the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

thirty

friday 17th july

john

john dropped penelope home soon after their alleyway encounter. the feeling left john with a constant tingle on his lips, he had a smile permanently stuck on his face. he left penelope at her doorstep where he left her with another lingering kiss.

he felt as if he could lose himself within her. even without the physical connection of their lips, bodies or hands, simply listening to her talk made him fall into a daze. he felt almost intoxicated on her presence when they were together.

when dropping her at home he invited her to his gig the following night in which she eagerly agreed to go to.

after parting ways with penelope he walked home with an extra bounce in his step. he was beyond happy with his life at the moment. he was terrified of messing it up but somehow he knew his happiness wouldn't disappear anytime penelope was in his life.

•

he woke up the day of his gig still with the biggest smile on his face, he spent the day with his auntie. something he hadn't done in months, something he'd realised he missed desperately, he helped her tidy the kitchen and then bake some cookies for a carnival that was coming to town for the weekend.

the evening rolled around before he knew it, he dressed into his usual all black outfit topped with his leather jacket. he got to the club at eight in order for a thirty minute preparation period before going on stage.

he walked into the dressing room to see paul, george, charlotte and stu. charlotte was styling paul's hair and george and stu seemed to be discussing some kind of new guitar that had just came out.

"alright john," george said as he walked in.

"alright, where's ringo?" he asked.

"oh him and penelope are at the bar getting some drinks to bring back here," charlotte responded offering john a smirk at the mention of penelope's name.

"oh how'd your date go last night?" stu asked.

john felt the threat of a blush spread across his cheeks as he replied, "yeah it was good."

"oh i think it was more than good, penelope didn't stop talking about it all night," charlotte joked, john just scratched the back of his head and avoided all gazes that were on him.

as charlotte went to speak up again ringo bounded into the room followed by penelope, "drinks are here," ringo sang out jokingly.

he handed the bottles of beer in his hands to paul george and charlotte before penelope handed the ones she had to stu. she held onto the other bottle intended for john before peering around the room and finding him. her eyes lit up as she saw him and she walked over to him handing him the bottle, "for you."

john thanked her and put an arm around her shoulders before looking down onto her. she was wearing high waist tartan trousers matched with a cropped grey turtle neck. john thought she looked absolutely beautiful, again.

"i missed you," john said only audible enough for penelope to hear as everyone else were in their own worlds talking to one another.

penelope rolled her eyes before wrapping an arm around his waist and replying, "i missed you too."

john smiled at the girl below him as she peered around the room still holding onto him.

"you look so pretty today penny," penelope blushed as he stroked a finger down the side of her face.

"shut up," she mumbled as she pulled herself into johns black sweatshirt to hide her red face. he laughed lightly before kissing the tip of her nose as she looked up to him.

john looked up to his friends to ask for a cigarette to find ringo and paul already looking at him. paul was smirking and ringo was more looking at the happiness that penelope was feeling, a smile on his face. he looked up at john and nodded his head approvingly.

"i uh, me and ringo saw your old drummer out there," penelope spoke up nodding her head to indicate she meant the crowd in the bar area.

"of course he is. he'll most likely try and distract us or something, but we're better than that, ringo is definitely better than him." john replied pulling her closer to him slightly. he felt his blood boil at the thought of pete being out in the crowd he knew it was in a mocking sort of way, but john also knew that the band sounded a lot better with ringo on drums.

"right you guys will probably be going on stage soon so me and penelope should go and find somewhere to watch you," charlotte said catching penelope's attention as she stood up off of paul's knee she was sat on. penelope nodded her head in agreement, she looked up at john and kissed his cheek, "go and smash it lover boy."

•

the band walked onto stage as they always did, with large smiled plastered on their faces.

"alright everyone!" beamed paul "we're the quarrymen - for now - and we'll be performing for you tonight!" he carried on into his mic enthusiastically, "i'm paul, this is john, stu and george, and our brand new drummer for the evening, mister richard starkey!" everyone in the crowd cheered.

john almost immediately spotted penelope in the crowd. she cheered with the crowd when needed and sang along to the songs she knew. she kept her eyes on john the whole night, and john would be lying if he said he didn't do the same. once or twice his eyes wondered the rest of the crowd where he spotted pete, who was already staring at penny. pete had obviously clocked onto the eyeline of john looking at her. an ugly smirk plastered on his face with realisation.

john knew what would happen. and there would be no chance he'd stand for it with his penelope.