Chapter 19; 

"Paul. Calm down. We didn't do anything." John said calmly as he slid out of bed with his hands up. 

"Least I got 'ere before anythin' 'appened!" Paul shouted at him, which scared me. Paul never yells, George and him are the sweetest boys I know.

"P-paul? Are you drunk?!" I asked, suddenly outraged. Why was he here, in my room, on prom night, preaching to me?

"Why does it matter to you?" Paul slurred. 

"Why does it matter to you what John and I do, Paul? Where's Dot, shouldn't you be with her?" I spat out at him. 

"She's in me room..." Paul said quietly. "I just don't want any funny business with me sister." Paul said glaring at John. 

"There wasn't any. She hurt 'er ankle. End of story."

"Is that true Ellie?" Paul asked.

"Yes, and I asked him to spend the night. So he will." I said harshly, looking away from Paul. I couldn't stand to look at him it made me feel sick all of a sudden. Paul quickly shut the door back. 

"Eloise are you okay?" John asked, slipping back into the covers and petting my hair. I cuddled up beside him, I wanted to say no but I started crying all of a sudden. "Shh, shh. What's wrong my dear?" John asked in a soothing voice. 

"I-I don't know. P-Paul's a jerk." I said sniffling, trying to make myself stop crying. John pushed a tear off my cheek and smiled softly at me. 

"Paul's being a drunk jerk. He's mad." 

"Why?" 

"Because I have the most beautiful independent girl there is and he's jealous. Settling for a lot less than he should get, but yer my princess." John spoke quietly, making me laugh. 

"Really?" 

"Yes, yer me bird. And I'll treat ye like ye deserve." 

"How do you always know what to say?" I asked, laughing as he pulled me to his lap. 

"It comes with the good looks." John smirked and kissed me. 

***

"You know what I've never understood?" John says, pulling me out of my state of sleep. "How heavy of a sleeper you are. Paul woke up with a total hang over and was pissed because I made you breakfast."

"You made me breakfast?" I asked, rubbing my eyes and sitting up. 

"Yep... But Paul and I ate it..." 

"Whatever," I said laughing. "Can you get me some clothes?" 

"Sure, what do you wanna wear love?" John asked going to my drawers. 

"I don't care." I told him falling back onto the bed. 

"Oh no you don't." John said quickly picking me up. I quickly started hitting his chest and squealing. 

"Stop John!" I shouted while laughing. "I need to put some clothes on!" I said, making John put me down and kissing me quickly on the cheek. "Do you have anythin' planned today, Johnny?" 

"Um..." John said, scratching the back of his neck as I pulled a dress on. 

"What John?"

"There's this guy, a manager, coming to see the band today..." 

"That's great!" I said overjoyed, of course it was great, the boys had been working hard at this and I'm glad their hard work was finally paying off. "How long have you known?" 

"Two weeks.." 

"Two weeks?!" 

"Yes, I know... I've been meanin' to tell you and I just didn't know the right time. I'm so sorry." John said, taking my hands into his. 

"Did the rest of the band know?" 

"Yes." 

"Well, really, I'm still happy for you guys! This is a big break you know. Where is he from?"

"I..." John began to say, but quit in mid-sentence. "He's from France... But owns places all over England, Germany, Ireland. Everywhere. Anywhere." 

"So you'll be leaving?" 

"Not necessary ." John quickly said, noticing the change in my voice. I didn't even think I could hear it, but it was pretty obvious now. "He knows that we have ties down 'ere and he'll try 'nd keep us 'ere." 

"Okay. I'm happy for you guys. This is amazing." I said, pulling him to me and wrapping him in a big hug, I don't know what I'd do without John and I didn't want to think about it, so for now I cried happy tears. 

*****

Later that week, after I had met the manager, from France and I had gotten offered my diploma and school was finally out, I was upstairs with Charlie while the boys practiced downstairs.” Sorry again." Charlie said, looking up the 45 in her hand, she had been apologizing all week for not telling me and assuming I knew. 

"Charlie if you apologize one more time I'll hit you." 

"Okay, okay. Fine. I just don't want you to be mad at me, I'd be pretty bummed if I was kicked out of your room like some people." Charlie said laughing. 

"Hey, it's not my fault. I don't think she cares too much for me either, Charlie. Anyways, I have vowed not to speak of it, for John's sake." I said making her laugh. 

"Shut up!" she said hitting me with a pillow, but suddenly the playing stopped downstairs. 

"See what you did!" I whisper-yelled at her, making us both giggle. But the phone had been ringing. "What's going on?" 

"I don't know, I can't see through the floorboards. Let's go down there." 

"Alright." I agreed and we both got up and snuck downstairs. 

"That's great! Alright. Yes, that's great. Of course. Yes, thank you so much!" Paul says from the kitchen, John has already found me and wrapped his arms around me, but I'm too concentrated on what Paul's saying to notice. 

"Paul! What was that all 'bout?" Pete says from behind me somewhere. 

"We've got the gig! He wants us to spend our summer 'ere then go to Hamburg and work in an important sailors club." Paul said excitedly, I felt John's grip tighten but I felt nauseous. 

"Hamburg?" I asked slowly.

"Yes!" Paul said, obviously not noticing the problem. 

"Hamburg... Germany, Hamburg?" I whispered to John, who's nails dug deep into my skin. John quickly pulled me out of the room and out onto the front porch, as soon as I breathed the fresh air, tears started to sting in my eyes. 

"Eloise, I'm so sorry." John said, meeting my eyes with his own glossy ones. 

"Don't be," I whispered, my voice on the edge. I felt like I could explode with tears, like I wasn't breathing enough. "This is yer dream. And I'm glad yer goin' somewhere. I couldn't be any happier for you." 

"But what about you? Are you happy?" John whispered, tears starting to fall out of his own eyes. 

"I'm happy enough for you John. I still have you right?" 

"You'll always have me." 

"Then I'm still the luckiest girl out there John. I love you and we have now, we can't think that far ahead." I told him, as he quickly wiped the tears out of my eyes. 

"You promise? We can make this work, I'll try as hard as I can." 

"I promise John. But all that matters it today." I told John, a gave him a tiny smile. I couldn't say that I wasn't raking my brain about the future, but John needs to worry about himself and not me. I don't want to think about it being the beginning to the end.