Living on the Streets - McLennon AU

61.

15th April, 1957

As soon as the final bell rang, John rushed off to find Ringo. He hadn't seen the boy all day and he really needed to tell him about Brian, Stuart... Everything.

He was now convinced the boy wasn't even in school that day. That was until he felt a pat on his shoulder.

"John! Where you been, lad?" Ringo asked, concerned.

"Where've I been? No, where've you been, Ringo?"

"I've been out at strawberry fields all day with my Geography class... I was lookin' for you this morning, they had a spare seat on the bus. Was gonna ask you along but I couldn't find you..."

"What? I didn't- Y'know what, never mind." He sighed, dragging the boy along. "Everything has changed today, Ringo."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Stuart's left the band." John frowned, still struggling to believe it.

"What? But he... He cant! He cant just do that!" Ringo said, obviously confused and pissed off. "Is it because of that Astrid?"

"No. It's because he wants to focus on his art or somethin'." John tried to stay calm, but it did hurt him inside... The fact that Stuart decided that over the whole of two or three days. "But anyway, that's not all."

"There won't even be a band anymore-" But Ringo's panics were cut off by John.

"Ringo, give it a rest, would you?" The other boy shut up, waiting for John to talk. "That guy who came to see us, took his offer away."

"What?!"

"But, I met someone the other day. Near the ferry terminal."

"What...? Please elaborate..." Ringo seemed utterly confused, as he threw the front doors of the school open.

"His names Brian, said he liked what me and Paul did, and he gave us his card." John said, taking it out of his pocket and showing it to the confused boy next to him.

After a few seconds, he spoke up.

"Jesus Christ, John!" Called out Ringo, with an excited smile. "God really does love you, ey?"

"What d'you mean?"

"Well, when we needed a bassist, you suddenly knocked into Paul. And now it's as if you predicted what was going to happen with Astrid's friend or whoever and bumped into that Brian fella." He laughed, obviously over the moon.

"I guess..." He sighed.

"I mean, I was kinda pissed I wasn't invited, but now I don't care. Because luck seems to only happen to you whenever I'm not around." Ringo explained in a more serous tone. "So thank God that you were walking down near the river yesterday, or who knows where we'd be now."

"That's not true, Ringo. When you weren't with me today, that's when Stuart left the band."

"Yeah, but as fuckin' inconvenient and kinda annoying that is... Just think 'bout it, now George has a chance at making it big!" He smiled.

"Hmm."

"Think about it, John. You've seen how good that boy has gotten."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean, the crowd loved him yesterday."

"Crowd." Ringo furrowed his eyebrows. "Okay, now I'm starting to really wish I was there." He joked.

"It was only to get me out of the house Ringo, I swear, if we would have planned it I would have rang you and asked you to come straight away." John panicked.

Oh God, Ringo's pissed off at me.

"John, relax, I'm just kidding."

"Oh... Good." John said, a sudden weight lifted off his shoulders. "I can't be loosing another best friend today..."

"Give it a rest, John... You've not lost Stuart. He's still gonna be your best friend. That man absolutely adores you." He reassured.

"You think?"

"I know, John. As long as he's living, he'll always be your best friend. Just like me, Paul and even George." Ringo said, taking the boys hand and bringing him in for a comforting hug.

"I've just... I've lost too much this week, Ringo." John sighed into his shoulder.

"I know, but things are looking up. Things are getting better. Brian could really change things for us." He said, determinedly. "Maybe we'll even be big enough for Paul to find Mike again!"

And at that, John smiled.

"Yeah, you're right."