I Need You: A John Lennon Story
Chapter Three: Boys, 15 July 1957
"This place is rather dingy,"
"I suppose,"
My voice was monotonous. I hadn't been trying for a long while to sound interested in what my unwanted companion had to say. Her name was Meredith. She had short blonde hair, mud brown eyes, and a pig nose she liked to stick high in the air.
Father had phoned in to check on me this morning, so I informed him that I planned on attending the carnival. He immediately suggested I go with a daughter of his friend, who was also to go, so I wouldn't be alone. I agreed quite reluctantly, and now I was stuck with a pretentious brat.
We didn't have much to talk about. She only spoke of her steady boyfriend, and refused to speak of anything else. She claimed that she had a boyfriend in Manchester that she met when she was visiting her grandparents there.
"We ought to head out towards the stage, shouldn't we?" I suggested as she opened her mouth to speak again.
"Sure," She said, snootily. We began the small trek from the Fish and Chips shop we ate dinner at, and walked towards the music.
As I leaned up against a small fence that was behind us, I spotted the same large clan of teenaged boys I seemed to spot everywhere. There was a few new ones, two handsome ones, and another one with blonde hair. John recognised me, and he smirked, leading his group towards me.
Once I saw that he was walking my way, I gave a small wave, and smiled.
"You know John Lennon?" Meredith said.
"Yes, I met him a few days ago," I nodded, looking at her from the corner of my eye. "Why?"
"He's such an arrogant wanker," Meredith said. "He thinks he's all high and mighty because everyone in school likes him. He always used to get in trouble in class,"
"He was nice to me," I shrugged.
"He's also a man-whore," She continued without listening to what I'd said. "He tries to get into every willing skank's pants, it's horrible,"
"Duly noted, now I recommend you hush up before he hears you,"
By now, John and his friends were standing in front of Meredith and I. He smirked at me as his friends settled behind him, the two handsome ones stepping up next to John.
"Julia, hello," John smirked. "So you decided to come, I see,"
"Indeed," I laughed. "When are you guys on?"
"In an hour," The handsome boy to John's left said for him.
"Julia, this is Paul McCartney," He nodded towards the boy who had answered me earlier. "Paul, this is Miss Julia Salvatore,"
"Hello," I stuck a hand out for him to shake, and he did so with a smile on his handsome, but slightly young face.
"Hello, Julia, nice to meet you," He said. "Are you American?"
"Yes, clearly," I laughed. "I just moved here from New York,"
"City?" I nodded. "That's bloody amazing, why'd you move here, then?"
"I wanted to live with my father," I laughed. "I don't understand why you don't like it here, it's beautiful,"
"Hardly," John scoffed. "All there is are fat wankers and old buildings,"
"Exactly!"
His group of friends laughed collectively, all while Meredith stood by not saying a word.
"So I assume you're staying for the gig," Paul said as our laughter died out.
"Yes, of course," I nodded, smiling. "I'm excited to see how you sound,"
"Fantastic, then," Paul smiled. "You reckon we ought to head back?" He directed the last part to John.
He nodded, his smirk returning. "Right then, it was nice to see you again, Miss Salvatore,"
"You too, John," I smiled.
"Stick around after the gig, yeah?" He asked as his group began to walk away.
I nodded, smile widening. "Definitely, I'll see you later then,"
He smiled, waved, and then walked back to his group of friends, leaving me behind and awestruck at how much charisma, and charm John could emit even during that two second conversation.
There was something about his air and manner of presenting himself that told me he was always the centre of attention during all situations. He was charming, funny, handsome, and seemed to know he was. He carried confidence, and it made me jealous and intrigued at the same time.
"He didn't even look my way," Meredith said in a voice full of venom. "I've been going to school with that idiot since I was eight, and he didn't even look my way,"
"I wonder why,"
"You guys were bloody amazing,"
John chuckled softly, and put an arm delicately on my shoulder, carefully turning me towards the old bench nearby. I sat down, and he took a seat next to me, his hand lightly lingering on my shoulder.
"Thanks, love," He laughed, and finally released my shoulder to reach into his pocket.
He pulled out a box of cigarettes, and proceeded to put one in between his thin, pink lips. He took a lighter out, and lit the tip of it, taking a deep drag before huffing out a cloud of smoke.
