AN: Hello, everybody! Long time no see! I am very sorry about that, I've been so troubled as to whether to come back to posting or not, because of how busy I've been with other stories and stuff, and simply, time issues. I hope you all haven't forgotten about me, or that you aren't too mad at me for not updating in a long time. I hope you've all been well and that you're having a great summer!
Have any of you done any cool Beatley stuff this summer? Seen Paul or Ringo in concert? I just saw Paul this month, and oh my goodness, it was AMAZING! That man is such a legend!
Anyways, I've been nervous to post this chapter, because I had a lot of struggles and doubts when I wrote it. Please let me know what you think of it, I would absolutely love feedback and advice from you! Oh, and please let me know if you think I should come back and update this story more? Wait, is that even a question?! Haha, let me know what you think! Let me know how you've been, advice you have and what you think of this chapter; does it flow, does it make sense, does everything go together well?
Hopefully I'll see you again soon, but no promises. Thanks! :)
I look from the blank paper to the black and white picture and I begin to draw four ovals and it seemed to go from there as the seemingly effortless work flowed from my artistic fingers as the music brings this familiar scene all together.
I blow a strand of hair out of my eyes and I set down the brush to flex my tired hand that is beginning to ache once again as my fingers are splattered with watercolor paint as well as black ink and pencil smudges along the side of my hand. I pick up the black brush to dip it into a color and I don't even hear the front door open and the flood of voices that leak of laughter or the footsteps that come up from behind.
"You look to be making some progress most... Oh my god, Court! You did that?" Paul comments from behind and I lift the brush from the paper that isn't so white anymore to see him standing behind me with a short cigarette held in between two of his fingers as he stands at my shoulder with his mouth agape and his eyes wide.
I look down to the paper that is larger than what you could call average sized for paper you use for a printer and I smile proudly at seeing the four figures who wear black suits and their familiar expressions outlined in the ink pen and accentuated by paints that I mixed to resemble their skin color.
"She did what?" John questions curiously before I get the chance to answer, as if I knew what I was even going to reply with.
I set the brush down as his steps come on over and I look up to see his look resembling Paul's dumbfounded one, "Shit! Uh mind my language, but shit! Christ, that's a masterpiece ya got there, love. I call myself an artist, but you're just another whole level of 'em for goodness sakes!"
"You two uh like it?"
"Like it? Are you bloody kidding me? I love it, and it's not even done so you better get a moving to finish that!" Paul remarks and my eyes fall on his taken aback pair that look at me almost in a whole new way and I smile at him as he grins big.
"I'll be wanting to see that when it's done, too," John comments as he walks away to somewhere else.
"I usually don't want people seeing it before it's done, so consider yourself lucky."
"Oh, really, Ms. Artist?"
"Mmmhmm," I respond as I pick up the brush again to dip in the paint and he kisses the top of my head before leaving the room with his smile emanating off of his lips. I grin to myself as I let my hand guide the brush over the absorbent paper and I set it down to crack my fingers under the table.
My eyebrows fall and I turn to look at the radio when I hear a familiar song that I haven't heard for at least two weeks, the day I came here and then things begin to whirl and I hear John's voice announcing that him and the other two are leaving Paul behind to make a trip to the music store but it sounds so far away and the kitchen disappears before my eyes.
The next thing I know I land on concrete and I stagger to sit up as my wrists hurt from the impact and I take a breath to inhale the familiar air that I've always thought smells like nature and outside, and the only place that smells like this is back home.
I stand up and wipe off my hands that have little pebbles stuck to my skin and some broke the skin to draw blood but that's the least of my worries right now. I look behind myself to find myself in an alley while the sound of cars passing by fills my ears and I leave the alley lined by cement walls to find the familiar street from my hometown and I stagger back to run into a bench that I decided against sitting on that day; the one that changed everything. I walk back into the alley as the wind whips at my cheeks and I look down to find myself in the same clothes that I put on after my shower this morning. How can this be happening?
"No, no! This isn't happening. It's just a dream, Courtney. If I pinch myself I'll wake up and be back in the kitchen painting. I fell asleep, right," I speak aloud and even I can hear the haste in my voice and the fear that makes my heart beat faster and faster as each second passes.
I pinch my arm hard and blink expecting to find myself with the brush in my hand again and to see the developing painting sat in front of me, but all I see is the trash lined walls with the gravel that sits under my sneakers. I shake my head and run a hand through my hair as I feel my cheeks get hot and the tears come fast and hard while I feel so lost.
"No, I want to go back! No! I want Paul back and all of it, please," I call out, to no person or thing in particular and I stumble over to the wall to slump down and I wrap my freckled arms around my legs to see the bracelets still on my wrists; those two that he gave me.
