Roses Are Red

Chapter 24

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Spring

March 13th, 1961

Ignorance is bliss. Whoever said that, Samantha thought, was correct. It is better to not know something about the future than to worry about it. She and George would be happier now if they didn't know the impending doom of their relationship was only months away. Nonetheless, the couple sat in Samantha's cozy backyard. They had brought Frodo out to sit with them while they relaxed and enjoyed each other's quiet company.

Samantha had brought out a blanket for them to sit on in the grass. George had is acoustic guitar sitting on the thighs of his crossed legs. He was plucking a simple yet beautiful tune, something she didn't recognize but enjoyed. Samantha laid on her stomach next to him with her feet kicking back and forth in the air behind her. On her back, Frodo had made a comfortable bed. He purred loudly and watched as George played the guitar.

It had been a busy last couple of months. After their squabble at John's New Years party the pair of them silently decided not to talk about California unless necessary. Samantha had gotten two letters from the colleges she applied to but had refused to open them. Once she did leaving George would become reality, but the thought of those two letters deciding her future was eating on her. She looked at them every day but always shied away from tearing them open. Everything would change once she did. She had decided earlier in the day that she needed some liquid courage to help her.

George had turned eighteen and John was talking about going back to Germany at the end of the month. The boys had a new gig at the Cavern Club during lunchtimes which Samantha rather enjoyed. She liked the busy atmosphere there, the popularity and modern-ness of the whole scene at the Cavern was enjoyable for her. She'd draw there, just like she did in Hamburg. She was getting much better. She knew one day her sketches of The Beatles would be worth something.

It was the afternoon after their usual show. The couple had dismissed their friends, which they did a lot of lately. Samantha knew that John and Paul weren't offended. George and her still attended many parties with them. Eden, on the other hand, had gotten a bit frustrated with Samantha's seclusion from her. The blonde girl had made a fuss a week ago and Samantha had set out to cut out more time for Eden. They were due to go to the pub in a couple of hours. Until then, Samantha planned to bask in George's presence.

His hair was grown out and wild now, quiffed back and pretty high up on his head. He still took a precarious amount of time to gel it and make it look decent, but all the boys poked fun at him for it. "It looks like a fookin' turban!" Paul liked to cackle and Samantha wondered when he would get a haircut. He was handsome nonetheless.

"Oi, what're ye starin' at, birdie?"

Samantha blinked. She had been staring, hadn't she? "Oh, nothing. Just that crazy hair you have," she smirked.

George frowned and ran a hand through it. "It's gettin' quite long, isn't it? I don't want to cut it. I hate haircuts."

"I know you do, Geo," Samantha said. He smiled at her new nickname. It was offhand, a way to shorten his name so she didn't have to say 'George' or 'Georgie' all the time. Just like how he rarely called her Samantha, she decided he needed a shortened name too. Why this hadn't happened sooner in their relationship with each other over the last four years, Samantha didn't know. But she liked the name for him.

"Only you are allowed to touch my hair," George stated matter-of-factly and returned his slender fingers to the neck and body of his guitar.

Samantha giggled. "Well I'm honored." The thought of another girl touching him in any way made Samantha's chest hurt and her stomach burn. Of course, with girls like Astrid and Eden, who were his friends, she didn't mind. But when she left for California, she knew girls would go after him. Why wouldn't they? The handsome guitarist in a decent rock 'n' roll group on the Mersey-side. His accent and charming personality were enough to woo any girl; whether he did so purposely or not.