"Where were you off to so late?" My mother began her interrogation as she walked up to see me worriedly.

"She was getting me sweets." My brother explained saving me, winking as he came down the stairs.

I caught a glimpse of my other little ten year old brother Lou and my thirteen year old sister Anne snickering from the top of the stairs knowingly.

"She was was she?" My mom asked skeptically.

"I can be quite persuasive, especially when it comes to jellies." His eyes sparkled as he saw the sweets in my hand as I handed them over.

"You owe me." He whispered looking up with a smirk.

"Well, then you've got a good sister then."
My mother went along with the story whether she actually believed it or not.

My father came over to see the commotion with a grimace and an apologetic look.

"Let's get you to bed, you look exhausted." My mother said feeling my forehead to see if I were running a fever, escorting me up to my bed.
_____________________

A couple days later, my sister and I had gone for a walk, deciding to stop in the record store on Penny Lane for some new records since it was a mere ten minute walk from home.

I figured it would do me some good considering I just kept playing my Roy Orbison record and sulking in bed for the past day.

For some inexplicable reason I couldn't get him out of my head, no matter how hard I tried. He really had a hold on me, it seemed.

"You were out to see a boy when mum asked where you were, weren't you?" Anne inquired with a grand smile, as she must've been eavesdropping through the door as she always did.

"Was not, eavesdropper." I spoke narrowing my eyes at her, seeing her grin smugly with a shrug as I opened the record store door for her.

"I'm thirteen, not stupid." She muttered under her breath before going off to find her favourite artists, the Everly Brothers.

I huffed annoyedly beginning to look through the records, before overhearing some shuffling around from farther off, someone else in the store. I looked up curiously, seeing none other than John, flipping through some records nonchalantly, seeming to not yet realize my presence.

I couldn't believe it was really him, fate seemed to have done its work, though I may have subconsciously willed it, walking down the road I had met him on.

"You're taking the piss." I whispered looking up to the big guy upstairs begrudgingly before trying to sneak over to a wall where I could hide my face, panicked. I didn't know what I'd say, what I could say, he seemed to have shattered the bridge between us.

It was just when I had though I had carefully maneuvered myself out of sight when I heard him say my name from just behind me.

"Elle." His voice was quiet, almost making it seem like a question.

I turned around tensely, seeing his expression perk up a bit, a shadow of a smile peaking on his lips as he looked down warmly.

His face quickly became full of regret once he'd seen my fearful wide eyes, my lips parted without being able to seem to form a thought.

"Elle, I know I don't deserve it and that I was completely out of line, but I'd really like if I could make it up to you." His more genuine side was much more evident as he seemed to yearn for my forgiveness, making it so hard to stay angry.

He looked like a lost puppy, seeming completely sincere about his apology, compelling me to believe that he truly was sorry and made a completely idiotic misjudgement.

"I don't particularly enjoy being objectified in front of your mates." I looked down to my feet, knowing if I looked into his eyes I couldn't stand my ground. I needed to be sure he understood my boundaries.

"I'm sorry, I truly am. It's never going to happen again. After you left, I told them everything. I've never been good at this sort've thing, y'know, but I like you Elle," he admitted, "and I don't want to have messed it up before it had even begun." He said seemingly slightly frustrated with himself, melting me like putty.

"Alright." I gave in probably much too easily, completely forgetting my previous thought about boundaries.

"Alright?" John smiled hopefully.

"-but only one chance to make it up." I clarified seeing him nod looking over the moon with excitement.

I fished in my purse and grabbed my pocketbook and pen, writing down my information.

I extended it out to him nervously, "call me?" I offered a small grin.

"I will." He had a little smirk as he read my phone number on the paper with a fondness in his features.

"You free tonight?" He looked back up at me eagerly.

"I'll have to check my calendar." I couldn't help but be amused, seeing him be so excited though he tried to hide it.

He laughed at my hard to get act "right, I'll call you." He said before we finally parted ways, my sister staring at me slack jawed from across the room.
_____________

I waited around on my couch waiting to see if John would call, realizing I must've seemed nutty to be waiting so impatiently for a call from someone who I had just barley given a second chance with.

The phone finally rang and I called out "I got it." Before putting the phone to my ear excitedly.

"Hello, Whittaker residence," I felt my heartbeat in my throat as I waited with baited breath for a response from the other end of the line.

"Elle?" John seemed to already know it was me.

"Hi John." I replied with a small laugh though I felt extremely nervous, my grip listening on the telephone from my sweaty hand.

"Check your calendar for tonight?" He asked cheekily, causing me to fight the bubbling feeling of eagerness I had to talk to him.

"I'm free." I spoke demurely, seeming to make him chuckle slightly.

"One of my mates is having a party tonight, would you fancy coming?" He asked more confidently, as if he were sure I would say yes.

"Sounds like fun." I agreed to go, hoping I wouldn't come to regret the decision.
               ________________

I seemed to tire myself anxiously waiting for John to show at the front door, pacing back and forth in my living room.

My mum was out late doing her job as a midwife, and my dad was off with the kids at my aunts house for the night, leaving me to rest.

It gave me enough time to go to the party, and find an excuse for when I came back. I would probably tell them I was out with Lilly, but being able to leave the house was more important than the later possible consequences. I decided it was time I start living in the moment.

The doorbell had rang soon enough and I had froze, finally realizing this was it. This could get me in heaps of trouble, I only hoped it would be worth it.

"John." I smiled as I opened the door, seeing him look up to me with a grin, one of his hands behind his back holding something.

"You look, beautiful." He froze up for a moment before snapping himself out of it, "I've got you something." He grinned as he begun to pull out the thing behind his back.

I felt my heart skip a beat in anticipation, the elation on my face seeming to encourage John.

He pulled out two books from behind his back and held them out to me.

"Animal farm and 1984?" I grinned widely reading the titles as I took them, running my hand along their covers.

The thoughtfulness that he'd had to think about how he'd seen me reading really amazed me, no one had ever thought into a gift for me as he had, it were the little things that counted.

"They're my copies, I quite enjoy the author's writing, I thought you might like to read them? I figured you seemed to have the same taste in books as I do." He smiled gently, causing my lips to pout in awe as I took them and held them to my chest.

"I love them, thank you." My heart clenched at the sweetness of the sentiment, his copies.

I had invited John in as I went to go put the books up in my room so none of the three stooges could get to them and ask questions my mother would inevitably hear, coming back down to see John examining his surrounding from the entrance where I'd left him.

"Ready?" He smiled.

"Course I am." I grinned back taking his arm that he held out for me, the two of us exiting out the door to walk to the bus stop through the cold of the December night.

I looked over to him and blushed as I scanned over his features.

When he looked back at me he looked quizzical.

"Something the matter?" He asked kindly.

"Oh, no, I just- I'm glad I agreed to come with you tonight, is all." I became shy, looking down to the ground in front of us as we walked along the sidewalk.

"So am I." He grinned mirroring my shyness.

As it would turn out, giving John a second chance was the best thing I could've done.