Liverpool, July 1957

Paul's POV

I was looking at my own reflection on the mirror near the staircase. I looked fine, but not fine enough. The only reason I'm dressing up was because we're going to have a guest over for dinner. It was dad's friend from high school. His friend was going to bring his wife and thirteen-year-old daughter. I dressed up to look good for their daughter.

"You look good, Paul, now stop looking at your reflection on the mirror," said Mike. "I need it, too, you know?"

"Why can't you just use the bathroom mirror?" I asked.

"Dad is in the bathroom."

"I thought he is in the kitchen?"

"I don't know, now scooch, Paul." Said Mike, and then he pushed me away.

I didn't want to fight with him. Not tonight. He would just mess up my mood, and nice suit. Okay, now, what am I saying? Never mind what I said.

As I walked to the dining room, the doorbell rang. I knew that the guests have arrived. I heard voices of grown-ups coming from the front door. Dad entered the dining room with a man and a woman, who looked in their forties or fifties.

"Thomas, this is my oldest son, Paul," Dad introduced me to his friend. "Paul, this is Thomas Walker, my friend from high school."

I reached out my hand to shake Mr. Walker's hand. "Hello, sir," I greeted him politely with a smile.

"Hello, Paul," he greeted me back.

"And this is his wife, Gloria," Dad introduced me to Mr. Walker's wife.

Mrs. Walker walked closer to me with a kind smile on her face to shake my hand.

"You have a nice face, Paul!" she commented after greeting me and shaking my hand. "I think you should meet my oldest daughter. For Heaven's sake, come out, Eleanor! Don't be shy!"

I looked at the doorway, and a dark-haired girl slowly stood there shyly. Her cheeks were rosy, it didn't look that she applied make up on her face. She had little freckles across her cheeks and her nose. She had long and pretty eyelashes—prettier than mine! She looked quite uncomfortable. Maybe it was because all eyes were on her.

"Come closer, Eleanor," instructed Mrs. Walker.

Eleanor walked closer, and stood before me. I looked at her dark eyes, but those eyes of hers were looking down at my shoes. She was very shy. I could handle shy people. If I could handle George, then I could handle her.

"Paul, this is my daughter, Eleanor," said Mrs. Walker. "Eleanor, this is Paul."

I remained looking at her as I shook her hand lightly.

"Hello," I greeted her.

"Hi, Paul," she greeted me back shyly, but she still didn't look at me.

"Eleanor is still thirteen years old," said Mrs. Walker. "She's going to be fourteen next month."

"My youngest son, Mike, is also thirteen years old," said Dad. "Say, uh…where is Mike, Paul?"

I looked at him, and put my hands inside my pockets. "Oh, I don't know," I said. "I thought he's near the staircase?"

"He's not there." He said.

"Maybe he's in the bathroom." I said with a smirk. "Fixing his hair, I suppose." I cleared my throat, and smiled.

"And how old are you, Paul?" asked Mr. Walker.

"I just turned fifteen last month, sir," I responded politely.

Mike finally showed up in the dining room. Dad introduced the Walkers to him. I looked at Mike, and I saw his eyes twinkling when he was introduced to Eleanor. I knew that look. It was that look that showed he was in love. Oh, Mike. She's too old for him.

We sat on our chairs, and had dinner together. Mr. Walker went back to Liverpool, because he got a job here as an ice cream taster. He must be living a wonderful life, because he was an ice cream taster. And Eleanor could have ice cream for desserts every evening for dinner. One lucky girl.

"Where are you going to attend school, Eleanor?" Dad asked her.

"Liverpool Institute for Girls," she said.

"Paul attends Liverpool Institute for Boys," he said.

"That's nice," she said with a wide smile. "And where does Mike attend school?"

"Dovedale."

"Cool." She said, still with that wide smile on her face.

"Eleanor, is a top student back in Manchester," said Mrs. Walker. "She has good grades for all of her school subjects. Her schoolmates were very sad to know that she was moving, because none of them could cheat from her whenever there's homework."

We all laughed to that.

"Maybe she could tutor Paul whenever he has troubles with his homework?" suggested Dad. I looked at him with both of my (lovely) eyebrows raised.

"That would be nice," said Mr. Walker, agreeing to what Dad said. "What do you think about that, Eleanor?"

"Erm…sure…why not?" she said. She sounded quite unsure.

"Perfect."

We sat in the sitting room after dinner to have tea. I was sitting on my mother's favorite chair with a cup of tea on my left hand. I was watching Mike trying to flirt with Eleanor, but it seemed that he was failing at it, because she was still shy. She looked up from her tea, and her eyes met mine. Her eyes were warm and dark. The darkest eyes I've ever seen. It's quite strange for a British to have really dark eyes. I gave her a friendly smile, and then she gave me back a really pretty smile. She looked at Mike, again, because he was starting to flirt with her again.

I didn't speak to Eleanor for the rest of the evening, because I was quite shy and afraid to say a word to her. I wasn't being rude. Besides, Mike was trying to be her friend. Maybe I would talk to her again when I meet her on the bus stop near school?

The Walkers went home around ten o'clock in the evening, because Eleanor was feeling sleepy. We said our goodbyes, and afterwards the Walkers went home. Mike started babbling about how pretty and great Eleanor was. My little brother, Mike, is in love.

"Too bad, Mike," I said as we both washed the dishes in the kitchen. "I set my eyes on Eleanor first."

"But you didn't talk to her," he said.

"I know, but I set my eyes on her first," I said teasingly.

"Shut up, James! She's mine!" he said.

"Don't call me James." I said to him gently.

"I don't care!"

Jeez, he's taking that joke too seriously. He wouldn't be seeing her that often, because he's not studying in Liverpool Institutes. Oh, and I also noticed that smile she gave to me was different than the smile she gave to Mike. So, she fancied me more than she fancied Mike. Hah!

Author's Note: What do you think about this chapter? You can tell me by reviewing this chapter! It would mean a lot to me, because...I love getting reviews. Everyone loves getting reviews! So, please review! Have a nice day, beloved readers! LOVE. YOU.

P.S. Happy birthday to my beloved and dearest fellow (Beatlemania) friend, Itamar! Keep on being awesome!