"I think I've had enough, might get a little drunk, I say what's on my mind. I might do a little time.  Cause all of my kindness is taken for weakness" - Rihanna, Kanye West, Paul McCartney

July 1959

"Charlotte, really I don't understand the rush!" Charli's mother said as Charli tried rushing her parents to get ready.
It was the day of the fete and she couldn't wait.
"I promised I'd meet Jenny," she said anxiously.

"And I have baking I need to gather, Jenny can wait," Mrs. McLeod said sternly. "What on earth are you wearing?"

"Clothes," Charli said rolling her eyes. Her mother looked disapprovingly at her rolled jeans, flats, and black sweater, that in her mind seemed just a bit too tight. Charli adjusted her hair and tied a small, blue scarf at her neck, using the toaster oven as a mirror.

"Charlotte," Mr. McLeod cut in, "I thought you were going to wear the dress we set out for you"

Charli sighed, exasperated. "It's July, it's hot out...that dress is too warm! Plus I'm old enough to dress myself"

"Honestly," Mrs. McLeod said as she finished sorting the baking she planned to sell "I don't understand why you can't be more like little Sally Prescott from church."

"Because she's boring" Charli groaned "Let's go!"

"At least she minds her parents," Mr. McLeod said disapprovingly.

As the McLeod family arrived at the fete, they were greeted by the Prescott family. Charli hurriedly helped her mother organize her baking, she could hear the band starting and didn't want to miss them.
"Molly! So glad to see you've brought your famous jam tarts" Mrs. Prescott greeted her. "And little Charlotte, such interesting clothes"
"Not so little anymore Mrs. Prescott," Charli said as she grabbed another tray of jam tarts

"Charlotte decided to dress herself today," Mrs. McLeod said. Charli shot her mother a look.
"Oh, Charlotte! It's so lovely to see you" a girl with light blonde hair, the same age as Charlotte, clad in a sundress, cardigan and sun hat said.

"Yeah, you too, Sally," Charli said annoyed.

"I like your....scarf," Sally said with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks," Charli said "Mum, can I go now?"

"Fine Charlotte, but why don't you take Sally with you?" Mrs. McLeod said. Charli grimaced but knew she couldn't argue.

"Fine" she rolled her eyes "Try to keep up, I told Jenny I'd meet her for ice cream"

Charli wasn't keen on Sally, Sally had a tendency to snitch and was more malicious than she let on when she wanted to be.

"Charli!" Jenny said as they found each other "'bout time you got here! They've already started playing, let's go!"

"Sorry, Jen! Mum insisted I help her sort 7 trays of jam tarts...ugh!" Charli said exasperatedly.
"....Hi, Sally," Jenny said noticing the blonde following Charlotte
"Hello, Jennifer!" Sally smiled "Charlotte said we were meeting for ice cream...funny, the ice cream stall seems to be on the other side of the green."
"Its Jenny" Jenny corrected Sally "and..oops."

"Come off it Sally, just be cool," Charli said as they walked on.

I'm gonna' tell Aunt Mary about Uncle John

They heard a familiar young voice scream over the speakers on the stage.
"Aaah! We're missing it!" Charli said grabbing Jenny's hand and running for the stage. Sally running alongside her as well.

As they reached the stage the energy was electric
"He said they would play this song!" Charli said loudly to Jenny. Charli and Jenny danced excitedly as the young men on stage had looked like they were having too much fun performing, Paul saw Charli in the audience and gave her a quick wink as he continued singing.
"I don't think we should be here, Charlotte" Sally shouted. "It's the Devil's music!"

She yelled just as the band finished the song, the entire audience heard, there were a few laughs including a small laugh from Paul and George on stage, John was laughing the hardest.
"Too right!" John said "And I'm the devil himself...hello little girl" he growled. Sally looked angry.
"Johnny, that's enough" Paul said stifling a laugh "They came to hear us play"
"Alright, alright...then let's play!" John said, "We recorded this last year, Macca wrote it for some bird, isn't that right Romeo?"
"Sod off John" Paul laughed.

In spite of all the danger, in spite of all that may be
I'll do anything for you, anything you want me to
If you'll be true to me...

John took the lead vocals, while Paul and George sang the harmonies. Charli knew the song all to well as Paul had sung it to her many times before.
"Careful, Charli" Jenny nudged her "You're swooning"
"Shut it Jen" Charli laughed

"Did she say swooning?" Sally said budding in.

'Nah..." Charli said. "Sweating...it's hot. You just heard wrong, must be from the loudspeakers"
She knew Sally would relish the chance to get her in trouble and therefore was doing what she could to prevent that.

The band finished playing, Jenny and Charli were discussing Charli staying over that night when Paul approached them.
"'Ello girls," he said amiably. He was cautious of showing any extra affection toward Charli since Sally was still hovering over her.
"You lads were brilliant!" Charli said giving him a hug.

"I thought it was much too loud," Sally said disapprovingly.

