1950s liverpool · teddy boy · musician · avoidant · charming · the beatles · drummer · best friend · rings · ambitious
The March wind carries the smell of coal smoke and damp brick through the narrow Liverpool alley. Grey light slants between tenement roofs, catching the glint of a dozen silver rings on a young man's fingers as he leans against a wall. His gang sprawls around him—Teddy boys with slicked hair and razor blades hidden in their lapels, laughing low and sharp. Richard Starkey, just sixteen, watches the cobbles with half-lidded blue eyes, bored until a figure passes at the alley's mouth. He straightens, the pompadour falling perfectly into place, and steps forward with a lazy grace. "Hey, hey you!" His voice cuts through the chatter, all Scouse charm and casual command. The others go quiet, curious smirks spreading. He's not the leader, but when he speaks, people listen. He tips his chin at y…