"Check mate." I sighed looking down at the chess pieces.
"And what's wrong?" George asked innocently. He'd been hanging around with me ever since I'd been on house arrest Monday by my uncle. It felt nice to be at peace with him finally, and to be dating, if you could call days in the house watching Disney movies an actual date. The only one who knew for sure we were together was Minnie, everyone else's theories only from speculation, which the lads had done quite a bit of to keep me company throughout the long week this had been.
"You let me win that time." I shook my head. He had beaten me five times before now, and he had finally threw a game out of pity.
"Ya George, you could've won that game a half an hour ago." John spoke raiding the fridge.
"Well excuse me if I want to do something nice for my g-Poppy." George's eyes widened knowing well that we both wanted to postponed John's knowledge of our relationship status because of the comments that would come from it.
John looked between the two of us suspiciously but returned his attention to the fridge. I was trying desperately not to let my cheeks heat up looking down at the chess pieces.
"So how was band practice this morning?" I change the topic as swiftly as I could.
"Good, good. Paul's been making us stay another hour everyday to work on a new song he thinks will fit nicely in our set." George shrugged with a bit of irritation starting to put the chess pieces away.
"-how could I dance with another, ouuuu, when I saw her standing there!" John sang using a Coca Cola bottle as a microphone singing what I assumed to be the new song. I giggled at John's eye roll in mockery of the song.
"Sounds good to me." I giggled at John's tired expression as he sunk his teeth into a sandwich he'd made himself from my uncle and I's groceries.
"It should, we've put hours into the bloody song. He must've wrote it about a new bird he's shagging." John smirked knowingly.
"She must be special to him for him to make a whole song for her. He's trying to impress this bird." George shook his head. "When one girl leaves, another one's lined up for him." George laughed. I smiled and shook my head. It was true that Paul had girls practically banging at his door, he was getting a reputation as the cute one of the group and it was hard for any girl around Liverpool to resist the McCartney charm.
"Sounds like you're being put to work then." I laughed watching the two of them tease Paul.
John stopped eating and scoffed. "We had to stop every five minutes because Paul thinks Pete's drumming is shit." John looked annoyed recalling the practice.
"Oh." I spoke just remembering that Pete existed. "Erm, how is Pete anyway?" I asked awkwardly.
"He's alright, just sort've frustrated with Paul lately." George spoke chuckling.
"What about me?" Paul asked walking into the room with a wide grin.
"You've been up Pete's ass." John repeated bluntly.
"Well it's not my fault! I can even drum better than the sod! It's a simple beat to keep!" Paul flailed his arms up in frustration without skipping a beat.
"Just like you could've played bass better than Stu ay?" John spoke slyly with an eyebrow raised.
"I can and you know it." Paul huffed crossing his arms. I watched in confusion. Stu?
"Who's Stu?" I whispered leaning over the table to George who was watching Paul and John argue with amusement.
"Our old bass guitar player." He whispered making me smile at how cutely he seemed to want to avoid being heard by Paul and John who were still bickering away. I nodded contented to be filled in with the information and sat back in my chair trying to tune back into their argument.
"-you're just angry Pete has more girls flocking to him than you!" John said laughing hysterically.
"How dare you!" Paul said clutching his chest looking like his ego just took a big hit. I giggled at his expression with amusement twinkling in my eyes. Somehow there was never a dull moment around me anymore, and whether it was for better or for worse, with The Beatles it was here to stay.
"I-I," Paul began but his eyes fell on me and he blushed. "Poppy! I'm so sorry, my manners seem to have slipped away from me, forgive me?" He batted his full eyelashes innocently. I tried to repress a smile and nodded much to his satisfaction, as he leaned over to me and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek. I cringed jokingly making him laugh as he sat beside me. George sullen expression was evident as he stood up and left to put the chess board back in the living room. I was about to speak when John chimed in.
"So what are we doing for his birthday tomorrow?" John whispered looking over at the door to make sure George was completely out of sight.
"I've got it." I said snapping my fingers in an aha moment.
_________________
The plan had officially been put into motion. Today I'd been put back to work at the NEMS store back underneath the supervision of none other than one uptight, egotistical, rude assistant to my uncle, you've guessed it, Alistair.
"Can you put these away?" Alistair asked slamming down a tall pile of records in front of me. I grit my teeth and looked up at him, forcing a small grin and nodding. I hadn't had the energy to fight with him, so I got up and grabbed an armful if records. I wasn't even going to let Alistair ruin today for me, soon George would come by like I'd asked him to to begin what John likes to call "The plan to give the miserable bloke a happy 19th birthday."
I looked over at the beautiful Rickenbacker guitar that I'd been saving up to buy for myself, but decided that George having such a beautiful guitar would benefit the whole band, whereas me having ownership of it would only guarantee a long talk about my "volume" from Brian. I stared at the gold bow I'd slapped on it on bit my lip in contemplation. Too much?
