Just to Dance with you

The Toppermost of the Poppermost!

Amelia's POV
Liverpool, 8th July 1962:

Today was my 19th birthday, which was fitting given it was Ringo's 22nd yesterday so we were all able to celebrate together in the pub and have some time to wind down from the busy year we'd already had. The past few months had been like some crazy whirlwind that none of us were the slightest bit ready for.

John had proposed to Cynthia a couple of months ago and their wedding was set for late August, everyone was so excited despite Cynthia wanting a small reception in a registry office, it was their love and commitment for each other and the fact that John had finally popped the question that made everyone all the more excited. Whilst myself, Cyn and her other friends were busy planning dresses and colour schemes, John and the lads continued working towards their music career, they'd even had another audition for a record deal with a company called EMI a little over a month ago, but without an answer as to whether they were accepted or not, they'd lost hope and looked onto more opportunities, starting with playing more gigs at the Cavern which they still managed to fill up every night without fail.

We'd celebrated George's birthday not long after we made up, we had all spent the day in Blackpool, going to the amusements and having fun on the rides before finishing the night on the pier with a few drinks, it was a perfect day, well what we remember of it that is. It wasn't long after that, that we were celebrating Paul's 20th and the engagement of John and Cynthia, the year had gone by bizarrely fast but none of us would have changed it for the world.

But, finally, here we all were, Me, George, Paul, John, Ringo, Pete, Lucy, Cynthia, Rory and Mandy, back together to celebrate mine and Ringo's birthday, we decided to do a joint birthday as it worked out cheaper in the pub. Though, George had surprised me that morning by carting me off to Chester for the day, he treated me to lunch and even took me shopping, treating me to a beautiful pastel yellow dress as a gift. We returned to Liverpool a little before 7pm, which is when we headed for the pub to meet the others.

We'd been sat in the pub now for about an hour and a half, Rory had got another round of drinks in and sat back down next to my sister, wrapping his arm around her instantly, they were practically inseparable now, it really was quite sweet. But it was safe to say that by this point in the night we were all a little bit merry from the alcohol.

"So....have you lads found anyone else to audition for after Parlophone?" Ringo asked breaking the small bit of chit chat that was happening around the table in the Grapes, bringing everyone's attention now to the lads.

"Nah not yet mate, it's taking the piss! And we've 'ad no word back from EMI." George replied in a huff, admiring his pint glass before taking a swig.
"Probably because you told that Mr Martin you didn't like his tie." I shot back making the table laugh, including George as he put his glass back down with a thud, playing with it between his hands.
"Nah he knew it was a joke." He chuckled looking to Paul and John for back up as they just stared at him.

"Was it though mate?" John raised an eyebrow at George who just shrugged, still smirking as he wrapped his arm around my waist, planting a soft kiss on my cheek.
"He wouldn't 'ave laughed otherwise." George leaned back against the booth, pulling my waist down to join him.
"Yeah well we know who to blame if we don't get that bleeding deal." Paul grumbled sarcastically but George just shrugged his comment off, too merry to give it a second thought.

We snuggled against each other, happy to be in each other's company as the conversation carried on around us but we both immediately shot back up once the front door to the pub slammed open, making us all jump.

"Bloody 'ell fire!" Rory yelled what we were all thinking whilst almost jumping out his seat himself, we all looked around the partitioning wall to see who was making such an entrance, to be greeted with Mr Epstein's ecstatic face, giddily bounding towards our table.
"Bloody 'ell Eppy! Where's the fire man?" John smirked at their manager as he caught his breath, the smile on his face unfaltering as he stared at us all wistfully.