tell me that you've got everything you want
and your bird can sing
but you don't get me
you don't get me
turns out, job hunting is a lot more tedious than it seems. finding jobs that had openings was a task in itself, let alone a job that would take both of us.
"savannah, what are we going to do?" ella complained, throwing her head back as we walked. "we've tried the library, the pictures, museum, shops, everything! where else can we try?"
i sighed and rubbed my eyes, looking down at my nicest outfit i own in order to look presentable. "i think our last and final option is that diner a block or two from our house. its our only shot."
ella looked as if she was going to say something, then decided against it. "i guess we don't have a better option."
we walked back into the direction of our house, an invisible cloud hanging over our heads. we stumbled across the diner called "classic club diner" and hastily walked inside.
we were immediately hit with the smell of burning burgers and a slight hint of alcohol. the atmosphere was doable, it was quaint but not amazingly clean and fresh. there was a small stage in the corner with seemingly abandoned microphones.
"how can i help you two girls?" a boy about our age asked. i looked to ella.
"we.... umm- we just wanted to see if there were any job openings for two people. we're both currently looking," ella near whispered.
he eyed both of us down with a look in his eyes that i didn't necessarily like. "would one of you happen to sing?"
i froze and i felt ella turn her eyes to me, along with the boy. i cursed ella for looking at me.
i gulped, not knowing how to cover myself. "i-i mean i can sing a little bit, im not great but i c-can do something... but-"
"as long as you can sing, you've got the job."
my eyes opened wide. "why? what even is my job?"
"our last singer that worked here just quit for personal reasons. you are our new club singer."
my jaw dropped. "i can't! im certainly not qualified for this. i've never performed live before, im not even that great of a singer, and-"
"trust me. you'll only have to sing two nights of the week max. the rest of the week, you can be a waitress. if you want, this will only be temporary and when we find a full time musician to play here you can still waitress. you'll even get paid nearly double on show nights. how does that sound?"
i sighed and looked down. i needed to put myself out there more and try new things, and this might just be the way. i thought for a few long moments. "when do i start?"
the boy smiled. "you'll be starting next monday as a waitress, and singing on wednesday's and friday's."
the boy continued to ramble on about my directions, with me only half listening. "thank you for taking this job...?"
"savannah. my name is savannah clarke."
"nice to meet you, savannah. my name's dave. we're glad to have you on the classic team!"
i smiled. maybe this wouldn't be so bad?
"what about me?" ella asked impatiently, snapping me out of my thoughts. the boy looked at her and pondered.
"what's your name?"
ella sighed. "ella white."
"well then, ella white, i believe we have another opening as a waitress here."
ella and i caught glances and i winked at her. dave went back into the kitchen and came back with a clipboard. he scanned the paper on it with the back of his pen and nodded.
"you both start next monday, and savannah, you start singing next wednesday. as for uniform goes, anything blue will work."
we smiled large, gracious smiles at him, thanking him, and turning to walk out the door. i sighed immediately after stepping outside.
"ell, what did i get myself into! why did i say yes?"
she laughed. "you'll be just fine! you have rocker paul mccartney who performs for a living as a boyfriend, im sure he'll be more than happy to give you pointers."
i nodded. i wasn't going to tell paul about my new singing job yet. i knew he would want to see me my first night, which could go horribly wrong at any moment. i'd want to spare paul that secondhand embarrassment.
we had made our way back to our house, my mind clouded with regret at what i had signed up to do. at least i only had to do it two days a week at the most.
i made my way up to my room in our house, flopping onto the bed and sighing. i needed to find out a set to do with what songs i wanted, i needed to practice, and i needed to get over my fear of stage fright. oh, why did i say yes?
i groaned and took a few small steps to the drawer that held paul's notes he wrote me while i was away. looking at them while running my fingers over the dried ink and reading them over and over again always comforted me.
i opened the drawer and reached down, only to feel a small slip of paper, which i recognized as the unfamiliar number i found on my floor.
my anxiety was getting the best of me and i thought of the worst for this damn number. i had faith, though.
i hastily put it back and took out the letters paul had sent to me, rereading once again. i needed something else to take the stress of my new job away, something bigger.
i slipped on a pair of shoes and and made my way out the door.
