Iowa | Thursday FT

[pursuedthestars]

Iowa was boring. It was really, really boring and it was starting to eat away at Jim's psyche. He felt like he'd done everything, seen everything, knew everyone and it was boring. He didn't know how much more stagnation he could take. The urge to do something, anything, was growing in his belly, hot and fierce and strong.

Jim kept ignoring it because he knew (he knew) what he might end up doing. He ignored it to drink and to date and to walk and drive and fight. But, it was still there. Still waiting and Jim knew he wasn't going to be able to ignore it for much longer before he gave in.

It was dark tonight, warm and sticky. Jim's feet were stretched out in front of him, dirt gathering on his boots. Inside, Frank was watching something loud on the television and his mother was off somewhere, doing her thing. It was just him and the vast openness in front of him.

He sighed and tapped the porch with his fingers, watching streaks of light brighten the night sky before it sunk back into its darkness. Those people were doing something. Something good, something new and something that wasn't sitting on a damn porch on a Thursday night.

God, he sucked.

[NFB but open for usual things]

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[whenshewasnice]

While he was watching the sky, someone was walking towards the porch and him.

Natalie was on her way back to Brazil after another two-week stretch in Toronto. It was already the beginning of the summer break now, thanks to the way time moved in its own peculiar way back home. And ahe'd had thoughts of the future and of possibilities.

And now she was here, all comfortable hoodie and long blonde hair scattered about her shoulders.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim's eyes stayed on the stars for a few moments longer before he sensed movement and looked in front of him.

His eyes widened and he looked momentarily surprised. "Natalie?"

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie didn't reply. She made her way over quietly. Once she was at the porch, she stopped.

And held out a hand for him.

"Come on. Take me somewhere."

[pursuedthestars]

Jim looked at her hand for a second before he took it and pulled himself to his feet and glanced around.

"Where do you wanna go?" he asked her, not questioning this need to go somewhere.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie squeezed his hand. "Anywhere with a good view of the sky."

She knew that applied to right where they were. She was assuming he'd get that 'somewhere not here' and/or 'somewhere more private' were implied.

[pursuedthestars]

"Okay." He nodded at the vehicles parked nearby. One car, one motorcycle. "You mind taking the bike? The car's Frank's and I...don't want to deal with him right now."

[whenshewasnice]

"I don't mind."

She'd never been on a motorcycle before. A new experience would be nice, she trusted him, and also she was feeling like anything where she had to hold on to him for a while could be a good idea.

[pursuedthestars]

"Come on," he told her, dragging her over to the bike and reaching for a few helmets nearby. He tossed one her way. "Safety first."

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie was a little surprised that he was taking care of safety things. But also pleased.

She put the helmet on. It wasn't her favourite feeling, but she was sure cracking her head open would be more unpleasant.

[pursuedthestars]

It was dark and he didn't want anyone getting hurt. He slid the helmet on and got on the bike.

"C'mon," he murmured quietly. "And hold on."

[whenshewasnice]

She could do that.

She'd never been on a motorcycle, but she felt natural enough, getting on it behind his back. Her hands slid over his sides, and her arms wound themselves tightly around him. She was good at holding on.

[pursuedthestars]

"Hang on," he said, turning the ignition, revving the engine and then shooting off at a fairly decent high rate of speed. The dirt turned into a road and then they were riding smoothly towards parts unknown.

Somewhere good, somewhere private.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie clung to him, watching the scenery pass by at great speed. There was something soothing about that. Weirdly.

Everything was a little weird tonight.

[pursuedthestars]

For awhile, Jim just drove in silence. The only sounds were the winds whipping past them and the occasional vehicle passing them. He had no real destination in mind but he figured she'd spot something or he'd find something sooner than later.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie gave him a hint of what she was looking for, after a while of just enjoying the feeling of moving. Fast.

"Can you find me a hill or something?" she called out over the sound of the air rushing past.

[pursuedthestars]

"A hill? In Iowa? Way to give me a challenge, Natalie," he said, pushing the bike faster and veering them off the main road onto something a little darker and bumpier. "I know a place."

[whenshewasnice]

"I know this is flatness central," Natalie replied, "but any old slightly elevated place will do."

It was the thought that counted, really.

[pursuedthestars]

Jim nodded to let her know he understood and kept driving for a few minutes longer before he came upon a few gently rolling hills in the middle of what was probably once farmland.

He drove them through the dirt and to the base before stopping the bike and shutting it down.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie released him and got off the bike, then took off the helmet before sighing and looking around.

This was more like it.

[pursuedthestars]

"Any particular reason you needed a hill?" he asked since he was curious. He tossed the helmet down near the bike and stretched.

[whenshewasnice]

Natalie didn't toss her helmet. She set it down neatly, then straightened up again.

"I wanted to look at the stars."

And something about that just called for being a little higher up. Even if it really was just a little higher up.

[pursuedthestars]

"Not that I'm complaining but you came here for that?" he asked, stepping closer to her again. "Again, not a complaint."

[whenshewasnice]

"I came here for that," Natalie replied, turning a little more towards him. "It just felt right."

You wanted stars, you came to the part of the multiverse that has it right in the title.

[pursuedthestars]

"Never knew you were such an astronomy buff," he teased, nodding towards the hill. "Come on, then."

[whenshewasnice]

"I'm not," she said, sticking her hands in her hoodie pockets as she started towards the hill. "I just want to look at them for a while."

She wouldn't know any of their names. It would be fine.