A/N- So I kept my promise, here I am :) I'm trying to write up a storm so I can give you guys more updates. I hope you've all stuck around..so sorry about all the delays but I'm back now for good. So let's see what happens next in the grand adventure...heehee (Also as a side note, if any of you are on tumblr, be sure to check out my all exclusive Beatles Blog, I'm called sassypantslennon so yeah, that's about it...enjoy
Chapter Twenty One:
"Hey I got her away from the work table." John announced to the other three as we reached the lobby. The others turned and brilliant smiles lit up their faces. I still tried to avoid Paul's gaze which I knew was probably making him crazy, but what else could I do?
"Nice of you to rejoin the world Ash...I mean Molly." George said, correcting himself.
"Good to see you guys too. I swear, all I'm seeing is numbers swirling through my eyeballs." I chuckled, trying to make myself appear open and friendly.
"Well, we ought to fix that, shouldn't we?" John said, facing his compadres.
"Absolutely, let's hit the town." Ringo grinned. I was game. I let the others go on ahead of me outside to the waiting car but noticed Paul hung back.
"Hey." He said softly to me which made my heart miss a beat. I was still rattled for obvious reasons, this was dangerous territory if he actually had legit feelings for me.
"Hi..." I replied, sort of in a reserved way.
"Are we okay? I feel like there's still something not right between us." He addressed the elephant in the room. I looked away briefly.
"Can't we just forget about it? We're friends, right?" I decided.
"Of course we're friends, just I don't know, you seemed to be a little aloof since what happened a couple days ago." He said as we walked out the door. I gave him a kind smile, starting to relax again.
"I'm sorry about that. I'm fine, I promise. Let's just you know...forget it happened and move forward. Sound good?" I asked.
"Absolutely." Was his reply and I softly let out a sigh of relief having dodged that entirely. Now maybe I could have a good time.
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The boys were extra chatty in the car as it cruised through the New York City streets. I was drinking in every single minute of scenery because when else would I get to see the Big Apple several years before they were even born? I was only half listening to what the four were talking about until I heard them mention the Ed Sullivan show.
"Oh my God, that's right!" I thought. Their appearance on the Ed Sullivan show was the very next day. I felt giddy with excitement and slightly mad at myself for forgetting. I'd been so caught up in everything else since the plane landed in America.
"You hear that, Ashley? Our first show in America is gonna be on television." Paul said to me, his eyes positively sparkling. I grinned.
"Yeah I heard! That's incredible!" I expressed my own excitement. Just as I spoke, the car stopped at our destination, a bar. How appropriate.
"I declare a celebration. We're in America, we've finally got Ashley with us again, so lets party." John beamed as he threw open the car door.
"I can't go in there..." I tried to say, but it went on deaf ears.
"Well won't mother be displeased, her seventeen year old daughter frequenting bars." I thought sarcastically. But honestly, would anyone care much in the 60's? I think sometimes the lads forgot I was so young.
"Will the people even let me in?" I wondered.
"One way to find out I guess." I thought as I followed the others out of the car. The doorkeeper let the four in right away, they didn't need any identification whatsoever. Before I had a chance to speak and try and sound older than I was, John called to the doorkeeper
"She's with us." And he let me in, no questions asked.
"Thanks...I don't know what the rules are here." I said, kind of feeling nervous that I was in a New York bar.
"Doesn't matter, you're with us. They'd probably let you kill someone if we gave the okay." John replied, somewhat morbidly. I just laughed. He was an odd creature that man. Not long after that, I lost him in the crowd and didn't feel so safe anymore. I looked around at all the people dancing to whatever music was coming out of the big jukebox in the corner. All these people seemed somewhat in a trance with their odd dancing and interesting clothing. I eventually found my way to the bar stools and just sat down. This was somewhat like the gala we'd attended back in England, but totally not as elegant or sophisticated. By then, I'd lost sight of the lads entirely, I kinda figured I would. They were young men who just wanted to party till they dropped and I suppose figured I could take care of myself and not follow them around constantly.
"What can I get ya?" A voice startled me from behind. I turned to see a large man with tattooed arms behind the bar.
"Um...a beer I guess." I faltered. I didn't know a thing about the world of alcohol aside from the one drink I had with George back in England. That seemed so long ago. The barkeeper nodded and handed me one.
"Not from around here, ain't ya?" He spoke to me as I stared at the glass of fizzing liquid.
