IF NOT FOR YOU {George Harrison}

Chapter 1

A/N: I know this is a George story but I love this picture of Stu so here you go!

This is a story about love. Love and sadness, that is.

I shook my head, scratching out the second sentence.

This is a story about love. Love, sacrifice, and the indelible affects of orange zest frosting.

I scratched my head, glancing out the window of the moving train. I need inspiration, I thought to myself.

The sky was a murky gray color and it looked like it would soon start to rain. The countryside was nothing but trees, which I found to be blossoming in the early summer weather. I became lost in the movement of the leaves and didn't notice a boy sit next to me, guitar case in hand and dark sunglasses over his eyes.

"This seat 'int taken?"

I whipped around to see a smiling boy with a thick Scottish accent.

He had light brown hair that had been combed up into an Elvis style, a sharp chin and cheekbones, and fine, Cupid's bow lips. They were a dark pink, and they stood out against his pale skin.

He slid off his sunglasses to reveal hooded hazel eyes.

"A'right?"

I nodded, snapping out of my daze.

"Yes, sorry. I was just daydreaming."

He smiled. He had a very gentle sort of smile, it made you feel like you were safe and able to relax.

"I daydream a lot. I'm a painter, see. Are ye writin'?"

I blushed, stuffing my notebook with the hundreds of names written on the front into my bag. Each time a name came to me, I wrote it on the cover or the back of my notebook. Unfortunately, however, it looked like I had a thousand lovers and wrote each name.

"Yes, I'm a writer. Don't write novels though. Not yet. Jus' poems and the occasional short story."

He ran a hand through his thickly gelled hair and smoothed it, holding out his other hand to me.

"I'm Stuart, by the way. My friends call me Stu, if ye prefer that."

I shook his hand. It was covered in callouses; from his guitar, I guessed.

"Me names Dash. I'm from Liverpool."

"Dash? Like the Queens dog?"

I blushed, brushing a stray strand of auburn hair behind my ear.

"Partly. My full name is Delilah Anne Sheila Harriet Jones-Kircherr. Me older brother Lawrence thought Delilah was too complex so me da just started calling me Dash. Partly for the acronym and partly for the beloved dog."

I blurted it all out and he looked slightly afraid, but he didn't look disinterested. In fact, he looked impressed.

"If I were to call ye Delilah-"

"Don' call me Delilah, not after the woman in the Bible."

"-would ye be mad?"

He chuckled. "So, jus Dash, then?"

I nodded. "Just Dash."

He plopped his sunglasses back on, leaned back, and put his hands behind his head.

"So where ye hail from?"

I scratched my nose.

"Liverpool. Heading to Hamburg to work for me uncle. You?"

He looked surprised when I mentioned Liverpool and Hamburg.

"Ye makin a monkey of me?"

I tilted my head, confused.

"What di' I say?"

"I come from Liverpool too. Wasn't born there, jus' attended college. And my final destination is in Hamburg."

I pulled one leg onto my seat, facing him completely, excited that we shared something.

"Thas bloody fantastic! Why're ye heading to Hamburg? Why'd ye go to Liverpool fer college? Why-"

He laughed.

"Easy does it, lass. Let me answer one at a time. I'm heading to Hamburg to play with me band. We're called the Quarrymen righ' now, but my friend John wants to change the name again."

I nodded eagerly. While I didn't trust him because he was a strange man, I liked Stu.

"An' I went to college in Liverpool for Art. Thas where I met John. He and his best mate Paul were thinking of starting a band, so I, along with another boy, Pete, started the Quarrymen. Our newest member is a kid named George. He's the best guitar player I've ever met."

He paused, as though checking if I was still interested in his line of conversation. When I nodded, he continued.

"We've been playing for  'round three years now. Jus' goofing 'round mostly. But recently John and Paul have wanted us to expand our experience, so thas why we're going to Hamburg. We'll be working at a pub called the Reeperbahn, I think."

I gasped. He looked startled.

"Ye have to be bloody yankin' me leg!"

"Why?"

"Thas my uncles bar! Thas where I'm to work this summer!"

His mouth fell open.

"What in the hell is 'appenin'? Is this some sort of anomaly?"

After another few minutes of us being afraid that we were being tricked by Loki or something, we both came to terms with it and decided to just hope for the best.

"So where's the rest of yer band?"

"They all decided to come in a few days. I wanted to get settled, comfortable like."

I smiled at him.

"Ye know, I'm glad I met ye, Stu. This way I'll already have a friend when I get there."

He lightly touched my hand and replied, "Me too, Lass."

A/N: AAAAAAH! I'm so excited for this book! I think this book is going to be really, really great to write!

Thank you for reading, and don't forget to vote and comment!