•
"sav, what are y-"
"don't ask questions, we're going out."
i reached for paul's hand and tried dragging him out of his door, but he wouldn't budge.
he raised an eyebrow. "but why? this isn't like you," he questioned suspiciously.
i shrugged, my hand still in his. "i know it isn't, but i want to do this, come on!"
i tried dragging him again, still no movement.
"savvy," he started, dragging out the y. "i have to be at the studio early tomorrow, i don't know if its a great idea to-"
i groaned and rolled my eyes and gave him the saddest look i could muster up. "please?"
his annoyed face fell and he put his hands above his head in defense, saying "fine, jeez, i'll go out with you. let me get a hat and some sunglasses, though."
i smiled and took him by the hand after he out his gear on and we went off.
"you better not be keeping secrets. is there something you need to tell me?" he asked sternly.
i thought for a split second, debating on whether or not i should tell him. "nope."
he stared down at me for a moment, clearly still not convinced. "well, alright."
we walked to the nearest bar, which was packed with people. i breathed in the smell of intoxicating alcohol and cigarette smoke. i have merely tried few drinks in my life, but i think i was ready to step it up.
"are you sure you're ok?" he asked, worry evident in his voice.
"completely positive."
we sat down at the bar, ordering drinks for both of us. music was blasting and there were people dancing.
after another drink or two, i looked down to see paul's hand open in front of me, and i looked to him.
"care to dance?" he asked me, a smirk on his face.
i smiled and put my hand in his own. "of course."
we got up and he twirled me around, sending us into laughing fits. it was a very upbeat and fast song i didn't recognize, but dancing along to it was a dream. even with his recognizable hair tucked in a hat and large sunglasses covering his eyes, it still felt like i was dancing alongside my paul.
we even started to do funny dance moves, making the other laugh hysterically, not a care in the world about who saw us.
im not sure how long we did that for, but that it was a good load of fun.
we headed back to out station at the bar. many more drinks were ordered, and i slowly started to feel the unknown effects of alcohol on me. i felt like i could either go run a marathon, puke, or pass out. it was an intense combo. everything that had happened to me earlier seemed nonexistent in my mind now.
paul leaned over into my ear since the music was loud. "im going to the bathroom."
i nodded and watched as he walked away. i continued sipping on my drink for a few more minutes, which was oddly addictive.
"you come here alone?"
i snapped my head to the side to see a man not much older than me sitting on the empty stool beside me. his eyes were hazed and red and he sounded like he had been drinking for hours earlier.
i frowned. "no, i didn't, actually."
"i don't see the said person you came with here," he started, making my shoulders tense up. "you're a pretty bird, why don't you come on back to my place tonight? we can have a bit of fun."
his smug smile sickened me. i wanted to be anywhere other than here.
"actually i-i think im going to go-"
i turned to go anywhere else when a firm hold was on my wrist. "not so fast girl, im not finished with you yet."
i gulped as he turned me around and i faced him. my body went into shock, and i was frozen. he put a hand on my waist and i quickly shook it off. his other hand tightly held onto my wrist still and i tried shaking it out, but it was too tight. "you're coming with me tonight-"
"is there a problem here?" a figure i recognized as paul said, coming between both of us and facing the mysterious man. he discreetly took one of his hands and pushed me behind him. paul's arm was leaned on the bar nonchalantly, his head resting on his fist. i breathed a short sigh of relief from behind him.
the man didn't look scared at all. he scoffed. "so you're the bloke that my girl here claimed she came with? pathetic."
i could practically see paul raise an eyebrow. his voice sounded teeming with anger and on the brink of explosion.