"Would you like one?" John said, sly smirk on his face.
"Not now, thank you," I smirked.
He raised his eyebrows at my answer, and I laughed. "Where did your little girlfriend go?"
"Meredith?"
"That's the bird," He nodded.
"She's hardly a friend, I only came with her because my father insisted," I said. "He didn't want me to be alone,"
"Yeah, I couldn't understand why you would hang out with that miserable broad voluntarily,"
"Goodness, you spare no mercy!" I laughed. "She's not that bad, you know. Quite annoying yes, but not a miserable broad."
"Sure, sure," John rolled his eyes. "Why'd you move from the States?"
I looked down at my knees, and clasped my palms together. A part of me wanted to tell him why, and another wanted to lie. I felt very comfortable around him, more comfortable than with anyone else I'd met. The first choice would have been illogical in any other situation, but not ours.
Even though I'd known John for only a few days, a week maybe, I felt a strong connection towards him. I still wasn't sure what kind of connection it was, but I was positive it was more of a friendly connection. Sure, he was handsome, funny, and charming, but I didn't look at him the way I'd seen a few girls today look at him.
John still hadn't said anything, so I assumed he was waiting patiently for an answer, so I told him.
"My mother cheated on my father, and they divorced, so I moved over here with my father,"
"Is your father an Englishman?"
"Err, yeah, he was born and raised here, actually," I responded, slowly. I was in shock that he hadn't pressed my statement any further, and was completely grateful.
"Richer part of town I'm assuming," He said in between drags of his fag. "You seem like one of them high-class sort,"
He looked me up and down, and I laughed. "I'm not, I was raised that way, both my parents are like that, but I'm not."
"Then what are you?" He asked.
I paused, and knitted my brows together. I contemplated the question in my head, thinking hard. "Nothing, I suppose,"
John laughed, and slapped his knee. "Welcome to the club, miss!"
I laughed with him, and leaned back in my seat, wrapping my arms around my bare arms to keep from the cold. I rubbed at my arms as our laugh quieted, and eventually died out.
"You cold?" John asked when he saw me rubbing my arms.
"Only slightly," I replied sarcastically.
"You should've brought a coat or something,"
"It's the summer, John, it's not that cold," I laughed.
"You sure are acting like it is. Here, have a fag, they'll warm you right up,"
"Fine, fine," I reached over at him, and took a cigarette from his little box, and put them in between my reddened lips.
I puckered my lips so that the fag stood straight forward, and John lit it for me, laughing. I took a drag from it, blew out the smoke neatly, and continued in this fashion until I ran out. I tossed it to the floor, and crushed the ember with my flats.
"So you're going to Liverpool Art College, are you?"
"Indeed I am," I nodded. "I'm going to study music, acting, photography, and art, obviously,"
He chuckled. "You've got a lot on your plate, haven't you?"
"I can manage,"
"You sound confident of that,"
"That's because I am, Lennon," I smirked. "Have you got the time?"
He shook his head no. "It's late, I'm going to assume," He laughed.
"I ought to start heading home," I murmured.
"What, have you got a curfew?" John smirked.
"My father isn't even home, he's in London," I chuckled. "I could literally stay out all night and he wouldn't know,"
"Why don't you?" H wiggled his eyebrows, smirk firmly in place, and I laughed.
"Because sleep is wonderful,"
John laughed loudly, and stood from his seat next to me. He grabbed my hand, and gingerly lifted me to my feet. "I'll walk you home,"
"That isn't necessary," I said, smiling. "I'm more than positive I can find my way home,"
"It's not safe for a beautiful girl like you to be walking 'round the streets at night," John explained, beginning to walk off with me still holding on to him.
"A tough guy like you ought to keep them off, right?"
"Exactly,"
John and I walked down a long sidewalk for what seemed an hour, talking and talking about anything and everything. He was such an interesting person, and was always cracking jokes, and I loved it. I assumed he took a slight liking to me, and it made me happy.
Once we reached the gate to my house, I paused in front of it. "Well, John, it was very nice of you to walk me home,"
"No problem," He shrugged. "I'll see you 'round, won't I?"
I nodded. "Goodnight, John,"
He winked, and walked off to the dark night, his shoes echoing against the concrete until they faded away completely.