John put out the last of his drag and looked to George, who didn't look as dazed as John thought he would. Rather, George just looked relaxed as he breathed in within the cloud of smoke. He lowered his long fingers and slouched into the wall.
"A lot better now, huh?" John bumped George's shoulder with a small grin slouching his mouth.
"Yeah, Ta for this John." George breathed in slowly, as if appreciating the last bit of smoke. John was sure he'd made a good decision now. He took his own deep and long breath before hiking himself up to stand.
"Got to work the last half of my shift. Won't be long if you want a ride back?" John knew George enough to know he'd take this cue to escape the prolonged social situation. George got himself up and smiled politely.
"Nah. I'll just walk back now"
George and John walked the short distance back to the door. Before John could step inside though, George grabbed his shoulder. He was slumped back into the slightly chilling air, facing a stare from George. His eyes rimmed with a hue of red, lips near swollen from the attention he'd given them in the alley. John bit his lip, gaping the other side of his mouth and allowing air to pass through in a soft whistle. George leaned in and for a long confusing moment, John thought he was gonna kiss him. But as John was distracted by the thought, George's arm pulled back and his fist nailed Johns gut. And then George pulled back, John looked on. "I'm pissed at Paul and I don't know if we'll ever be mates again." George began, bouncing from heel to toe. But just as John was about to interrupt him, he continued.
"But the slut comment was undeserved." George ended. John pulled back on his anger and straightened from his reluctant slouch. He chuckled a bit and George seemed to let go of any worry he had for retaliation from John.
"Alright. I didn't expect that from you." John laughed "you're a good mate George." John shuffled back into the charity shop and George allowed himself to feel all the anxiety he'd restrained to do that but found it more or less muted and numb. The smell of the smoke that his clothes had absorbed reminded him why he was actually relaxed.
Mick pulled a smug smirk as John passed him, the familiar smell drenched on him. "Fun break, huh?" He bumped Johns shoulder, he chuckled as he stood by Mick's register.
"Always is." He smirked and took a small pile of books he could prolong shelving. Mick went back to work as John shuffled off, books threatening to slip from his grip. Just before they fell, John lifted his hands and slammed them flat on a half filled shelf. Slowly, he pulled them up one by one and flipped through them with dull interest. Bouncing the pages off his thumb, he read the filler words at the end where the writers had stretched put there useless stories. And then he found its place and shoved it throw the sandwiched books. A thin poem book preserved his interest for a few minutes but his own poems clouded his comprehension of the pages. He'd thought about collecting his own works together to have published but the thinly coated layer of dust over the book enhanced the point that it wouldn't attract readers. He shoved the book between the others and heard the chime of the bell over the door. He grabbed another just as Mick's voice pipped up.
"We'll Paul! Just missed George."
John set the book back down and glanced over, Paul looking somewhat better than he'd had in the morning strolled inside. As he greeted Mick and started his way down the aisles, John glided over to the register and Mick glanced from the corner of his eyes as John tried to establish what he wanted. He budged Mick over and put his hands on the sides of the register. "Think I'll have my go."
John smiled when Mick rolled his eyes and tried to reach back. "But you never worked the register before" but John just gave Mick a smug face in return.
"Bout time then, huh?"
He laughed as Mick gave up and took to another job. John laughed to himself and fiddled with the register, leaning his forearms on the counter.
Paul had skimmed through a majority of the 45s, his bad day beginning to fade from his mind. He brushed off his pants and walked to the register with a few ringed around his finger. Tossing his hair to the side, he looked up expecting Mick but met Johns eyes.
"Hello." John smiled and Paul seemed to shift his weight to his other foot, popping his hip out.
"Hi." Paul had a hint of a smile starting at the corner of his mouth. John started shifting through Pauls small pile. Paul watched on and when John glanced up, Pauls eyes glimmered with confidence as if daring John to challenge his taste. Despite Mick's previous protesting, John was able to figure out how to work the register but he might've purposefully slowed the process down. Paul watched his movements and tapped his raw fingernails on the ledge. The fuzz of the lights above them flickered.
"Are you tired today? " John blurted the question but didn't work too quickly to rephrase it. Paul pulled back, insulted.
"No. I'm fine." Pauls voice suggested that he was slightly defensive.
"You just seem off." John shrugged and began to bag the 45s with care. Paul clicked his tongue and shook his head, again not offering any new information. John waited to see if Paul might add anything but the lad was just quiet and patient as he stood. John realized that he probably wasn't the sort of person that Paul would share things with. A one night stand isn't going to be stable enough to to hold its weight under whatever Paul was so torn up about. "We on for tutoring tomorrow?"
Paul nodded. "Sure, you really need the help." The tease was familiar and the pop of Pauls 'p' made John falter the tiniest bit.
