In My Life

Chapter 1:

"Glasses, John!" Mimi called out as she swung open the black gate beside 251 Menlove Avenue, peering out to catch her nephew's attention.

John Lennon halted, turning back with a playful frown, "Ah, come on now, Mimi," he teased. With a reluctant sigh, he dug into his pocket and retrieved the Buddy Holly-inspired black-framed glasses, sliding them onto his nose with a hint of theatrical hesitation.

Mimi raised a finger at John, her tone firm, "I won't tell you twice now, John. Off to school, you go." She shut the gate behind her as John quickly removed the glasses, tucking them away in his pocket before he closed the front double gate.

As he made his way up the steps of the neighboring house, John ran a comb through his slicked-back, greasy quiff, and knocked on the dark blue front door.

A tall, charcoal-haired man opened the door, greeting him with a smile, "Ay there, John. You're a bit early."

He shrugged, returning the grin, "Ah, ya know Mimi. The earlier I get away, the better for me." He leaned slightly to peer past Ed Harris, his best friend's father, "So, she ready then?"

Ed stepped aside, allowing John to enter the house he knew almost as well as his own ever since moving in with Aunt Mimi, "Oh, ya know how she is," he chuckled.

John shook his head, already making his way toward the stairs, "Not to worry, I'll be gettin' her out in a few," he called back with a confident grin.

As John reached the top of the stairs, the familiar melody of the Everly Brothers 'All I Have To Do Is Dream' drifted from the room on the right, "Ah, come 'ead now, Liv. It's every bloody time," he teased.

The white door swung open, revealing Olivia Harris, his best friend since his days started living with Aunt Mimi. She was already dressed in her dark blue and white school uniform, though her long ebony hair was still in a tangled ponytail.

"Stop your whinin' now. I'm almost ready, ya see," she said with a smirk.

Every morning was a familiar struggle to get Olivia out the door on time for school. As the end of the school year approached, it seemed to become increasingly difficult for her to leave the house promptly.

Unlike the other girls who went to their school, Olivia stood out with her natural beauty, something that often sparked envy. With her mother no longer in the picture, Olivia never felt inclined to wear fancy clothes or fuss over her hair and makeup - until recently. Since her mother's passing, she had stuck to the same simple ponytail every day. But with school coming to a close, she was eager to start expressing herself more and reveal her true personality.

As she slipped on her black saddle shoes, she smirked at her reflection, letting out a small sigh. She returned to her room, lowered the volume on her turntable, and began to comb through her tangled ponytail, "So, Mimi was on ya this mornin' I see," she remarked with a knowing smile.

John leaned casually against the doorframe, watching her, "Always, ya know," he replied with a resigned sigh. "I'm failin' a few classes an' gave me a bit of a lecture this mornin'."

Olivia picked up the small bottle of mascara from her vanity and started applying it to her dark lashes, "Ya know, all you have to do is ask. I can help ya, ya know," she offered.

John tilted his head, watching her intently. "But I'm a bother," he replied, though his eyes were full of gratitude. As he continued to study her face, he noticed something different. "Somethin's different 'bout ya today," he mused, narrowing his eyes as if to solve a puzzle. Suddenly, he chuckled, biting the top of his lip. "Is that makeup you're puttin' on now?"