This Boy - Mclennon

Chapter 7: Strawberry Fields Forever

~Paul's~

"Where are we going?" I asked. We had been walking for 15 minutes now, silently. "Strawberry fields, mate. Now, are you gonna tell me why you were such a prick on the phone? Hangin' up on me 'n shit!" John said with a hint of humor, but I could tell he was being serious. "I just don't think you need to know when my Dad decides t'hit me." I shrugged. "Just tryna' help, Macca."

There was that nickname again.

"This is where I come sit. Usually to play guitar when Mimi's gotten sick of hearin' it." John lied down on his back and gestured for me to join him. I did, slowly and hesitantly, but I did. "John, I just don't want you to get in the middle of something. I don't want you to get hurt..." I said as we both stared up at the stars. I suddenly felt his eyes on me. "I won't get hurt, Macca. I'm just trying to make sure you don't keep gettin' hurt." John said quietly. "Sounds like you've gone soft, Mr. Lennon." I joked. "Come off it!" I looked at him and saw the biggest smile on his face. It sure as hell was contagious, because I began smiling too.

"I think that's the first time I've seen you actually smile, Macca..." John said as he stared at me. "Ah, don't get used to it." I mumbled and looked away. John sat up and looked down at me. "I'll make sure to make you smile at least once every single day." John grinned. "Really? That sounds like a difficult task, Lennon." I chuckled a little bit, trying not to smile again. "I promise." John went serious and lied back down beside me.

We lied there in silence for a while, until finally I began to relax and doze off. I woke up and it was much darker, with far more stars in the sky than before. I looked down to find my fingers intertwined with John's. My eyes widened as I looked over to him. John was awake, and staring at the stars. I didn't pull my hand away from his, we just lied there holding hands. After a while, I felt his thumb start to lightly rub my hand.

I hadn't felt this calm in years.

"Paul?" John broke the silence, it was almost frightening. "Ye?" I mumbled back. "I don't care what ye say, I'm going to make sure that you're safe." John sounded more sincere than before. I didn't speak, but I think he knew that I had accepted that. I felt his hand become loose, and I tightened my grip, I didn't want to let go. "Macca..." John was the one mumbling now. I raised my eyebrow at him as I sat up next to him. "Don't let go of me." I whispered, not making eye contact. John chuckled silently "Never, m'love." He said as he tightened his grip on my hand and shuffled himself closer to me.

We were now sitting cross-legged across from each other. John was holding both of my hands in his and I was staring at them. He had beautiful hands.

I could feel him staring at me. "What are you thinking about, Paul?" John asked me. "N-nothin," I lied. "Paul...?" He hinted again.

"I'm not used to being this vulnerable." I blurted out.

"It's okay, Paul."

~John's~

"Would you like me to take you home?" I asked Paul. It was getting very very late. "Uh yeah.." Paul mumbled as he stood up. I could tell he didn't want to let go of my hand, but I let go anyway. We couldn't walk down the street like that. Paul's head hung low like it did when he walked through the hallways at school. I stuck my elbow out to link arms with him. He smiled and got fairly close to me. "Ah, another smile. That's two in one day." I chuckled and shoved him a little bit. "John, what are we doing?" Paul asked as he looked at me with his wide eyes. "I believe I said I was taking you home!" I joked. I knew what he meant but I wasn't ready to go there. "Don't be daft, Lennon..." Paul mumbled.

"I have no idea, Paul. I just know it's making me happy." I mumbled and tried not to look at him. "Mhm.." Paul grumbled. We approached his house, and Paul spun around and stared at me. I lifted his chin with my index finger and gazed into his beautiful eyes. "Be safe, Macca." I whispered, close to his face. Paul nodded, hesitantly. He slowly turned away and walked toward the door. I began to walk away when I heard someone yell. "GOD DAMN IT, KID, I FUCKIN' TOLD YE NOT TO COME HOME!"

I spun around and ran back toward Paul's house. The door was still open and I could see Paul. He turned around and saw me approaching the door. "Paul, c'mon love come with m--" I tried to say before his father was right behind him and Paul slammed the door shut before I could get to him. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!" I yelled as I punched the door. I tried to calm myself down so I could listen in and hear what was going on. I didn't hear anything. I didn't hear anything for an hour. For an hour and a half. Two hours.

I dozed off on the front step, when finally I heard something. The drainpipe. Paul. I ran around the side of the house to see Paul climbing down the drainpipe out of his window. I stood at the very bottom and as soon as his feet touched the ground I pulled him into my arms. Based on how he was breathing, I knew he was crying. "Macca... What happened?" I whispered and pulled him away so that I could look at him. His lip was split, and his nose was covered in dry blood. "You bloody know what happened John." Paul mumbled. "Why would you close the door? You knew I could've helped you, at least gotten you away from him, Paul for fuck sake!" I began to raise my voice, and Paul coward away from me. "I told you I didn't want you hurt.." Paul was still trying to pull himself together. Now I was mad. "I fuckin' told ye' I would make sure you were safe, fer fuck sake Paul," My mind began to race like it always does when I get mad. Things began to blur together, and I knew I had to get away from Paul before my temper got the best of me and I hit him. I began to walk away kicking rocks and grass and swearing under my breath. "John!" Paul called out from behind me. I didn't slow down, but his pace quickened. "John! Please." I heard him repeat himself a few more times before I ducked into a dark alleyway. I was sure he would give up, but he didn't. I tried to collect myself by closing my eyes and turning the voices in my head off. When I opened my eyes again, Paul was standing in front of me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, lightly.

"Yes." I lied.

"John...I'm sorry.." Paul ran his fingers through his hair and tried to keep himself from looking at the ground. His safety mechanism.

His voice was soothing, I began to feel better. Not completely, I was still mad. But I was contained. I noticed he began to let his head dip down toward the ground. I stopped him with my index finger meeting his chin. His wide eyes looked at me. They looked right fucking through me.

I pulled his face closer to mine and I kissed him, one small light kiss. Our lips barely touched. I pulled away for a moment to make eye contact with him to see if he was okay with it.

"John?"

"Yes Paul?" I whispered.

He leaned in and closed the space between our lips with a much harder, more passionate kiss. I felt him melt into my chest, and we broke the kiss. "Don't let go of me." Paul said, the same way he had earlier in Strawberry fields.

"Never, m'love."