You've bought him a guitar way above your pay grade and you're worried about a bow being too much?
I shook my head and started to put the records away only to be startled by the jingle of the front door bell as someone came in the store. I whipped my head around to see George looking at me with a smile. Almost dropping all the records, I set them down on the other records and ran over to George, embracing him into a tight hug making him chuckle and stumble back. He wrapped his arms around my waist warmly squeezing me tightly in his arms.
As we pulled apart I smiled. "Happy Birthday Geo!" I blushed seeing the wide grin he had spread on his lips. I played with the hair at the back of his head still having my arms around his neck gazing into his loving eyes.
"Well what's so happy about it?" He said with his smile never faltering making my forehead crease in concern.
"It only reminds me that I've spent almost nineteen years without ye'." He said making my heart explode. My eyes glimmered with joy as I placed a gentle kiss on his lips, having to stand on my tippy toes to reach his mouth. What started as soft and sweet turned into a passionate and meaningful kiss that made me melt in his arms feeling him hold me upright from the powerful kiss.
Once we pulled away, he smirked. "Well maybe it is happy after all." He chuckled lowly making me giggle with red cheeks. His joyful expression changed as he saw something behind me. I turned my head to see Alistair with his jaw dropped to the floor and winced. Busted, I thought to myself with a sudden headache coming on.
"Poppy," Alistair's voice squeaked. "A word?" He spoke looking like he had all the air taken out of him. I looked back at George who looked frightened and uncertain of what was to come of this incident. I couldn't imagine what would've happened if it had been my uncle who'd come into the room. I shuddered at the mere thought.
"I'll be right back." I spoke wearily slipping from George's grip and following Alistair to his office. Hanging my head low, I watched Alistair shut the door behind him so we had privacy.
"Young lady," he started bewildered.
"Oh put a sock in it Al, your only 8 years older than me." I huffed shaking my head.
"Do you want me to tell your uncle or not?" He spoke breaking his tough act annoyedly.
"Please don't Alistair, I'll do anything." I spoke pleadingly.
"Anything?" He asked with a smirk. I was about to interject when he spoke again. "You can't make fun of me, or touch my belongings, or call my mother and tell her I died." He pointed his finger at me. I snickered remembering the last incident.
"Or any other family member for that matter." He scowled at my smirk. I put my hands up innocently as he opened the office door back up.
"If you so much as look at me wrong, consider yourself a dead woman." He warned before letting me go. Rolling my eyes, I returned to George who sat on the counter playing with his hands, when he saw me, he got to his feet again looking concerned.
"He'll keep quiet." I shrugged trying to forget the conversation I'd just had with Alistair like I usually tried to do. He smiled and nodded happily still a bit uncertain. I looked over at the guitar with a devilish grin.
"Close you eyes." I blurted making him chuckle.
"For what?" He looked amused at my sheepish expression.
"You'll see." I bit my lip happily. He gave me a funny look making me laugh before closing his eyes tightly, making his nose crinkle up.
I walked over to the guitar, picking it up carefully and giving it one last doleful glance, I'd never get to use it, but I knew it would mean a lot to George. I stood back in front of George smiling for a moment as I admired him happily.
"Can I open my eyes now?" He spoke laughing.
"Oh, yeah," I said snapping out of my daze. Slowly he opened his eyes, seeing the expensive gift I had extended out to him. His eyes practically bulged out of his head in disbelief.
"T-that's for me?" He stared at in on complete awe. I nodded shyly as he took it gently from my hands. He placed the strap around his neck as places his hands as if he were about to play. He looked up at me and instantly his expression fell.
"I can't accept this." He spoke with a guilty expression. I shook my head as he stared at me with big eyes.
"No no, I want you to have it, really." I reassured him with a grin. Swiftly, he leaned down and placed a short but sweet kiss on my lips. "Here," I spoke in a daze from his charm, walking over to the amp. "Play something?" I encouraged with a bright smile. He looked beyond nervous but carefully plugged his guitar in and started to play what I assumed to be an original song. I listened intently hearing him faintly whisper out words to the the song.
"Listen, do you want to know a secret?" He mumbled focused in on the chords. I watched in awe As the song came to an end, I clapped happily. He blushed at looked at his feet modestly.
"That was breathtaking." I smiled gleefully.
"Aw, it was nothing." He brushed my praise off humbly. From out of thin air a big wave of emotion crashed over me and my stomach filled with butterflies. I knew I was falling for George every moment I spent with him, I wouldn't trade being with him for anything else in the world. We were soon to go to Paul's house for a big surprise party where I'd loose George to all of his friends but I didn't mind, because in the end I knew he felt strongly for me as I did for him which made my whole body fill with warmth in a way it never had before.
Part one of "The plan to give the miserable bloke a happy 19th birthday" was complete, although, I wish that moment could last an eternity with George.