"That's how we play luv," John said as he joined in the conversation. Sally's eyes narrowed.

"You're that Lennon boy," she said. "My mother said I should stay away from you"

"My reputation precedes me" he laughed. He put an arm around Jenny's shoulders, she blushed slightly "What do you say, we grab an ice cream?"
"I'd love some ice cream!" Sally interrupted "I thought that's where we were going anyway!"
"Great!" John said "You and George can come along too"
"What about Charlotte?" Sally asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'll catch up," Charli said "Erm...I'll help Paul clean up the stage"
Jenny pulled Charli close and whispered to her

"We'll keep Sally distracted, go have your snog"
"I owe you" Charli whispered back.
Jenny winked as she, John, George, and Sally walked away on their way to find ice cream and most importantly, distract Sally.

When they were sure the rest were out of sight Paul grabbed Charli's hand "Come 'ead luv," he said as the 2 ducked behind a building at the edge of the green, out of sight.
Once they were hidden away from the excitement of the summer fete, they kissed, long and deep kisses, both trying to be closer to each other. Paul leaned against the brick and ivy of the building and pulled Charli closer to him, neither wanting to break away from the other.
"I'm sorry we have to hide," Charli said finally.
"It's alright, kitten," Paul said kissing her again. She kissed back, deeper as he ran his hands through her hair. "To be honest, I wish we could find somewhere more private to hide away" he grinned pushing his hips into her.
"Shh...I'm already in enough trouble...they'd kill me if we did that!" she laughed before kissing him becoming lost in him again.
"Lovebirds!" Jenny said running up grabbing Charli's shoulder causing her to jump "break it up...I don't think we can keep Sally distracted much longer! John's trying...but I think he's making it worse!"
Charli laughed imagining the sort of things John was saying to the poor, seemingly innocent, Sally.
"See you tonight then?" Paul asked, "I can stop by your window" he winked.

"Uh-uh...she's mine tonight Macca," Jenny said linking arms with Charli "We need some girl time..apparently more than I thought"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Charli laughed.
Jenny messed Charli's red hair a bit before pulling a small compact mirror from her pocket. Charli got a good look at herself and laughed. Her hair was messed and untamable, there were a few small ivy leaves throughout...

"This will be fun to explain." she laughed trying to pick a few leaves from her hair.

Jenny and Charli after the show

The three made their way back to the stage where they saw George sitting, looking bored and smoking while John argued with Sally.
"Charlotte," Sally said angrily "Tell him its impossible for the Loch Ness Monster to exist!"
"I'm just saying, you believe in a big man in the sky punishing you, but you can't believe in a monster living in a Loch in Scotland," He said with a cheeky grin.
"That's different!" Sally yelled "Right Charlotte?"
She finally got a look at Charli "Charlotte, what happened to you??"
"Ehm..." Charli said trying to find an excuse
"Tug of war," Paul said. Jenny stifled a laugh.
"Me brother Mikey roped us into the tug of war match, put up quite a fight, but the other team was just stronger than us" he explained with a smirk.

"No, there are no boys, they're not drinking...they're upstairs listening to music," Jenny's mum said into the phone."You've called here 3 times Joe...sorry..Mr. McLeod. They're fine, I'm just about to bring them some biccies and tea"
She sighed heavily as she rang off.
Jenny's mother had had to raise Jenny on her own after she divorced Jenny's father, she sighed knowing her neighbors judged her, none more so than the parents of Jenny's best friend Charli.
"Right, should we take the girls some biccies, Simon?" she asked a small child sitting on the floor drawing.
"Are they in trouble mummy?" he asked grabbing her hand as she gave him a biscuit.

"No, they're not in trouble dear," she smiled warmly at her son.

Jenny and Charli sat at Jenny's window, Jenny's record of The Chordettes played in the background. They'd opened the window to have a smoke, the night was warm and the smell of summer hung in the air as a slight breeze came through the window. Charli smiled thinking back on the day, on the summer, even the last year. She exhaled a puff of smoke trying to make smoke rings. Jenny laughed, "Still haven't mastered it!"
Jenny then blew her own smoke and formed the perfect rings.
"Pfft...I've got other things to think about than mastering silly smoking tricks" Charli laughed.

"Right...like Paaaaaulieee," Jenny said in a high pitched girly voice. Charli threw a pillow at her as they both laughed.
"Girls, I'm coming upstairs...if you're smoking, stub it out! I don't want ta' see it" Jenny's mum called up the stairs.
They both stubbed out their cigarettes, "Your mum is so cool" Charli sighed. Jenny smiled, she knew Charli was right, she also knew how hard it was for her mum when she left her father.
"Thought you girls might like some biccies and tea," she said leaving the tray on Jenny's dresser. The record changed and the sounds of The Chordette's lollipop filled the room. Jenny's little brother Simon jumped up and down "It's the lollipop song! It's the lollipop song!" he said excitedly.

