Disclaimer: I don't own the song "Anyone But You" that's all Instant Star's job. As well as lines from the episode "I Fought the Law".

As a note, Karma is in fact the same from Season 3 in the actual Instant Star, but in this universe and episode, picture her as hardcore as Patsy. She won't be coming back until MUCH later, but she makes a cameo. She's also like, 17 or something.

Episode Three: The TGIF Gig

And here was Friday. Glorious and wonderful Friday. Whoever said the end of the week meant a positive looking up was so horribly wrong it's not even funny. I mean, my sister was having a great time with the new producer, Jamie and her are still cute as can be, making me suffer repeatedly as third wheel, and to top it all off, my own band ditches me come Friday night for a gig I'm not part of!

Could it get worse?

Well, if you're as stupid as I am, and attempt to crash said gig, then yes, it can.

-- Jude.

Friday, May 30th

"Guys, c'mon, please?" Jude whines, flailing her arms to emphasize her desperation.

"No," Sadie states simply.

"Why the hell not?!"

"Because, it's wrong. It's a free country, if they wanna do a gig without you, then maybe…," Jamie trails off when she glares at him. "Right, not helping."

"They're my band!" Jude exclaims. "Kyle's our brother, and Wally's just like one! And Spied…Spied's supposed to be my friend!"

"It's still not right to crash their gig," her sister replies.

"God, why do you have to be the voice of reason?"

"Because you insist upon acting like the bad twin."

"Ugh, fine!" she yells, throwing her hands up. "I'll go crash it tonight…alone or whatever!"

And with that, she storms off towards the school, moments before the end of lunch bell rings. Jamie stands, pulling Sadie with him, and sighs, looking into her blue eyes.

"You know we're going to have to go with her anyway, right?" he asks. "To make sure she doesn't embarrass herself too much?"

"Yeah…I know…," Sadie giggles, resting her forehead against his as he leans down.

Jude sighs as she walks into class, and heads for her seat. She stops however, when the teen with messy brown-orange hair in the seat behind hers, her bleach blonde brother to his right and their curly haired third half behind him cease their talking.

"That's fine," she states wryly, plunking herself into her seat. "Go on, no need to stop talking about your awesome TGIF gig plan just because little old me's here."

"Cool," her brother and Wally grin, resuming their conversation. Spiederman looks like he's about to join them, but settles for a better opportunity, leaning forward against his desk, close to her.

"Aww, what's the matter, Harrison, not getting enough stage-time in your overrated little Popstar world now that the producer likes your sister more than you?" he snickers.

"Jealous, much?" Jude bites back, half-turning in her seat to smirk at him.

"Heh, in your dreams, babe," he winks.

"Odd, I don't remember 'loser' being on the candidate list for dreamworld potentials."

"Haha, funny. Maybe when your music career finally hits rock bottom, you'll have stand-up comedy to fall back on."

"And what will you have?" she inquires. "I'm your lead singer, remember?"

"I think we can manage," he snickers, leaning back in his chair, arms folded behind his head. He starts humming a tune for one of her songs, and what surprises her is he's doing really well, and that he can carry more than just a back-up tune.

This, incidentally, shuts her up. She huffs, crossing her arms on her desk and laying her head on them, trying to drown out everything from the conversation behind her, except for where they'll be playing.

"Snake Hill's said to be rocking tonight!"

Three pairs of eyes, two blue and one brown, are wide open as their owners take their first few steps into the Snake Hill club. The crowd is already wild, and the music isn't even playing yet – nor is it past eight o'clock.

"It's a good thing you're eighteen," Jude whispers to Jamie, who smiles weakly.

"And that the bouncer was practically tipsy," he adds. As people brush by in rushes, he wraps an arm around Sadie, keeping her close.

"Ew, I think I can smell the bathroom from here!" the redhead declares, bringing her hands up to cover her nose. Then, she looks around, unable to spot said bathroom. "At least…I hope it's the bathroom!"

"It's called hardcore, Sadie," Jude laughs, arms crossed as she scans the crowd and shrugs. "I kinda like it."

"You would," her sister replies.

"And I kinda think this was a bad idea," Jamie points out.

"Okay…," Jude sighs, looking towards the stage where she spots her band setting up amongst a few dim-lit and strobe-like lights. "Wait. Lemme just verbally castrate clown-boy, and then we can all wuss out and go see a movie or something."

"Aren't you gonna feel—"

"Third wheel?" the blonde cuts off her sister, shrugging. "Yeah, but what the hey, I'll be in a good mood after this."

Before she can turn and head off to make her comeback, someone yells "hey delinquents!" into the mic, and the hardcore punk roars to life, firing up the crowd.

"What the heck is that?" Sadie wrinkles her nose, never having been a fan of punk rock, or anything more hardcore than what her sister sometimes plays.

"Spectacular…," the blonde breathes, staring at her band, rocking it out with another female lead, who screams and drawls into the mic with such spunk and energy and hardcore life that she finds a twinge of envy tearing at her heart.

