Don't Pass Me By // Mclennon

~ twenty six ~

I sat down in the school's cafeteria at a table near the back of the room. The same one I used to sit at, alone, until I met up with the lads. I waited and waited for Paul to show up near the school this morning, but he never came. I decided to just walk alone, instead.

I really do hope everything's okay with him and his father. I know from personal experience that these things can be very difficult.

Scanning the crowd like a hawk, I ate an apple.

"I mean, where the Hell is he?" I asked myself as I checked my watch.

Suddenly, I felt two hands aggressively attack my shoulders. "Shit!" I shouted in response.

I then heard a very familiar giggle in my ear, "Got ye!"

I turned around and smiled, "Christ, Macca, couldn't jus say 'Ello, John!', instead? Like any other normal person would?"

"Haha, nope! What fun would that be?" Paul helped himself to a seat across from me, "So, what's happenin'?"

"Been lookin' for ye all bleedin' mornin', that's all." I growled, "Where've ye been?"

"Woke up late, had to nearly run all the way here!" Paul groaned.

I sipped off a box of orange juice, "Why'd ye leave wi' out even sayin' goodbye, this mornin'? I really missed ye, darl'..."

"Ye jokin', right?"

"What's that s'posed to mean?" I asked, a smile growing upon my face.

"I tried me best to, 'till ye yelled at me to let ye sleep longer, ye knob!" He laughed.

I rolled my eyes, "Yer makin' that up, Macca, I'm sure I'd remember doin' somethin' that like that."

"Whateva'!"

I laughed as we continued our careless talk with one another.

Things were good.

I want it to stay like this.

"So, when's our next gig?" I asked, keeping my eyes locked with Paul's.

Paul stared up at the ceiling as he thought, "Only a couple o' days, I think."

"Jus enough time to practice some new songs we've been workin' on!" I smiled.

"Yer right... Hope it's enough time."

"We've really been workin' well, haven't we?" I asked.

"We have, fortunately. But there's still ways to go." Paul reiterated, "We'll get there, though."

I stared thoughtlessly at Paul's beautiful, rounded face until I noticed someone behind him. Behind him was a bird with long, red hair, talking to a group of friends.

"We should get goin', Macca." I nervously spat out.

"What? Classes don't begin for 'nother 10 minutes!"

"Oh, ...we jus gotta, come on!" I pulled the boy's arm and dashed off into the desolate hallways.

"Yer somethin' else, Lennon!" Paul shouted, fixing his shirt.

"Trust me, ye'd be thankful if ye knew why I did that."

"Well, why did ye?" Paul asked.

I leaned in closer to his face, "Jane was there!" I said with a whisper. "Right behind ye!"