"You really need the company by the look of ya today." John looked Paul up and down again with a chuckle but Paul didn't join in.
"What do ya mean?"
"Well, you look like yer a mess without George...."
Paul took the bag from Johns put stretched hand but quickly retracted after that, as if burned. "I'm not a mess." Out of Johns view, Pauls hand self-concisely gripped the end of his jacket. John scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"C'mon Paul."
"Shove off! I got plenty of other mates!" Pauls tone was unintentionally whiny.
"Oi, excuse me princess. I forgot yer status." John mockingly bowed. Paul looked anything but amused.
"I didn't mean it like that, John."
John seemed to ignore the rebuttal and kept himself busy by fussing with the register. Paul didn't rush to leave though. "I'll see ya tomorrow?"
John didn't expect Pauls tone to be as soft as it was. "Yeah." And then Paul turned on his heels and left John spinning.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Paul trudged over the cracked lot back to his car, gently placing his bag down on the floor near the passengers side. His headlights flooded the store before he pulled away. The cool air dried Pauls eyes as he sped home. Johns sudden interest in his life racked his brain as he pulled up to his curb and put his car in park. But instead of leaving the vehicle, he sat back and ran his finger tips down his face and through his hair. With an irritated will, Paul slammed his curled fist against the radio, the dials leaving round dents in his skin. But the music clicked on, thankfully. The lousy feeling in his gut caused him to pull his legs onto the seat in a crossed position. The need of something to do with his hands brought his phone to hover over his lap. He had a suspicious need to talk to someone but as he flicked his thumb through his contacts, a majority of them paired with handpicked emojis, he found that he didn't want to talk to any of them. He thought about calling George and had even stared down at his name but he eventually just shoved his phone away. He lounged his seat back, the radio fueling him with 70s soft rock.
Jim had seen the glow of Pauls shimmery car but after a solid ten minutes he'd still yet to enter. So Jim slowly slid some shoes on and started his way outside. Pauls car was cast under the large trees shadow and he was quietly leaning back in the car, the radios soft glow casting hues of orange. He could hear the muffled songs. So he crossed their lawn, Mary's garden lining the side of their home. He opened the car door and sat down next to his son who glanced over and gave him a small smile.
"What's the matter, son?" Jim turned his body to face him and Paul shrugged, dismissive to the question. He raised his hand to his face and started biting his nails as the radio faded one song into the next. Jim reached over and pushed his hand back down. "You keep doing that, there'll be nothing left to paint." He chuckled.
Paul frowned again. So Jim gave him expecting eyes. "S'nothing da, just something daft. Surprised Mike hasn't told ya already."
"If it's bothering ya so much, it's not daft."
Jims mind echoed with comments he'd gotten from sympathetic strangers and even mates when Mary had passed. Ones that were just so ignorant that he couldn't believe.
'At least you won't be completely lost, she didn't leave you with a daughter you wouldn't know how to raise.'
'You'll be a strong male influence, Mary'd be proud.'
But as Jim looked over Paul, he couldn't help but think about how Mary would know exactly how to handle their son. It had taken Jim some time to come to terms with exactly who Paul turned out to be and he figured it was even harder for Paul himself. "I've just been called a slut...twice now."
Jim most definitely couldn't wish for Mary's presence more than he did in that moment, Pauls voice achingly sad. "By who?"
Paul took a deep breath. "Nobody important. It's just made me quite insecure, s'all and I had just a bad day, y'know?"
"You talk to George lately?" Jim asked, hoping Paul had some sort of support in school.
"Sort of. But it's not the same. What's for dinner?" Paul slickly changed the subject and Jim complied for a few minutes and had the mindless dinner conversation. But as that went as far as it could, Jim quickly went back.
"Don't let what other people say, effect who you are and what you like to do Paul." He soothed but Paul just seemed to be uncomfortable and mouthed the lyrics from the radio to avoid replying so he shit the radio off and Paul clearly went to protest but refrained when he saw his fathers face.
"I know da, I know that. Can we eat now?"
Jim smiled, opening his car door and hopping one leg out. "Sure son, let's go." Paul grinned and hopped out after his father and they went into their home to meet Mike.
----------------------------------------------------------------
John was just about done with his shift when a few of those stragglers came in to stroll the store in its last few minutes before close. He resisted the urge to shout at them and instead settling with joining Mick in the intimidating stares. But as he glanced over, someone familiar stepped in but he couldn't place him so he just kept staring.
"Aye, Ringo!" Mick smiled and John furrowed his brow. But when he glanced back at the man, he recognized him from when he'd been hovering around George at the party.
The guy approached Mick and smiled. "Hello, Keith around?" He glazed right over John.
"Hello, I'm John." He took the time to insert himself where he was sure Ringo didn't really care for him to be.
