Chapter 1

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"Thats everything." Brittany says as she puts the last bag down and shuts the front door. "We could have brought the bags in y'know." Paul says. "Eh, it's nothing a woman can't do. Let me show you around." Brittany slips off the shoes and skips out of the hallway, the four boys following close by. "So this is the living room, it's not much as we haven't lived here for long, but you can hang out here whenever you want, there's a bar in the corner actually." She smiles. "Gear!" John says. "Yeah I can't actually make any drinks. Poppie is the one that can." She laughs.

"This is the dining room. I only have one rule, we sit and eat dinner here every night. Only dinner, breakfast and lunch you can eat wherever you want." She smiles again. The boys look at each other but shrug it off.

"This is the kitchen, everything in here you are free to use. Poppie cooks every night but I would advice leaving her alone when doing that. She isn't the chatty type like me." She laughs. 

They all head upstairs and she's shows them their rooms, and the bathrooms. "And this is my room, if you ever want to go in." She smiles at all the boys, but mainly focuses on John who winks at her. "What's in that room?" George points to the door that is just outside the bathroom.

"Oh and one other rule. Never go in there. That's Poppies room. She won't be happy if she's found that someone has been fiddling around in there." She looked serious. "Poppie sounds like a monster, what's her deal then?" John asks. "She just likes to keep to herself. She was brought up on the snobby side of society, she goes to university so you will barely see her, even I barely see her but she's my best friend and I love her. I wouldn't really talk to her if I were you."

********

I sat in the living room reading the newspaper and waiting for the other lads to finish unpacking when I heard the front door open. I quickly glance over the newspaper to see the flash of a red haired girl disappear up the stairs. I quickly jump up and follow. Once I reached the top of the stairs I see that her door is closed and hear a familiar song coming from the room. "Hang on that sounds like John." I mutter to myself but stop when I realise it is Ask Me Why playing.

I stand up and brush myself off as I crawled up the stairs like a child to be quiet and walk into George's room. "That Poppie girl is back." I say as I sit in the armchair in the corner of the room. "Alright." George shrugs and continues sorting out his ties. "Aren't you even a little bit curious?" I sit up. George stops what he was doing but doesn't look up.

"You heard Brittany, it's not best to talk to her. She's probably the type of person who would rather be left alone." George continues with hanging up his ties.

"Yes but George, can ye hear that?" I hold up my finger. George stops to listen. "Hear what?" He furrows his eyebrows. "The bloody music you deaf git! She is playing our music!" I stand up.

"So? Everyone in the world listens to our music! Remember that last week we got back from America and now they have gone insane. This doesn't make her any different." George sighs. "If she was a fan, you'd think she would have come and said hello to us." I argue. "Maybe she didn't know we were coming alright? Or maybe it's just the radio, and that song came up, she's probably not listening to it." George quickly says to get me to leave.

"Yeah like Brittany was going to shutup about it. Have you seen her ogling Johnny? And listen!" I make George listen to the music again. "Baby It's You is playing now! This is definitely a record not the radio." I say. "Can't ye just complain to Paul or something? I'm sure he will be up for spying on Poppie with ye." George snaps. "What's got your knickers in a twist?" I whine. "Nothing. I'm sorry, it's just, I had a song and John didn't like it. I just thought it would have potential y'know."

"I'm sorry mate, I'll leave ye alone." I pat his back and leave.

"So what made you get this place love?" John asks Brittany as she turns on the television. "I don't know really, I met poppie just as I was leaving university, so we got this place."

"Only university? How did ye afford this?"

"Oh." Brittany chuckles. "Poppies parents have a lot of money, own an estate and all, all so very posh." She giggles.

I wonder down stairs after smelling food and walk into the dining room to see everyone already sat at the table. "Oh ello Ritch, ye managed to make it?" John chuckles and I roll my eyes and sit down. I sit down next to an empty seat. I peer into the kitchen and see a short, skinny, almost boney girl, with Auburn curly hair, redder than John's, dark brown eyes, freckles dusted lightly on her nose and cheeks, and the softest lips I've ever seen. She looks at me and I jump and quickly sit back.

Poppie walks in with all the plates and gives everyone their food, and sits next to me. "So boys, why are you here?" Brittany asks as she eats, causing me to stop staring at poppie who is just eating silently. "Mr Epstein told us to stay here, away from the press and the fans y'know? It's getting a bit much for us all. We have no idea how long we will stay for." Paul shrugs and eats. Everyone eats and starts conversations and I look at Poppie. "The um-... The food is delicious." I smile weakly. She doesn't look at me. "Thanks..." She says quietly. Her voice... It was so beautiful. "I-... H-how was university?" I suddenly struggled to speak. She took my breath away.

"It was fine." She eats her food. "Right..." Brittany was right. She doesn't talk much but I was desperate to know her more.



After dinner I offered to help wash up, but she kindly refused so I moped into the living room. "What's up with you?" Paul asks. "Nothing."

"It's Poppie ain't it?" John chuckles. "What about her?" George asks. "Did ye not see em at dinner? He couldn't keep his eyes off her, and he was blushing the entire time." John laughs. "Stop it!" I snap. "Alright Ritch... Calm yer tits I was only having a laugh, if ye don't like her, I'll have a go, she's bloody gorgeous." John sits back and sips his beer.

"He's right Ringo, she is beautiful. She's perfect for you, she's tiny." Paul says and John and him both cackle. "Quit talking bout me height! I'll get my bloody sister on ye." I glare at them. "Oooo scary Elsie how could I take on that short girl." John giggles.

"She's taken you before John and won." Paul says. "That was once, I know her moves now." John smiles cheekily. "It's not like she'd come anyway, she's too busy at Redlands with her perfect man." John smiles and looks at George.

"Ay piss off, the break up was mutual, she was going through a lot and you know that." George defends. "I'm sure Keef would be up for coming over y'know." Paul pulls out a cigarette. "Bring some of those drugs Elsie talks about."

"God I'm not sure if I want them after last month." John sighs. "What happened then? Ye haven't told us." I ask. "Elsie came over and tried to shag me, I rejected her and we were talking... Then she ran off screaming bee and I ain't seen her since."

Paul laughs. "A bee?" George asks. "Aye, I think she was hallucinating."

"She is fine by the way, my mother called me asking if I wanted some ice tea as she went round to make some." I chip in. "She's gone through dying and coming back, I'm sure she would have gotten through an acid trip."

"What acid trip?" Brittany walks in wearing only a nightgown and John fidgets in his seat. "Talkin bout a friend doll." Paul smiles. "Oh she sounds brilliant, I thought you were talking about Poppie." She pours herself a drink. "Poppie? What about Poppie?" I ask. "Oh." She looks at me. "It's nothing, not my place to say." She laughs nervously.

"Oh.. right." I respond and look down and fiddle with my fingers.

George slaps his knees. "I'm off to bed." He stands up and heads upstairs.

"Oh well he's boring." Brittany pouts. "Don't worry, he'll be up at 6 in the morning." John stretches. "I'm um-.. I'm gonna head up too." I say and stand up and quickly go upstairs. I change into my pjamas and hear everyone come upstairs, John and Brittany giggling together.

I open my door an inch and see that Poppies door is closed, but I hear my voice playing inside and I smile.

I climb into bed and hear her music turn off. Just as I'm about to fall asleep I hear footsteps. I sit up and rub my eyes then hear the front door open then close.

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