⇾ 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐈

Chapter Twenty-Three: Don't Be Soft

☝︎︎Hehe I added the promo video because it's cute and y'all know you needed it😌

April 3, 1964

Twickenham Film Studios. We hadn't been here in a solid week. Now, however, it was time to go back. The Scala Theatre had done us good, but it was nice to be back in an actual studio. Today the Beatles were filming the cinema trailer for the film, A Hard Days Night, they'd decided to call it.

I watched in amusement as the four boys sat down in baby carriages, teasing one another about god-knows-what.

John had a typewriter in his hands. He nearly dropped it as he sat down. He caught it quickly, thanks to his reflexes, recovering with a smirk in my direction. Ringo had a phone in his hands. In between the two carriages was a sign that read, "You May Telephone From Here."

The boys listened to what the director had to say for a moment before they finally got to film.

"It's for you," began Ringo when they got the signal to start.

"Don't be soft," replied John like he was supposed to, looking up from the typewriter he was fiddling with to talk into the microphone in front of him.

"We've just finished making our first feature film, for United Artists," said Paul. "It's called A Hard Day's Night."

"Hey, Paul?" asked John.

"Yes?"

"Tell them about the songs and that...and all that."

"Oh—." Ringo's phone rang. "There's eight songs in it—."

"Hey, hey? It's for you," Ringo cut in, holding the phone out to John.

"Don't be soft," John said again.

The whole video was bizarre, and it was over in less than sixty seconds. They did it three times in total. Which one would be used would be decided later.

Afterwards, they went in for an interview. It would be a short day today, everyone was happy to hear. John was itching to get started on the add-ons to our house, I knew, and an early end today would provide him with the perfect chance to do that.

Fans had submitted questions for the boys, and they were all asked individually. The production company was to go back later and film the girls themselves asking the questions and then edit the two films together.

The whole time, I sat in a chair next to Brian, swiveling back and forth to keep myself busy. I looked up a few times and met John's eye while he was filming his portion of the interview. Each time, he shot me the same discreet look that sent me into a blushing frenzy.

When they'd finally finished filming, we bid everyone goodbye. Brian had decided to come with us to the house today since he still hadn't been able to see it.

We were meeting with some people about first getting the yard fenced in to keep out wandering fans that may try to get in. After that, we figured it'd be okay to move in. John also wanted to add a patio and a pool out back, which I definitely wasn't opposed to. We were both eager to just move in, though.

"Isn't it nice?" John asked Brian as we stood in the echoing living room together.

Brian looked around, a smile toying on his lips. "Yes, it is," he said. We were still waiting around for the team of contractors we'd hired to arrive.

I was sitting on the counter. "I suspect it'll be a while before we can actually move in," I said.

John nodded. "We're putting up a fence around the place," he began to explain to Brian, laying out every plan we had made for it.

I jumped off the counter while he was talking and began to roam around, trying to picture what I wanted it to look like when we were done with it. I didn't like the wall colors. The green didn't really sit with me. I would much rather have had them a faint blue, one that was almost white. I suppose that would be easier to get done than anything else, though.

I could easily imagine what the place could look like when it was fixed up. I could imagine pictures of us and the others all on the foyer walls and I could see a coat rack in the corner. Perhaps we could have a small sofa in here where people could stop and take off their shoes.

I trailed on up the stairs. I could picture a rug on the floor in between each of the bedrooms, perhaps some more pictures on the walls. I went into the first room, the one John wanted to be his room for all his instruments. It was easy to picture some of his awards with the band on the wall with all of his guitars and pianos and other instruments around it.

I went across the hall and stood in the doorway of what would be John and I's room. Before I could start thinking, I felt a pair of strong arms close around me.

"Penny for your thoughts?" asked John in my ear.

"Where's Bri?" I asked.

"Bathroom," he answered, placing a kiss on my neck. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"I dunno," I admitted. "Just trying to picture what it'll look like when we're done."

"I don't like these green walls," John's said.

"Me either," I agreed. "They're awful."

He turned me around and kissed me slow and passionately on the lips. "We should go back downstairs," he whispered as he pulled away. I nodded warily, disappointed at the loss of his lips.

He took my hand and led me back downstairs just as Brian emerged from the bathroom. There was a knock on the door and John turned around to open it. It was finally the contractor who was here to help us. When John indulged in conversation with the man, Brian came up beside me.

"I hope you're sure about this," he said with a teasing grin.

"That's not very encouraging," I commented. "But I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

He patted me on the back. "Well, I'm just glad you're happy."

I smiled at him.