Okay, as promised, it is Spring Break and here is the first chapter! The next wil probably be up tomorrow or even tonight, possibly. Enjoy!
"Don't you own anything nicer than that, Jude?" Sadie crossed her arms and frowned at her sister descending the stairs. She was wearing a royal blue floor length dress and had her hair up in a simple twist.
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?" Jude looked down, now self-conscious of her skinny jeans and hoodie.
Sadie rolled her eyes. "We're going to a restaurant, not a fast food place. And besides, don't you want to make a good impression?"
Jude shrugged, not really seeing the big deal.
"How 'bout I come help you pick something else? I'm sure you have a couple of dresses," Sadie offered. Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Jude's arm and pulled her back upstairs to her room. Jude sat down on her bed and let Sadie run things. She had discovered that was really the best way to deal with her. In no time at all, Sadie had raided Jude's entire closet but hadn't found anything appropriate. A little sweaty and more than a little frustrated, she turned back to face Jude with her hands on her hips.
"Tell me, how come you only have dresses that say 'I'm a slut who thinks every day is Halloween'?"
Jude gaped at her sister. "My dresses aren't slutty. And they're not Halloween costumes!"
Sadie raised her eyebrows and picked up a red minidress with white skulls on it. "Then how do you explain this disaster?"
"Hey, Kat made that for me!" Jude said, grabbing the dress from Sadie and clutching it defensively to her chest. Sadie sighed loudly and searched the mass of clothes on the floor one last time for something decent. Finally, Sadie came upon a simple, strapless black dress with a white belt around the waist. The skirt of the dress was wide while the top was tight. She examined the dress up and down and after deeming it acceptable, threw it to Jude.
"I guess this'll have to do, though it's way too short," she said.
Jude also examined the dress. It was too plain to be one of her favorites, but since this night was important to her sister, she stood up and got changed without a word. Sadie nodded approvingly and turned her attention to Jude's hair.
"Ugh, too bad there's no time to straighten this mess," she fingered through her sister's messy red curls quickly before giving up. Then Jude was subjected to sitting quietly in a chair while Sadie did her makeup. Being the master that she was, it took Sadie only five minutes to finish.
"Wow," Jude cocked her head to the side, admiring herself from different angles. "Where'd you learn to do that?"
Sadie smiled brilliantly. "Oh, friends and such. I could teach you if you want."
"Yeah, that'd be great Sades, but maybe a little darker. I think I look too girly. Ooh and maybe some more eyeliner…" Jude was interrupted by Sadie's loud sigh of exasperation.
"Whatever, Jude. We gotta go, Tommy will be here any minute."
The two girls reached the bottom of the staircase just as the doorbell rang. Stuart and Victoria Harrison emerged from the living room at the sound and Sadie squealed excitedly as she reached for the doorknob. Jude stood away uncomfortably, not quite sure how one should act when meeting one's sister's boyfriend. Her thoughts were soon interrupted however, as the door swung open and Jude first laid eyes on quite possibly the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. He had dark brown hair, full lips and she could barely tear her green eyes away from his icy blue ones. He was starring at her too.
"Hi, Tommy!" Sadie flashed him her killer smile. Tommy tore his eyes from Jude so quickly she wasn't sure he had even been looking at her in the first place.
"Hey, Sade," he said. Tommy hugged her sweetly and Jude couldn't help but wish to be in her sister's position, despite the fact that she didn't even know the guy.
She took Tommy's arm and led him to her parents.
"Mom, dad, this is Thomas Quincy," She was smiling like crazy and Jude could tell Tommy really made her happy. This made Jude feel a thousand times worse. How could she be attracted to someone her sister was obviously in love with? He extended his hand to Victoria and Stuart in turn.
"Please, call me Tom. Or Tommy if you like," he was saying.
Sadie giggled and then went on with the introductions.
"And this," she gestured to Jude. "Is my little sister and best friend, Jude."
Jude shook his hand politely but didn't dare to meet his eyes again. She couldn't help but notice the tingle that went up her spine when their hands touched. God, he was hot. That face, that body. Even his voice made her want to melt. Sadie sure had good taste. Nobody spoke for an awkward minute, but the silence was soon broken when…
"Okay, now, who's ready to get some dinner?" Stuart said.
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Jude was slurping her spaghetti hungrily when suddenly she felt someone kick her ankle. She lifted her head and met Sadie's warning eyes across the table. 'Use a spoon' she mouthed. Jude rolled her eyes but obeyed, attempting to roll the pasta on her spoon. The dinner had thus far been boring; save the part where she got to stare at Tommy while trying to be inconspicuous. Victoria and Stuart had been leading the conversation, which was currently centered on college choices. It was all boring mumbo jumbo for Jude, but she did pick up that Tommy was planning to go to some prestigious state university. Figures, Jude thought. Leave it to Sadie to find someone hot and smart. Somehow him being smart made him that much more desirable to Jude. God, she couldn't wait for that night to be over. It wasn't fun wanting someone you couldn't have. She checked her watch for the third time that hour. Only twenty minutes to go before the restaurant closed. Hallelujah. Suddenly Jude noticed the conversation had ended and Sadie was getting up from the table.
"I'm going to wash up a bit before we leave," she declared. "Anyone else coming?"
