I'll Cry Instead

Chapter 17

"P-Paul," Ringo stammered as he painfully bit down on his lip, trying for his voice not to crack or shake as he looked into Paul's cold calculating eyes. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Paul simply stared at the drummer with a look of intense anger and emotion. He hadn't a clue what was going on, but he intended to find out.

"I came in here because I heard John. Again, Ringo, why do you have my sleeping pills?" he pressed once more, trying to get information as he eyed the bottle, which certainly wasn't full, he realized.

"Someone's been having those pills!" he determined. "But who?"

Although, he technically didn't know who was having them, he seemed to have a pretty good idea and he didn't like it one bit.

"I, umm, uh..." the drummer stuttered, completely blowing his cover. He was just a terrible liar. What more can you do when you're a terrible liar?

"Ringo? Why are you acting so weird? You have nothing to hide!" John cut in, not at all understating the nervous and angry dynamic between his two mates. "And Paul, you know why he has your sleeping pills!"

John was going to ruin it. He was going to give away Ringo's secret right then and there. Ringo had to stop him! But how?

"Uh, John," he started discretely as he gave the rhythm guitarist a look of 'please shut up.'

Ringo's words and actions would have proved themselves useful...if John hadn't completely ignored them.

At that moment, Ringo's casket was being opened, he was being thrown into it, and there was absolutely no way he could stop it. Paul was going to find out, whether he liked it or not.

John continued with a puzzled and sympathetic gaze towards Paul, who looked as if he was on the brink of madness and rage.

"He has your sleeping pills because of your nightmares, you know that. I'm sorry I found out about it, though. I just happened to walk in when Ringo was going to give them to you. Of course, being the mother that he is, he told me that he was making sure you wouldn't get too addicted to them, good lad. Macca, I'm just sorry you're having nightmares again...Paul?" John stopped as he realized that Paul was beginning to tear up in...no, it wasn't due to sadness, but, was it, perhaps, anger?

Now why would Paul be angry? John didn't know.

"Paul?" he asked quietly with a worried frown. "What's wrong? Why do you look upset?"

Paul was fuming. In fact, he looked to John and Ringo like he would burn a hole in the beige carpet which he was standing on. His face had turned a deep red and his hands were clenched in a tight fist, which caused his knuckles to turn white. He appeared absolutely livid.

"Well, John," he began whilst gritting his teeth and taking in fast, shaky breaths. "I don't know what Ringo here told you, but I'm not taking sleeping pills for my nightmares. In truth, I was actually avoiding that route altogether."

Ringo wished the floor would just swallow him up as he felt Paul's piercing glare penetrate through him. Paul seemed as if he was ready to throttle the poor drummer.

"How do you mean you were avoiding that route, Macca?" John asked sweetly and concernedly, temporarily masking his rising anger. After all, had Ringo just lied to him?

With a fitful gulp, Paul's eyes connected with John's before he spoke.

"I was just staying up all night because I was afraid to sleep, or at least I was staying up until last night. I actually slept last night, but you can ask Ringo why that is when you share a room with him tonight, because I'm leaving. George won't mind the break from Ringo's horrid personality anyway," he then spat as he turned on his heel and advanced furiously towards the door.