CHAPTER THREE

 

(Soundtrack: Tell Me What You See)

 

That night when everybody was asleep, I went out to the balcony.  I needed some time alone to regroup my thoughts about everything that had happened.  I was drinking some Scotch and Coke, which seemed to be the only thing these guys drank, and had a cigarette in my mouth, I was just about to light it when, a voice interrupted my thoughts.

 

“You know, smoking and drinking alone is bad for your health.”, a familiar voice said behind me.

 

“You should stop sneaking up on people like that!”, I said turning around startled.

 

“Is giving orders the only thing you know how to do?”, John said walking towards me.

 

I kept quiet and put the cigarette in my mouth again.

 

“No let me.”, John said taking the lighter from me and lighting my cigarette, “See, I can be a gentleman.”

 

“Yeah, I know you can be.”, I said after blowing the smoke, “You’re one hell of a charmer.”

 

“Me? No, Macca is the charmer. I just play rhythm guitar and mouth organ.”, John said turning around and leaning on the balcony railing to look at the city.

 

Boy and would I like to get his organ in my mouth! He looked so good...well, actually Paul looked good.  John looked sexy. 

 

“Why are you up?”, I asked.

 

“Just needed a little time to meself, and well I found you ‘ere…”

 

“If you want to be alone I can leave…”, I started.

 

“No, it’s okay,”, John said, “It’s good to talk to somebody different than the guys.”

 

“But, I don’t understand. Aren’t you angry with me?”

 

“For what happened earlier?”, John said turning his head to me, “That’s the past now. Can I have a ciggie?”

 

“Sure.”, I lighted his cigarette, “You see I can be a gentlewoman too.”

 

“Can you now?”, he said blowing the smoke through his nose and then giving me a sly smile. 

 

Oh my God! He was soooo sexy.  He had a white long sleeved shirt on, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the first two buttons undone, his hair a little messed up, no shoes on and the moonlight illuminating his face.

 

“I warned you Lennon.”

 

“Aw, come on, just having a little fun.”

 

“Just want to keep you on a short leash.”

 

John chuckled.

 

“I don’t want to be nosy…”, I began.

 

“But you are a reporter, and that’s your job.”, John continued.

 

I smiled at his remark.

 

“Good! At last I get a smile from you!.”, John said looking at me.

 

“What’s bothering you?  Why do you need time for yourself?”

 

John looked at me for a long time, then back at the city for another long time.  It appeared he was deciding if telling me or not.

 

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have ask….”

 

“I’m bored with all this shit.”, he replied without looking at me.

 

“Huh?”,  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

 

“I feel like a caged animal.”, he said.

 

“Why?”, I asked, “You guys have traveled around the world.”

 

“You’ve been here just one night.  Tell me, what have we done?”

 

“Just hang around the hotel room.”

 

“Exactly.”, he told me pointing me with the cigarette, “If we go out, it’s to a concert, or a press conference.   I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but, this is not a life.  I’m just twenty four!”

 

John sat on the loveseat in the balcony continued smoking his cigarette looking at nothing.

 

“But don’t you feel you’ve accomplished something, being a member and leader of the Beatles?”, I said sitting next to him.

 

“Well, yeah, I do, but, I dunno, I still feel like the same John back at Liverpool eight years ago.”

 

“John, money doesn’t buy happiness.”

 

“Yeah, Can’t Buy Me Love, right?”, he said with a smirk.

 

I nodded.

 

“Then what does bring happiness?”, he asked me turning his whole body to face me.

 

“Hey, don’t ask me I’m just a “reporter”.”, I said, making quotation marks with my fingers when I said reporter.

 

John laughed.

 

“You’re witty, I like that.”, he smiled, “I don’t get to know many witty girls. Just birds that giggle a lot.”

 

“Witty and who knows long words.”

 

John laughed and gave a quick peck on the cheek.

 

“What was that for?”, I asked.

 

“Oh you’re not gonna slap me are you?”, he said with mock fear.

 

Actually it was kind of nice.

 

“Nah.  Just don’t think I’m easy.”, I said.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m the one who is easy.”, he said with a smile.

 

We kept talking about all sorts of things.  Talking with John was almost a sexual experience.  He was so smart.  I’ve always been a sucker for smart guys…and if they’re attractive, I’m in trouble.  Everything and anything was good for us both to strike up a conversation.  We were laughing and enthralled in conversation when…

 

“Hey, what are you two doing out ‘ere? It’s three in the morning!”

 

It was Paul. 

 

“Is it?”, John asked, “What are you doing up?”

 

“Just needed to go to the loo, I ‘eard noise and it’s you guys.  We got a press conference early tomorrow John.”

 

“Oh, all right we’ll go to bed now,”, John said standing and looked at Paul in the eyes, “Separately.”

 

Paul followed us to our bedrooms looking a bit puzzled.

 

When John got into his bedroom he couldn’t stop smiling to himself.  He felt so good when he was talking with Alice.  It felt like foreplay.  She was so smart and articulate, and not to mention good looking.   He just wanted to hold her and kiss her.

 

‘If Paul thinks he’s getting this bird.’, John thought, ‘He’s totally wrong.  He always gets the girl.  But this girl’s  smart, I have to play my cards right.”

 

I couldn’t sleep, I had the electricity of our first meeting in my system.  I just couldn’t get John out my head.  He has always been my favorite Beatle.  I knew I could fall in love with him quickly, although I think I already was in love with him.  I had to pair up with somebody I didn’t have feelings for quickly.  I wasn’t going to deal with another broken heart in the past.  I already had enough of those in my time zone.