Now and Then- 𝓂𝒸𝓁𝑒𝓃𝓃𝑜𝓃

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝐹𝒾𝓋𝑒

Joining the Quarrymen was the pinnacle turning point of Paul McCartney's life. After that moment, everything seemed to change: and Paul was growing up.

That year, in 1957, he'd become more extroverted and comfortable in his own skin. He now considered himself one with the "in crowd" and never found himself short of having any friends. People liked him, girls liked him, and he was happier than he'd ever been before.

While all this could partly be due to the fact that he'd grown five inches that year, or that he'd become even more handsome than before, above all else, John was the one behind it all. He helped Paul escape from his shell and see his own worth for the first time. He began talking to Paul during school, introducing him to his own friends, helping him to expand his circle.

John was so completely perfect to Paul, and Paul didn't quite know what he did to deserve such a person as him.

The feeling was mutual, though: the infatuation that the two boys had for one another was so completely reciprocated. They couldn't go a single day without seeing one another, without writing together, without laughing together. Somehow, they never became bored with each other or wished to have any other company. They were perfectly content with themselves: as Lennon-McCartney.

Soon enough, Paul became guilty for not seeing George as often any more. So he pointedly mentioned George to John, often, pestering him to allow George to join the band. They needed a lead guitarist, anyway, so by February, Paul finally had his way with John and George was recruited.

Initially, the relationship within the band was strained: George, the naive fourteen-year-old, John, the cynical leader who was now seventeen, and Paul, the middleman between the two. George was rather frightened of John in the beginning, but John, only partial to George because he was a friend of Paul's, did his best to make sure that George felt welcome in the band. Soon, the three of them became inseparable.

Eric, Len, and Colin were still in the band, too: but of course were not nearly as involved and persistent as the other three. Paul invited his other schoolmate, John Lowe, to play piano for the group, as he played many a time in school and was phenomenally talented.

When George and John Lowe joined the group, there was obviously a need for more frequent practicing. So the group began meeting in Paul's bedroom, due that his father was often out running errands with Mike and that no one in Paul's neighborhood seemed to mind all the noise.

"I want lower harmony on guitar," said Paul, pointing to George, who glanced up at him through a curtain of dark bangs.

"I thought you said you wanted me as lead guitar on this one, without Eric," George said plainly.

"Eric can't do lower harmony like you can," Paul mumbled, low enough that Eric wouldn't hear him. "He can only do melodies. I'll be playin' rhythm on this one, and you know John, he's strictly rhythm."

"Yeah, 'cause that's all you taught him how to do." George smirked at Paul.

Paul had taken it upon himself during his early days with the Quarrymen to teach John how to play guitar. John, of course, had been asking Paul for lessons and despite knowing how awful he was at teaching, Paul finally obliged.

John, who'd been standing directly over Paul's shoulder, said, "Because Paul's a shite teacher, that's why,"

Paul swatted at him. "Quit medlin', John. An' anyway, you've got rhythm to be workin' on." An idea suddenly popped into Paul's head, and he leaned backward into John and muttered, "D'ye think we could convince Eric to start playin' bass instead? I've added all these guitar harmonies, 'cause there are too many guitars and I've got no idea what to do with him, but he can't play for shit."