Road to Nowhere

Chapter Six

The elevator doors opened to an empty hotel lobby, with the exception of Marian and Danny. Marian ran up to me and hugged me. Danny grinned broadly...this seemed odd, considering how we'd left things.

"I feel like such a movie star!" Marian gushed. "My first premiere!"

"Oy, same for us!" Ringo smiled. 

"Marian, these are the Beatles," I said, drawing Marian into the circle. "John, Paul, George, and Ringo, this is Marian, we go way back."

As they all greeted Marian, I turned my attention to Danny. 

"Glad you could come," I blurted, not sure of what else to say. 

"Agreed," he said, putting an arm around me in a side-hug. "You look great."

"Thanks," I said, blushing a little.

"And this must be Daniel!" John said, shaking hands with Danny. "John."

"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you guys- all good things, I promise," Danny said. He kept his arm around me. John noticed this too, and we exchanged a quick glance. John smirked, but thankfully said nothing. 

"She leaves out all the dirty things," John said, winking at me. I rolled my eyes. Danny laughed. At that moment, Paul came over and introduced himself to Danny while Ringo and George talked to Marian. 

"Paul McCartney," he said. "Heard you and Haney here go back to grammar school?"

"That's right," Danny said. Instantly, he pulled me a little closer. I starting feeling uncomfortable, and when Paul noticed this, he cleared his throat and looked between Danny and I.

"Well, I think Eppy said the cars are 'ere. Eva, wanna head out?"

"Sure," I said, maybe a little too quickly. I was just relieved to get away from Danny. Why was he acting this way, why was he so different? Was he high or something?

Paul and I headed out to the cars, and quickly hopped in once we saw reporters heading our way. George got in right behind us, followed by Marian and John. Ringo, Brian, and Danny were the last to get in the car. 

"You alright?" George asked quietly. I was sitting between him and Paul. Had everyone noticed my uncomfortableness? 

"I think," I said, "let's just forget about it...We'll talk later."

Paul and George exchanged a glance, but then changed the topic. 

After what felt like an agonizing amount of time, we finally arrived at the theater. The whole ride, Danny was seemingly having a good time with the boys and Marian; he seemed normal but I sensed something was off. I'm sure Marian sensed it, too.

Brian instructed us that the boys were to get out first, and then Danny, Marian and I would follow. As we approached the theater, I noticed the flashing cameras and screaming crowds. I wasn't completely used to it, but it wasn't too foreign to me. Danny kind of knew what this was like, too, since he was often at press releases and things to do with album releases (since he was a producer). Marian, on the other hand, looked like she was just told to give an hour-long presentation in Mandarin to the President of the United States or else.