Roses Are Red

Chapter 07

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Spring

May 30th, 1958

She didn't want to like George in the way she did. It felt funny, and it made her nervous to think of him that way. He was just George, the boy she met walking with Paul one day. George, her closest friend. Just... George. Despite what her mind told her, she still felt her stomach flutter when he was around. She hated to be parted from him, and was always asking him to hang around longer when he came over to her house after school. Eden had tried time and time again to get her to say something to him about her crush, but she refused. It was only a stupid crush. Unfortunately, Paul had picked up on it easily, reading Samantha's expressions and body language like a book. He teased her mercilessly. John luckily still hadn't realized, otherwise he would be doing the same as Paul, if not worse.

The Quarrymen were playing less and less shows live in the last months. But, ever since George had joined the group, the three guitarists practiced religiously. Samantha's house had become the central location for practices. Mimi didn't like the noise, Maria didn't mind it. It was a short walk for John, and George and Paul would just ride the bus back from school with her and bring their guitars with them. Recently, Paul had picked up an amplifier with two inputs. George and him spent an afternoon adding pickups to their guitars, and the sound that they produce was much louder. Samantha was at first appalled by the sound. It bothered her ears, and was much too loud for the living room. John and Paul teased her about her sensitivity while George suggested moving to Paul's house to practice, or maybe even his own. John immediately shot him down, having little respect for George because of his age. They continued playing with their amps and Samantha slowly got used to it.

On the weekends, John organized full group practices in his backyard. Sometimes Samantha would drop by and drink tea with Mimi during this time. She would walk back to her house with George and Paul, always eyeing her Aunt Julia's house as when they passed. She liked to walk close to George, nudging him jokingly every once in a while. She'd lean her head on his shoulder whenever possible. If she was feeling brave, she'd loop her arm in his. Paul would just roll his eyes and jam a finger into her side. He never teased her when George was around, but when he stopped by the house and George wasn't there, all bets were off. She got alone time with George when John and Paul wrote songs at Paul's house and savored it. George would read on the couch with her or play his guitar. She'd study him when he wasn't looking, memorizing his features and blushing and hiding behind her own book if he ever caught her. George would only smile at her, seemingly oblivious to her crush on him. It was stupid really, her schoolgirl crush. She had given into it after a couple months of holding it off. She found it easier to be around George when she wasn't constantly holding herself back from stealing glances at him or touching him. So she gave in, and George hadn't seemed to notice. Or if he did notice, he didn't mind.

It was things like this which almost made her tell George about her feelings. He couldn't have been that blind, could he? He must have seen the change in her behavior towards him in the last months. Eden reassured her thoughts, but something always held Samantha back. The fear of losing George was much larger than the crush she harbored on him. The fear of George not feeling the same way was even more menacing.

It was a warm day. Well, warm for Liverpool. Eden and Samantha were sitting on the grass in the sun of the school's lunch area. It was rare they got sunny days. Though she still wore her stockings and school jacket, she basked in the warmth of the sunlight. "What are you doing tonight?" She asked Eden, who had her eyes closed. Many of the other girls at the school were doing the same as them, relaxing in the sun which was reminding them that summer was on it's way.