the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

sixty one

john

"see you on friday then yeah?" caleb spoke as he leaned through the passenger side window of penelopes car.

they'd all just bid their farewells to each other and planned to meet the following friday at the cavern club to see the quarrymen perform one last time with stu.

"yeah, see you then caleb, thank you for well - everything," penelope laughed shyly.

"don't be stupid, thank you, it was nice meeting you john, look after her yeah," caleb winked.

"always," john replied making penelope blush.

caleb gave a quick kiss on penelopes forehead muttering 'thank yous' over and over again. it made penelope feel a love that she hadn't felt before, she had a father, and he wanted her - with absolutely no judgements on her or her mother.

john was driving this time around and they'd already packed up all of their belongings from the motel and put them into the boot. penelope wore jean shorts with a long sleeve red turtle neck. her hair was worn naturally down not bothering to clip back her bangs. john wore dark blue jeans alongside a black shirt and his black sunglasses perched on his nose.

penelope rolled the window down as they wound their way out of the country roads, her hand mindlessly hanging out of it feeling the wind gush past her arms. she felt an absolute sense of happiness, like nothing could hurt her.

she shuddered as the winds all of a sudden became harsh against her skin making goose pimples arise up and down her entire body, she hastily rolled the window up and slipped on her oversized black cardigan she had draped over the back of her seat.

john side glanced her smirking lightly at how cute she was.

"when's your birthday?" she randomly asked breaking the silence.

"i'll be nineteen on october ninth," he replied.

penelope hummed in response. she pulled her legs up to her chest and turned so her back leaned against the car door. she silently observed johns side profile as he kept one of his hands on the steering wheel and his other tapping an unknown tune on his thigh. she bit the side of her cheek to suppress a smile as she simply took him in.

the way his thick hair rested messily on top of his head, none of that greasy hair product he normally applied, and still slightly damp from his shower in the morning, which would've baffled penelope as they'd sat outdoors all day but he'd worn his baker boy hat whilst at caleb's most likely preventing it from drying. she also noticed he often bit the inside of his cheek, for no apparent reason, just a force of habit. she thought it must be his equivalent of biting nails.

she slowly saw a faint pink colour fill his cheeks and he shielded his face from her by shifting his view to look outside the side window.

"stop looking at me," he mumbled making penelope grin.

she unbuckled her seatbelt and shuffled over to sit by his side, "why? am i making you blush again?" she teased. john just shook his head allowing a grin on his face to match hers.

"you're gonna be the death of me penelope," he said wrapping his free arm around her. she pecked kisses from his cheek and down to his neck where she rested her head on his shoulder. her hand now resting on his thigh.