Every Little Thing (AU)

3

While I was making dinner, John took the liberty of looking through my boxes under my bed. A thing about my apartment, it's entirely an open concept. The only thing that's in a separate room is the bathroom, and my counter is kind of in a rectangle with an open end, so I could see him going through my boxes. The only things I had in there was the very little things I got to keep when I moved.

He pulled out a small handheld radio from my boxes. "So you do have a radio!" he exclaimed.

"I forgot about that," I said, going to him and leaving the macaroni to boil (I was making mac and cheese). "I must've brought it over from my old place."

"What was your old place like?"

I sighed. "You being famous and all, you probably won't stick around long enough to care," I snapped at him. I know it was rude, and he was just being curious, but I never liked nosy people. I went back into the kitchen and started stirring the macaroni, and John followed me. As I was stirring, he leaned across the counter and looked at me.

"Tha' was a tad bit harsh!" he exclaimed. I kept stirring and he added "What makes you think I won't stick around?"

"John," I began. "New York is just a stop for you. How long will you be staying?"

"Uh, Tuesday morning."

"Exactly. It's Saturday night already, and then you probably have shows, and you'll be busy and my life will go on, as will yours. There's no logical reason for you stick around for more than tonight."

"There is a logical reason."

"What is it then? I'm interested to know."

"It's you Alice!" he yelled all of a sudden, taking me by surprise. "You are a reason for anyone to stay! You're beautiful, and you're kind in your own way and you're not like the other girls!"

"How can you actually say that?" I asked. "You don't even know me!"

"That's why I want to stay the most, I want to know you. I want to stay."

"How would you even know it's worth it John?"

"You sound like you're trying to talk me out of it."

I sighed and looked for a strainer. I dumped the noodles, and finished it off my adding cheese, milk and butter. I put it in two bowls and slid one over to John, trying to avoid his comment. He gave me a funny look and started eating. "Thanks," he stated simply.

We ate in silence, when he asked "Why don't you want me to stay?"

I sighed and set my bowl down. "Look, it's not that I don't want you to stay. I just want you to know what you're staying for." I backed up and let him look me up and down. "Look at me, look at yourself, and look back at me. Does it look like I would even be able to make a guy like you happy? If you stay, trust me, I'd be happy! You're smart, somewhat polite and you're funny! Yet, if you stayed, would that actually make you happy?"

I cleaned my bowl out and started doing my other dishes. John stood there, silent. I had finally gotten across to him. Maybe, in the future, I can tell my kids (if I have any), "Did you know one time John Lennon stayed at my apartment for an entire night?" They'd laugh, and probably not believe me. Well, whatever the case, this is now, and this is my reality.

"Yes," John said all of a sudden. I turned to him.

"What?" I asked.

"Yes, it would make me 'appy."

I sighed. "Is there really no changing your mind?" He shook his head and came up next to me to clean his bowl. He smiled at me and I weakly smiled back.

I went and sat down at my desk and pulled out my notebook. I flipped back to the page I was writing on before and continued:

And then your friend will come down

And ask something of him

Then he will dig in

To stuff he just

Can't understand

He will offer to stay

For you and give

Up a bright future

To risk it on a

Ledge that hasn't been

Walked on for years.

He will fall in love with you.

And we all know

Love is a

Dangerous thing.

I closed it again and shut it in my notebook. I looked out the peephole in the door and saw that four girls were still waiting outside for him. Why do these girls care so much for a man they've never met? I shook my head and lay down on my bed, grabbing a book I've been reading for a while. It was a complete collection of all of Shakespeare's plays and poems.

John pulled up my desk chair next to me and kept reading the same book he's been reading for a while now. I looked at him and sighed. Before he was in my bed and nothing happened, it was harmless. He doesn't look that comfortable in that desk chair, I don't blame him...

"John?" I began.

"Yes Alice?"

"Would you like to lay in bed next to me? You know, as long as there's no funny business."

"Of course, thank you!" I scooted over and he got in next to me and smiled at me. This time I smiled back in a smile that wasn't weak.

"Hey Alice?" he asked after a while.

"Yeah?"

"Is this a sign that I'm growing on you?"

I playfully bumped into him and he smiled. "Maybe it is."