Chapter 1
Hanson made no hesitation before deciding to pass by Booker's apartment once again after the non too private brawl outside the chapel with Judy. Though this time, he wouldn't be breaking and entering.
Dennis opened the door, surprised to see Tom's face looking back at him. He didn't look happy, though since he has been at Jump Street, that's not exactly surprising. "And what do I owe this pleasant surprise visit? Anything else you'd like to steal from me Hamburglar?"
"No. I just came here to tell you to stay away from Judy." Tom cut straight to the point.
Booker chuckled. "Geez, you don't have a crush on her or anything?" Booker rolled his eyes. Hanson didn't answer, his cold stare still locked on Dennis. "I mean it Dennis, stay away from her. I don't know what kind of sick racial fetish you have, but you won't be bringing it anywhere near Hoffs, you hear me?" Tom warned him, his voice loud enough to create a little echo within the hallway, his voice filled with pure hatred and venom.
"Oh my God, Hamburger…you do have a crush on her."
"I don't have a crush. I'm a grown ass man Book! And speaking of, men don't have 'crushes' on women—which is what Judy is, a woman. That is for little boys like you." Dennis shrugged his shoulders casually, not taking what Hanson had to say to him very seriously. "Just so you make no mistake she doesn't want you, she's just trying to be nice. So don't get any ideas."
"Jealous?" Booker arched his eyebrow, looking into his eyes for an honest answer.
"Oh please..." Hanson murmured, turning around to leave Booker's apartment door. Why did he bother coming here at all, he didn't know. Before he could make his full exit, Dennis had a few wise words to leave Tom with.
"I've already got you all figured out. She's got your nose wide open and probably has for a long time now. I know that and I've only been here for what, a month?"
A month far too long, Tom thought to himself. "I've seen the way you look at her."
Hanson made a face of disgust. "Shut up."
"Listen, I know how you feel. Jude is a great girl. Anyone would be lucky to have her. But remember that you're going to have a little bit of competition here." Tom couldn't help but cringe at Dennis using the nickname Captain Jenko had given Hoffs. Jenk would be rolling in his grave if he knew someone like Dennis was a part of the Jump Street program.
"I'm not competing with anyone. And she'd never go for someone like you anyway." He sneered. "And don't call her 'Jude'. You don't know her like that." Hanson added.
"Oh yeah? Maybe I do." He smiled a knowing look on his face—which as far as Tom was concerned, was the most sickening image he could think of next to Doug scarfing down a chili dog, though not by much.
"Is that why we're going to the movies this weekend?" he continued on. "That reminds me, she did invite you and Penhall, by the way, so you can come along with us if you'd like."
"No thanks."
"Suit yourself than," he shrugged. "I guess it's just me and her than." Finally letting him go on his way, he couldn't stop himself from adding one more thing, just to play with Tommy's nerves. "And don't worry, I'll behave." He winked, stifling an obnoxious laugh as he slammed the door shut.
Next Day - Jump Street Chapel
"So…what do you think?" Hoffs approached Hanson at his desk, spinning around to give him a full view of her new form fitting pink dress. She had just changed in the locker room upstairs in the locker room and was anxious for feedback. The dress was short sleeved with a modest V-neck. It wasn't absurdly short—but short enough to get a good view of her naturally shapely legs, her feet with snug in flats. She had straightened her usually poofy hair down, the front top layer adorned with a decorative barrette.
Tom was finishing the remaining handful of grapes from his small bowl of fruit before he finally looked up. His eyes flinched before he could think of a work appropriate compliment.
"Uh, I think if I told you what I was really thinkin' you'd arrest me." Hanson answered humbly, smiling.
"Thanks." She giggled.
"Where you going looking like that anyway? I thought you just finished a case with Harry?" Hanson stretched out his arm for another fruit to pop into his mouth.
Judy frowned. "I'm not going undercover. I have a date."
Hanson choked on one of his grapes. "So then where are the rest of your clothes?" Tom made a face, his eyes wandering around in mock search of extra clothing.
"I thought you said you liked it?" Hoffs whined back at him.
"I do…but not for anyone else to see." He pointed out. Judy rolled her eyes at Tom's pettiness.
"I didn't put this on for you!" Hoffs rolled her eyes as she bent over her nearby desk to grab her black leather jacket that was hanging on her seat.
"You didn't?" Hanson asked with seemingly genuine cluelessness.
"No, and I'm going out with Dennis. Doug was going to come with us but he doesn't want to see any of the movies we're thinking about going to watch." There was no way she was going to see one of those mindless action flicks Penhall was into, and Booker didn't care, just as long as the film that wasn't too estrogen filled.
"You know, I invited you but Dennis tell me you didn't want to go…?" She half asked him, putting on her jacket. The answer was not hard to guess.
"That's right." Tom reaffirmed his answer to her, cringing at the thought that Judy actually still talks to the creep. He stood up from his chair and made his way to the coffee maker. He wasn't particularly thirsty, but some caffeine was definitely needed to steady his head. Judy followed him.
"So there's no changing your mind then, huh?" Judy said, mostly to herself. She knew his stubbornness was hard to shake, but she really wanted Hanson around. Optimistically thinking, there was still a chance that maybe they could work out their differences, even if it was just for one outing.
