Chapter 4

 

            On the car ride home, Charlotte weighed her options. She could blow off Paul for Brian or blow off Brian for Paul.  She decided she was too young to devote her time to one guy, so she would date both! That is, until they both found out about each other.

She ran from the car to her house when it pulled out front. She sat in her bedroom, patiently waiting for her little pink princess rotary phone to ring. Then the three cups of tea she drank at the shoot kicked in. She ran to the bathroom, and just as she was leaving, her mother called up from downstairs:

 

                        “Charlotte, dear, there’s a Paul on the phone for you”

 

            Her stomach felt like it was going to explode. She ran to her room, and answered the phone, panting.

 

                        “Hello?”

 

                        “Ello’ luv! Ave’ you been running a marathon?”

 

                        “Oh, I was uh…um….playing tennis”

                       

                        “Oh lovely, a bit rainy out, but alright I suppose. About tonight, I’m sorry but I’ve got to cancel. A last minute radio interview was scheduled and I have to go. Are you busy tomorrow night? I won’t take no for an answer…….”

 

                        “Hmm let me check” she said, flipping through a magazine trying to sound as if she was checking her date book.

 

                        “Yes, I am. What time shall I be ready?”

 

                        “7 sounds good. Don’t tell anyone, I don’t want birds all around your house, they’ll rip you to shreds”

 

                        “No problem.”

           

                        “I’m off, bye luv”

 

                        “Bye Paul.”

 

            She hung up, fell face first on a pillow, and screamed as hard as she could. She ran to her record player, and got out the only Beatles record she had. She played it as loud as she could, jumping up and down, singing along to each and every word. Her mother banged on the door, and Charlotte opened it a crack.

 

                        “Yes mother?”

 

                        “Jesus, Mary and holy Saint Joseph, that record player is up loud enough” Irene said in her heavy Irish brogue.

 

                        “Sorry Mom. I’ve got a secret, and I can’t hold it in any longer”

 

                        “Shoot”

 

                        “Paul McCartney, as in the Beatle Paul McCartney, was the one on the phone. He asked me on a date for tomorrow night and I accepted”

 

                        “That’s luvly! Yes, you’re a bit young, but I knew one of those boys would ask you out. You are my beautiful daughter”

 

                        “Oh Mom stop!”

 

                        “Well we’ll have to plan out your outfit tomorrow after school”

 

                        “Okay!”

 

 

 

            Charlotte layed in bed that night, on the phone with one of her only friends, a spunky girl named Britt.

 

                        “I’ve got something big to tell you, promise not to say a word?”

 

                        “Of course , spill it”

 

                        “Well it’s a number of things actually. The first one is that I met a boy at the Crawdaddy”

 

                        “Ugh, what in the world were you doing at that hole? Anyways, so what’s he like?”

 

                        “Dreamy, gray-blue eyes, blond hair, beautiful face. But hes…um….older”

 

                        “How old?”

 

                        “Don’t know for sure, I’m guessing early twenties.”

 

                        “Wow! He’s so old!”

 

                        “Yea, his name is um..Brian Jones. Yea that’s it”

 

                        “The name sounds familiar. My family used to live in Cheltenham, and my older sister knew a kid by that name. Wonder if it’s the same guy. Ask him where he’s from”

 

                        “Yes, that’s where he's from! Okay, the second thing, the shoot I was at today, it um….was with the Beatles.

 

                        “OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!! The Beatles? The actual Beatles? As in John, Paul, George and Ringo?   Is John as mean as he looks? Is Paul as cute as in the pictures? Is George really quiet? How big is Ringo’s nose in person?”

 

                        “Calm down! No, John’s not mean, Paul is cuter in person, George isn’t very quiet, and Ringo’s nose is huge, in a cute sort of way.”

 

                        “I can’t believe you didn’t take me, I can’t believe it!”

                       

                        “Britt, it was a closed set. There were fans killing themselves to get in”

 

                        “Oh darn”

 

                        “There’s one more thing”

 

                        “Yes?”

           

                        “Paul asked me out on a date for tomorrow night. I accepted”

                        “AHHHHHHHHH  you rotten bitch! You got asked out by not only a Beatle, but the cute Beatle? This is just unreal”

 

 

                        “I know, but you can’t tell anyone, please promise me that”

 

                        “Of course. Nite”

 

                        “Night.”

 

            Charlotte closed her eyes, and fell asleep, with visions of moptops dancing in her head.

 

 

 

            Char woke up late, threw on her uniform and got to school just in time. Britt sat in Latin, smiling from ear to ear.

 

                        “Hey Char , what are you wearing tonight?”

 

                        “Britt! I don’t want to talk about it right now, what it someone finds out!”

 

                        “Then they will be so jealous!”

 

                        “Jealous of what?” Emma, the gossip queen of the school butted in.

 

                        “Paul McCartney of course” Britt couldn’t help herself.

 

                        “Oh yea, I’m soo jealous of Charlotte kissing his face on the album cover.” Emma said sarcastically.

 

                        “If only you knew” Britt whispered.

                       

                        “That’s enough!” Charlotte said, so loud that the teacher gave her a stern look.

 After class, she met Pete at her locker and went off to lunch.

                       

                        “I heard from Britt, you lucky girl”

 

                        “Pete! Britt is such a loud mouth”

           

                        “Don’t worry, I think its gear, and I won’t tell anyone.