"England." I replied, still staring at the glass. He didn't answer me after that and I looked up to see he had gone.
"Do I even wanna drink this?" I thought. It honestly looked like ginger ale and I'd seen dad drink these tons of times.
"It can't be that bad." I thought as I took a sip. Well it certainly wasn't ginger ale, it was much more bitter than that. But somehow I enjoyed it. And before I knew it, I'd had three. Well after that I don't remember much, I still couldn't find the boys, so I started wandering around and I believe I was dancing at one point. But after that, nothing. What I didn't know at the time was, I'd gotten myself drunk for the first time.
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Paul's POV
It was really full in that place, so it'd be easy to lose anybody. But we'd all somehow managed to lose Ashley in the thick crowd. At first, none of us really realized until it was three hours later and no one had seen her. I corralled the other three and told them what was going on before we split up to look for her. It was gonna be a little harder because she was in disguise and didn't look like the Ashley we'd all become well acquainted with. I darted through the wall of people, looking for anything that looked like it belonged to her. And then I saw her. She was out on the dance floor, moving to the music but horribly out of time. I approached her and touched her shoulder.
"Hey! Where've you been?" I called over the loud music. She looked at me and started laughing uncontrollably. She was unsteady on her feet and totally not herself.
"Oh my God, you're drunk aren't you?" I said, half to her half to myself.
"Who me? I'm dancing! Can't you tell?" She howled with delight. I tried to grab her so she wouldn't go completely crazy.
"You're drunk!" I repeated.
"No I'm not!" Was her slurred reply. I blamed myself. Just then, John, George and Ringo found us.
"You found her...what's wrong with her?" Ringo said, looking at Ashley trying to get away from me while almost tripping over her own two feet.
Good God, she's blasted!" John thought it was hilarious.
"How'd this happen? We should get her back to the hotel." George was stunned.
"I should've been watching her. I don't think this was the best choice of destination for a seventeen year old girl." I lamented. So with George and Ringo's help, we were able to get Ashley out of the place and into the waiting car. John came behind us, still laughing his head off.
"What's going on? Where are going?" Ashley drunkenly muttered as we shoved her into the car.
"We're going home." I simply replied to her as we all piled in after her.
"Okay daddy." She answered. I just sighed as the car took off. No one really said anything after that, though I'm pretty sure John was still laughing under his breath. I failed to see how Ashley being drunk out of her mind was funny, but he always had a twisted sense of humour. Ashley passed out on the way home, so it was no easy task trying to get her to bed. All I knew was that she'd be pretty sick the next morning.
Ashley's POV
I woke up feeling like my head had been jack hammered. Opening my eyes felt like sandpaper and my limbs felt as heavy as cement bricks.
"What happened?" I muttered, forcing my body to roll over. But I rolled over too far and hit the floor!
"Ow!" I yelled and I wished I hadn't. It made my brain hurt. I realized why I fell, I was on a couch. And not even in my own hotel room. I didn't and couldn't move from the floor so I just stayed put as I heard footsteps approaching.
"Hey! It's alive!" A familiar voice rattled my aching senses.
"Shhh...I think my head is broken." I muttered, trying to sit up but failing. Suddenly, I was being lifted up from under the arms and plunked down on the couch.
"You'll live, you're just hungover." The voice said, an air of amusement in the tone.
"Good God, how?" I mumbled, trying to pry my eyes open. I realized I was still in my dress from the night before, my braided hair was now all frizzy and a mess.
"I'll let you figure that one out." My rescuer laughed. When I realized it was John, My face went totally red.
"Oh my God... I look like a wreck." I covered my eyes.
"Hey, I've seen worse. We just kept you here overnight to make sure you slept it off." He smirked. I could tell he was totally enjoying it.
"Well...thanks." I sighed, still not feeling so hot. I wasn't overly pleased with myself either for obviously getting myself drunk.
"It's nothing, we've all been there before. You're gonna feel like hell for a few hours but it'll pass." John advised. I was grateful for his advice even if he only was seeing the comedy in the situation, but that was classic for him. I tried to get up again and that time was successful.
"I guess I should go get straightened up, someone would think I slept in my clothes all night." I joked weakly, heading for the door.
"Alright. Get yourself together though, tonight is the big night." John reminded me and instantly I felt guilty for being so much trouble.
"Right, yes, I will be there even if I'm dead on my feet." I promised before walking out the door.
"That settles it, I'm never touching alcohol again." I said to myself.