⇾ 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐈

Chapter Fifty-One: Paul and His Little, Itty-Bitty Crush

Ah, the famous Boner Interview. Enjoy!

~~~

April 30, 1964

John's POV

Our shows in Scotland were going by faster than I'd really wanted. My proposal was fast approaching and my nerves were finally starting to set in as I realized the sheer meaning behind what I was getting ready to do.

Tonight we had two gigs in Glasgow. Beforehand, however, we had to get through an interview, something I really wasn't keen on getting through. Tomorrow evening we were recording for the BBC and then after that, it was time to leave.

In actuality, we were going to be away for about four weeks, so I really could take all the time in the world to propose. I couldn't really decide if putting it off or doing it upfront was more terrifying. In the end, I'd decided to do it perhaps a week into the trip. I was still working out details. I hadn't even told the others yet. Obviously Brian knew, and I suspected that Paul had his suspicions, but other than that no one really knew for sure.

I knew that if I wanted George to help me in any way, he'd be willing to do it. That was just his personality. All of them were that way when you really thought about it. They were keen to make fun of you, but when it came to something this serious, they were always ready to drop everything and help with anything you needed.

I was zoning out during the interviews, finding myself caught up in my thoughts. Whenever I did look up, I saw Brian giving me a stern look and I would return my attention to the girl interviewing Paul and I, trying to play it off as if I'd been paying attention the whole time.

It was only when I looked up that I noticed how uncomfortable Paul was and I was suddenly much more interested in the interview.

"—But, what have the changes meant to you?" asked the interviewer, and Paul and I were both unprepared, for two vastly different reasons.

Paul and I looked at each other, unaware of what to say.

"Uhhh—," was all that came out of the two of us as we both waited for the other to speak first. When I looked down, Paul accepted the fact that I'd won.

"Um...nothing, really. I think the main changes are in people's attitude—." He paused. "—Attitudes to you," he managed to say.

"How?" she asked and I had to fight the urge to laugh.

"I dunno," Paul began. "Uhm, but it's people who change rather than you. Y'know, we feel exactly the same, really. I got a new suit, though," he said with a little chuckle, repositioning himself uncomfortably.

She asked about A Hard Day's Night next, and I knew it was my turn to step up and speak.

"Why did you make a film?" she asked.

"Well," I said evenly. "It's a logical step, innit? And I believe it's quite lucrative," I finished, bending my voice to try and sound normal. Paul and I began to juggle the question back and forth and continued that on until we were finally done and were brought over to stand by Ringo and George, who were sat on the floor with their interviewer. Paul kept his hands folded in front of him until Ringo and George were told to stand and Paul pulled Ringo up in front of him. It was very hard not to say anything to him. I had to physically bite my tongue to keep back my remarks.

As soon as we were out of there, however, I no longer had a reason to keep quiet.

"Paul!" I yelled, finally lashing out in laughter.

"Shut the hell up," he snapped, turning pink.

The other three looked at us confusedly.

"Paul had it for dear Morag back there," I said, holding my stomach in the midst of my laughing fit.

Paul lunged towards me when George and Ringo began to laugh too, shoving me forcefully. Paul was a lot smaller than me, though, and I merely stumbled at the action. I saw that Donna was able to control herself better than us, so she was standing still, chuckling quietly to herself.

When Brian joined us outside, I found it in me to gather myself up and Brian didn't seem brave enough to ask why we all had tears coming from our eyes from laughing. Instead, he just went on to tell us that we had three hours until we had to be down at the Odeon Cinema for our two shows.

The rest of the band and I followed Donna to the rental car she was in now. She was undeniably good at adjusting to different cars since she did it so often. She really made it look easy, perhaps to a taunting extent. I raced over to climb into the passenger side before anyone else could make it before me.

"Geor—."

"I am not in the damn middle!" George snapped, running to catch up. "Paul is in the middle this time."

"Where are we off to?" asked Donna, situating herself.

"Dinner!" called out George.

"The first place you can find," I added. "Perhaps something secluded, so we can dine in peace?"

She thought a moment. "I guess we could find somewhere like that," she said as she began to pull out of her parking spot. Paul was still grumbling about have been shoved in the middle and Ringo was laughing at him about it.

"Cool off, Macca," I commented. "Dwell on the luck you have over that interviewer being as naive as she was."

Paul scowled as he finally secured his seatbelt.

"Like it hasn't happened to you, you son-of-a—."

"Okay, that's enough, children," quipped George. "Let's all be nice, even to Paulie.

Before any of us had noticed, Donna had pulled us into the parking lot of a little diner that looked to be bare of all people. She kept an even look on her face, but I could tell that Paul was getting on her nerves slightly. I was glad she hadn't had anything to say about his comment. Without another word, we all climbed out of the car and filed inside, thankful that the place was hidden away as it was; otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to go in there at all.

When the four of us had sat down and a waitress had brought us out some water, Donna had excused herself to go to the bathroom, and as soon as she'd disappeared, I turned to the other three, my face glazing over in seriousness.

"You should stop twisting your face," Paul said bitterly.

"Paul, shut the hell up. The minute your mouth opens, I've got to brace myself like I'm about to land a plane in the ocean." After that, he knew I'd won.

"What's wrong, John?" asked Ringo amusedly. "You look like you've just done something bad."

"I've done nothing of the sort," I said.

I kept glancing back towards where Donna had disappeared to make sure that she hadn't come back yet.

"I'm gonna propose to Donna," I said, my stomach sinking nervously as I said the words.

George coughed as if he'd just began choking on the water he'd been sipping on. "When?" he croaked when he could breathe again.

"Not exactly sure," I admitted. "Some time while we're in Tahiti. Probably the second week there."

Paul's face had finally loosened into a smile, much to my relief. He had an amused look on his face. "You seem nervous," he stated.

I nodded. "Well," I said evenly. "She's very unpredictable."

"And she's coming straight towards us again," said George and we put an end to the conversation, but not before the three of them, in unison, had offered up a simple, "good luck!"