Wildfire ~ George Harrison

Chapter 4: The upper class of the north

'Well, I'm not too sure that last night was a good idea,' Kath moaned as she walked into the living room, holding her hand to her head as if she was holding it up. Her eyes were still closed and by the way her voice was creaking, I could tell she was hungover. I hadn't even realised she had drunk so much last night, but maybe she had in the time I was talking with George?

'Drunk too much?' I asked her, though I clearly knew the answer already. 'Where did you disappear off to anyways? I went outside for a minute and when I came back, you were gone.'

'Char, you were outside for at least an hour before I went home,' she fired back as she slumped down onto the couch next to me. 'I was done drinking and everyone was going, so I thought I would go home too. You were nowhere to be found, so I just left. I assumed you would find your way home.'

'Was it really an hour?' I asked, not believing her. It couldn't be, right? It hadn't felt like such a long time.

'I don't know? It might've been longer. If I'm honest, the timing became a bit fuzzy after the fourth glass of whiskey,' she said. Whiskey? I didn't even know there had been whiskey? There had been beer and wine, last time I checked. When did the whiskey come out? She let out a deep groan. 'Crikey how I'm happy that it's only Saturday. If there was work tomorrow I might've had to fake another sick day.'

'Is it that bad?' I grinned. It was clear in the way she squinted her eyes that she had a massive hangover and if there was anything I knew for sure, it was that Kathleen did not do hangovers very well. The amount of hangovers she had, would make you think she knew how to handle them, but she didn't whatsoever.

'Oh, it is. It definitely is,' she agreed and then waved it off. 'Enough about my poor eyes and head, more about you. You seemed to have a good time with George last night? What was that all about?'

I felt my face heat up immediately. I mentally beat myself up for it. Why? What happened last night that made you blush now, Charlotte? 'Hmm, nothing much,' I played it off. 'We just chatted.' And it was the truth, nothing more had happened. We had just chatted to each other.

'For hours yes,' she retorted. 'You must've really hit it off with him then. What did you talk about?' Did my eyes deceive me or did she just wiggle her eyebrows?

'What are you insinuating?' I fired back, but a grin grew on my face. 'We spoke about all sorts of things. He's just really easy to talk to.'

'Is he now? I'd ask if you're going to see him again, but since he lives across the hall, I'm sure you will,' Kath mused. She was smiling too.

'We're actually going for some tea today,' I admitted. 'Just to talk some more. I have to get to know him a little bit better, though. I think I only know that he's from Liverpool and that's about it.' I let out a chuckle at that realisation. I didn't actually know George at all, but I already knew where he lived. And not only that, I was meeting him today for tea. That was as close as I had ever come to a real date.

Suddenly Kath's smile faltered and a dark look came on her face. 'But Charlotte, be careful with him. What with people from the North, you never know. And even more, what would your father say?'

It hurt me to admit it, but she had a point, a very strong point. A groan escaped my mouth before I could hold it in. 'You're right. He would never allow it,' I let out. This was terrible news.

I was very aware of how much Father and Mother had given me in my life. Private schools and leisurely travels across Europe were normal to me and so were fancy parties with socialites and being formally introduced when I turned seventeen.

But with that came the tower high expectations Father and Mother held of me. The expectations were based on the values they grew up with and the values they had attempted to push onto me. Though my parents had dropped the arranging of a marriage, which was still common when they married, I was still expected to marry someone of high standard. It was the age old story of girl has to marry rich or socially climb, preferably both.