"I'm not going anywhere—willingly—near Mr. Confederacy, sorry."
"HANSON!" Judy hissed, alerting a few nearby workers, who immediately went back to their business once Judy shot them a glaring look, daring them to keep eavesdropping.
"What?" Tom asked flatly, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Would you quit it already? Booker's not a racist!" Hanson shrugged. "Whatever helps you sleep at night." He put his cup down. "I'm sure that's what Dennis tells you beside your bedside, right?"
As soon as the words left his mouth he knew he immediately regretted it. He opened his mouth to retract his words, but Hanson nearly didn't feel it coming.
Hoffs swiftly lifted her right hand and smacked him across his face—hard; and unusually so for someone as petite as Judy, but she's downright tougher than she looks.
Hanson held on to his stinging jaw, not meeting her eyes. Judy stomped off, running up the exiting stairs of the chapel. Tom ran after her, ignoring the awkward stares he could feel all around him. Tom raced outside the chapel to find Judy in the driver's seat of her car with her head down resting on the steering wheel.
Though Judy was sure she was crying, there were no actually tears streaming down from her eyes. She wiped her eyes with her index and middle finger before resting her head back, sighing.
What the hell is going on with Hanson?
She was mixed up and confused. On one hand she felt bad for slapping him, on the other, he deserved it, getting smart with her. As Judy turned to look for the beginnings of her seat belt strap, she saw a blurry figure a few feet away before her.
It was, of course Tom. With his hands jammed in his pockets, he shuffled with his feet. Despite how furious she was with him, she couldn't help but marvel at his physical beauty. She saw pain in his eyes, but wasn't about to feel sorry for him.
Tom knew he had no right to beg for her forgiveness, but he couldn't stop his feet from walking toward Hoff's car. Judy
"Can we talk?" Tom lowered his voice gently. She could see that his cheek was still a little red. Hoffs didn't answer. "Please…Judy?" he continued, careful not to lean too forward and invade her space. He's done enough of that already.
"There's nothing to talk about." She finally said, shortly.
She wasn't even looking at him, but directly face-forward. Tom, as if on signal, starting fidgeting with his hand on the back of his neck again, as he always did whenever he got nervous. He turned his neck to look at the chapel, before refocusing on Hoffs. Before he could ask for the chance to apologize, Judy cut him off.
"Oh, and I won't be going out with Dennis anymore. Are you happy?" she erupted, as she hastily turned the key into the ignition, backing up from the spacious parking lot, nearly running over Tom's foot.
"Judy! Wait!" he called out. But she already had sped off.
Shit. He cursed out loud, kicking a nearby car's door, not even caring the slightest about the damaging dent it made. Hanson thought about going after her, but he knew better.
Yet in spite of all this, Tom couldn't help but be glad that she decided not to see Dennis again, even if it meant her not talking to him for awhile.
I don't roll in the bushes with anyone. Judy's voice the other day began to echo through his brain. He knew Judy wasn't that kind of woman, so why was he so assuming? What about Booker that had him so threatened?
Well it seems to me that you're a little bit jealous of him.
It wasn't envy. Booker sure as hell wasn't a better policeman than he was—and whatever kind of 'winning personality' he had was better left unsaid. Judy was smart, but too sympathetic for her own good, Hanson thought. Most likely fooled by some sort of 'misunderstood' act that Booker was probably pulling on her; he was definitely not a 'nice guy'. Nothing he's done would ever make him think that.
Maybe he wasn't a bigot. Either way, he was bad news and as long as he was a cop on Jump Street, he'd make sure Judy Hoffs stay as far away from Dennis Booker as possible.
Back at the Chapel
"Hanson, have you seen Judy? I've called her twice and she hasn't called me back." Booker asked, leaning on the corner edge of Hanson's desk. Hanson, who was mostly pretending to do his paper work, continued the staring contest with his unfinished report. He didn't bother to look up. "No I haven't seen her." He answered.
Dennis sighed. "You don't think she's standing me up is she?" he asked, wondering why he is even trying to make conversation. Talking to Tom was like talking to a wall; only the wall was more talkative. His only response from Tom was silence.
"This better have nothing to do with you Hanson."
Tom slapped his pen down on his desk. "What's this got to do with me?" he asked, now frustrated. He hoped Dennis would just leave the issue alone and go crawl back to wherever he came from. He didn't need to be reminded of his earlier brawl with Judy.
"I don't know. You might have convinced her to stop seeing me, or something juvenile like that."
Juvenile? You're one to talk about juvenile Book! Hanson thought.
"Well, she's doing the right thing by standing you up." was all he could muster, not able to think of anything else to say.
"Listen Hamburger," Dennis cut to the chase, firmly planting both of his hands on Hanson's desk. He knew full well that Hanson was obviously lying. He hovering position commanded Hanson to look at him.
"If you want Judy so bad then why don't you get the balls to ask her out instead of hassling me?"
"Excuse me?"
"If you like her that much—which you clearly do—then Jesus Christ tell her that and get off of my ass! Go out on a date, you can take her bowling or something." Dennis suggested.
Hanson didn't know what was scarier, Booker knowing exactly how he personally felt about Judy, or that he even knew he liked bowling.
