Magical Mystery Tour

Chapter Forty-Seven: George's POV

George's POV
"You look different." is not something you say to a girl that slept in your bed the night before. Nor is it good with the girl you are spending your afternoon with. It's also not something I'd recommend saying in any situation unless it's a girl you haven't seen in a long time. And I mean a really long time.
"What do you mean I look differnet?" She asked in response. We'd been walking toward Arnold Grove when I brought it up. She did look different. He hair was long, even though it was chopped to her chin last night, and her eyes were not only deep green, but also a completely different shape. They were big and round when they had been more narrow yesterday. Her hair seemed to be a shade or two on the red side as well, but no one seemed to notice but me. I saw John looking at her this morning like he'd noticed, but I hadn't noticed just how much different she looked until we were walking down the street together.
"I mean you don't look the same as you did yesterday." I said rolling my eyes. She looked at me, seeming to be upset, "You look pretty I mean, just not like you did yesterday?"
"Was I not pretty yesterday?" She snapped. I stopped and grabbed her wrist.
"I'm not insulting you, Serena." I said seriously, "I'm just pointing out that you look different. I don't know what kind, but it's not a bad different."
She looked at me, and her eyes softened, "How different?" She asked fianlly.
"Your features are different." I said looking at them. "You eyes mostly."
"I don't feel different." She said shrugging. "I mean I noticed my hair, but I didn't know...I mean I just brushed it off as normal. I figured I just hadn't noticed my hair had grown out."
"You don't look bad." I said again, as we started walking again. "You look good, really good, but like I said, it's not the same as it was yesterday." She nodded and looked straight ahead, without speaking. Neither of us said anything for a while. Tension was building, and I thought I'd explode.
We stopped in front of number 8 Arnold Grove and I gulped back something; I'm not sure what. This was my old house.
"I remember being here." Serena said as we stared at the front door. "A lot. And your Mum's cookies. They were the best cookies I've ever eaten." I laughed and looked over at her, "I remember dancing in your livingroom, to the radio when no one was at home." I reached for her hand and a flash went between us.
It was like watching a movie in a way. I saw myself, maybe 19, standing with my arms around Serena. She had her head on my shoulder and her eyes closed as we swayed to the music that played from the small radio in the corner. I watched as I nuzzled my face into her hair and took a deep breath in.
Serena pulled me out of the memory and we started walking again, "I like the good memories." She said, though she sounded a bit sad. I squeezed her hand and sighed.
"I remember a lot of things." I said. She looked at me, surprised, and I shrugged, "I thought for a while I didn't find out anything unless you found out too, but I started to remember a lot of things after Paul told me about being in the Beatles."
"I remember little things," She said quietly, "Things like dancing and cookies." She laughed lightly and looked over at me.
"Yeah..."
The silence that kept falling was crushing, and I really wished we could find something to talk about. Part of me remembers it alsway being this way, that Serena was always quiet, and it was something I liked best about her. We could sit quietly on the couch together and just enjoy being with each other. We didn't have to talk, but now it felt like someone could cut the tention with a steak knife.
We walked for a long time just like that until Serena pulled me over to a swing set. It was kind of a random swing set, since we weren't really in a park. I thought maybe it belonged to a school, but I didn't see one around.
"Maybe we shouldn't be trying so hard to remember things." Serena said leaning her elbows on her knees. She ran her hands over her face, like she was exhausted.
"What?" I asked sitting down next to her on a swing of my own.
"I mean, Dhani said we were new people." She said looking up, "So, maybe we need to focus on a new life, and not our old one?"
"But, Rena, aren't you curious about it?" I asked slowly, "I mean, I don't remember a lot, but before I was 21, I remember absolutely nothing."
"But you don't have to remember anything before that." She shrugged at me and I frowned. "Think about it Geo, you were a Beatle, and the Beatles didn't become a big deal all over until 1964, so-"
"So the rest of my life doesn't matter?" I asked scowling, "Just the Beatle part?" Serena shook her head.
"That's not what I meant." She said with a sigh.
"Then what did you mean?" I asked in a huff.
"Of course your entire life mattered, George, but what I'm saying, is no one knows all of your life before you were a Beatle. I think that you only remember so much that you do because people know about that part of your life, and people only know you as Beatle George." She said, explaining it rather well. "And I don't remember anything because the only person who would remember me lost his memory too." She was talking quietly again and I felt bad for her. I was the only one who knew her. Her parents both shut me out, but I heard from my mum when they'd died. Ironically it was in a car crash in 1965. Her sisters were still alive to my knowledge, but they probably forgot her, shut out her memory like I had. Or maybe they didn't and that was why she remembered little things. I wasn't sure.
"So what?" I asked shrugging, "We just...move on? Start over completely?"
"I don't know if it's possible." She sighed, "But I think if we're meant to remember our past together, then we'll remember it in time. I know you only brought me here to try and remember things, and it's worked in a way, but we're trying too hard."
I stood up and took in a deep breath. I didn't agree with her totally. I agreed with her theory, but I didn't want to move on. I wanted to remember my childhood. I wanted to remember being a teenager, growing up, and most importantly I wanted to remember being with her. I wanted to remember things before the crash, and before the numb feeling and the pain. I needed to know there was more to us than that.
I know. I turned around and looked at her. She'd been in my head, listening to my thoughts.
"I can't move on, and start over, Rena." I said seriously. She nodded and got up from her swing.
"I'm not going to try to make you, George." She said shaking her head, "I just need to know that you understand that we aren't the same people we were."
"I understand it fine," I said putting my hands in my pockets, "I undestood it when Dhani explained it, but I don't see why we can't choose to be them, or be like them. I liked who I was before. Not to mention that you liked who I was before."
"Why do you care what I like?" She asked making a face at me.
"I care what you like because I love you, Rena." I rolled my eyes and I felt my cheeks getting warm.
"No, your old self loved me," She shook her head and I groaned. "We're not them George! I died when I was 19 years old!"
"Yeah, I remember!" I said back harshly, "And I was 58, big deal! Just because Dhani said we're new people doesn't mean he's right! If we were new people, then why do we still have the memories of our past lives? Last I checked that doesn't happen to normal people!"
"I don't have memories of my past life, you do." She yelled, "I get images every now and then, but I can't hold onto them! I have nothing! I don't have a past, and I don't have the memories I had two weeks ago either!"
"Well that isn't my fault!" I yelled back, "I can't do anything about it! I'm trying to, but now suddenly you don't want to have those memories, so I don't know what exactly to do!"
"I didn't ask for any of this!" She yelled. I hated when she used her mind to yell at me while she was talking. It hurt like hell. I grabbed onto my bangs and pulled a little to ease the pain, squeezing my eyes shut.
"None of us asked for it, Serena." I did it back to her and cried out loudly. I regretted hurting her as soon as I did it, but it didn't last long.
"It's not fair!" I screamed a little and clutched my head.
"Life's not fair!" I said, my eyes still screwed shut in pain.
"Well I'm supposed to be dead!"
"Stop doing that!" I yelled, gasping. It really hurt. It felt like someone was sticking a hot knife through my forehead, shoving it all the way back to the back of my head. I fell on my knees and suddenly I felt pressure release from my head and I opened my eyes. I saw Serena sitting on the ground, leaning against the swing set pole. She was crying, and I hated that I felt sympathy toward her. I took in a deep breath and got up. I crouched down in front of her and she looked up at me, tears falling from her eyes. They were her eyes agian.
"I did love you in our other life." I said calmly, "But I love you in this one too, and not because I loved you then." Serena looked at me and she shook her head.
"Then why?" She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
"Because I fell in love with you when I woke up on that bunk bed with you."

