cutting up vegetables and washing all the dishes for the food.
"Ruth, the last thing I need is you being saucy right now." Mum said.
"Saucy, saucy, saucy, saucy." Danny repeated. I rolled my eyes. Danny liked to repeat words a lot as well, and usually it drove the family nuts.
"Well you could just put it up in a bun or somethin….. Ruth your dress!" Mum exclaimed. She quickly pulled me away from the fridge.
"What?!" I exclaimed.
"The last thing I need is for yer dress to have a food stain on it!" she yelled angrily.
"Mum c'mon, I'm not gonna get any food on it…. oh my god! Dannys shirt!" I exclaimed. Mum whirled around at the sight I was pointing at.
But it was too late.
Danny's shirt had a massive brown spot in the middle of his shirt.
"Oh sh…. shoot!" Mum exclaimed. I looked at Danny who was trying to hold in his laughter. He looked at me and I sent him a look. "Well Danny, looks like you'll just have to wear you're jacket the whole time!" Mum exclaimed.
"Mum!" Danny protested.
"Mum, doesn't he 'ave another shirt?" I asked. It could possibly get pretty hot in the reception room, which meant Danny would either be cranky, pesky, annoying, or all three.
"Not one that has dirt stains all over it! He'll have to wear this one. Anyhow, we have to go. Louise will be waiting. William! Come help me with the food!" Mum called as she walked over to the kitchen entrance.
Danny in the meantime had buttoned up his shirt and pulled on his jacket.
"Bloody hell! You can still see the burn stain!" Danny said. I shot him a look.
"Watch yer mouth around Mum ya git!" I snapped. Mum, too busy to take a second look at Danny's shirt, was already heading out the kitchen with trays of food.
"Well come ead then. Grab a tray." I said to Danny handing him a tray.
We didn't see the Harrison's until we arrived at the church, and that was when the ceremony was about to start. Mum was going to sit near the back, and allow the Harrison's family sit near the front. Well Mrs Harrison put her foot down, and literally ordered my family to sit with them. So I grabbed the spot beside George, and pulled Danny beside me so that I could make sure he behaved.
"Can't believe Harry's gettin married." George said.
"Aye. The first of the Hariswan's gets married." I said with a smile. That one of the names John made up for Georges last name. I said it without thinking about John at first, and then it sent a little pain to me. I still hadn't exactly gotten over that whole thing yet. I looked at George, who was looking at me thoughtfully.
"Thats something John would say." he said. As far as I knew, George was almost oblivious to what had happened. "He was talkin bout ya the other day. Said he felt bad for what he did."
"He did?!" I asked. George shrugged.
"Yea, but then he mentioned how much he was in love with Cyn. Did he find out ye liked 'im?" he asked.
"No, well, I think he guessed it. Is this Cyn his girlfriend?" I asked. George nodded. But just as I was about to let out a heavy sigh, the organ started to play signalling the beginning of the wedding. Everyone stood up as the bride was walked down the aisle. The girl, who's name was Irene I think, was stunningly beautiful. She had hair the colour of gold, and the perfect figure as well. I had never met her, and I didn't really know Harry that well, so it was kinda awkward sitting in the second row with their actual family members, and I spent the entire wedding silently wishing I was half as beautiful as the bride. Halfway through the ceremony, I could feel the warmth of Georges hand beside mine.
And I don't know what came over me, but I lightly placed mine on top of his, and gently ran my finger over his soft knuckles. I suddenly felt his eyes on my face, and blushed like crazy….
But our hands remained like that until the ceremony was over.
I quietly ate the soup Mum had made two days again, while silently watch George (who was talking to Peter) as he sat at the table across from us.
"Ruth! Stop staring!" Mum whispered sternly. I let out a quiet, angry, huff, and forced my eyes to look anywhere but at George's face.
God damned George and his angelic face. How had I not noticed before?! Then again, by before I mean when George was just my best friend. Very skinny, despite his eating habits, shy around most people, kindhearted most of the time, a little moody sometimes, clever, and funny.
Now, he was all of that, but there was more to him now. He was adoring, caring, sweet, and handsome as heck.
My mind was scrambled.
I had a crush on my best friend, yet had one on his friend as well.
"Hello there Ruth." I looked to my side to see Peter standing beside me. Peter was nice and all, but he wasn't George.
"Hi Pete." I said.
"So Ruth. Care for a dance?" he asked sticking out his hand. I looked at the dance floor to see several couples already dancing. I must've been too preoccupied with my dinner to notice. Oh yea, and George's face was pretty distracting as well.
