CHAPTER FOUR: MISERY

After the movie blinked off the screen, Paul suggested going out and grabbing hamburgers.

When they got to the place, Alex made sure she seated herself AWAY from Pete; then the conversation started...

"So we wait at the Punch and Judy cafe tomorrow so Brian can let us know 'bout the gig, John?" Paul asked.

"Yeah; wow, I hope we can get one..." John said.

"Punch and Judy cafe?" Alex asked.

"That's where they used to have the old Punch and Judy puppet show before they made it into a cafe," Paul explained.

Alex nodded and as they continued talking, she started turning her attention to George...

"Is lead guitar hard?" she asked him.

"Mmmm, not really," George replied, seeming surprised, "d'you play an instrument?"

"No; I tried to learn guitar but I jus couldn't get it," Alex replied.

"Did ya try?" George asked,a small smile on his lips and in his eyes.

"Yeah..." Alex began, "but I don't think my TEACHER tried hard enough," she turned to Paul, who was stuffing his face with fries....

He noticed Alex and George's eyes upon him, "What?!" he asked, using his hand to cover his mouth full of fries.

"You giving me guitar lessons," Alex replied, smirking.

"You mean you STILL can't play?!" Paul ased, his eyes wide.

"I never COULD!" Alex said, "Your lessonsc STUNK!"

George giggled at the two....

Paul shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I tried...."

Alex rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"I did!"

"Hey, we're all goin' to the pub!" John said as he, Pete, and Cyn got up.

Paul said, "I'll go!"

"I think I'll pass," Alex replied, getting up and straightening her jeans.

"I'll walk ya home!" Pete offered.

"No....that's okay...I'll manage," Alex declined politely.

"You're sure, luv? One of us'll walk you," John offered.

Alex looked at George; he was already going. Besides, he had that annoyed look about him again...

"No, I'll manage," Alex replied sadly.

"Alright, luv; I'll be 'ome later," John said as they went out the door.

Alex nodded as they stepped outside, John going left; Alex's eyes roamed over to where her friends stood and saw George looking at her with his penetrating stare again. He then turned away, slightly agitated-looking....

So she walked home alone. Feeling emotionally and physically drained, she changed into her night clothes and curled up in bed and started to cry...

John came through later and was heading to his room when he went past Alex's and heard muffled sobs.

He was about to stop in and see if there was anything he could do, then decided to just let her be.

After awhile of writing little, no major change in history details with her magic pen, and living them, Alex was having fun. Well, not with Pete always on her tail and George not seeming to like her.....

During this time, John had heard her crying a couple of times and Paul had caught her once; Cyn never noticed any of these things, and Pete and George were oblivious... well, maybe Pete more than George....

One day though, while John and Aunt Mimi was out going shopping, Alex staying home, Paul came over and noticed that the house was quiet....

" 'Ello?" he said, seeing if anyone was home.

"I'm here, Paul," Alex replied.

She sounded like she'd been crying, "Again?" he muttered to himself.

Alex then came in, "Hi, Paul."

"Are you okay, luv?" he asked her seriously.

"Yeah, I was uh, jus chopping onions," Alex replied.

"But you came from th' bathroom..."

"I'm FINE, Paul."

"No you're not! Fuck, Alex,John's heard you cryin' an' I've SEEN ya a couple of times...bloody hell, somethin''s up," Paul replied.

As he was saying this, she bit her lower lip and her eyes welled with tears....

"What's wrong, luv? Y'can tell me," Paul said, patting the couch for her to sit by him.

She nodded and did; Paul looked at her expectantly.

"Well, y' see, uh..I have a thing for George..no, it's not only that; it's also the fact that he acts like he hates me. I know it, he hates me!" Alex began, "He hates me and only puts up with me for you guys!"

Thinking about it just made her cry harder; Paul pulled her close....

"Oh, luv...." he said, "why d'ya think that?"

"Because he always looks at me like he's irritated or something....he looks me straight in the eye, then looks away as if he's pissed at me!" Alex replied.

This was browning Paul off, and Alex could feel it....

"Don't mention that I like him! It just bothers me that he seems to hate me so much," Alex said.

"I can ask him sometime," Paul offered.

"Oh, would you, Paul?" Alex wondered.

"Yeah;I'd like to know meself, though I'm sure he don't hate you," Paul replied.

"I'm sure he does," Alex muttered.

"I've seen 'im with you; he usually looks like he's havin' a good time," Paul said, taking some of her hair and running his fingers through it, "but I'll ask, an' I'll tell ya what I find out."

"Thank you, Paulie," Alex said, reaching up to hug him, then getting up...

"Where ya goin', luv?" he asked.

"I'm really tired, I think I'll go sleepit off for awhile," Alex replied.

"Alright, ta ra, luv," Paul said, getting up and hugging her. "Bye bye, Paul," Alex replied, returning the hug, then going on up the stairs....

Paul looked after her a moment, then turned and walked out;later, he had to talk to John, then he had a bone to pick with George....

Alex didn't even bother to change her clothes before she pulled an afghan off of the back of the chair and sprawled out on the bed, curling up and going to sleep....