John and Lilly were already waiting for us at the van. The looked happy with each other, which was more than I could say for Serena and me. The drive back was close to torture. I had nothing to do but stare out the window and hope no one asked us what we did all afternoon.
Oh nothing realy, we went on a walk, we went to my old place, and then we fought for a good bit, and then here we are!
I didn't want to fight with you.
I looked over at Serena. She had her head against the window, and she was staring off into space.
It sure seemed like it to me. I can never figure out how you're going to behave when I say something.
well maybe you shouldn't say stupid things.
Oh, what things? The things like I love you? Or the things like I want to find out more about my old self
Both
Ya know what?
What?
Maybe we just shouldn't talk to each other.
Fine. You're the one who started it in the first place.
Oh, I don't remember saying, 'Hey Serena, would it be awful if someone asked how our afternoon went?'
Shut up.
You first.
"Oh good Lord," John groaned, "Are you two fighting again? I can practically hear you arguing with your little mind powers." I glanced at him in the driver's seat and he smirked.
"Now now, Johnny," Lilly said, prodding him on, "Remember the last time you egged on someone while you were driving?"
"Well, I'm sorry Darling, but the kids are fighting again."
Please make him shut up.
I looked at Serena again and she had tears in her eyes. I didn't say anything. I just let him go as I shut my eyes.
She deserved everything he said anyways.
Please, George, I'm sorry.
I sighed and kicked John's seat.
"Shut up Lennon."