My body shudders with another bout of crying and I rest my forehead on my knees as the tears blur my sad vision that wishes to see something else, a different time and place entirely. I feel the hot tears sink into my dress to meet my skin and I shake my head again and again, "No, no, no! I was happy there, so happy, for once. I don't want to be here, I want there. I want him back and the life I have there. I don't have a life here. Nobody notices me; I'm just some boring decoration on the wall people look past. I'm noticed there and actually given attention and I found somebody there. Someone who likes me for who I am and who makes me laugh more than I thought I ever could. I want him, and all of it back," I cry into my knees as I see blackness while the honking of cars fill my ears and then I sigh and feel my sudden exhaustion and shock come over me in a sudden wave.
I sniffle and sound comes back to me after I must of nodded off and I lift my head to find myself again in a dim alley, but I recognize it to not be the same one as before and I spring to my feet when I inhale the London air that doesn't smell so polluted of car exhaust like the air in 2012 and I wipe my wet cheeks. I walk out to the street that rings a bell for me with the old cars casting their bright headlights onto the dark road and girls in skirts with alike hairdos smoking outside of a shop and I run across the crosswalk when the light turns as my dress flutters against my legs. I run up to their door as confusion still puzzles my senses and I cautiously open the door with excitement filling my veins.
"Paul?" I call out as I close the door behind me and I hear footsteps and then his figure that looks just the same as he did ten minutes ago appears in front of me.
"Court, oh my god! Where the hell did you go? I went to use the loo and when I came back the kitchen was empty and you were nowhere in sight. I thought something had happened to you," he pauses and he walks toward me and I feel relief when his arms touch me. "And I can see that something has, even without you telling me."
"Ah, you gave me quite the scare just then. Are you alright?" he mumbles as his voice comforts me while his arms do as well and I shake my head against his shoulder.
"Everything is okay," he assures me as his hold on me becomes closer and I sigh into his shirt that smells just like him. "Now tell me what happened, darling."
"Things went all weird and then I was back in the future; at home. I thought I was just dreaming, b-but I wasn't. Then I went to sit down and must of fallen asleep and then I woke up back in that alley where you followed me that one time. Paul, what's going on?"
"I wish that I could tell you what is, but I have no clue whatsoever of what just happened, but you're okay. You're okay," he repeats as he hugs me and I let out a shaky breath.
"Paul-."
"Court, it's okay. Let's just go sit on the couch and find somethin' on the telly to watch," he suggests and I nod and let him pull me over to the sofa as the room is dark from it nearing six o'clock.
I hadn't paid much attention to the clock tonight since painting drew me in and made me forget about time, and I notice that the long hand on the clock above the fireplace only just struck six.
"I'm sorry for scaring you," I apologize and he looks to me as his eyes were focused on the tv while one of his arms is around me.
"You don't need to apologize, Court. It wasn't your fault, darling."
I nod my head and let it rest on his shoulder and my eyes drift back to the television screen and I exhale a relived sigh, "I thought that maybe you had left, and I honestly didn't know what to think of that, I didn't want you gone." he comments softly and I know that by left he means gone back to the future like I did.
"I didn't wanna either. I have no idea what could've happened . . ," I trail off with my words that seem to be more lost than ever before.
He sighs and draws his eyes away from the tv completely to look at me with his droopy eyes leveling on me as his hand cups my shoulder and he looks down at me, "Did you do anything to cause it, do you think?"
"No, I was sitting there painting one minute and then things turned black and I was in an alley in 2012 the next," I pause to take in his puzzled look as his eyes wander from me for a moment only to return the next. "But this song did come on the radio that I was listening to before I came here. I think it was just a coincidence though."
"Mm," he mumbles softly and the shrill ringing of the phone interrupts our conversation and Paul leans over to pick it up. "Hello? Yeah, she's here. Right next to me, actually. Here she is, then."
He spoke those words in a disguised voice with short pauses in between and then hands me the phone and a confused expression washes over my face, "Izzy." he mumbles as I take it and I nod before placing it to my ear.
"Hi?"
"It's felt like years since I've spoken to you, doll! I hope things are fab for you and that things are goin' great with that boyfriend of yours. Do you think we could maybe have another sleep over or meet up for lunch one of these days?" her excited voice that I have only heard once or twice since I saw her last meets my ears.
"Uh yeah, I'd love to," I reply, if I'm still here by then.
"Gear! I'll give you another ring soon to schedule that date but I have to be going to work, talk to you soon!"
"Bye," I mumble softly before I set it back on its hook and Paul gives me an odd look.
"Don't even try to explain it to me 'cause I don't understand girl stuff," he warns with his hands held out in front of him and I shake my head with a real smile. It feels like I haven't smiled for such a long time.
I sink back into the couch and fold my hands to sit on my legs as the theme song of some tv show plays on the television and then he flips it off and I look to see him standing up.
"Come on, we have somewhere to be," he announces and he takes hold of my hand to help me stand up and pull me to the door with him.
"What? Since when? Where's this place?"
"You'll see soon enough," he responds with a knowing grin as he ties his shoes and I huff and slide the pair of flats onto my feet as I think of my painting sitting there in the kitchen; unfinished.