A/N: The story's a little draggy right now, but I promise that it will start to pick up soooon. If you want to get a better picture of what Aria is wearing in the second half of this chapter, here it is! (except Aria's dress is longer of course, remember, its the sixties!) ?BR=F21&Category=dress&ProductID=2083315561&VariantID=
Disclaimer: I don't own the beatles! :/
Chapter 14: Baby, It's You
Paul's POV
Is it too early? Will she still be sleeping? After all…it is a Sunday and its eight o'clock in the morning… Hell, I don't care! I just have to see her. I lift up my hand and knock on the front door to Aria's apartment.
This past week has been absolutely amazing! We have a record out! My world has changed so much in the past few weeks because of the record, because of Aria, and just because of everything! Really, nothing could possibly make my life any better, because right now it is just perfect. I contemplate my position with the girl I am about to see. And without thinking for a long time, I know that I want to have much more than just another casual relationship with her. Hopefully, she will be the same way. The flowers I hold in my hand give off a smell that waft up to my nose, and I let out a loud sneeze just as the door swings open.
Aria stares back at me with half awake eyes, dressed in her nightclothes. Her eyes widen after one split second though as she jumps towards me and wraps her arms around my neck. "Paul! Oh, it's so good to see you! How was everything? How was the recording? You have to tell me everything!" I laugh and plant a kiss on her rosy cheek.
"All's well, love, lookie here what I brought for you!" As I step inside her home, I hand her the roses as my nose tingles again. She smiles and thanks me, placing them on her table. "And…something else. I thought you should have one of the first copies too, so you know, when we're the best band on the planet you can say that you owned one of the first ones ever printed," I say that with a laugh. We can only hope, right? I pull the record out of the brown paper bag wrapping and hand it to her.
"Oh, Paul! You did it, you guys really did it! I'm so happy for you!"
The album cover is nothing really; it just says 'Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You'. But the amazing thing about it is, underneath, is says 'The Beatles'. The Beatles. And as I flipped it over I show Aria where it says 'Songs written by Lennon/McCartney'. I just can't keep the smile off of my face. Here, in my hand, is my dream. And now I am sharing it with the person who started it. "Here, let's play it!" I shout, but as I look around, I can't find the record player anywhere. Where is it?
"About that…I don't really have one."
"What?! You don't have a record player? How…What…?"
Aria shrugs. "I never really had the need for one. I don't really listen to that much music anyway, so what's the point of having one?" I shake my head. I'll never understand this girl.
"Well, then you're coming to my place! You have to listen to this, really. Oh, and there's so much music I could show you! Little Richard, the Isley Brothers, Ray Charles, Elvis, and everyone! Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
"Wait, wait, Paul!" she yells, stopping me from going out the door. "At least let me change, I can't go out like this!" She runs into her room and shuts the door. "Hang on just one minute!"
As she's changing, I look around at the paintings in her room. Picasso, she must really like him, doesn't she? I ask her this when she appears in a white summer dress, and her eyes light up. "Oh yes, Picasso is just simply amazing. See his use of color in this one?" she says, pointing to one of the painting replicas. "I always wanted to be like him when I was younger, but… well there's no time to paint anymore, is there?" She laughs and I don't say anything, but she should paint. Especially if it makes her happy. "Alright, Paul! Let's go listen to you music!" My music. John, Ringo, George and I made this record.
Aria's POV
Love me do…
Whoa, love me do
Yeah, love me do!
The harmonica (I think) plays again, and the song comes to an end. Paul is staring at me intently, waiting for my reaction. I can't believe how good the song is, and this is only the beginning! Their first song! "Paul, that was just…amazing." My voice sounds like it is full of awe, and it most definitely is! He smiles and gets up off his couch and goes over to the record player.
I am sitting in John and Paul's house, although it is mostly Paul's due to the fact that John is almost living with Cynthia. It's a fairly small house, but for one person, it is much more than enough. It is cozy and comfortable, and very…very them. Sheet music is lying all over the house, a few different types of instruments are up against the wall, and, on proud display in the kitchen is the cover of their very first single.
