Jones St., Chapter 8: Pages 11-12
Page 11, 6 Panels- Sif's, Jones Street. Las Vegas NV
Panel 1-2: A two-part set of panels that cut back to Melanie in the same setting and layout as the second-to-last panel of the previous page. In Panel 1, the shock is clearly visible on her face as she takes a swig of her coffee; her mind coming to grips with the news put in front of her. In Panel 2, a few moments later, the young woman places the cup back on the table and says the first thing that comes to her head.
MELANIE [quizzical, to Tara; Panel 2]: Asexual--like you don't find anything sexually attractive?
Panel 3: Back to Tara in the same setting and layout as the last panel of the previous page. He leans back against the cushion of his seat, shaking his head and letting out a brief chuckle; his arms and hands drifting off the table and on to his lap.
TARA [to Melanie]: Not quite, no.
Panel 4: Cut to a blank white background where we see a cartoon version of Tara walking past a big building with the words "Sexy Times" in the middle of it in the same script as England's the Mirror newspaper. Cartoon-him, dressed in his trademark vest with the Marvel logo visible between it, is seen whistling a merry tune underneath the narration.
TARA [narration caption]: It's true that sex isn't a basic need or desire for me daily, but it doesn't mean that I don't have relationships or don't engage in self-love. Especially if I'm feeling stressed to the point of not being able to function.
Panel 5: With the same white background as the previous panel, we move to a shot of Cartoon-Tara, standing next to a beautiful woman standing next to him to the right of the panel view. You can see a flurry of hearts emerging from between the pair, along with the words #swoon behind them.
TARA [Cont. narration caption]: It's that last point that confirms or me the fact that I'm attracted to women. Though my reasons why are focused more on personality or intelligence than sex appeal.
Panel 6: Cut back to Melanie at Sif's in the present day; she starts to slowly walk forward in thought. Her head is leaning forward toward Mr. Myers, cutting through the explanation to the meaty core of her worry.
MELANIE: Okay. So...you thought we were gonna have sex and panicked. That makes perfect sense. I don't see the big--
Page 12, 7 Panels- Sif's, Jones Street, Las Vegas NV
Panel 1-3: Back to Tara in the same setting and layout as Panel 3 of the previous page, following alongside Ms. Haynes all this time. You can see the level of anxiety start to build up inside him in Panel 1 as he tries to piece together the answer; his hand gripping the latte cup in preparation to take a sip. After taking a drink in Panel 2, the young man lowers the cup back onto the table in Panel 3, set to give his answer; the energy bar stabilizing at 76% from 80% in Panel 1.
TARA [interjecting to Melanie, Panel 1]: No, no! It's not that I thought we were gonna have sex. I'd never presume something without actual rockhard proof. I was...I was more scared about the day it would happen, given the past times I've admitted this to the women I've dated. MELANIE [Off-Panel, Panel 2]: You've done this more than once? TARA [Cont., suddenly more melancholy; Panel 3]: Yeah. Three times to be exact. Each one in a fairly crushing fashion for me. When it came to someone like you who I felt I had a connection to...
Panel 4: We move to Melanie in the same setting as the end of the previous page; the layout tilting up slightly from a ceiling perspective looking down. She has leaned back from the forward pose she was in earlier, back toward more of an upright stance, waiting for a response after a few moments have elapsed compared to the previous panel.
MELANIE [has a possible idea what he's gonna say, to Tara]: ...Yeah?
Panel 5: Cut back to the young Mr. Myers in the same setting/layout as the top of the page, along with the same background. The melancholy that was visible in his face and body language back in Panel 3 has shifted toward an awkward groan that permits someone harboring a crush.
TARA [finishing his thought]: I...I didn't want to see that all go up in flames.
Panel 6: Back to Melanie in the same setting as Panel 4, frozen in place; the layout back to the same one we saw near the end of the previous page at ground level. The young woman is a little lost for words by the statement, particularly one of the words in the middle of it.
MELANIE [seeking clarification]: So you didn't tell me then as a way to spare yourself embarrassment and heartbreak.
Panel 7: Back to Tara in the same setting/layout as Panel 5, also frozen in place. A second passes by, and he starts to see the issue behind the phrasing. The young man nods slightly in agreement to her sentiment.
TARA [timid]: Basically, yeah. Not the greatest of reasons, maybe, but...they are mine.