"Ringo." He shook John's hand politely before turning back to Mick. "How's George?"
John smirked a little and turned to Mick. "Good, talk to him lately?"
Ringo shook his head. "He didn't seem to like me."
John chuckled. "Oh he's just like that." He waved his hand and Ringo finally gave him attention.
"You know him?"
"Yeah, he was here not that long ago. I know his mate Paul too." John looked pretty proud of himself. Ringo nodded.
Something struck John, if Paul and George were just going to be bitter, at least George could hang with him and Ringo. Not that John would stay away from Paul....
Mick had wandered off and left the uncomfortable Ringo and John alone. "Y'know, George would probably like to talk to you again."
Ringo didn't seem to believe him. "Really?"
"He needs mates, everyone does don't they?" John then fluttered his eyelashes. Ringo shrugged, not truly appreciating John's oddity.
"Anyway its closing time!" John slammed the counter, shaking Ringo slightly. "I'll see ya." John smirked and went to fetch Mick, wherever the lad had run off too. Ringo shook his head and shrugged, leaving the charity shop with a slight hope.
--------------------------------
Paul was annoyingly scraping his fork against his now empty dinner plate, Mike glared at him as Jim steadied Paul's hand for him.
"Sorry." He chuckled as Mike left his dishes in the sink and left. Jim slowly started cleaning as Paul sat at the counter. "Hey da?"
Paul's voice was quiet but caught Jin's attention immediately. "Yes?"
Paul swallowed the last bit of food and smiled. "Can we do blue this time?" Paul slowly slid a bottle of nail polish to his father, who smiled and took it. He grabbed Paul's hands and went to work.
-------------------------------
The next morning, George had gotten to school pretty early. His calm outlook had expired entirely much to his annoyance. He strolled the halls silently with a frown. He half expected John when he felt a tap on his shoulder at his locker but when he turned, he faced that lad who's name he couldn't recall.
"Hi."
George tried not to look impolite, Paul had rubbed off on him after all. "Hi, listen I'm sorry about...my personality the last time we talked." George wasn't sure how to phrase his apology but the lads smile and chuckle was comforting.
"Yer fine...anyway I just wanted to, I don't know talk to you?" Ringo now took his turn to be slightly embarrassed and George perked up, not a lot of people said that about him.
"Thanks for um, watching over me at the party by the way. Even if I did make that call and all." George shrugged, leaning back on his locker.
"Yer welcome, I'm a nice guy like that." They chuckled but then the bell rang.
"Well, I'll see ya." George gave him one last smile and scampered off. Ringo turned off to his own class.
George's last class was a drag, always was. What he hadn't expected was John to be waiting for him again. But there he was perched on the rock. Though his dealer buddy was leaning on the fence behind him, shades on like it was sunny. George rolled his eyes but escaped his teachers sight anyway.
"Hello son!" John fussed with Stuart a bit and turned back with a drag for George. "You can have yer own this time." He smirked.
George eagerly took it and settled on the ground, taking in the smoke. "Stuart!" John called the lad over and rolled one for himself. "Be a dear and fetch my bag from my locker."
"Why would I do that?" Stuart rolled his eyes.
"I've got the rest of yer stash." John laughed and Stuart begrudgingly trudged off. John slid off the rock and sat right next to George. They were quiet but John's hands were fidgeting.
"I'm sorry about punching you-"
"C'mon Geo, don't ruin the only cool thing you've done in her whole life." John laughed and George joined in.
"What do you think I should do about Brian?" John cut the laughter with something serious. George turned his body and gave it serious thought.
"You gotta know, don't ya?"
"I haven't told anyone about that time with him except for you, y'know?" John smiled. George had to admit he was shocked.
"Good decision, I'm a good mate, aren't I?" He laughed and John eased up.
"Yeah, Paul's missing out."
George frowned and scratched at the ground. "You guys are being daft, y'know?" John took a drag of his and shook his head.
"He's an arse for what he did." George hissed and John nodded.
"I get that." He shrugged and patted George's back. "From what I've seen, he's a mess without ya"
"Really?" George asked and John nodded.
Stuart had eventually come back and George had to get back to class. When the day ended, John abruptly fled from Stuart to his tutoring session with Paul in the library. His breath hitched when he got there to find Paul already starting his work, mumbling a song to himself.
He smugly sat down and Paul for the first time looked caught off guard and inferior to him. But he quickly dusted it off and greeted John. As he wrote along his paper, John could see the color bouncing the florescent light off his nails and swallowed.
"It's back, huh?"
Paul wasn't sure what he was talking about at first but followed his eyes to his nails. "Yeah." He hid his mild blush.
"Good, I liked them."
"Yeah I do too." Paul wiggled his fingers proudly under his chin with a wide grin.