"-And I'll be back in two days so remember to set your alarm for school-" my uncle went on with his luggage in both arms as he walked out to the car.

I nodded and waved. "I'll be fine Bri." I assured him with a slight shiver from the cold winter air that was blowing gently against my exposed neck and face. I could see my breath as I spoke, making it look like a cloud of smoke rising from my lips, the irony of it was almost humorous.

"I'll see you soon!" My uncle called back with a wave after shoving his things in the trunk and opening the car door. I waved once more before watching him drive away into the cloudy March afternoon. I shut the front door, walking over to my uncles calendar and scowling at the date. It was only a matter of 10 days until their departure for Hamburg.

Who knows what might even happen after said Hamburg trip, I had a bad pit in my stomach about my uncle's current trip to London to talk to this record label, EMI. Although my uncle told me they'd previously been turned down by quite a number of records labels, something about this time felt, off. I just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something changing.

Suddenly, the phone rang, bringing myself out of my anxious state.

"Hello?" I picked up awkwardly wondering who'd already been calling within minutes of my uncle's exit, if they were calling for him they'd be only moments too late.

"Poppy." John spoke solemnly. I furrowed my eyebrows at seriousness of his tone.

"John?" I crinkled my nose. He'd known my uncle was set to leave for London today, so was he calling for me?

"We need to talk." He spoke solemnly.

"John, if this is about Hamburg, I'm not allowed to go-" I started to whine rubbing my temple with my free hand. I was worried enough before this phone call, but hearing John's voice nearly sent me over the edge, ever since the boys had been put on the very top of the list of Liverpool bands in the newest issue of the MercyBeat magazine, it was finally hitting me that these boys were going somewhere further than Liverpool. They had the potential to go so far in the music industry and their determination ensured they make it to the big time.

"It's not about Hamburg." He sounded almost nervous.

"Alright, go on Lennon." I spoke genuinely intrigued by this seemingly serious John.

"The owner of the Casbah club called asking us to play at there tonight," He explained. I stayed quiet wondering where this was headed to.

"Long story short, George is being a git. I don't think he'll come unless you, um, tag along?" John's voice became progressively high pitched. I knew there was something more to the story, but I didn't question any further. I rolled my eyes but contemplated for a moment.

"Sure." I smiled but instantly regretted my response, my impulse to do things that will most likely get me into trouble was getting out of control. I sighed, well my uncle was out of town anyway, I'm sure I'd get enough sleep before school tomorrow, I tried to convince myself wearily.

"Gear." I could almost see the triumphant grin spreading across his smug face. "We'll pick you up at eight doll face." He spoke in a low husky voice.

"Shut up Lennon." I chuckled.

"Bye Epstein." John said with a sincere laugh.

"Bye John." I mumbled hanging up the phone suppressing a smile. I rubbed my hands over my face. It was already four o'clock. I knew deep down that it was likely that I'd regret this night, but I began to run up that stairs anyway to tidy myself up.

As I got into my room, I looked at the locket I'd placed on the bed and smiled, George's mother Louise had given it to me in the morning after I'd stayed the night in their guest room, George's parents were both so kind and caring, I had fallen in love with the both of them instantly.

Although George had been extremely embarrassed by the two of them when they'd gotten out some old scrapbooks and told me stories about "their little Georgie" I thought they were cute for being so excited about sharing things with me.

I was surprised at how much they already knew about me considering I hadn't been dating George for all that long, and I felt extremely guilty that I hadn't told my uncle yet, but if he knew I'm not even sure what would happen. I would probably be grounded until I'm sixty, and who knows what he might do to George and the rest of the band. I shuddered at the thought, I by no means wanted to be held accountable for the boys losing their manager.

I walked over to the locket containing a picture of a teddy boy George around age fourteen smirking cheekily to the camera. It made me laugh with pure joy, George seemed to have that effect on me even when he wasn't around. I put it on and smiled at myself in the mirror. I still had on my school uniform but with Louise's necklace on I was radiating more than I ever had before in the itchy uncomfortable clothing.

I got dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a red and white pinstripe shirt, an attire I saved for when I didn't have my uncle nagging at me to wear something elegant and lady like. I put on a Buddy Holly record and attempted to get caught up on some work I was supposed to do for school, but I couldn't focus, my mind wanted to think about everything else possible accept for the math questions.

