Somewhere In Time (A Beatles Fan Fiction)

Chapter 16: Getting To Know You

After the show was over. I followed Cynthia to a side room where the boys had gone after the show. It was the same room I had met the older Paul in, although decorated quite differently.

She left me to go hug John. Paul was to my left as I went into the room. I went straight over to him.  As sweaty as he was, I couldn't resist hugging him.

I stepped a small distance away from him and said "That was awesome, Paul! You guys are so talented." a little breathlessly.

"Thanks, luv. We are getting better. You should have seen us in the early days, we've had lots of practice. Hamburg really helped us" he replied.

"Hamburg?" I asked. I knew I had read something about that in my research, but I did not get specifics. It was before the time I would meet Paul.

"Yes, we lived there for a few months last year & then a few more months this year. We were playing almost every day, so we got a lot of practice. Now, that we're back in Liverpool we are getting a lot more bookings. I don't have a night off until Monday" he looked at me expectantly.

"Oh, yeah. And what do you have planned for Monday" I said teasing him, because I was pretty sure I knew. I was not one to make it too easy, he was going to ask me.

"Well, I was hoping a beautiful girl would like to go out with me that night. Would you?" he said, smiling in a way that made me have a hard time concentrating on his words.

"I would love to" I said without hesitation. Shortly after we all went back to club we had been to the previous night.

Paul and I sat in one of the booths in the back, talking for the rest of the night. The thing that struck me the most, was the ease of our conversation. There were obviously topics on my mind that I could not discuss yet, if ever. However, there was none of the awkwardness I had experienced with other guys. He should have made me nervous, because he was by far the best looking guy that I had ever been around. It just wasn't though; he was so easy going.

I had had a semi-serious boyfriend back in Austin, but I never felt with him in the 5 months we dated, what I had in the 2 days I had known Paul.

As we were talking a piece of my hair came down and fell to the side of my face. Paul reached over and brushed it back behind my ear. The calloused feel of his hand brushing the sensitive skin of my cheek, sent a shiver up my spine. I looked into his eyes and he put his hand back on my cheek and bent down to kiss me. It was perfection, light and sweet. He pulled back a little to look at me, with a slight smile on his perfect mouth. It was just a short kiss, but with the promise of more. In fact, he had leaned down to kiss me again, when John strolled over.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I" he said leering & wiggling his eyebrows. We both laughed at his exaggerated expression, although I could tell Paul was a little annoyed by the interruption. To be truthful, so was I! I had been anticipating this moment for quite a while.

John slid in next to me and we were shortly joined by George and Cyn. Paul grabbed my hand and held it as the others scooted in. As we were talking to them he was drawing lazy circles on my palm with his thumb.

I had expected to like Paul, for obvious reasons, but as I got to know John & George I really began to appreciate them. They were all so charismatic, but with different personalities. I would spend a lot of time with them in the coming years, and they would become dear friends of mine. Especially George.

George had a bit of a sarcastic sense of humor similar to mine, so we got along quite well. He was also a little quiet, but not shy at all. He was not one to talk for no reason, if he had something to say he said it otherwise he didn't. That made what he did say that much more important.

John was so funny with quite a dirty mind. There was no hiding from John, if he thought something he usually said it. Even if it was embarrassing to him, or more likely the person he was talking about. You forgave him for it usually because he was so fascinating and fun to be around. I could tell Cyn really loved him, but was also slightly embarrassed by him at times.

Paul was hard to describe. When I first met him in 1961 he was just a boy from Liverpool who was in a pretty great band. Fun loving, sweet, funny but also stubborn and a bit of a perfectionist. His life would change in many ways shortly after this time, and he would change with it. He wouldn't change drastically, but that kind of fame has some effect on you. I would love him through all of it, but it did make for some difficult times for the both of us.

But here, back in 1961, was the simpler version of Paul that I was loving getting to know.

It was getting late and it was time to go. We all piled into John's car, as he volunteered to take us home. John and Cynthia in the front. George, Paul and me in the back with me in the middle. Paul put his arm around me and I snuggled into his side. He took my other hand in his for the rest of the (too short for me) ride home.

John pulled the car up to the flats Cynthia & I lived in. Paul opened the door, got out and helped me out as well. He held my hand as we walked to the door.

"Will I see you tomorrow, then? We have another show". He asked, still holding my hand.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world" I said with a lot of enthusiasm.

He laughed at me a little, then he leaned down and kissed me. This was a much longer kiss than the one we had shared earlier. It left me wanting quite a bit more.

In fact, I was thinking about asking him to come up before he said "Bye, luv" and gave me one more quick kiss before darting back to the waiting car.

Cynthia got out of the car & joined me at the door.

"Well, you look like you enjoyed tonight" she said laughing.

"Oh my god, yes" I said at the understatement as we walked to our flats.

I said goodbye to Cyn, and got ready for bed. As I went to sleep, Paul was in my thoughts, and later in my dreams.