Michelle

Because

"John!" I gasped, managing to grab the sleeve of his leather jacket before his disappearance. "John we need to talk."

"I've got to bounce." He grunted, shaking me from his arm roughly. "And won't Paul be waiting to escort you to your bus?"

"Look mate." I said earnestly, glaring at him coldly in the eyes. "We need to talk, and I'm going to get some answers out of you, understand?"

He sighed, rolling his eyes tediously at me.

"You've got three minutes." He said, his face stone cold. "Make use of the time."

Straightening up, and clasped his wrist with much grip, guiding him outside and behind the steps where we could discuss in privacy.

"On Saturday night, outside the Cavern Club, I saw something." I tensed, dancing delicately around the subject, as both John and I were short tempered.

"And that was?" He asked sarcastically, lacking effort of interest for the topic.

"Lizzie and Ronnie." I sighed, releasing a great breath.

John leaned back against the stone wall of the staircase, making himself comfortable, as he lit a cigarette without a word in response.

"Well?" I shrieked, waiting in suspense for his reply.

"Well what?" He snapped, without the slightest of interest for it.

"They were kissing!" I cried. "And you knew all along!"

"So what if I did?" He shrugged, inhaling a deep breath from the cigarette composedly, and exhaling thick clouds of smoke.

"You're unbelievable!" I said, having lost all hope of getting through to him. "Letting your best friend get played a fool whilst his girlfriend was off every other night cheating on him!"

John, agitated by my persistent nagging, dropped the cigarette to the ground, and pressed his hands firmly on my chest, pinning me recklessly against the wall.

"We've been through this." He growled, sick and tired of my critique. "I kept my mouth shut to let him be happy for once."

If it had been anyone else, they'd have been terrified to be in such a position with John, but I knew him better than this. He didn't intimidate me one bit, though, seeing him in such a state had me wonder where the sweet boy from the park had gone.

"Then you came, and you seemed to make him happy enough, so I bet on it and let the chips fall where they may." He continued.

"What?" I asked.

"I let you sort it out." He barked, dropping his arms to his side and releasing me from his grip. "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end."

Clearing my throat, trying to comprehend it all, I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. John had a way of making my head spin; it was hard to keep up with his several different personalities all at once.

"He always seemed chirpier around you, and I knew that if you made him that happy, everything would fit into place, and that it would be unnecessary to even mention Ronnie." He sighed, his expression and tone of voice softening. "You're just going to have to realise that there will be some things which Paul is never meant to know, and it's genuinely for his own good."

What he was saying began to make perfect sense, and as usual, he was right. Paul would just have to live life oblivious of Lizzie's relationship history if we were to avoid hurting him. If he was happy enough now, why should I spoil the party?

Having such advice come from John really brought out his considerate, brother-like side, which was something I missed, preferred, and wished he'd bring out more often.

John relaxed his tensed body once more, reaching into his pocket for yet another cigarette, as though the entire discussion had never occurred.

"I think lover boy is waiting for you." He said impassively, the cigarette hanging from his lip, nodding his head in the direction of Paul, who was waiting patiently by the bus stop. "Best not keep him waiting."