Chapter One- The Big One-Six

I was taking a slow drink of my coffee. I gradually woke up and felt my head ache fade away. The amazing effect of coffee, I glanced over at mom who was experiencing the same thing as me. I smiled to myself and finished the last bit of my coffee. I put it in the dishwasher and kissed my mom on the cheek.

"Happy Birthday." She said smiling at me. "The big 16," She said looking proudly at me. "Are you sure you don't want to do anything special?" She asked me.

"Yeah I'm sure." I saw the look of disappointment in her eyes. "Mom, seriously I'll have other birthdays to celebrate." I pointed out.

"But you're only 16 once." She urged.

"Along with 17, 18, 20, 32, 44… want me to go on?" I asked her.

My mom laughed. "Okay, okay I get it." She said giving in.

I smiled at her. "So I'm probably going out with Jamie and Kat tonight, cool with you?" I asked her.

She smiled; I saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. I squeezed her hand for a moment. "Want to have a movie marathon like old times?" I asked her.

I saw the side of her mouth raise; she was trying to hold back a smile. "I don't want you to just do this for me; I want you to have fun." She said carefully.

"Come on." I said grinning. "I get to choose the movies, why wouldn't I want to do this?" I asked her.

She smiled, joyfully at me. "Okay, since you want to so much." She said teasingly.

I rolled my eyes and we went to the living room, while my mom was lounging on the coach, I went through the movie selection.

"So what are in the mood for?" My mom asked me.

"A little bit of romance, a little bit of drama." I said with a shrug.

"Notebook anyone?" My mom questioned.

"Mom, that is such a girl movie." I said looking over at her with dissatisfaction.

"Well honey if you haven't noticed you're a girl." My mom said.

"Like these would let me forget." I said gesturing to my breast.

"Hon you're a 36C, these are double D's." She said smugly.

"Lucky you." I said rolling my eyes. "How about…Breakfast Club?" I asked.

"Oh so romantic and dramatic." She said sarcastically.

"Hey it is dramatic." I said defensively. "Suicide, drug use, child abuse… it has everything."

"Yeah but all you see is the drug use and no one committed suicide just thought about it, and child abuse was just talked about." My mom said arguing my point.

"Yeah whatever but everyone hooked up except the nerd."

"Oh so romantic." My mom teased.

"Come on it's my birthday." I said pouting.

"I know, I know, let's watch it." She said putting her hands up in defeat.

After watching Breakfast Club and you guessed it The Notebook, my mom went out with her friends. "Oh honey." She said while opening the door to leave. "Look under your bed."

Before I could say anything my mom left. Kat, Jamie and I were going to go to a club for my birthday. Jamie's older brother is a bouncer so we have an in. I went upstairs figuring I could wear my black dress, I wonder if it still fits. I looked under my bed figuring my mom got me good smelling lotion and body wash. I was right along with a long black box. A red bow held it together and I untied it, figuring it was a shirt or something. I was wrong. It was a dress. It was the exact color of my eyes. She knew I was going out and she knew I was going to a club. Sneaky, sneaky lady, I grinned. Before I got a really clear look at it my cell phone started to ring.

It was Kat. "My mom knew?" I questioned.

Kat started laughed. "Yeah, we knew you needed a great dress. I helped her pick it out."

"I can't wait to put it on." I said excited.

"I'm coming over, go take a shower and then I'll do your hair and make up. Hon you're getting some tonight." She said suggestively.

"I'm counting the minutes." I said sarcastically.

"I'll be there in half and hour."

"See you then." I said and hung up.

I grabbed the sweet pea scented body wash and headed for the bathroom. After almost an hour of scrubbing and washing in the shower, I smelled like a flower. I walked out of the bathroom to see a very impatient Kat.

"A whole hour?" She asked me, taping her foot.

I smiled at her. "Remember I'm getting some today?" I questioned, teasing her.

She grinned. "So birthday girl, go blow dry your hair and I'll get your present." She said getting up to leave. I plugged in my hair dryer and sat on my bed and turned it on high. By the time my auburn hair was dry, Kat came up with a tower of presents. There was one large one, on top of it there was a medium and on top of that one there was a small one.

"The tower of Jude." She announced.

I smiled and threw my arms around her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." I said enthusiastically.

Kat laughed. "Okay before you cut off all my oxygen supply," She said teasingly. "Open your present." She said a little more gently.

I smiled at her. The big one was a stereo. "Yes." I said pumping my arm in the air. "All around sound and everything."

"That's from Jamie; the other two are from me."

"Where is Jamie?" I asked her.