Eventually Minnie flashed through my mind as I recalled school today, she skipped out on third and fourth period to go somewhere with Rory. I sighed and put the pencil I was holding down. I told myself I'd do the work it tomorrow but I'd probably just end up getting the work off of someone else.

I was starting to worry about Minnie, Rory was sweet, and practically the man of Minnie's insane dreams, but he seemed to forget she still goes to school and needed a life of her own. I'm not sure who I was to speak, I was about to go to a club on a school night because of boys. I sighed and sat up from where I was laying on the bed. A car beeping made me jump and my eyes widened as I looked at my watch. It was already eight o'clock.

I forced myself downstairs again to go to this gig that in hindsight, would've been better to pass on. At least I'd get to see the boys preform, I always enjoyed tagging along with my uncle to watch them.

My uncle. He would never let me do this. I gulped as I locked the front door behind me and walked over to John's car. He opened his door and walked around the car to meet me.

"I've got George moping in the backseat." He looked back to the car for a moment sucking on his bottom lip like he was hiding something.

"Let's get a move on then." He let out a forced chuckle as he opened the passenger door for me. I looked at him quizzically for a moment before getting into the car. I immediately looked back to a paler, more sleep deprived and gloomier George. His lips turned upwards when he saw me.

"Hi Poppy." He smiled brightly exposing his teeth that resemble small fangs. I smiled back at his as he leaned forwards to place a sweet kiss on my lips.

"Get a room." John said getting into the drivers seat. I smirked against George's lips and put my hands behind his head to further deepen the kiss only for the purpose to annoy John. George played along with a smile forming on his lips as they were pressed to mine.

"Oi, animals." John scoffed staring the car. George and I began to break into a fit of laughter when suddenly George's laugh switched into a cough.

I examined him worriedly then turned to John who had a grimace taking over his features as he sunk down in his seat.

"Alright he's sick!" John blurted out after being under my burning stare for a moment.

"Oh no I'm not, I'm fine! I feel much better." George brushed off John's remark.

"Alright?! This morning you wouldn't stop complaining about you throat and stomach, you barely touched any food today whatsoever, which is a first for you wanker!" John ranted angrily.

"Oh sod off Lennon, I'm going to the stupid gig aren't I?" George growled.

"Stupid gig-" John started to speak in bewilderment.

"Enough!" I piped up looking at the both of them unimpressed. Oh my god, I've turned into Brian, I thought to myself horrifiedly.

"John, why didn't you tell me George was sick?" I furrowed my eyebrows at John as he focused on the road ahead of him as we started to drive to the Casbah.

"Would you have came if I told ye' he was just about ready to cough up a lung?" John asked condescendingly. I rolled my eyes, knowing he had a point. A point that was selfish, but a point none the less.

______________

"Oh thank god. A couple minutes more and he would've given away our spot." Paul spoke seeing John and George walk toward him with me trailing behind George as he pulled me along my my hand happily. However when Paul's eyes found their way to me, his relief fell to disenchantment.

"Right, let's go inside." He mumbled turning around quickly. I frowned for a second as we followed Paul into the crowded club, my brain starting to run wild trying to comprehend what made Paul seem to be so distant from me lately, I needed a drink. Once we got to the side of the stage, George turned and looked at me.

"Wish me luck?" George asked with a raspy voice before clearing his throat from its irritation. I looked worriedly at him and forced a smile.

"Good luck." I chuckled before leaning in and placing a kiss on his cheek.

"My turn." John smirked tapping on his cheek. I cringed making him pout.

"You have Cynthia for that." I joked. "Where is Cynthia anyway?" I asked curiously, I hadn't seen her in awhile now that I come to think of it, but she seemed very nice, and seemed to be way out of John's league.

"Oh, she's been busy with school," John shrugged. "We were going to hang out with Ringo and his girlfriend tomorrow if you wanted to tag along with George." He shrugged looking between me and George.

"Sure." I smiled contented that John had taken an effort to invite me along with the rest of the group.

"John, George." Paul groaned annoyedly from the stage as him and Pete were setting up their instruments.

John and George waved me off and joined them onstage to tune up their instruments. I sighed looking around wearily, when my eyes met the bar, I had a predicament arising. I wanted to be able to relax with a drink tonight, but did I want to wake up and go to school with a pounding hangover?

"May I have a beer please?" I smiled at the bartender before realizing I had even gone over to the bar. I guess that solved that on its own.

