Lights. (An AJR fanfic)

Chapter 23

·····KAYS POV·····

Following Jacks previous instruction, we go to the Times Square first. Although it was only not even a dozen blocks away, it took us almost forty minutes to get there because of the heavy traffic. As he drives I turn to my window, starring at everything in awe. The buildings are all so tall, and so different, and there are so many signs everywhere and so many people. And it was only Monday afternoon.

"We need to go there," I say, pointing at a record store. It's small compared to every other building here, but it's still pretty big. I look over at Jack to see his reaction, but he just grins, his eyes glued to the road and cars and people in front of him.

"Me and Ryan used to go there all the time after school. Of coarse, both of our music taste's are the same so we'd take turns buying the records and we'd both listen to it," Jack smiles fondly at the memory and I can almost picture a younger Jack and a younger Ryan, walking straight to this store after school even though it was really far.

"That's a long way away from your school," I say.

"We'd take the bus to the corner there, and we'd walk home. Walking in Manhattan is faster than driving anyway," he's still smiling, and eventually he pulls into a parking lot only a couple blocks down from the record store. We get out and start walking, and I hope and guess that it's to the record store. I'm really excited, because besides being in this state for barely over a week I never really got to experience anything until now. Besides Momma Mia, but that was different. That was expected. This is just insane, the amount of people, the amount of everything. It's crazy and beautiful and I can see why anyone would want to live here now that I am here.

"They literally have everything there," Jack says out of the blue, and I assume that he's talking about the record store. I look up at him as he speaks, and I realize that without noticing my hand had found his.

"Every record, every CD. All sorts of record players, old and new. Headphones. iPods. Anything music related can be found there," he continues, looking up at the sign as we stop in front of it.

"They even have our music, although of coarse the vinyl isn't as popular as the CD so I don't know if they have that," he laughs nervously as he opens the door for me, and I step inside.

It's absolutely amazing.

There's two floors, one for CDs and iPods and more modern stuff, and one for vinyls, record players and radios. I skip the cd floor and head right to the stairs, going to look at the records.

"Hey, Jack! How've ya been mate? I haven't seen you in forever! Where's Ryan?" A guy is laughing loudly behind me, and I turn to see Jack doing that weird man-hug thing with a guy who looks maybe in his mid thirties. He has shaggy brown hair, hipster glasses framing dark eyes, and he's wearing jeans and a band shirt for The Killers.

"Hey Donny," Jack smiles shyly. I walk back over to them, wanting to stay close to Jack. I hadn't noticed how many people were in this store when we first came in, but there's quite a lot, scattered from isle to isle.

"Ah! Who's this?" The guy, Donny, says with a heavy accent, his hand pointing at me. I blink at him and then look to Jack to answer.

"Uh, this is Kay. Kay, this is Donny. He's owned the store for as long as I can remember," Jack says with a breathy laugh, and I can tell he's nervous. He seems like he hasn't seen Donny for a long time.

"Kay. Pretty name for a pretty girl. What brings you two here on this fine day?" Donny says dramatically, and I wonder if he's doing this for show or if he's a natural dramatic person.

"I don't know, Kay wanted to stop by. She likes music," Jack says simply. I smile at his description of me, and add on to it.

"I was just headed to the records," I say, pointing my thumb over my shoulder in the general direction of the stairs. Donny gives me a knowing look, but I don't know what he's implying by it, so I choose to ignore it.