Neverwell is too shy to approach Jo on his own. He's always searching for an excuse to see her. She keeps an eye on him at the back of the line as she's serving other customers. He steals glances now and then, shuffling his feet, tugging on the ends of his sleeves. When he thinks he's stared too long, he goes back to studying the floor - the way the planks of laminate fit together, searching for patterns in the wood texture.
Jolene knows locking eyes with Elliott makes him uncomfortable, so she makes an effort to do so whenever possible. It's a game. She inwardly laughs when his eyes begin frantically darting around the room because it means she's won.
More than once, she's spied Elliott in the apple tree behind her house from the kitchen window as she works. Sometimes she'll see his scraggly tail dangling as he reaches for the next-highest branch, or a glowing cigarette butt drop from the sky as she's placing a pie on the sill to cool. Whenever she has an excess of baked goods, she'll wrap some up and place them under the tree to Neverwell to discover when he arrives.
It's well-known by everybody in Jo's small town that Elliott and his parents don't get along. He's an oddball with a bit of a drinking problem; his parents aren't willing to support his self-destructive habits. Even if they were, Neverwell is too ashamed of himself to face them. Where he gets his money is a mystery to everyone. Where he spends most of his time is a mystery to everyone, too. Everyone but Jo. She knows where his hiding places are.
Jolene and Elliott do spend time alone together, but rarely sober. Neverwell is pretty loose-lipped after a few drinks and has come close to telling her how he feels. Luckily, drunk Jo is barely on the same planet, so his words never reach her (ironic because she's already aware he has feelings for her!). They usually end up sprawled on their backs stargazing and rambling about nothing of importance. It's a memory both would probably treasure if they could actually remember it in the morning.
There's something about Neverwell Jo doesn't know, though. He has a serious weak spot for doughy bellies and soft, jiggly thighs. He doesn't strain himself trying to pick apart his attraction to fat to find the reason why; it just is what it is. His first crush in middle school was on the fattest girl in class. They both receieved their first kiss in the empty computer lab after school hours, and while the kiss itself was sloppy and unpleasant, the sensation of wrapping his arms around her middle and pressing her body against his is one that stuck with Neverwell long after he'd graduated. Where others view Jolene's weight as a flaw, he views it as perfection. Who knows how she'd feel about this if she knew! Maybe she'd be flattered, or maybe she'd be terribly offended. Either way, it would come as a great shock to her!
Maggie is hopelessly in love with Neverwell. He's quiet, dark, and mysterious - traits she finds irresistable in a guy. Jo laughs whenever she prattles on about how she's going to marry him one day, but secretly, she feels threatened. Of course, Neverwell is almost revolted by Maggie's obnoxious personality. He won't even enter the bakery if he thinks she might be there. Last time he did, she put him on the spot by asking him to go on a date with her. He stood there stammering for several minutes before Jo finally intervened by asking Maggie to deliver a basket of goodies to a neighbour.
Jolene is torn about her feelings for Elliott. On one hand, she's lonely and wishes to be closer to him. On the other, she feels like she's being unfaithful to Clem. She still sleeps wrapped up in his jacket, after all! For this reason, she refuses to admit to anyone she's interested in Neverwell. What a mess.
The song AM 180 fits Jo and Neverwell very well, I think. I always think of them when I hear it:
Don't change your name, keep it the same
for fear I may lose you again
I know you won't, it's just that I am unorganised
and I wanna find you when somethin' good happens
If you come down, we'll go to town
I haven't been there for years (and years and years and years..)
But I'd be fine wastin' our time not doing anything here
(just doin' nothing)
We'll sit for days and talk about things important to us like whatever
We'll defuse bombs, walk marathons, and take on whatever together
(whatever together)
Some other songs I associate with these characters:
JOLENE:
- Just Like A Woman (Bob Dylan)
- Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan)
- It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob Dylan)
- The Circus Is A Wacky World (Inside Daisy Clover)
- And When I Die (Blood, Sweat, and Tears)
- You Didn't Have To Be So Nice (Lovin' Spoonful)
- He Needs Me (Harry Nilsson/Jon Brion)
- Rabbit Heart (Florence + The Machine)
NEVERWELL:
- All The Love In The World (Nine Inch Nails)
- I Can't Breathe (Sharon Van Etten)
- Army (Ben Folds Five)
- Talk Show Host (Radiohead)
- Memory Lane (Elliott Smith)
- Fond Farewell (Elliott Smith)
- Sing It Again (Beck)