Stuart and Victoria simultaneously stood up. "That sounds like a good idea, darling," Victoria said. She took her daughter's arm and the two walked to the bathroom, Stuart trailing not far behind, leaving Tommy and Jude alone at the table. Immediately becoming uncomfortable, Jude fiddled with her fingers, searching for something to occupy herself with. In her panic, she grabbed the first drink she saw, which happened to be her mother's martini. Unfortunately, Jude didn't find that out until she took a sip and was met by the burning sensation of alcohol. Her nose wrinkled at the strong flavor and she stuck her tongue out. Having seen the whole thing, Tommy was chuckling to himself.
"Blech," Jude murmured. "It's not funny."
"Yeah, it kind of is," he said. Normally Jude would have come back with a witty comment, but at that moment all she could focus on was his intense gaze, and the fact that he had just spoken to her for the first time that night.
"Right…" was all she could choke out.
"Was it really that bad tasting?" Tommy asked.
"Not really bad tasting, just strong," Jude was quickly gaining confidence and wit back. After fully snapping out of her daze, she even went as far as to smile flirtatiously and pick up the martini glass again.
"Think I should have some more?"
Tommy raised his eyebrows. She hadn't said a word all throughout dinner and now she was acting the complete opposite of shy. He wasn't quite sure what to say.
"Um, I don't think your mom would appreciate it if I let her fourteen-year-old daughter get drunk."
Jude whirled the drink around a bit before taking another sip. It wasn't as bad the second time.
"Don't worry, she won't care. I do stupid stuff all the time; Sadie's the good one."
"And what kind of stupid stuff are we talking about here?" Tommy leaned forward so that his face was only inches away from hers. Again Jude found herself in a daze. This was really getting annoying.
"Um…stuff that I can't tell strangers."
"Ah, but who better to talk to then a complete stranger? A stranger won't judge you."
Jude was confused as to why he was going to such great lengths to get to know her, but she obliged.
"Good point," she said, and tried to remember a funny story to impress him. "Well, let's see, there was the time my band and I ran naked through all the sprinklers in our neighborhood. Not one of my finest moments."
Tommy laughed, but then something she had said caught his attention.
"Wait, you're in a band?"
Jude nodded. "Yeah, but not a very good one."
"I'm sure that's not true," Tommy grinned at her and she felt her heart flip flop wildly. "So, what do you play?" He asked.
"I, uh, sing and, uh, play the guitar a little bit," she struggled to keep her words straight.
Tommy was impressed. "That's really cool. I love music, although I can't play a note."
"Oh?" She raised her eyebrows in surprise. Usually Sadie's boyfriends were all work and no play. None of them had ever expressed an interest in music or any art at all before. She decided to test him.
"Who do you like better, The Police or The Beatles? Make the wrong decision and you'll permanently be on my bad list." She grinned slyly. Tommy chuckled.
"Wouldn't want to get on your bad side," he mocked, as if he knew very well he would never be on her bad side. Oh, how right he was.
"I'd have to say…The Police," he finally answered. Jude was taken aback again. The guy was hot, smart, and had great taste in music. Oh, lord.
"Nice choice," she nodded approvingly.
"I thought so," Tommy said. "You seemed like a Police kind of person."
"And what makes someone a Police person or a Beatles person?"
"A Beatles person is more likely to follow the crowd. I don't take you for that kind of person."
Jude snorted. "You don't even know me."
"Well," Tommy leaned forward even more, until Jude could feel his breath on her face. "Maybe not yet."
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Jude noticed her parents and her sister walking out of the bathroom. At the same time she noticed that the martini glass was over half empty. No wonder her head was feeling so dizzy. Or maybe that was because of the man sitting across from her, who had now pulled his face away and was acting totally calm.
"Hey, honey," he stood and kissed Sadie on the cheek. "Ready to go?"
Sadie giggled for what must have been the twentieth time that night. "Yep, let's go."
Jude stood and tried not to wobble. The last thing she needed right now was to get yelled at for being drunk.
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Like something out of her worst nightmare, she and Tommy had somehow ended up next to each other in the backseat on the ride home. Sadie had insisted on driving, and since she only had her permit, Stuart was obliged to sit next to her in the front seat. Victoria took the small middle row, leaving Tommy and Jude in the larger back row. Add the fact that it was pitch dark in the car and she was more than a little tipsy, Jude was having a hard time not turning her head and kissing him senseless. Finally, halfway through the car ride, she got sleepy and all thoughts of kissing were put to the back of her mind. She leaned her head against the window, but finding no comfort there, leaned the other direction and collided with Tommy's shoulder. Too tired, too comfortable and too drunk to care, she snuggled against him. Tommy must not have minded either because he didn't make a move to push her off. She was just about ready to doze off when a thought occurred to her.
In a drunken haze, she asked, "Tommy, do you think I'm pretty?"
Tommy swallowed hard and wondered how drunk she was. Deciding she would probably forget everything in the morning, he answered truthfully.
"Yes. I think you're gorgeous." He said, praying that the conversation would end there before he said something he would regret. But no, Jude wasn't finished yet.
"Prettier than Sadie?"
Tommy winced, but again chose to be honest.
"Yeah. Prettier than Sadie."
Just as Tommy was feeling the guilt and regret, Jude muttered out her last word before she fell asleep.
"Liar."
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