A/N – Glad you guys are liking this. ;D It makes me smile, reading your responses. Hope you like this one!

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Chapter three – You sing?

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Jude's PoV

It's been a week and a half. Yep, eleven days since I've talked to Tom. Did I really think he'd suddenly go out of his way and try to find me? I must be out of my mind. I must be. I mean, I did go 'The Magic Beanie' every day in hopes he'd be there. I did stroll past G Major on my way home.

Why, you ask? I'm not usually like this. I don't usually stalk guys I like. And I usually don't like guys who made their living singing pop songs and wearing white bandanas.

But everything about this guy made me want to act unusual. And I wasn't sure if I liked that yet. Even if this guy did have gorgeous blue eyes and killer good looks.

I shook my head. I couldn't get him out of my mind. But in all fairness, I hadn't really been trying. Because deep down, I had hoped he'd been as hooked on me. I had hoped he go to 'The Magic Beanie' and look for me. I'd hoped he'd be looking out the windows to G Major, just in case I was walking by.

Because even though he had been in Boyz Attack, he'd certainly been full of surprises. I mean, with Eden? Who would've thought he didn't even like her?

A thought crossed my mind. If I had won, would he be producing me? Great, another reason to regret losing for the rest of my life.

"Jude!" My mom's voice drifted upstairs and I groaned. What could she want? Didn't she know I just wanted to wallow in self-pity? Sighing, I got up off my bed and made my way downstairs. "Jamie's here. For school?"

Who cared about school? I'm a senior. Isn't it, like, a law that I'm supposed to skip at least once a week? Why can't it be today? "Bye, Mom." Waving, I grabbed my bag and headed out the door to Jamie's beat-up station wagon, hopping in the passenger seat. "Hey, Jamester."

"Hey, Harrison," he greeted, pulling the car onto the road. "You ready for the 'big surprise assembly'?" God, I had completely forgotten about that. No one was supposed to know about it, but of course everyone did. Some celebrity was supposed to make a big appearance.

I shrugged. "I guess."

"Hey! Don't be so depressed. Maybe it's someone we'll actually like."

I raised one eyebrow at him. "Like who? Everyone we like is dead."

"Hey, retro is in. Maybe it's a cover band." Jamie smirked and I had to laugh.

"Yeah, maybe."

Jamie pulled his car into a parking space, his eyes widening in mock fear. "Was that some excitement I just heard?" I gave him a look and he rolled down his window, sticking his head out. "Everyone! Jude Harrison was just mildly excited about something!"

I reached over and hit him in the arm, shaking my head. "Give it up." Opening my door, I got out, heading for the front doors. "This had better be good."

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Tom's PoV

I pulled my Viper into the parking lot of Carson Hill High School. When was the last time I had been at a high school? Uh, never. Let's just say it's never been my scene.

Cruising around, I found a parking spot in a deserted area, hoping no one would dare hurt my precious car. Too many pop songs had been sung and too many white bandanas had been worn for this car to be wrecked.

Getting out, I put my sunglasses on and moved toward the back doors. I still couldn't believe I was here. Oh, the things I'd do for Georgia.

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Jude's PoV

"Are you nervous?" Jamie asked from behind me and I jumped, spinning around.

"God, Jamie! You almost gave me heart attack!" I took a few deep breaths. We were all on our way to the auditorium for the assembly and people were moving like zombies. "Nervous for what?"

"Singing?" he said, giving me a weird look.

"Singing what?" I was starting to panic.

"The National Anthem?" He shoved me playfully. "Jude, what's going on with you today?"

Oh, my God. I had completely forgotten. Like, two weeks ago, I had agreed to sing the national anthem for the assembly. I never sang. Not since I had lost that Instant Star contest. Why in the world would I have said 'yes'!

But as we walked in the doors to the auditorium, I realized why I had agreed. Our principal, Mr. Winters, had given me a speech about the future of our children and all that garbage and saying 'yes' was the only way to shut him up. He was waving me down, a wide smile on his face.

Taking a few deep breaths, I made my way down the aisle to him, humming a few scales under my breath. "You ready, Jude?" he asked earnestly.

No. "Of course."

He set a hand on my shoulder. "We're gonna have you sit down here and come up and sing first, okay?" I nodded and he ushered me to my seat, which I gladly took. I needed to sit.

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Tom's PoV

I slipped in the doors to the auditorium just as the assembly was starting. God, Georgia would have killed me if I had been late. A middle-aged man was standing at the microphone on stage, going over to the emergency exits and blah, blah, blah…

"And now, before our special guest sings some songs for us, we're going to have our very own Carson Hill celebrity, Jude Harrison, sing us the National Anthem." Soft applause echoed in the room, and a thin figure moved up the stairs into the lights.

It was her. She was in High school!

She made her way up to the microphone, fidgeting with her hair. God, she looked nervous. She could sing!

I watched her intently as she smiled nervously and sang the opening notes to the National Anthem.

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Jude's PoV

My eyes scanned the audience, hoping to find Jamie. If I could just watch him the entire time, I'd be okay. I just knew it. But, for the life of me, I couldn't find him. My eyes drifted to the back wall and they stopped.

It was him. Tom Quincy. He was here. And he was going to hear me sing. I took a deep breath as the introduction to the national anthem filled the auditorium. I tried the closest thing to a smile I could muster and began to sing.

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A/N – Okay, what did we think? Update tonight, hopefully! After I work on "Bulletproof"…