⇾ 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Drunk Paul at a Jealous John's Surprise Birthday Party

October 9, 1961

"Surprise!"

The lights popped on and everyone popped up from behind furniture as John and I walked through the doors. I'd taken John out to the pictures so everyone could fix up a party for him at Paul's house. John jumped and smiled happily. He roped his arm around my waist instinctively, falling back against the wall behind him.

Paul came up from beside us, handing a beer to John. "Happy birthday, mate," Paul said, clapping him on the shoulder.

John shoved him playfully, letting go of me. Trixie came up beside me, pulling me to the side. "What'd you get him?" she asked eagerly.

I turned to see John indulged in chat with Paul, drinking away happily. Turning back to Trixie, I quickly answered, "it's a harmonica," rather happily.

She gave a slightly confused look.

"Well, George has been saying he'd been looking for another one, so that's what I went for. I had him help me pick it out and everything." I beamed, satisfied with my gift.

"But you're not gonna give it to him in front of everyone, are you?" she asked.

"Why not?"

"Because, giving it to him in private is more romantic," she said as if it was the most blunt thing on the planet.

I shrugged. "I guess so. If the opportunity presents itself, I'll be sure to do that."

"Do what?" I turned slowly to see John's face mere centimeters away from mine. Trixie inched herself away from me.

"Nothing," I answered too quickly.

He frowned. "I hope you didn't run off and buy me something. I shrugged guiltily. His jaw dropped. "You did."

I shrugged again. "A little token of my gratitude."

"So," he said, tipping his bottle back for another swing of his drink. "When do I get to see it?" He smirked.

"When you find it," I answered cleverly, knowing very well he'd probably never find it hidden in the inside pocket of my zipped up jacket. He frowned dumbly and Paul came up and butted his way into our conversation.

"Hey, lovies," he said with a tipsy smile. He'd obviously been drinking long before John had showed up.

There weren't really that many people here. I could clearly see George and Mary smiling at one another flirtatiously off in the corner, I saw the members of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes chatting with Pete on the other side of the room. Trixie had wound up back over here and Paul now had Dot under his arm protectively. John continued to eye me skeptically, but finally broke eye contact as Paul continued to talk.

"Y'know, John, twenty-one years is a long time. Too bad ye didn't know me all twenty-one." He laughed.

John nodded, grinning to himself. "Luckily I've known you for at least six."

Paul laughed loudly and Dot jumped slightly. "Yeah, you have, haven't ye‽ Hey, Donna, why don't you come over here and meet Ringo and the rest of the Hurricanes? They've been askin' about ye!"

My eyes widened and John's hand instinctively squeezed mine to stop the shaking. Paul turned with Dot and began walking back towards Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, Trixie finding herself awkwardly shoved between Dot and Paul, and John and I.

"It's okay, Donna, my dear, Ringo is a lovely dude, you'll like him," John leaned down and whispered straight into my ear, his lips brushing against me accidentally. I shivered. I looked up to see him smirking at his obvious success in making me uncomfortable. Paul looked back at us and smirked when he saw John's smug smile.