𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙇𝙀𝙎 𝙄𝙈𝘼𝙂𝙄𝙉𝙀𝙎

rock and roll music | john ☆

that would end now.

"the kids," i yanked my hand back. "they're—"

"isn't that your aunt's house?" john asked as the men behind him got into their own little conversations. "can't she take care of them while we—"

"no," i put it, not minding his feelings. "i have to go," i mumbled, pulling out of his grasp.

he looked disappointed as i walked up the path to my aunts house. i turned around once to see them hollering and jeering at me. such idiots. my aunt opened the door with a fake smile.

"oh! dear! the children just finished their..." i stopped listening when she went on and on about a secret recipe for her famous tollhouse cookies.

i felt rude interrupting her, but i quite honestly just wanted to go home. "aunt sharon, i'd love to continue this conversation another time, but for now, i need to get the kids home," i pulled my sister and her friends by their hair out the door. aunt sharon smiled and waved, and so did i. the boys were gone, leaving no trace whatsoever of themselves but a candy wrapper.

that's not all i saw of john lennon that night, no no no. later into the night, while i was walking home from delivering my sister and her friends to their houses, my sister going to a sleepover as well, i felt a heavy presence over me, and not just because it was halloween. i was scared by the slightest movements in the trees or bushes, and i didn't even know why. it was only a five or ten-minute walk from where i was to my house, but i was definitely speed-walking.

"where you off to now, love?" i heard the familiar voice mumble in my ear. i screamed at the top of my lungs, giving the scariest, bloodiest, highest scream i've ever had in my life. realizing it was only john, my heartbeat steadied. "didn't mean to scare 'ye that bad," he chortled.

"shut up," i stuttered. he laughed once again, probably feeling quite satisfied with himself.

"what are you doing all alone at..." he checked his watch, grimacing. "nearly eleven at bloody night?"

"taking a walk," i uttered, clearly joking. "the scenery is just so beautiful, i couldn't resist. what're you doing?"

"looking for you, that's all."

i scoffed, slowing down a bit to face him. "you found me, then."

"i did."

with no other words exchanged from then on, i felt myself growing to like john lennon. was this all apart of the charm, though? reel you in with love talk but rip your heart to shreds after finishing with you? finishing in you?

we came to the front of my house. john stopped, staring at the large stature. "this you?" he muttered.

"um... yeah," i shuffled my feet, kicking leaves from under me while looking down. "i'll see you later, john."

"see 'ya, kennedy."

✰

without a single doubt, i was falling hard for john lennon. every day after school, i found him waiting for me to walk me home after october 31st. it was beginning to become a habit, really. on the weekends when there wasn't any school, i went with him to watch his performances.

his college friends were always quite nice to me. so were his bandmates, paul mccartney, george harrison and the drummer who i never quite grew to become familiar with. they seemed like nice young men, really. john was proving himself to be a better person more and more each day just by showing it subtly.

he didn't look at other girls the way he looked at me, he smiled at me when i wasn't paying attention and he even held my hand when we walked home from school one day. it was an unspoken relationship. we knew we were together, but we didn't know we knew it.

he met my parents, i met his aunt. he came over all the time. we'd just spend time up in my room, listening to buddy holly records and talking for hours on end. i never thought he'd make a move until finally one early morning on a walk, he kissed me.

"c'mon, you're telling me you don't think buddy holly with glasses is attractive?!" john hollered.

"i'm sorry, he's just... not my cup o' tea," i kicked a rock in front of me. "i mean, i usually fancy men with glasses, but—"

john smiled at me. i didn't know why. it was a knowing smile. i stopped, looking him in the eyes. his gelled up hair jiggled as he reached into his leather jacket, pulling out a pair of thick-rimmed glasses and throwing them on, placing a suggestive hand on his hip, waiting for my response. my mouth was half-open. i didn't realize i was staring.

"fancy men with glasses?" he muttered, getting closer and closer to me as i backed away.

i felt my back hit a tree. we were in the woods, after all. trees were everywhere. "john, i-" before i could get anything else out, he placed a hand above me on the tree, leaned down and kissed me right on the lips. it was a passionate, rough kiss; i didn't expect it. nonetheless, i kissed back.

i moved a hand to his cheek, closing the small gap between us. his skin was strangely soft for a teenage boy, i noticed. as he kissed me, i felt a strange, funny feeling in my stomach. it was a mix of glee and heartache, elated he finally made a move. it was a simple kiss, but it changed everything.

he pulled away from me, mouth wide open, wiping a strand of saliva from his lip. "how about now?"