"He didn't want to be apart of all this girly-ness." She answered

"No surprise there." I said rolling my eyes. Jamie feels his identity as a man is sometime lost when he is with us. In simpler terms he hates it that all the guy's think he is gay. Kat thinks he is as strait as a rainbow and personally I think he has a thing for Kat. The medium box was butt load of various CD's. Ranging from The Killers to Queen to David Bowie. The last CD was a signed one. By Muse, my favorite band.

"This is amazing." I said attacking Kat with another hug. It wrote To Jude: On her sixteenth birthday, Celebrate!!!

"Yeah I thought you would like it." She said. That was defiantly the understatement of the year.

"Like it, I love it." I said studying the writing. It was the mixture of cursive and print.

"Open the next one." She urged me.

The last box was small. I opened it slowly revealing a pair of sapphire earrings.

"I know you're into the funky type of jewelry but they wouldn't go with that dress." She said gesturing to the box. "And there is a necklace also." She said noticing I hadn't seen it.

The necklace and matching earrings went perfect dress, they were simple but beautiful.

"Kat, thanks you are amazing." I said hugging her one last time.

"You are too." She said once the hug ended. "Come on hair and then makeup."

Within two hours of getting ready (don't forget, Kat has to look good too) we were done.

We were both standing in front of my mirror admiring each other.

Kat was wearing a spunky, cocktail dress that ended a good two inches above her knee. It was ruby red and contrasted nicely against her golden brown skin. Her usually curly hair was strait and hung loosely down her back, her light brown highlights even more vibrant against her dark brown hair. Her makeup was smoky making her look mysterious and to top it off her 3-inch heal, black stilettos, making her legs look endless.

I studied myself, it was a definite change from my torn up jeans and band shirts. My dress was a backless halter that went to my ankles. The dress hugged my bottom nicely causing countless fantasies for men. It made my eyes stand out more then usual and looked striking against my pearly white skin. My eyes were accented with a glimmering silver eye shadow outlined with black eyeliner. Soft pink blush shimmered against my cheeks and a rose lip gloss made my lips appear fuller. My hair was in delicate curls that softened my face, while hanging carelessly against my bare back. I was wearing silver, 4 inch heal stilettos. I was about 5'8" now. I put on my earrings and necklace adding the last touch.

"Jamie is going to be here soon." Kat said smiling at me. "You look bea-u-tiful." She said holding out each syllable.

"And you look hot." I said smiling. "Picante anyone?" I asked laughing.

She laughed and we heard honking. "Jamie's here." She said excited. "Let's get our groove on."

We walked cautiously down stairs, not wanting to end this night fatally. We opened the door and were greeted by Jamie. He was wearing nice black pants and a green buttoned up shirt not tucked in, his hair a little messy having this total musician look to him.

"Wow." Was all he could say a first, his eyes on me for a moment but settling on Kat. "I'm defiantly going to be the most envied guy there."

"You sure will." Kat said playfully. "Now don't you have something to say to Jude?" She asked, nudging him.

Jamie smiled warmly at me and pulled me into an embrace. "Happy birthday." He said kindly.

I hugged him back. "Thanks for the stereo."

"You like it?" He asked eagerly.

"You know I do." I said smiling at him.

"It has a stronger bass part if you didn't notice." He began. "I know that's what you love to hear."

Jamie, my music lover. "I love you guys." I said giving them a hug.

We got in Jamie's car after reminiscing a little and headed for the club. We sang along to a few songs on my new CDs and we ended up at the club in just a matter of minutes. Jamie opened the door for both me and Kat, being a complete gentleman, even though I secretly know he was trying to impress the long line of people.

We walked up to the bouncer at the front of the line and he smiled when he saw Jamie. "Hey little brother." He said affectionately, ruffling up his hair.

"And Jude," He began, his eyes on me. "You are no longer four feet tall and I hope not as much of a pain in the ass as you use to be." Luke was his name. He baby sat me when I was eight. He liked to call me devil child. I earned that name. "Happy Birthday." He said giving me a big bear hug. He was huge compared to Jamie. 6'8" and square. "You look gorgeous."

I smiled at him. "You don't look to bad either." I said giving him a flirty look. It was a game, believe me, Luke was like a brother to me.

He laughed. "Jude, you are the closest thing I have to a baby sister." He said reading my mind. "Incest is not my thing." Then a little spark appeared in his eyes. "But I could change that tonight." He said seductively, putting me in a fit of giggles.

"Keep it in your pants Luke." I heard Kat said.

