Borrowed Time: Saving John Lennon - A Beatles Fanfic

Chapter 10 - I WANT TO TELL YOU

July 2, 1958

John looked directly at Holly as he straightened his body next to her on the bench. "Very funny. Did Stu put you up to this?"

"No, not at all. I know this sounds utterly crazy, but I promise you I'm not making it up. I know all about you." Holly looked directly into John's eyes.

John stood up from the bench. "Yeah well, you can find your way to the bus then. Bloody fortune tellers don't need help do they?" He took a few steps away, heading back towards Ye Cracke.

"You have a friend named Paul McCartney in your band," Holly shouted, still sitting on the bench. "Just recently you let his friend George Harrison join too, even though you think he's way too young. He played "Raunchy" for you on the top of a double-decker bus and, even though you didn't want to admit it, he was too talented to pass up."

John was standing a few yards away from Holly, having stopped and turned to her as she spoke.

"Well, Stu did put you up to this, then," he spat.

"No. He didn't."

John turned and began to walk off again. Holly knew this was a do-or-die moment, so she resolved to pull out all the stops. No sense in giving up now. She'd gotten too far.

"I'll prove it to you," she called after John. "Come back for just a moment, please!"

John didn't stop.

Holly looked around quickly. They seemed to be alone in this area by the Cathedral. People were nearby, walking down the sidewalk on the other side of the street, but none were close enough to really notice Holly or John.

"John! Look at me, please!" Holly stood up from the bench.

John turned his head towards her and was in the middle of telling Holly to "Fuck off," when he stopped mid-word. Holly was holding her smartphone in her hands, trying to shield it from every direction except John's. She had pressed the home button and the screen was brightly lit up, displaying the time and a scenic picture of New York City's skyline.

"What the bloody hell is that?" John asked and he took a few steps towards Holly.

She quickly stuffed the phone back into her handbag and looked straight into John's eyes. She lowered her voice as John got closer. "It's my proof. I'm not lying. I really am from the future."

"Show me that... that thing again. What is it?" John asked, standing in front of her.

"Is there somewhere we can go that isn't quite so public?" Holly asked.

John let out a loud laugh. "Is that what this is about?" he blurted. "You could have done with a lot less theatrics to try and get me in bed."

Holly let a small laugh escape. The fact that she was 39 and John was currently 17 made his comment funny and horrible, all at the same time.

"I'm not trying to do anything like that!" Holly responded. "If I'm just trying to get you in the sack, then how about you explain to me what I just showed you!"

John had no response for that. He simply looked at Holly and then down to the handbag in her hands.

"So once again, is there anywhere nearby that we could go that isn't quite so public?" Holly asked.

John stared at Holly for a moment, glancing again at her handbag. "Stu has a flat just a couple blocks away. That way." He pointed a finger in the direction away from the Cathedral. "I suppose we could go there. But only if you show me that thing in your bag again."