"Uhm sure. Why not." I said. I looked over to George, who was no longer shoving food in his face at the table, but talking to some old lady. He looked slightly awkward (well more then usual), which made me guess it was an old aunty or something.
Pete smiled at me as I wiped my fingers on a napkin, quickly dabbed my lips, before taking his hand and he led me to the dance floor. It wasn't a very big one, and most of the music they were playing was meant to please all the relatives I think, because it was pretty awful. That also would explain why there were hardly any kids dancing.
We began dancing, though I imagine it looked pretty weird because Pete kept stepping on my toes.
"Jeez you dance like your brother." I said. "How are your parents such great dancers, and you two stink?" I joked. Mr and Mrs Harrison were very well known for their dancing. They had been part of some ballroom dancing place for years now, and boy could they move! George and I used to call them the next Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Years ago they had gotten Mum into it, but when Dad never caught on, she stopped going.
"Lord, you have something to say about everything dontchya." Pete said. I scrunched my eyebrows together and frowned a bit.
"Whats that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing dear, just keep dancing." he said with a smile. We kind of danced for a few moment in silence, which was incredibly awkward.
"So Pete. Gotta girl?" I asked trying to start a conversation.
"Why you interested?"
"Um…no." I said. He looked at me.
"Ye sure? Ye seem to got somethin for the Harrison boys." he said. Pete's hand moved from my waist to the rump of my ass. My eyes bulged out and I cringed. Peter wasn't creepy or anything, but I still didn't want his hand drifting down into those places. No mans hands at that.
I was beginning to push him away, when I felt a light tapping on my shoulder.
"Ok Pete, thats enough." George said separating the two of us. I let out a sigh of relief. Peter stumbled off a bit, and it suddenly struck me that he must have been drunk. George turned to me and my face burnt up.
"I… I didn't realize he was drunk." I said.
"Don't worry luv. He holds his booze well." George said.
"Right." I said dryly.
He looked at me and a very light smile appeared on his face. "Will ye dance with me?" he asked.
"Sure Georgie." I said. He smiled and placed his hand on my waist, sending a few shivers through me. His hand collapsed over mine and the tips of his calloused fingers over my knuckles.
As if it were a movie or something, a slow song came on just as we began to dance. I gasped when I noticed which one it was.
"I love this song!" I exclaimed. He chuckled, and let go of my hand briefly to tap my nose.
Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you
George moved in closer to me, and moving both of his hands so they were around my waist. I could feel his shallow breathing on my collarbone, and his eyes glanced at me, then back at the floor, then back to me. The music began to become just a muddled sound as George and I swayed, but I could still hear Elvis's voice...
Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you
For I can't help falling in love with you
"You didn't step on me feet much." I said in a smile as the song ended. But George just smiled and nodded. He looked shyly at his feet, before muttering something about the bathroom and dashing away. I sighed and rubbed my one arm. "Bloody hell George Harrison. Yer such a girl." I muttered.
As the wedding slowly began to die down, Mum and Mrs Harrison were already packing up the food and giving away the leftovers. Knowing that if I was seen, I would be ordered to help, and snuck out to the front foyer of the hall. Lots of people were beginning to leave, and it was a bit crowded. I was just about to look for George, when Louise got hold of me.
"Ah Ruth, sneakin away eh? Don't blame ya." she said.
"Ugh I hate that stuff! I always get dragged into it." I said.
"Well I meant to ask ye, I mean, I normally don't do this but, did you and George break up or somethin?" she asked. Despite the fact that her face was full of concern, I couldn't help but laugh. Louise gave me a look.
"We weren't ever datin. He's just being George, which means moody."
"Ye had me fooled. Oh well. Try and cheer 'im up 'kay? His brother just for married." she said giving me a wave. I watched her disappear down the hallway, and saw George going out one of the side doors of the foyer. I quickly made my way through the small crowd, (bumping into people, picking up a grumpy old mans hat I had knocked down, and waiting for a old lady to go by along the way) before pushing through this door, and stumbled out into an alleyway.
"Fuckin 'ell!" I looked to see George waving his one hand like mad. "Scared the shit outta me!" he exclaimed. George turned around smiled a bit. "Burnt me thumb." he said holding up his thumb to my face. There was a small red mark on it.
"With what?" I asked. George held up a match. It was from one of the matchboxes you would usually get at a wedding, the ones people put on tables and stuff. "Well m'sorry I caused ya to burn yerself." I said. George shrugged and put the cig he had been lighting, and matchbox in his pocket.
