Miss Americana // The Beatles

Chapter 15

Chapter 14

April 4, 1960

I sat on the edge of the bed after getting dressed for the day. John and Stu hadn't come back last night, and I'm guessing that Paul had gone to his room to sleep after I had cried myself to sleep. I couldn't believe what happened last night. It felt like a nightmare that happened whilst I was sleeping. I had a dull ache in my head from lack of sleep and crying. My eyes felt puffy. Everything I knew was shifting, and I knew it was because of this awful place.

I continued to stare at the floor. George sat down beside me after coming back in the room, "Paul and Pete are heading to the club for the day. I wanted to see if you were coming so you don't have to walk there alone."

I looked up at George, his young face staring at mine intently. I noticed his eyes again, deep and dark and nearly mysterious, but they were soft at the same time, caring. I brought him into a hug. Although, I hadn't done anything, I felt partially responsible for the way John was acting toward him.

"Don't tell me you told me so," I whispered, thinking back to the first day I met George, when he sat in the kitchen with Paul and they warned me about John.

"I would never," George whispered, "All of us want to protect you from the crowds here too, I guess he just misunderstands. And he loves you, Sasha. So much. I'm sorry this is happening to you. It's just Hamburg, you know. Things will go back to normal when we go home," he paused, "I wish someone would look at me the way you two look at each other. I can only hope that that kind of love happens to me someday."

It was really the most I had ever heard George open up, I pulled away and looked into his eyes again, "You will, George. Any woman would be lucky to have you."

He grinned at  me.

"Will you walk me to the club?"

We stood from the bed. We walked side by side down the dirty street to the club. Even though it was daylight, there were still sketchy people lurking from the night before. When we got to the club, Paul and Pete were having lunch and a pint at the bar. Astrid was sitting in a booth, looking over some photos she had taken. George smiled at me and joined Pete and Paul at the bar. I sat down across from Astrid.

She sighed and looked at me, "How are you?"

"I've been better," I said.

"I'll be back," she stood from the table and walked over to the bar. I had a feeling she knew what happened last night. Maybe Stu had taken John back to her house. She walked back to the table, carrying a couple of mugs

"Here, darling," Astrid handed me a cup of steaming coffee.

I didn't sleep last night. There's no doubt that I looked terrible.

I finally mucked up the courage to ask Astrid, "Are they alright?"

She gave me a small grin, "Everyone's okay. John and Stu crashed at Klaus's flat last night. Klaus phoned me, and we stayed up talking to John for hours. Everything's going to be just fine. He made a drunken mistake, and he regrets it very deeply."

"Sasha," I looked up to see Stu in front of me.

He sat down next to Astrid and put his arm around her, "John wants to talk. Would you talk to him?"

I didn't say anything.

Stu grabbed my hand, "You and I can talk first, if you'd like."

I nodded slowly. Soon, Stu was helping me up and ushering me backstage. As soon as we were out of everyone's view, I broke down. Even if it had been a drunken mistake, it still hurt me.