In a little over three minutes, the head-banging song Jude had found herself moving along to ends, and the crowd roars as Spied's guitar screeches to a halt, living out a longer note than that of his band mates.

And then, it all washes away when she sees Spiederman high-five the slim girl with shoulder-length black hair that rocked out to the song. She watches them with her eyes as they head towards the steps down from the stage, and she whirls around.

"This wasn't a good idea!" she exclaims. "Why the hell did you guys drag me here? It's stupid!"

"Us?" Jamie frowns. "But we didn't—"

"Hey, Overrated," Spiederman teases, walking up behind the blonde.

"You think I'm overrated, Spiederman?" she glares. "Why don't you tell your new girlfriend there that nobody even likes you on the tour bus? We only keep you around because you're an okay guitar player! Or? How about the fact that you wear the same ninja turtle pajamas every single night?!"

There is an awkward pause, as Spied's mouth hangs slightly open, and Nate and Wally arrive for the tail end of her rant, followed by the singer from onstage.

"Sorry, just had to get that out," she states, before turning to the girl. "You…rock! And you…," she turns to Sadie and Jamie, "are leaving. Let's go!"

She turns toe and storms away, leaving behind an awed group of people.

"They were thundercats pajamas," Spiederman clarifies to a snickering Wally and Kyle. Then Jude's yell attracts their attention, and Jamie and Sadie congratulate the boys, before running off to follow.

"Jealous girlfriend?" the dark-haired girl chuckles, and while this sends Wally and Kyle into a bigger fit of howling laughter, Spiederman merely frowns, watching his…their platinum blonde rocker storm off towards the exit.

"Naw…," he shakes his head, staring in awe after her.

"He wishes," Wally snickers again, before Spiederman's hand connects with the back of his head. "Ow!"

"Can it, Wally!"

Saturday, May 31st

"Sick of the lies they're feeding me
I never know what to believe
In a world that's crushing me

You're…you're…"

"Ugh!" Jude yells in frustration, setting her guitar aside on the couch and standing up. She runs a hand through her platinum blonde hair, beginning to pace the room, and then kicks over a small garbage can.

"Locking yourself in here and trying write a song about him isn't gonna make you feel better," Spiederman says, leaning against the doorframe of the starry-sky painted studio. "It's just gonna make you feel like crap."

"Actually, that's your fault," she mutters, placing her hands on her hips.

"Look, I agreed to the gig…for you."

"Really? Aww, how sweet of you to think of stomping on my feelings like that!"

"Hey, it was to show you that you can't stay wrapped up in your bubble world anymore. It's been a week. The band needs you."

"Looks to me like you were doing just fine with your new girl."

"Harrison, look. I'm sorry, okay? But it was the only way to break you outta the downer mood you've been in since Mason left."

"Really? Well, ever heard of talking, Spiederman?"

"I've been trying! But you insist on locking yourself in here to write when you're not recording, and drowning out the rest of us!"

"That's because this room…it…it's just…"

"Your favorite, because you used to write and record in here with him," he mutters, rolling his eyes. "I know."

When he pauses, she almost wants to say something about how practically jealous he sounds, but then he keeps going.

"Look, I get this was your muse, or whatever, alright? But you need a new one, because this place isn't helping anymore. It's making it worse, and I don't feel like having a downer as a friend."

"You gonna suggest bugs again?" she eyes him warily.

"Heh, no," he chuckles, and then holds out his hand. "C'mon."

"Where?"

"Just…trust me," he asks, motioning to her guitar. "Grab it, and c'mon."

She's still uncertain, remembering how sincere he was the other day before the spider incident. No way is she falling for that again.

"You really think I wanna go with you after your little performance last night?" she raises an eyebrow, and attempts to sound proud of herself despite the hurt slipping through. "You guys ditched me. My own band, for some hardcore…sweaty…rocker chick that was all over you."

"You sure you're not just jealous, Harrison?" he smirks.

"You know what, whatever," she rolls her eyes, sitting back down. He sighs, and walks over, sitting down beside her. "Go rock with your new girl."

"Harrison, c'mon. Karma's…she was just a gig. She's not my girl…you are," he states, and she gives him a questioning look, making him catch himself. "You've been our singer for three years, more if count the garage time. You're our girl; not Karma. You're mine…and the band's kick-ass rocker chick."

"Thanks, Speedy," she smiles after a while, ruffling his already messy hair with one hand, the other grabbing her guitar. He takes a hold of the hand in his hair, and pulls her to her feet with him.

"C'mon," he grins, pulling her off down the hall. As soon as they reach the lounge, he stops and stands behind her, placing his hands over her eyes.

"Spied…what are you—"

"Just, trust me," he whispers in her ear, and she does, relaxing into his grip and letting him lead her onwards.

You guys are great, I know I forgot to send previews to the reviewers of chapter two, but this time I won't forget!! So, don't forget the review love ! You review now, and you get a shiny preview in the mail !