Paul switches the record side and music begins to play again. He walks over to me, holds my hand and pulls me up into a dancing position.
As I write this letter
Send my love to you
Remember that I'll always
Be in love with you
"Did…did you write this, Paul?"
"Yup, on the plane over to London. For someone very special," he adds with a wink. I blush as I realize what he means. The song is about me! Paul wrote a song for me! I close my eyes as I feel myself rotate in Paul's arms and let the words of the music wash over me. They are beautiful, just as beautiful as the voice singing it. I lay my head down on his chest and close my eyes. The song closes after a little while, and I can feel Paul's intense gaze on me as I bring my head up to look at him. We are still dancing, even though the music has stopped.
"Aria. This past week I missed you a lot, and even though everything between us has just been happening so quickly, it just feels right, do you know what I mean? I don't care that we're going this quickly, because it's with you."
I understand what he means completely. That night where we sat under the stars at the lake just felt like the most right moment in my life, and I know that Paul will never ever do anything to hurt me like he did ever again. It's out of the picture. It seems like a lifetime ago.
"I guess... I guess what I'm trying to say is… Will you be my girl, Aria?"
I unconsciously put so much thought into this very question while Paul was away for a week. Now, I don't even need to think about it.
"Yes, Paul. Yes!"
I let out a laugh as he swoops down and captures my lips in a kiss. I react immediately, letting myself go. This is just so right. I'm Paul's girl. And he's mine. I feel my body meld into his as we kiss for what seems like an eternity, and every moment just keeps getting better and better.
I look into the mirror, not sure if I am dressed for the occasion or not. Two days after we officially had become a couple, I am finally going out on my first day ever! Now that is just pathetic. I am twenty-two, for crying out loud! Better to focus on the whole career path first, though. Now that I have that under control (partially…) it's time to have a little bit of fun! Paul said to dress casually, but it was still our first date, so I had to dress up a little, right? And of course, he won't tell me where we are, even though I practically begged him! I'm wearing a deep clue chiffon dress that falls to my knees and leaves my shoulders uncovered. My hair is in its occasional half-pulled back state, thanks to Caroline who had helped tame the beast after my long shower. I have on my comfy gold slippers, and just a hint of makeup.
"Honey, you look adorable. Paul is going to eat you right up," Caroline says with a smile as she runs her hands through my hair, attempting to get the rest of the tangles out and failing. She herself is going out with George tonight to see a film and get dinner- oh where is Paul taking me?! Seemingly in sync with my thoughts, a knock comes from the front door. "Ooo, he's here!" Car squeals. "I'll go get it, you finish up in here." I hear Car open the door and start talking to Paul, and my heart flutters a little when I hear his voice. I still cannot believe I'm in this situation right now. But I lift my head up, smile at myself in the mirror, and head out of my room. Here I am, world!
Paul is wearing khaki shorts and a light blue polo with sandals, which immediately strikes me as weird because I've barely seen him in anything else but his leather jacket and gig get up! But I like this look, it's much more him.
"Hello, Aria, you look lovely tonight," he says, taking my hand and kissing it with a wink.
"You don't look too shabby, yourself. Now, can you please tell me what we are doing?"
"And what fun is that? That would just ruin the surprise!" With that, he leads my out of my home. I wave to Car, who shouts out, "Now, you two behave yourselves!" I love that girl so much. We walk out into the crisp summer evening hand in hand. Paul walks over to a beat-up pick up truck and opens the side door. "Your chariot awaits, my little lady." Laughing, I take his hand and step up into the seat. Once Paul is seated on the other side, he rolls down the windows and begins to drive.
The radio plays a song that I remember hearing today. "Paul! Is this Elvis?" He reaches over and pats my head.
"You're learning surely, if not slowly." I stick out my tongue at him like an immature five year old. I will learn all these songs! And Elvis' voice is just so amazing, I think I can listen to him for the rest of my life without stopping.
Love me tender
Love me sweet
Never let me go
You have made my life complete
And I love you so
The wind from the windows hits my face and makes my hair blow in all different directions, but it feels amazing. I stick my hand out the window and feel the fast wind forcing it backwards, but I push against it, my hand flying in little circles in the wind against the multi-colored sunset.
