The words were leaving his mouth before he could stop them: "Do you want to go out sometime?"

"Go out?" Pattie echoed, eyes suddenly wide, face growing pale. She acted as if she didn't know what he'd meant, but George had a feeling she was just playing dumb.

"Yeah," he said, awkwardly looking down at his feet, wondering if this was a bad decision. "Like, a date?"

Pattie looked around as if she couldn't be seen anywhere near George anymore. They were still standing at the festival, watching John yell in frustration at a game that he couldn't win. Ringo and Paul were watching as well, exchanging amusing remarks about John's temper, but George wasn't really listening to them.

"George," she said in a hushed, urgent whisper. "There's law."

"What?" he asked, eyebrows knitting together.

She wetted her lips in an annoyed fashion and leaned in. "A law, George. That says we can't be together."

"Well, why not?"

"Because I'm a Blue Meanie and you're a . . . person," she spat.

"Who says you aren't a person? It's not like you're some kind of animal," he said, anger flooding into his voice.

"It's just a law, George, and you can't change it," she said, moving her eyes to the bellowing John, who had just lost the game once again. Ringo and Paul snickered, eating cotton candy.

"But," he said, not being able to accept that he couldn't go out with her, "I . . . like you."

"I like you too, George, but we can't," Pattie said harshly.

They stood in silence for a few moments, angry thoughts banging around in George's head. How was this fair? Wasn't Pepperland about love anyway? Who made up this stupid rule?

"You bloody game," John growled and dug in his pocket for more money, which he slammed down on the counter. He then grabbed a ring and hurled it at a bottle, but it bounced off the neck. The man who ran this game was starting to get a little uneasy by John's outraged behavior and was beginning to slink off.

"John, love, don't get so angry," Paul said, laughter clear in his voice.

"Yeah, it's just a game," Ringo chimed in, chomping on cotton candy.

"It's a game that I need to win," John said and threw another ring that the bottle just deflected.

"What if we didn't tell anyone?" George said quietly to Pattie.

"George, no."

"Come on. You said you liked me too. Just one date, Pattie."

"What if we got caught? Do you know what they'd do to you?"

"We won't get caught because I'm sneaky."

"Yeah, sure." She rolled her eyes.

"We just won't tell anyone and no one will ever know," George said, voice going seductive.

She looked at him sideways and took a step away from him. "I said no!"

"Please?" he said, eyes pleading. "A picnic? With me? Secretly?"

She crossed her arms and looked away from him, chewing her bottom lip in thought. She looked back at him with her beautiful sparkling blue eyes and said in a soft voice, "Okay."

George had to restrain himself from doing a fist-pump.

* * *

"Now, where are you going all dressed up?" John said, leaning against the doorframe of the room that George was staying in while they were in Pepperland. They were staying in a small house that had been reserved especially for them, and George was a little embarrassed about it. He didn't feel like they should be that special to have their own house.

"Out," George said, straightening his tie in the mirror.

"With a bird?" John asked, wiggling his caterpillar-like eyebrows. That's what George always thought they looked like, anyway. He realized he'd never brought up to John that it looked as if two caterpillars were living on his face. Maybe he should mention it sometime.

"I don't think it's any of your business," George said, picking up the basket he'd bought especially for this occasion. He pushed past John and made his way to the kitchen where he began to fill the basket full of food. He hoped Pattie liked sandwiches, because that's what he was bringing.

"Well, be back by ten, young man," John said, taking on a parent-like tone.

"Yes, Mum," George said, pausing and wondering if sandwiches weren't romantic enough. Hmm. After a moment of thought, he snatched a bottle of wine and put it in the basket as well.

"Is he raiding the kitchen again?" Paul said, coming in and leaning his elbows on the counter.

"Georgie's got a date!" John said.

"Ooh!" Paul said, smirking. "Who's the unlucky gal?"

"Ha, ha," George said flatly, throwing some biscuits in as well.

"He won't tell me," John said. "It's a secret." He rolled his eyes.

"Who's got a date?" Ringo asked, appearing in the doorway.

"Georgie," John and Paul said simultaneously.