He laughed. "Believe me it's in there." He said pulling Kat into a hug. "So Kat when are you and my brother going to call it quits and get hitched?" He asked her, he obviously saw what I saw. "You should join the family."

"I am the family." Kat said with a laugh, avoiding the questioned.

"Yeah whatever." He said not completely satisfied. "Get in and remember, Jude it's not you're sixteenth birthday."

I laughed. "Yeah I'm eighteen." I said playing the part.

"That's the spirit." He said and ushered us in. I heard a few people calling out in frustration.

"Wow." I said to Kat as we walked around to find a table. There were strobe lights everywhere, making everything move in slow motion. Girl on girl, guy on girl, guy on guy, it was very sexually diverse. We finally found a table and Jamie went off to get us drinks. Non-alcoholic, I know we are in a club but yeah… I'd rather die of old age then drunk driving, anyway that isn't exactly the most original way for a teenager to die.

"Don't look but someone is totally staring at you." Kat whispered in my ear.

Of course I looked and my eyes met these icy blue eyes. He was handsome. Dark brown, clean cut hair and a nice face; he had high cheekbones that made him look rather stunning. His jaw was set making him look somewhat unapproachable so I looked away hastily and raised my eyebrow at Kat.

"Yeah…" She said noticing the dark look in his eyes. "So he's probably a bad boy."

"Yeah or criminal."

"You would say that." Kat said smiling at me.

Jamie came up to us with three drinks, almost completely spilling it on criminal boy, whose dark eyes got even darker. "Anger problem, huh?" Jamie said worriedly handing me my coke and Kat her mountain dew.

"Jude decided he is a criminal." Kat announced.

"For murder." Jamie added.

"On a nun and pregnant woman." I completed.

We all laughed and a slow song came on causing Jamie to stop abruptly. His eyes were on Kat who was still laughing. I looked at him and tilted my head at her, giving him permission.

He smiled at me and he cleared his throat. "Um..Kat?" He questioned.

Kat stopped laughing seeing the serious look on his face. "Yeah?"

"Would you like to dance?" He asked her.

She looked stunned. Actually stunned. She looked over at me and I pushed her shoulder softly. "Go on."

"Yeah, I would like that." She said taking hold of Jamie's hand as he led her to the dance floor.

I watched them dance, they were cute. She was a good six inches shorter then him so she had to look up at him when he spoke. She was smiling at him the way he always smiled at her.

"Would you like to dance?" I looked up and was met with chocolate brown eyes. I was too startled to say anything. "Um.." He began, looking somewhat defeated.

"Yes." I said before he could say anything. "Sorry, I was just spacing out."

"Oh that's good, I was like damn, am I going to have to ask again?" He said with a good-natured laugh.

He led me to the dance floor and I finally got a good look at him. He must be at least eight inches taller then me (and remember I'm in four inch heals) because his head rested comfortably on mine. He had longish black hair and a lean athletic body.

"I'm David." He said after a moment of silence.

"I'm Jude." I said looking properly at him.

"Hi Jude." He said, his voice full of warmth.

I was about to say something but I was cut off.

"Mind if I cut in." I turned my head and there was criminal boy. His voice was deep and a lot quieter then I expected. He didn't look at me, just at David.

I saw David look at him with a mixture of confusion and I think anger. He was about to say something but criminal boy cut him off. "Please."

David looked at me. "It was a pleasure to meet you." I heard a slight edge to his voice. "We should dance again."
Part of me wanted to say I wish we could finish this dance but with criminal boy standing there, I felt that might be a little rude. "We should." I said looking over at criminal boy who was still refusing to look at me.

David sulked off, looking pissed. I didn't want to dance with criminal boy to be honest. I don't think he realized that because he took hold of my hand and gently put them around my neck. He was probably six foot because I still had to look up at him but we were more leveled with each other. I was forced to make eye contact with him. His eyes were so dark that it was hard to read them and that frightened me. I looked away and saw David watching us. He was sitting with a group of guys whose eyes were on me. Creepy, where is Jamie and Kat? I turned my head and met his eyes reluctantly again.

"So I'm Tom." He said awkwardly.

I didn't say anything, god why am I dancing with him? I expected him to ask me what my name was but he didn't. I pulled away from him, this just felt weird.

"I have to go." I muttered, not bothering with an excuse. I made my way to the bathroom and looked at myself. This is my birthday, I'm wearing a beautiful dress, I was with my two best friends, I danced with two hot guys, I should be having the time of my life but things didn't feel right. I couldn't explain it but I felt uneasy. I walked out of the bathroom not exactly paying attention. I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. Then everything went black.