The song ends after a little while, and the car is filled with the voice of the radio host. "That was Love Me Tender by Elvis, whatta classic. And speakin' of 'em, this next song jus' might be one! It just got sent into the station today, and I've heard it a couple o' times and it's quite the song! It's by four lads from Liverpool who call themselves the Beatles. Here is Love Me Do." A familiar harmonica begins to play, and I turn up the volume to a full blast. Paul has pure joy in his eyes.
"Bloody fucking hell! I'm on the radio! I'M ON THE RADIO!" He begins to scream along to the song in an off key, out of pitch voice, and I can't help but join him.
"LOVE, LOOOOVE ME DO! YOU KNOOOOW I LOVE YOU! I'LL AAAALWAYS BE TRUE! SO PLEEE-EEEE-EEEE-EEEEEEEEESE! LOVE ME DOOOOOOOO. WHOA, LOVE ME DO!" The music and our hideous singing fills the empty streets that the car is whizzing down, and Paul just can't stop smiling even after the song is long done, and I feel so happy for him. The songs that John and him write are amazing, and this is just the very beginning of the road to fame. They're on the radio in less than a week after putting out their first record! From what Paul tells me, the song is climbing up the charts!
We laugh like maniacs after the song is over, and I'm just glad to be here with him. This drive is just amazing. But where is he taking me too?
About fifteen minutes and five songs later, we pull up to…the middle of nowhere. Paul just parks his car on the edge of the street and walks out! He opens my door and chuckles when he sees my face. "Trust me Aria, you're going to love this." He takes my hand and leads me into the small forest that is right next to the car. The sun is getting lower and lower, and the path we walk on is shaded by tall trees. Where are we? But all my thoughts are silenced as we reach what I know is our final destination.
It is a clearing in the middle of a forest. Small hills filled with green grass roll on and on, and a tiny river runs in between them. Sprigs of wildflowers are growing everywhere, and I can hear an owl's hoot somewhere off in the distance. At the far end of the clearing, I see a blanket with a basket and guitar on top, and next to it…next to it an easel, canvas and paint. Letting go of Paul's hand, I run over to it, stepping over a serious of rocks to get to over the river. I reach the easel and the smell of fresh paint washes over me. Oh, how I missed this smell. My fingers curl over the paintbrush and my mind immediately bursts into endless possibilities of what I can transform this canvas into.
Arms wrap around me from behind and I am pulled into Paul's body. "Do you like it?" he whispers. I nod, smiling. "Good! Now let's eat! I'm starving!" We sit down on the blanket as Paul unpacks contents from the picnic basket. There are finger sandwiches, burritos, chinese noodles, and macaroons. Talk about bringing the cultures together! Wine is poured and we begin to make our way through the feast. We talk, laugh and reminisce our way through the meal, and I find myself wishing that this night will never end, although it has just started. By the time we are done, it is getting dark and I need light to paint! I walk over to the easel, and with a few brush strokes, begin to paint.
Music drifts over to my ears, keeping me company as I paint. I look over to Paul and see him sitting on a rock by the river, strumming his guitar and singing.
There were bells on a hill
But I never heard them ringing
No I never heard them at all
Till there was you
There were birds in the sky
But I never saw them winging
No, I never saw them at all
Till there was you
The music continues as we are both at peace with ourselves, doing what we love and being in each other's company. The soft guitar gives the place a warm, cozy atmosphere, and I feel a joy running through me that I have never felt since I painted my last painting all those years ago.
Then there was music and wonderful roses
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
Of dawn and dew
There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No, I never heard it at all
Till there was you
Till there was you!
Many songs later, the sky is dark and I am lying next to Paul on the blanket, his arm around me. There is only one word to describe how I am feeling: infinite. I can stay in this place forever.
A/N: UGHGHGHGHGH ANOTHER SAPPY CHAPTER. I'm really starting to annoy myself. But soon folks, soon! I just need to figure out what exactly is happening soon:) Oh and Till There was You is a cover, not trying to pass it off as a Beatles song! And Paul in the story knows it's a cover too ;)