"Stop calling me that!" George yelled, trying to get his thoughts together. Sammiches. Check. Wine. Check. Biscuits. Check. Now, what else?

"Who is it?" Ringo asked.

"I'm not telling!" George cried, slamming his basket shut and speed-walking to the door.

"Watch out, everybody, he's got his knickers in a twist!" John yelled as George stomped out the door.

* * *

"Oh, sandwiches," Pattie said as George opened his basket.

"You like them, right?" he asked.

"Of course!" she said.

"I'm sorry I forgot to bring a blanket," he said, cheeks burning red. He knew he'd been forgetting something! How stupid was he to forget one of the most important things for a picnic? That's like forgetting the basket! At least he hadn't done that.

"It's not like the grass is going to hurt me," she said as she bit into her sandwich.

"I also brought this," he said, pulling out the wine bottle.

Pattie almost choked on her sandwich. "Wine?"

"Yes."

"This is so nice, George!" she said as he filled her glass. They were sitting under a tree far away from everyone else, but Pattie was still looking around as if someone was going to jump out of the bushes and scream, "Ah-ha! You're not supposed to be on a date!"

"And I can't forget to mention . . . " he said, rooting around in the basket. " . . . the biscuits!" Pattie giggled and George beamed happily.

The rest of the evening passed away quickly, and George managed to make Pattie laugh so hard she was snorting. He'd never felt happier than that moment.

"Pattie, what are you doing?" came an angry voice suddenly.

George's smile completely disappeared from his face when he looked up and saw the Chief Blue Meanie standing over them. Pattie's father. Panicking, George grabbed the basket and threw it over his shoulder, removing the evidence. He turned and smiled sweetly at the Chief.

"Hello, sir," he said in a wavering nervous voice.

The Chief Blue Meanie was not amused by any means.

"Dad, this isn't what it looks like," Pattie said, standing up.

"What does it look like?" the Chief Blue Meanie boomed.

"Nothing," Pattie squeaked.

"It looks like a date to me!" the Chief yelled. "You know the rules, Pattie!"

"I-I f-forgot," Pattie stammered.

"Forgot!" the Chief laughed bitterly. "Stop lying to me, young lady. You are grounded and this . . . this piece of scum is going to be hauled off to the dungeon." The Chief Blue Meanie then whistled with his fingers and his assistant Max appeared almost out of thin air. "Max, lock this bug up."

"No, sir," Max replied.

"What was that?" the Chief screamed.

"I mean, yes, sir," Max said and grabbed George's arm and hauled him to his feet.

"Father, don't do this," Pattie begged, tugging on her father's arm.

Max was laughing maniacally as he pulled at George, who planted his feet firmly in the grass, refusing to budge. "Come along, won't you, Beatle?"

"No," George said.

"I promise never to talk to him again as long as you let him go," Pattie said, tearing streaming down her cheeks. The Chief Blue Meanie paused for a moment, stroking his chin, looking calculatingly at George.

"All right," he said after a moment. "Max, let him go. But listen to me when I tell you, Beatle: don't come anywhere near my daughter again."

It pained George to say, "Yes, sir." Max let off his arm and George looked at Pattie with hurt eyes before running back to the house.

* * *

"What's wrong, George?" Ringo asked as George flew through the door, crying and panting.

"I went on a date with Pattie," George replied, walking toward his room, rubbing the heels of his hands in his eyes.

"So why are you upset?" Ringo asked, trailing him.

"There's a law against Blue Meanies and people being together, so we did it in secret. Then her father showed up and wanted to arrest me. Pattie prevented it, but I can't ever see her again."

Suddenly John appeared. "So how was the date?" Ringo told him what George had said and John's face lost its humored expression immediately, his eyes going dead serious. "That's a bit daft, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes," Paul said, joining the conversation and putting his hand on John's shoulder. "Oh, yes."

George shot him a withering look. "I'm not going to talk to you three." He turned, sulked into his room, slammed the door, and flopped face-first onto the bed.

John opened the door and stuck his head in. "Listen, George, how about we talk to the Lord Mayor about it tomorrow?"

"Like he's going to do anything," George mumbled into his bed comforter.

"We'll see," John said and shut the door, leaving George cry alone.