"Too right it is!" Jenny laughed as she hopped off her bed and picked him up singing to him as she danced him around the room

Sweeter than candy on a stick
Huckleberry, cherry or rye
If you had a choice he'd be your pick
But the lollipop is mine

Simon laughed wildly as she spun him around the small room, Charli was always amused at how, the hard-edged teddy girl, Jenny, became a softy whenever she was around her little brother.
"I don't know what I'd do without her" Jenny's mum said as she sat on the bed next to Charli "She's perfect with him, especially since he's well..."
Charli knew that Jenny's younger brother was different to the other children his age, but she never thought there was anything wrong with the boy.
"What do you mean Ms. Jamison?" Charli asked.
"Well..the doctor says he's 'socially and emotionally delayed'...I'm not even sure what that means, but what I do know is he already has a difficult time with the other children...it's just so hard sometimes," she said with a tear in her eyes.
Jenny played the song again for Simon as they danced.

"I think he's lovely," Charli said smiling. Ms. Jamison returned the smile.
"You're such a dear Charli, your parents should see that in you," she said as she softly squeezed her wrist. They smiled a moment at each other "So, Jenny tells me you've been seeing McCartney's eldest son"
Charli went white.
"No one is supposed to know about that mum!" Jenny laughed as she spun Simon around again singing Lollipop to him.
"Relax," Ms. Jamison laughed "I'm not going to tell your parents lovey, he's a lovely lad and you're a sweet girl, just don't grow up too fast luv"

Charli smiled "Thanks, Ms. Jamison"

"Alright Simon, I think we should let the girls get back to being girls" she laughed.

"No!" he shouted, "I want to stay here and play the lollipop song!"

Charli had seen Simon's meltdowns before anyone could do anything Jenny set him down and sat on the floor with him.
"But Simon, I bet if you're really nice to mummy, she'll play your Mickey Mouse records," She said calmly "Besides, Charli and me are just going to be talking about boys"
"I'm a boy," he said plainly.

"We're going to talk about kissing boys," she said kissing all over his face.

"Yuck!!" He laughed loudly wiping the lipstick marks off his face.

With that, Simon went with his mother and they left Jenny and Charli to go back to talking.

"Poor mum...she's going to have to listen to his Mickey Mouse club record over and over again all night" Jenny laughed.
"You are pretty adorable with him" Charli smirked.

"Sod off McLeod, I'm still a teddy girl through and through....but I do love me little brother" she laughed. "Now, don't think yer getting off so easy..."
Charli lit another ciggie, knowing full well what Jenny wanted to talk about. Jenny lit herself another ciggie as well.

"You were awful...cozy with Paul this afternoon," Jenny said raising her eyebrows suggestively. "How close are you two getting?"

"What do you mean?" Charli asked knowing full well where the conversation was leading.

"I mean, have you done it yet?" Jenny grinned.

"No..." Charli sighed as she exhaled a puff of smoke. Jenny sensed her frustration.
"I mean," Charli continued "I'm scared. My parents would KILL me if they found out and they're already suspicious of him being around me"

"Your da' is pretty terrifying.." Jenny said as she took another drag from her ciggie. Charli smirked.

"You have no idea..." she said looking out the window. Jenny knew Charli's situation better than Charli thought.

"Honestly, though...if your parents weren't so overbearing, would you want to?" Jenny asked. Charli thought a moment.

"I think so? I mean, part of me says 'YES!!', especially when I'm with him...but I'm a bit..scared" she said embarrassed. "Have you ever done it, Jen?"

"Once..." Jenny said, she knew Charli wouldn't judge her like others had"I was scared too...Paul really cares about you though, that has to make it a little less scary"

"You're sure I'm not just a passing phase?" Charli said stubbing out her ciggie.

"Charli, C'mon...you two have been seeing each other nearly 2 years...I think he'd be tired of you by now if you were just a passing phase" Jenny laughed.

"I guess.." Charli shrugged. She then grinned mischievously "What's happening with you and John?"

"Ugh! I don't know!" Jenny rolled her eyes "One minute...he's hung up on Cyn, the next minute he's flirting with me over ice cream...I'm just sort of playing it by ear with him, I'm not expecting anything"

"Want me to rough him up a bit?" Charli grinned. Jenny laughed.

"Hey! Your birthday is coming up soon!" Jenny said excitedly, Charli gave a weak smile. Her birthday always marked the end of summer and the start of school around the corner.

"Aw, Charli..don't get all mopey about your birthday again" Jenny laughed.

"I know...I shouldn't," Charli laughed softly thinking on everything that had happened over the summer "It's just...this has been the best summer of my life! I don't want it to end"

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A/N: So, this chapter was really fun to write.  First off, if its not clear...Jenny's brother is autistic, but there really wasn't a clear lable for it in the 50's.  This comes into play a bit now and then.
This is one of the most light hearted chapters I've written in this and admittedly it was pretty fun.  With the chapter titles/soundtrack I generally pick a song that I think fits the overall theme/feel of the chapter...also, I love this song ;)

https://youtu.be/FjRPDzcmJT4