"your girl, eh? i'll have you know, this here bird is my girlfriend, and a pretty damn good one at that. she's the absolute best. now i know you may be jealous, but i would highly suggest you get on your way before i make you."
there was silence between the two. "and what if i don't?"
paul took of his hat and sunglasses, revealing who he was. i couldn't see what face paul had pulled, but i could see the other man's, and his eyes bugged out of his head. "i-uhhh...."
he scurried out of the door and into the dark night. i let out a breath i didn't know i was holding in.
paul turned around and looked down at my frightened expression. he enveloped me in a tight and protective hug. "you ok?"
i dug my head into his chest, trying my very hardest to hold back tears. "lets go home."
paul guided me out the door, and i still felt numb from the whole situation. i have never been talked to like that, and it was terrifying.
i stumbled when i walked, the alcohol setting in even further. paul held my hand as we walked. "im never letting you out of my sight again. i can't risk it."
i didn't answer, and just let the small tears escape my eyes.
when i didn't answer, paul looked down to me and we stopped walking in the middle of the pavement.
"you don't need to be worried, savvy, its over. im here now," he whispered sweetly.
he swiped away the tears on my cheek and i nodded and stumbled away with him. he looked down to me again and sighed.
he bent down slightly with his back facing towards me. "come on."
i happily obliged and climbed on paul's back as he carried me away, my head resting on his shoulder.
everything seemed distant to me in that moment. the rushing cars and honking horns on the bustling streets of london sounded far away. it was only me and him in my world.
before i knew it, paul was trudging up the stairs in his house with me on his back still, grunting with every step.
"paul, i can walk."
"good."
he let me down gently on the steps and i walked the rest of the way up the stairs with him. he mumbled "you may be tiny but not tiny enough to go up a full flight of stairs on my back."
after i reached the landing and walked through his door, i flopped onto his bed, not needing to change into comfier clothes.
paul was presumably getting dressed, when i felt a whirling in my stomach. i sat up and sprinted to the toilet, making it just in time before i hurled fiercely.
paul hurriedly stepped into the bathroom, taking a small step back when he realized what was happening. i puked even more.
he walked over and gently pulled my hair away and rubbed my back as the foul substance came rushing out once again.
"never let me do that again," i mumbled in between pukes, hot tears streaming down my face. drinking, i have learned tonight, is not my calling.
after i had finished my episode, i flushed the toilet and paul took a clean towel and wiped my mouth off, giving me a glass of water.
"s-sorry for doing that. i've never drank this much ever," i slurred, tears still coming down.
paul sighed, then stood up with me. he held me against his chest, a hand placed lovingly behind my head.
"don't apologize. im just glad you're still here with me. who knows what that bastard at the bar could have done with you while i was gone."
i nodded into his jacket and pulled away. "can i borrow some pajamas?"
he nodded and lead me back to his room, taking out an oversized shirt and sweatpants. i changed, not caring if he saw me in the nude or not. we both laid down in the bed together, me cuddling into his side. he had one arm under me and one over, holding me close.
"paul? do you you love me?" i asked.
he smiled, like he believed i would never have to ask such a thing. "of course i do."
"will you always love me?" i whispered, playing with his shirt.
"without a doubt i will," he whispered back.
"well then lets get married."
he turned his head to look at me, my eyes looking into his bugged ones innocently.
"its a bit too early for that, savvy."
i frowned. "but if we love each other, what are we waiting for?"
he rubbed his fingers across my arm. "it doesn't necessarily work that way, love."
"but maybe i want it to work that way."
paul closed his eyes. "i can't settle down any time soon for work reasons, you know that. you're not ready for this either. i love you a lot, sav, probably more than i've loved anyone else. but we can't get married right now."
i scoffed, turning in his arms so my back was towards him angrily. then there was a long pause. breaking the silence, he said, "you won't remember any of this in the morning."
"i sure hope i don't," i said, causing us to laugh tiredly. paul's body turned to match mine and scooted closer to me, my back pressed against his chest. his thumb gently rubbed my temple from behind until i fell into a deep slumber.
hope you are all staying safe in this crazy time!! :)
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