Just to Dance with you

Pete Forever, Ringo Never

Amelia's POV
Liverpool 22nd August, 1962:

"I can't believe it....I never expected it to kick off this badly." The lads had come round to my house today, their spirits were down and had been ever since Ringo joined, not because of Ringo of course but because of the reaction the fans had to him joining. They looked tired, exhausted even, as though they hadn't been sleeping. Paul paced up and down the living room, biting his finger nails in anticipation, John was slumped in the armchair smoking and picking at his guitars strings. Ringo was stood leant against the window pane fiddling with the rings on his fingers and George laid on the sofa enjoying a cig as he rested his eyes.

Their arrival was unexpected, I still wasn't showered or dressed and I was rushing around the house like a headless chicken trying to find pins and fabrics for Cynthia's dress, my mother hammering away on the sewing machine and Cyn stood modelling the foundations of her dress, reading the Mersey Beat and their thoughts of Ringo joining the Beatles.

"It was quite scary what happened the other night, I must admit." I remembered back to the Saturday night they debuted Ringo as I threw even more fabric around Cynthia's waist. Everyone at the club was whispering and shuffling awkwardly trying to make sense of the scenes that were unfolding in front of them. Many people even left once the realised it wasn't some kind of practical joke, I stared on in horror later in the night as fights broke out in the street, some supporting Ringo, others defending Pete, the lads were lucky to get out the club unscathed.

My thoughts of that night were thankfully cut short upon hearing an astonishingly loud and out of tune chord coming from John's direction.
"Shit! Sorry." He mumbled still with his cig in his mouth as everyone stopped in their tracks at the terrible sound. We soon resumed with our activities, my mother and I more than eager to get Cynthia's dress finished by the morning.

"Paul if you carry on like that I won't have any carpet left." My mother called out not looking up from her sewing, a cigarette dangling from her lips casually. Paul immediately stopped himself pacing and walked over to the couch, picking up George's legs so he could sit.

"Sorry Mrs Evans." He looked the most tired out of all of them, in fact the calmest looking was Ringo, despite all the controversy surrounding him. George swivelled so they could share the sofa but soon stood and headed for the kitchen, explaining on his way that he'd pop the kettle on, placing a quick peck on my cheek as he passed.

I eyed him up curiously, he seemed quieter than usual too and he seemed distant from the others as their banter filled the room once again as they tried to brush off their anxieties about their performance tonight. I looked longingly at the doorway my boyfriend had just walked through, losing my thoughts to ones filled with George, becoming completely unaware of what I was doing with the fabric around Cynthia's waist.
"Ouch!" Cynthia exclaimed and it was then I realised I'd pricked her side with a safety pin, too focused on George to even notice what I was doing.

"Oh Cyn I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention, are you okay?" I quickly shook my head away from the kitchen door but Cyn just smiled and nodded.
"I'm fine, but he doesn't seem it." She motioned towards the kitchen with the now rolled up magazine, noticing George's absent persona, to which I sighed looking at the floor not sure how to console him, I shifted my gaze towards the kitchen which Cynthia noticed.

"Go talk to him, he looks like he needs you right now." She caught my gaze with hers as she took the fabric from my hands, holding it against herself as my mum came over to pin it in place. I didn't bother arguing with the bride to be and smiled gratefully at her. She was very wise when it came to dealing with boys emotions, hell she had to babysit John after all!
I headed for the kitchen, lightly treading through the living room, careful not to disrupt the bantering of the boys as they discussed new song ideas.