IF NOT FOR YOU {George Harrison}

Chapter 6

The next morning...

I had awoken that morning feeling restless and uneasy. Even after a night of thinking and praying and just hoping for some sign, I still didn't know what to do about the unfortunate situation with John and George. On one hand, George and I had no history and we'd met only once, with the promise of at least one further encounter.

And on the other hand, I liked him a lot and I didn't want him to get any ideas about John and I. John had promised to talk to him, but something told me he would be really very bad at that. I would just have to go and explain things to him myself. But, I considered, that would mean expressing my feelings towards him.

But what were my feelings, truly? I liked him, but I hardly knew him. I enjoyed his loose perspective and the way the moon had fascinated him. But he was still a strange boy in a strange town who had seen me on top of John.

I was pondering this over a cup of morning tea, when I heard a sharp rapping at the door, and I recognized it immediately. I put my cup down, walked to the door and opened it to see a smiling Stuart Sutcliffe.

"Astrid, Stu's here!"

I gestured for Stu to come into Astrid and I's apartment. Last weekend she had finally moved out of her parents house, saying that they were suffocating her artistic abilities. Although this was true, I knew she wanted to be able to be alone with Stu as much as possible.

I had moved in the night before. All I had was a duffel bag and a blanket, but Astrid had found an old fold away couch bed that I had slept on (Astrid is the Queen of thrifting E V E R Y T H I N G). The place was messy, but I was used to it by now. I loved my aunt and uncle, but the constant screaming of Astrids 4 younger siblings and her mother's nervous sneezing and her fathers loud yells made me exhausted and extremely jumpy.

There were still boxes of Astrids things laying around, and a half empty tea cup lay on the coffee table. Stu gave me a grateful look and sat on the slightly dangerous couch.

"What's she doing in there? Counting every golden hair on her head?"

Stu's Scottish accent brought so much familiarity to me. I'd had a friend back home who had been raised in Scotland and had a sharp accent.

"Must be," I told Stu. "She's probably perfecting her eyeliner. Ye know how she likes her eyeliner."

He chuckled, pulling his dark sunglasses off. I knocked on the door to the bathroom.

"Astrid, Stu's on the couch. Should I offer em a cuppa?"

"Yes, please."

I walked to the the kitchen and poured Stu a cup of tea, placed it on a tray that had cream and sugar and some of my famous orange peel scones.

I put the tray in front of him, picking up the tea cup and bits of random trash.

"Thank ye, Dash."

I nodded, disposing of the cup and garbage.

I settled next to him on the threadbare couch that had only slightly rusty springs sticking up in certain places.

"How're yer mates? Been meaning to stop by with some biscuits for the lot."

I hoped he didn't know about my encounter with John and George.

He gave me a soft look. Stu had this sort of easy energy about him. Made you feel like you could tell him anything and everything.

"They're well enough, though John's got a nasty sore throat. Says it's making him woozy. But he's always been one for overplayin it. Why do ye ask?"

I had stood,  starting to orderly stack Astrids boxes and pick things up, when she finally popped out of the bathroom before I could answer Stu.

Her hair, which she had just gotten cut extremely short, was brushed neatly to the side, and she had an adorable black bow holding up the short bangs.  She had a dark wing of eyeliner and green eyeshadow, and her lips were a pale pink.

"Ye look lovely, Atti. Is tha' bow new?"

She nodded, blushing as Stu placed a kiss on her cheek. I busied myself as they said hello, briefly brushing lips and embraced. I took Stu's empty tea cup (he must have downed it in one gulp) and the tray and walked it back to the kitchen. I began to straighten up again. Astrid had somehow already managed to make a full sink of dishes. They were a strange assortment that she'd found at thrift stores all over town. She had always been quite the thrifter and penny pincher, but these days it was paying off tenfold. I was scrubbing a lime green plate that had dappled pink edges, when Stu walked over.

"She forgot blusher," he gestured to the bathroom. I nodded, asking what their plans were for the day.

"Oh, we'll take a walk around the city, and then tonight we have a double date with one of my band mates."

Thinking nothing of it, I asked, "Oh? Which one? John's like the sort who would 'ave a good time on a double date."

He gave me a very confused look.

"You've met John?"

"I've met all of them. Actually, no clue what Pete looks like, but I sort of walked in on him, um, enjoying life."

Stu tilted his head, still confused, when Astrid came out, pulling him to the door. She was clearly eager to start their date.

"I'll be seeing ye, loves. Oh yeah, who was it the double date is with?"

Stu, who still looked like someone had whacked him with a sock, looked to Astrid to answer, who quickly said, "Oh, George Harrison. And his girlfriend, uh, Karen? I don't remember her name. Anyways, we will see you this evening, Dash!"

A/N: George, you little traitor! Also please enjoy that his "girlfriend" is named Karen, lol.
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