Nowhere Girl ~ John Lennon/The Beatles

Chapter Eight: Friends

Robin loved the Cavern, but what she loved the most was the Quarrymen. She wasn't expecting to feel so passionately about them so soon, but they were really good. They felt like the sort of band that she'd listen to in her room whilst working on an art project, music that would help her concentrate because it just seemed to feel like a part of her.

It wasn't just the music, though they were all good musicians, but the way they interacted with the crowd, much more rough and ready than most bands, though that wasn't surprising to Robin given how John was in day to day life. John's terrible vision meant Paul was the one who mostly interacted with the crowd, taking requests and flirting any time a girl shouted something at them. When John did interact, he was his usual cocky and confrontational self, though everyone clearly found him hilarious. She certainly did, not that she planned on telling him and giving him that satisfaction, but she couldn't help but grin whenever he cursed or sang.

Their set finished after nearly an hour, and even from the back of the club Robin could tell all of them were exhausted, despite their grins of adrenaline. Robin felt someone elbow her in the side and turned to see Connie, John's cousin going almost forgotten as she had been so focused on the performance. The blonde girl nodded her head in the direction of the stage, signalling that they should go over and rejoin their friends.

Connie was just like her cousin, her face remaining mostly unreadably serious, though there was a proud glint in her eye, something that made sense completely given the band's performance. George was just as good a guitarist as Stuart had made him out to be, and so was Paul, the two teenagers talent extending far beyond their years. They were just as talented as they were good looking, and even if they were young they had the sort of looks that Robin knew they would continue to grow into. A lot of the young teenage girls had spent most of the concert whistling to them and calling out professions of love, something that made Connie roll her eyes in annoyance, especially whenever any audience member shouted their devotions to Pete. Compared to the others, he wasn't as musically talented, though the audience either hadn't noticed or didn't care, deciding to focus on his good looks instead. Stuart had been right, as even he managed to carry a tune better than the drummer.

To Robin though, none of them seemed to compare to John. He was captivating, and there was something about his confrontational manner that just seemed to make her smile. His whole demeanour was so cocky, yet to her she found it endearing. That probably wasn't what he was going for, wanting to be seen as the intimidating figure that cast a shadow his audience would be in awe of, but Robin had learnt in the last few weeks to see past it. She'd been under the shadow initially, but whenever she looked at him whilst he was performing, all she saw was her neighbour, the one who nicked her art supplies and owed her a lot of cigarettes, and she felt almost special that she of all the people in the audience was allowed to know that version of him, and not just the hardened musician he wanted people to think of him as.

Connie led Robin past the stage, under one of cavernous arches into the backstage area. There through the poor lighting and smoke, she could make out the five lads all stood about, laughing with each other, the smell of cigarettes thick in the air. The exhaustion she'd noticed on them all from the back of the club became even clearer as soon as she saw them up close, sweat glistening across John's forehead, and though none of them had noticed the two girls yet, Connie was determined to make themselves known. She bent down, picking up a towel that had been discarded to the side, and threw it at John to the extent it flopped across his face. The whole band turned to face them, and as the blonde girl snorted out a laugh she was pulled into a tight hug by Paul, whilst Stuart set aside his bass and crossed over to Robin, grinning at her.

"What did you think?" he asked her, a little enthusiastically.

"You were brilliant!" she grinned, though as she spoke she couldn't help but wonder why both Stuart and John exchanged a glance.