"We are the Beatles," John introduced the band receiving a thunderous roar from the crowd. I suppose they were here to watch their performance, most of them seemed to young to even be in a bar. "-this first number is a new song, an original song by Paul Mccharmley!" He laughed moving over so Paul could take the microphone.

"Erm, so this first song is a song I wrote about a girl," He smiled causing the girls to roar. "I hope you enjoy it, it's called "I Saw Her Standing There"." Paul beamed. John counted them down as they started to play the song.

"Well, she was just seventeen
You know what I mean
And the way she looked was way beyond compare
So how could I dance with another (Ooh)
When I saw her standing there

Well she looked at me, and I, I could see
That before too long I'd fall in love with her
She wouldn't dance with another (Whooh)
When I saw her standing there

Well, my heart went "boom"
When I crossed that room
And I held her hand in mine

Whoah, we danced through the night
And we held each other tight
And before too long I fell in love with her
Now I'll never dance with another (Whooh)
When I saw her standing there

Well, my heart went "boom"
When I crossed that room
And I held her hand in mine

Whoah, we danced through the night
And we held each other tight
And before too long I fell in love with her
Now I'll never dance with another (Whooh)
Since I saw her standing there
Oh since I saw her standing there
Oh since I saw her standing there"

I watched, my heart sinking seeing the happy look on Paul's face as he sang, what did I do to make him hate me? I took another swig of beer beginning to feel a little tipsy as the bottle became empty, I hadn't really built up my tolerance well enough to drink anymore than one bottle but I got another beer and began to dance along to the other songs the boys played starting to feel more relaxed.

                  __________________

A bit later in the night I felt someone grab my ass, making me yelp. I whipped around to see a tall drunken man with dark brown hair smiling down at me with a dark look in his dark eyes. I stood motionless, completely mortified.

"What d'you say about us, getting out of here?" He slurred suggestively making a pit in my stomach grow as he grabbed ahold of my wrist. The world was already spinning, at this point I had just enough drinks to where I wasn't thinking clearly.

"I'd, say no." I tried jerking away but he tried to pull me in closer, making me scream in fright.

"Hey!" I heard John yell into the microphone, stopping the song abruptly. Everyone, including the guy who had a tight grip on my arms looked over to him in wonderment.

"Let go of her!" John screamed at the man holding me who I didn't even know the name of. I watched as John hopped off the stage and started to push his way over to us.

"Do we have a problem here?" John asked with pure fury burning in his eyes as he stared at the man once he reached us. The man let go of me with a shove, staring John down angrily.

"Why is it any of your business?" The man growled at John. From behind John, George came over furiously and without another word punched the man square in the face.

"Hey! Stop! I'm calling the police!" The bartender yelled as John began to finish what George had started. George looked over at me with wide eyes.

"I'm, gonna throw up." He informed me before making a bee line to the bathroom. Well this night just keeps getting better and better by the second.

My breathing started to become uneven as I watched John get punched by the stranger and blood started to be shed by the both of them. I'd never even seen John so angry before. I patted my pockets for my inhaler but realized I'd forgotten to bring it this time. I started to loose my balance feeling lightheaded.

"Woah, I got ye'." Paul spoke catching me as I was about to fall back on my ass. He pulled me along to the outside of the club, taking me away from the hectic scene.

"I need you to take deep breaths." He spoke calmly. I obeyed breathing in my nose and out of my mouth shakily trying to calm myself down. He leaned me against a wall, I was feeling too weak to stand on my own.

"Good, keep doing that." He watched me carefully as I calmed my breathing down on my own. I looked up at him into his soft brown eyes which were no longer looking at me with disgust or annoyance, but worry and compassion. My eyes began to water and I bit down hard on my bottom lip to try and stop tears from falling.

"What's wrong?" He asked gently as a tear fell down my cheek.

"I'm sorry." I whimpered leaning my head back against the bricks. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. This turned out to be a much worse night than I'd anticipated.

"For what?" He asked.

"I shouldn't have came." I slurred wiping tears away from my eyes.

"Don't say that. It's not your fault that guy was an arse and John can't control his temper." Paul spoke comfortingly. I looked up at him and wrapped my arms around him for a well needed hug in my sad drunken state. He hugged me back, rubbing his hands up and down my back reassuringly.

"Paul," I whispered looking up at him. He hummed in response encouraging me to go on. "Why do you hate me?" I asked with a frown.

"I don't hate you." He spoke softly.

And despite what he was acting like towards me before, I wholeheartedly believed him.