"S'alright. Didn't really need a smoke anyhow." he said. George looked at me, and was suddenly taking off his jacket. "Bloody hell Ruth, its almost 10 degrees out and yer out here with no sleeves!" he said.
"No George I'm fine." I said. He handed me his jacket. "No I'm fine, I'm not that cold." I said pushing it away. George rolled his eyes and continued to hold it up. "George!" I whined.
"Ruth!" he mimicked. I sighed and grabbed the jacket. I slid my arms into it. It was obviously a bit too big for me, but George was so scrawny that it wasn't too bad.
"Thank you anyhow. Your very sweet." I said kissing his cheek. George just shrugged again. "Could strip for ye and you'd just shrug." I muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing." I said. His eyebrows scrunched together, but quickly relaxed. "So. That was a nice wedding." I said. George nodded. "The bride was pretty." George nodded. "So was the groom." I teased.
"Aye! Now yer goin a bit to far!" George chuckled.
"Well stop actin like a bloody bobble head and maybe I won't." I said with a smile.
"You being cheeky now!" George exclaimed. He tapped my nose, then dug his fingers into ribs. I squealed and bent down to get away from him.
"Bugger off you!" I exclaimed. I stood back up and George stood right in front of me. His big dark brown eyes were staring at me, and I felt my stomach begin to flip. I wanted to run away or something, which I was about to do, when Georges hand slithered onto my waist. Why he had only one there, I didn't know. But it was still enough to send me into an internal panic. George was going to kiss me, and my mind was suddenly racing.
Did I like George in that enough?
Did I still have feelings for John?
Did I want to kiss George?
Would this destroy our friendship even more?
My mind could stop racing through all of these decisions. I wanted to leave. I wanted to run away to my room or something. I was scared.
But then George thrust his lips onto mine, and I literally lost it. I stopped thinking, well, mostly. I stopped breathing. I stopped moving. For a split second I thought that I had just had a heart attack and was actually dead.
It was that good.
That fantastic.
And I no longer felt afraid, and the craving to run away was gone. It was just replaced with this feeling to be near George, which was very incredibly strong.
And thats when I knew.
That despite John's wit, smarts, and wild personality,
George's quiet, sweet, and genuine one, was worth more to me.
The cold air ripped through my jacket, causing my teeth to shatter like mad. Mum had asked me to get some groceries, saying as the wedding had caused the fridge to go empty. Mum was too tired, which I can understand, she ran her feet off at the bloody wedding last night.
The November wind kept ripping through my jacket, and I decided it probably would be best to do the darn thing up all the way. I could faintly smell Ruth's perfume, but the stench of the cig I had smoked on the way home last night clung to the jacket.
But still, that one whiff of Ruths perfume caused me to think about her. And boy did I think! I was lost in the depths of my mind, thinking heavily of Ruth, and Ruth only.
I hadn't even been going for very long, when I got onto the main road, and literally ran into Sam.
The exact person I didn't want to run into right now. Sam smiled at me, and grabbed my arm.
"Hi Georgie!'
"Erm, hi." I said looking at my feet. I didn't want to make eye contact with her.
"I haven't seen you in a bit! How are things?" she asked. Her hand dropped to her side.
"Good." I muttered.
"You feelin ok?" she asked. She took off her glove and reached to touch my forehead. I ducked so she couldn't touch me. Sam hadn't seen my facial expression, and thought I was goofing around. She reached out and was tickling my sides.
"Sam stop." I said.
"Awww are we grouchy today?" she said make her lips pouty. I frowned and looked at her. Sam had never acted like a ditz until after I kissed her a while ago. She suddenly thought we were a couple or something.
I was angry enough at Ruth at the time to not care that much, but now…. well things are different.
"Sam, we um… we kinda can't keep doing this." I said. She looked at me blankly. Her smile had faded, and her shoulders fell.
"What…" she murmured.
"Well Sam… um… I dunno if I like ye in… ye know that way." I said looking at my feet.
"It's because of Ruth innit?" she mumbled. I looked at her shyly, and nodded. "I figured. Ever since you guys made up, I never see ye as much." she said. She stuck her hands in her pockets and sighed. "Ruth's very lucky." she said. I just shrugged. She nodded at me and turned away.
I watched her tall figure continue to slump down the street I had come. I felt bad and called out "M'sorry Sam!"
Sam turned around and looked at me. She didn't say anything at first, but then she shrugged, smiled a bit, and said "Theres not enough George Harrison's in the world."