𝕃𝕖𝕥 𝕀𝕥 𝔹𝕖 | 𝕁𝕠𝕙𝕟 𝕃𝕖𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕟 ✅

10

28th September, 1960

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The next morning, Ruby woke up and was surprised to find that she was still on the settee in John and Stu's flat. When she had gone to bed the previous evening, she had fully prepared herself to wake up on the floor of Liverpool Art College in 2021, or in her own bed back in London.

"Morning," Stu said from the chair opposite the settee.

She gasped and sat upright, clutching the blanket to her chest, which was covered by the shirt that John had leant her the night before.

"Stu!" She exclaimed in a whisper in case John woke up to the sound, "what're you doing there? You weren't watching me, were you?"

Stu shook his head, "no. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you or anything. I just don't get great light in my room in the morning and it's difficult to see my sketchbook -" she opened her mouth to remind him of the existence of lamps, but he cut her off. "Bulb blew in my light, too."

"Oh," she felt bad for jumping to conclusions with him, "um... did you put the kettle on?"

Stu nodded, humming in reply as he sketched some more, not looking up from the page when he replied, "should still be warm."

With a smile on her face at the thought of hot tea, Ruby got off of the settee and went into the kitchen. She poured herself a cup and then popped her head around the side of the door which led into the living room, "you fancy another?"

Stu replied, "if you don't mind."

Ruby poured Stu a tea and then took it back into him, putting it on the coffee table in front of the settee and lone dining chair. Ruby sat on the settee and made sure that Stu wouldn't be able to see straight between her legs before she asked him, "any shops 'round here?"

"Shop on the corner if you're looking for cigs." He paused, "if you're going, pick us up a newspaper -"

"I meant," Ruby amended, "are there any shops for clothes."

"Oh," Stu paused, thinking for a few seconds. "Girls' clothes?"

"I don't think I can wear what you and John do." She smiled, "anywhere'll do, but I just need to get some necessities."

Stu blushed and stumbled over his words, "o-oh... um, m-maybe at P-Penny Lane?"

Penny Lane is in my ears, and in my eyes.

That was a song primarily written by her Paul, her grandfather, but she was sure that John had had some input into it as well.

"Is that far?" She asked him, genuinely unsure.

"It's a bit of a trek," Stu told her, "best to get the bus. 80 to Speke, get off at Deepfield Road. After that it's about a ten minute walk."

Ruby thanked him and went to retrieve the dress of Cynthia's which she had worn yesterday. It was in the tiny, cupboard-sized bathroom. There wasn't any hot water so she washed in the cold from the taps and then got dressed, pulling her hair out until it looked presentable.

Ruby went back into the living room. "Thanks again, Stu. Tell John that I went shopping and I'll be back in a few hours, okay?"

Stu nodded and waved her goodbye. She took her tote bag, ensuring that her purse was still inside, and then she left their flat.

* * * * *

John stumbled into the living room of the flat that he shared with Stu, and he felt utterly miserable. He hadn't slept properly because he'd had things on his mind. Things about Cynthia, mostly, and a slight guilt at instantly wanting to take Ruby into his bed.

The thing was, he did love Cynthia, but he loved the idea of her. Cynthia was submissive, and would do anything and everything to please him - like dying her hair blonde and dressing more like a tart, and also taking his end-of-course college exam, which in turn risked her own graduation.

"You look awful." John jumped, instantly becoming more alert as he looked over at the settee and saw Ruby sitting there... but it didn't look like Ruby. This girl had brown hair instead of blonde, makeup on her face and dark red lips. Her clothes were perfect; she was wearing a pink, orange and peach coloured striped shift dress, white ankle socks and a pair of black Mary Jane shoes on her feet. "Rough night?"

"Y-you..."

Ruby smirked, "you do know what time it is, don't you?" John was silent, just looking her over like she was a product he'd buy in a shop. "It's well past noon."

"I -"

"You've slept half the day away," Ruby paused, "I thought you were going to introduce me to your Aunt Mimi? I've been to Penny Lane and back already. I bought you a gift, by the way. It's here." She reached into her bag - not the tote that she had brought with her from 2021 but a small leather purse. Ruby took out the gift and John recognised the shape straight away; it was a 7" record. She stood up and walked over to him, pressing it into his hands. He was speechless. She kissed his cheek and smirked.

She smells amazing, John thought as she drifted past him and into the kitchen to make some tea for him.

"I do hope you haven't got it already!"

John took the record out to examine it, looking at the label to see the title of it.

Hello Mary Lou by Ricky Nelson.

John smiled, maybe having Ruby living with them wouldn't be such a terrible thing after all. She had an exquisite taste in music, apparently, she smelled delicious, and she was just as much a tease as he was.

The two of them, John concluded, were going to get along quite well.