Take Me To Church (A John Lennon Story)

Chapter Seven: "But I Love You."

John woke me in the morning by moving arouond on his bed.  It was quite small, so we were nearly pressed against each other.  I startled for a moment, not remembering where I was.  But he smiled.  "Good morning, love.  Are you hungry?  Or, do you want to get dressed first?"

I blushed.  "I didn't bring any clothes with me.  Maybe I could sneak back home-"

"No," he said firmly.  "I've got a sweater you can wear.  Mimi's sister made it for me, but it's about three sizes too big.  It would be a dress on you."

I agreed, and he gave it to me as he went into the bathroom to get dressed himself.  Luckily it went to just above my knee, so it wasn't scandalously small. However, I had to roll up the sleeves a lot. After washing up in the bathroom, I went downstairs.  "It fits." I said.  He smiled.  

We ate breakfast, and John was surprisingly good at cooking.  "Don't tell anyone," he warned.  I didn't know why he would want to keep some of his talents hidden.  He had plenty of them.  

I had seemingly forgotten about my father until John came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck.  Thinking about what happened the night before, I dropped my plate in fright.  It shattered on the floor.  John swore.  "I'm so sorry.  I-I was scared-"

"It's alright.  I should have remembered." John said.  He told me to sit on the counter, for I was in just my socks and he didn't want me to cut my feet.  I did as I was told.  "I'm sorry," I repeated.  He said it was fine.  It was an accident, and he would just put the pieces in a bag and put them in the dumpster down the road.  While he was sweeping the glass from the floor, he kept looking up at me.  Soon, I realized what he was staring at.  The way I was sitting exposed my underwear, so I tugged the sweater down and crossed my legs, embarrassed.  I swore I saw him smirk.

When he had cleaned the mess and disposed of it, I apologized once more.  "You ask for forgiveness too much."

Around noon, there was a knock on his front door.  John was playing his guitar, and getting into it too, so I wasn't sure if he heard it.  I got up, thinking it would just be the postman. 

But it was one of the boys from the park a few nights before.  As he looked me over, I suddenly felt very exposed, and thought of what my father almost did to me.  "Is John here, love?"  After seeing me, he almost looked like he wished he wasn't there.  

Then John walked up to the door.  "This isn't a good time, mate."

"Come on, John, I only need a few minutes.  I'm sure you can take away some time from your bird."  He nodded towards me.  I told him it was alright, and walked back towards the living room for privacy.  At first they were talking about some party, and then the conversation turned to me.  

"-doing with a girl like her?  And why is she dressed like that?" the boy said, making me blush even though I wasn't supposed to be listening.  

John sighed.  "She's...staying with me for awhile.  It's not going to be for a long time...only for a few days."

The boy smirked.  "So...she's your charity case?"  

"I don't know...I guess." 

Why would he say that, I thought.  He said he cared.

But then John spoke again before the boy could.  "Let's talk later.  I don't want to leave her alone for long."  The boy must have left, because the door shut and I hurried over to the couch and sat there, hoping I did not look suspicious.  However, I wished I knew why John said I was his "charity case."  

"Something wrong, love?" he asked.  I shook my head.  "I was just thinking about my dad.  He'll be angry.  He will want to know where I stayed."  John told me it will be alright.  But then he blushed slightly and said he had to use the restroom and would be back.  When he left, I continued to think about what he had said.