Summary
Jude and Tommy have been together almost 2 years. It wasn't always easy, but somehow they made it. Jude was only 16 when they started dating. Tommy couldn't hold off his feelings. It's now a couple weeks before her 18th birthday, and they think back on the problems and the people that tried to break them up. Will her 18th birthday bond them closer together, or will someone finally tear them apart.
Chapter 1
He sat in his usual chair watching his girlfriend sing her latest song. After all they'd recorded together; he was still amazed by her voice. They were working on her 3rd album, and it was going to be her best yet. On top of the stress to make this record, Jude's 18th birthday was right around the corner. It was a day they both had been looking forward to. It was the day when no one could judge them anymore. Though their relationship was not public, it didn't mean everyone didn't know they were together.
"What are you day dreaming about, Quincy?" Her voice brought him out of his thoughts.
"You, of course." He said with a smirk.
"Are we done for the day?"
"Yeah, that last take was good."
"How would you know? You were in LALA land." She said grinning.
"I was thinking about my girlfriend's birthday."
"Hmm, what about it?" She asked slyly.
"I still haven't figures out what to get her. See she is this amazing artist, and I just want to make sure I get the right thing." They loved their banter.
I'm sure she'd like a nice night locked in a room." She said smiling, though she was thinking he better already have her present.
"Can't do it. That was last year." He loved watching her squirm. He knew what she was thinking. He knew exactly what he was getting her. He was just waiting on the call that it was in.
"Maybe mend her broken heart with a kiss." It was hard to believe this was going to be her third birthday since meeting him. He was always a big part of her day.
"Nope that's already been done, too."
She walked behind him and bent down to whisper in his ear, "You," then she skipped out of the room.
To say Tommy was sexually frustrated was an understatement. Dating Jude was the easiest and the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. He'd had to prove himself to everyone around that he was the right guy for her. And that included waiting until the time and her age was right. Plus, he didn't want her father to kill him. He remembered when he and Jude admitted their feelings for each other.
It had been a week since her party, and Tommy still couldn't get her to look at him. He knew what he'd done was wrong, but he couldn't help it. If he hadn't taken that kiss back, the situation would have gotten so much worse. He didn't want to be the older producer taking advantage of his teenage artist. Like he told Kwest, he wasn't that guy. When he wasn't trying to get Jude's attention, he was shrugging off Sadie. She didn't take the hint very well.
"Sadie, not now, I'm busy." He finally said one day just as Jude walked by and rolled her eyes. "Jude, wait." He followed her leaving a stunned Sadie.
"What, Tommy? What could you possibly want?" Her tone was beyond aggravated.
"I want to talk."
"Then talk." She said with a shrug.
"Not here. Meet me at my car in ten minutes."
"Fine whatever!" She walked off in a huff.
He went to find Kwest. He had a plan forming in his head, and if it worked out everyone would be happy. "T, where have you been? Sadie has been looking for you."
"Kwest, man she is driving me crazy. Why don't you ask her out?" He'd seen the way Kwest had been looking at her.
"T, I don't know."
"I'm begging you. I have something to take care of with Jude."
"You need to be careful, man. She's sixteen."
"I know that. You can quit reminding me. I gotta go." Tommy grabbed his jacket and went off to meet Jude at his car.
"Okay what do you want to talk about?" She asked when he got there.
"Get in." He was happy when she didn't ask any more questions. He decided they could talk at the pier
"Tommy, why are we here?"
"Because this is the first place we connected at, and I need you to know how sorry I am for last week."
"Fine, Tommy, you're sorry for kissing me. I don't need that apology. I don't need anything from you except to take me home."
Tommy felt defeated. It wasn't the kiss he was sorry about. He was sorry he had to take it back. He wanted her to know that if there was a way for them to be together, he'd jump at it. He dropped her off at her house, only to see her run back to the car once he got turned around.
"Drive." Was all she said.
The drive back to the studio was in complete silence, and when they got there, they went their separate ways. She had a performance to get ready for. He found Kwest and Sadie is studio A. She was hanging on every word Kwest was saying. He walked by studio C, and heard Jude singing a song he hadn't heard.
I drift away to a place
Another kind of life
Take away the pain
I create my paradise
Everything I've held
Has hit the wall
What used to be yours
Isn't yours at all
Falling apart, and all that I'm asking
Is it a crime, am I overreacting
Oh, he's under my skin
Just give me something to get rid of him
I've got a reason now to bury this alive
Another little white lie
So what you had didn't fit
Among the pretty things
Never fear, never fear
I now know where you've been
Braids have been un-tied
As ribbons fall away
Leave the consequence
But my tears you'll taste
Falling apart and all that I question
Is this a dream or is this my lesson
Oh, he's under my skin
Just give me something to get rid of him
I've got a reason now to bury this alive
Another little white lie
I don't believe I'll be alright
I don't believe I'll be OK
I don't believe how you've thrown me away
I do believe you didn't try
I do blame you for every lie
When I look in your eyes, I don't see mine
Oh, he's under my skin
Just give me something to get rid of him
I've got a reason now to bury this alive
Another little white lie
Oh my permission to sin
You might have started my reckoning
I've got a reason now to bury him alive
Another little white lie
When she was finished he knew she didn't know he was there. He pulled the door shut, locked it, and cleared his throat. "That was an incredible song, Jude. Not exactly how I meant to inspire you."
What do you want, Tommy?"
"To apologize, for real this time, but hurting you is the last thing I ever wanted to do."
Get over yourself. Not everything is about you." She said and went back to strumming her guitar.
"Then where did that come from? Shay? Really?"
He saw tears in her eyes. "No. I found my dad with another woman today. Okay? Shay didn't mean that much. He was just a distraction. Shouldn't you be off with Sadie?"
"She was just a distraction." He copied her words. He moved closer to her. "This afternoon, you didn't let me finish what I was saying. I'm not sorry I kissed you, Jude, I'm sorry I had to take it back." He decided to just spill his heart right there. "I kissed you because I wanted to. You get me. The real me, not Little Tommy Q. Jude you are sixteen, and I'm twenty-two. You see why this is a problem?"
He stared at her waiting for an answer. Finally she stood up. "You wanted to kiss me?" she asked just above a whisper.
"Ever since the video shoot when you talked about wanting your first real kiss. I feel a huge connection with you, but we can't do this."
"Why not, if we both feel the same?"
He just gave her a questioning look, asking did she really feel the same.
"Of course, I feel the connection. I have since that day at the pier. You make my music better. You make me a better artist. If we get each other why can't we do this?"
"I'm not that guy, Jude, I'm not. Your smart, Jude, You know why."
"Whatever, Tommy." And with that she stormed away. He stood there still as miserable as ever.
The next night, he stood watching her sing the song she'd written about her dad. He couldn't handle it. All he wanted to do was mend her broken heart. He waited for her in her dressing room.
"What now, Tommy. I get what you said yesterday. We can't do this. I'm too young."
Tommy knew she was going to go into a ramble, so he walked closer to her, and simply kissed her to shut her up. He could tell she was speechless when the kiss broke. "This isn't going to be easy, girl, but I can't seem to help myself."
She smiled before he kissed her again.
He told her back then it wasn't going to be easy, and it wasn't. They'd had their share of big fights. People were always trying to break them up. They had to stay low profile. Even though they struggled, he still felt it was worth it all to be with her.