 

But Britt didn’t have such a tight promise. A very snotty clique of girls, who just hated Charlotte and her beauty and modeling career, approached the table.

 

                        “Well hello, Miss Quinn, the Irish princess” The girls constantly made fun of her because of her background. But Char was proud to be from the Emerald Isle.

 

                        “Can I help you ladies?”

 

                        “We heard your dating Paul McCartney. Just wanted to let you know he is just using you, and he’ll throw you away like so many other girls on the road.” They snickered.

 

                        “Shut up” Was all Charlotte could say. She ran out of the lunchroom, in tears.

 

                        “I don’t know why you let them upset you” Pete said after he ran after her.

 

                        “Look at me Pete! I have two friends! I’m a laughing stock amongst the girls in this school, and I don’t know why”

 

                        “They are jealous! That’s all it is! The guys here are intimidated by your fame, and your beauty. Don’t worry! Your going out with a Beatle tonight, and they’re not, just remember that.” Charlotte stopped crying with Pete’s kind words and hug.

 

 

The big night had arrived, and Charlotte was ready. She got dressed in a black mini, and a pink turtleneck, with nude pantyhose, and heeled mary janes. Her makeup was subtle, but with a bit of oomph on the eyes. The moment arrived: the doorbell rang. Irene answered, just as Charlotte walked down the long, curved stairs. Paul’s eyes lit up.

 

                        “Ello’ gorgeous, ready?”

                       

                        “Yes, let me get my coat”

           

            Off they went, to a fancy restaurant called Dandelion Green. Paul and Charlotte were rushed to a cozy corner booth, away from the staring eyes of everyone there. Paul’s eyes were like dark pools of chocolate, and Char was lost in them. She barely listened to Paul’s soft words, but soon came out of her trance to seem attentive.

 

                        “So, tell me about yourself luv”

 

                        “Hmm, well I was born and raised in Galway, Ireland, and then we moved here not too long ago.”

 

                        “Wow, short and sweet.”

 

                        “I guess, don’t want to bore you with details. To be honest, I haven’t really experienced much in life”

 

                        “I have a feeling you won’t be saying that in a few years”

 

                        “Really? Most girls I know expect to be married with kids in a few years. I don’t want to be a housewife”

 

                        “Your too beautiful and talented to be one”

 

She blushed. Paul’s sweet face lit up, as he slid his hand over to hers, which was resting on the seat, and gently put it in his. Charlotte’s stomach twisted and turned, making eating her salmon basically impossible. She took small nibbles, and announced she was finished.

 

                        “Alright, lets get out of ere’, I know a great place to go”

 

                        “You’re the boss!”

 

Paul took her hand, and they exited the restaurant, and into a sea of flashes and screams. The press had been tipped that the cute Beatle was on a date. They ran to the car waiting, panting as they got inside.

 

                        “I……ha….ate when that happens” Paul said, trying to catch his breath.

           

                        “Kind of fun” Charlotte said.

 

Paul just smiled, looking sweetly at Charlotte. The car stopped, and the driver opened the door, helping her out of the car. She looked around, and found she was on a quaint cobblestone street, right next to a pond.

 

                        “I like to come ere’ sometimes, get away from it all.”

 

                        “Its beautiful, so peaceful.”

 

                        “I’m having a great time tonight. You’re the first girl that likes me, Paul, instead of Beatle Paul.”

 

                        “Everyone is a human being, why put celebrities on a pedestal?”

           

They two sat down on a bench, and Paul leaned in, and they kissed.  Charlotte couldn’t contain herself, as it was her first kiss.

 

                        “You’re a good kisser for being only 17”

 

She forgot. Only John knew she was only 15 but Charlotte didn’t tell Paul. She just stared at his face, his sweet, innocent-looking face, with skin like porcelain; soft to the touch, and pale as a bed sheet. She couldn’t believe that just a few months ago, she was just another nameless face at Spencer Academy, a robot in a school uniform. Now everything was happening for her, she was in 16 magazine, had countless advertisements, now she was on a date with the cute Beatle. There was no way she was going to mess this up.

 

                        “Charlotte you are so beautiful” He said, stroking her soft blond hair. She just smiled. 

                       

                        “No honestly. You know what kind of girls wet themselves for us? These awkward girls with long skirts, bad skin, and big thick glasses. I’ve never seen anyone like you before.”

           

                        “ Well there of pretty Beatle fans out there trust me”

 

                        “They don’t chase us down the street!”

 

She giggled. Paul placed his palm on the side of her face, his fingers caressing the back of her neck. They kissed passionately once again, but were interrupted by an ear-shattering scream.

 

                        “A BEATLE! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” It was a group of five girls, and they were running towards Paul and Charlotte at lightening speed.

 

                        “Run, now!” Paul grabbed Charlotte by the arm, as they raced to his waiting car. The chauffer was waiting inside the car, for fear of being ripped apart by the crazed hormone-charged mob.

 

They slid into the car, slamming the door shut. Panting, Paul slide down his seat and put his head back. His hair was sweaty, and stuck to his forehead.

 

                        “I’m sorry, I normally don’t ave’ trouble ere’ “

                       

                        “Its okay, its kind of exciting”

 

Paul gave her a silly look. They pulled up at her house, and Paul walked her to the door. He planted a single, sweet kiss on her cheek.

 

                        “There’s a party this Friday night, and I would love it if you were my date”

 

                        “I’d be honored”