~ 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!"