"So Tell Me About Yourself"

“So, tell me about yourself. I don’t really know much about you,” Jack prompts.

“What’s there to tell?”

“Your deepest darkest fears. Your most desperate desire. Your favorite breakfast cereal.”

I roll my eyes. “Hm. Well, I’m awkward.”

He snorts. “Said every white girl ever.”

“No, no, no. Not I-wear-fake-nerd-glasses awkward. I’m standing-in-the-corner-at-every-school-dance awkward. Brings-up-political-issues-in-casual-conversation awkward. Cringe-worthy awkward.”

“Ah. I see. Well, you’re awkward and you like pretentious sissy novels.”

I narrow my eyes at him.

“Oh, sorry, literature.” He says mockingly. “What else?”

“I was born in St. Louis, but grew up in a small town that you wouldn’t recognize even if you were from the area. St. Louis is my home though. I miss it sometimes. Scratch that. I miss it all the time.” I’m a little surprised by my openness; I’m usually very reserved, even around my close friends.

He pointed up at the twinkling country sky. “Well, city girl, there’s one thing you won’t see when you're at home.”

“Yes, but we have our own stars there. We have the kids with fake id’s trying to get in the clubs so they can play so that they can maybe make it someday. We have the bands that will never leave Manchester, but are still famous in the city. We have the aging parents who could’ve made it, if they’d only be given a chance. We have those stars. They’re beautiful, too, in a way. Almost as beautiful as these.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t think that’s the same thing.”

“Maybe not. But they’re there.”

“We don’t get much opportunity to head to cities like that around here.”

“No?”

“Nope. I mean, I’ve been to the city before, but it wasn’t like that. It was too fast, too loud, too much. But, then again, it’s been a while since then. I’ve always wanted to go back to a place like that someday. I want to go to New York City and watch the ball drop on New Years Eve. I want to go to Hollywood and go down the Walk of Fame. I want to go to Boston, and Malibu, and New Orleans, and Miami. And I want to go to London, and Paris, and Tokyo, and Milan. I want to go to all of these places. But mainly I want to go far away from here.” He sighs.

“You will, Jack.” I am sure of this.

His smile is a rueful shadow. “Sure. I will.”

“You will. Someone like you belongs around the world. You can’t just stay here forever. No one is making you do that.”

He looks at me his eyes round with childish wonder. “Until then, will you tell me about your city? I realize how corny it sounds, but when you talk about it, it feels like I could be there right now.”

He looks so sincere, so honest to God sincere, how can I not? I begin softly, “The lights stay on all night long, almost like these stars. There are the twinkling lights on the avenues, and the sleepy headlights of those late night travelers, and the whispering lights of the lamps behind gauzy curtains. It’s never quiet, either. It’s so quiet here. It’s a little eerie, if you ask me, but whatever. There, when you're in the city, there’s always something: the whir of passing cars, the clatter of street performers, the echo of an argument. Everything just fits. The good, the bad, the in between.” I watch Jack close his eyes and nod slowly as I speak. “It’s always moving, never still, always moving like a dancer, even in the dead of night, always moving, the true perpetual motion machine. I’d give anything to be back there right now,” I finish, even though there is so much left to tell.

Reviews

[Lavorther]

I still haven't found out why Jack wanted Rae to come with him so badly. In the chapter "Late Night Phone Calls", it sounded like he really wanted to show her something, and that it was very important. He could have meant the stars, but to me he sounded a bit to excited for that.

But other than that, great chapter.

[Kayle Ann]

Have you read Paper Towns? Because if so, I want it to be something like that, just one crazy night of awesome. But I haven't decided what exactly I want to happen yet. Do you have any ideas as to what could happen?

[Lavorther]

No, i haven't read that book.

In the next chapter, "At The Cafe With Harper", Rae is avoiding Jack. There must be a reason for her to act like that, as she seems at ease with him before that.

I had a few ideas, but as you said you wanted Jack to be the love-interest for Rae, that eliminates several.

I can't think of something he wanted to show her that badly, but i guess he just wanted her company. Just one idea: Based on what i know of the characters, they probably have a few interesting conversations, as they both seem to enjoy that. They could get slightly drunk, and then Jack tries to kiss her, but she isn't ready for that yet.

This was what i imagined had happened when i read the next chapter. It would explain her later behavior, and you could make them warm up to each other again later, as not to lose the love-interest plot. It is of course just one option, so just do with it whatever you want.