Here is the next chapter. Hope you like it.


As soon as the host said that, the stage dimmed and we were ushered off stage so they could set up for the next act. There was an assistant at my side immediately.

"Mr. Quincy, you need to take off your sound pack and switch back to your normal mic", said the assistant who was ushering me to the far end of the stage and handing me a bottle of water at the same time. "We need to get you back in your judge's chair in two and a half minutes".

"Hold on a second let me catch my breath," I replied.

"No time sir. Darius wants you back in your seat so we can fix you up. We have two minutes until we're back on air", the assistant said while pushing me along to my seat.

We were almost to the judges table when I looked over to where Jude should have been sitting. But there were two empty seats; Jude and Jamie's.

By that time I was back in my seat beside Darius. "Great job T", he said as another assistant was putting powder on my face to get rid of the shine that had accumulated during the performance by the hot lights. "That was really something, I really liked it".

"Just liked it", I asked as the assistant finished with my face.

"Okay", Darius said. "I really liked it. It was really something. I knew you had it in you."

"Thanks", I said looking over to the empty seats again. "At least someone did", I said in almost a whisper.

"30 seconds", the stage manager yelled and I knew that I would have to wait another gruelling 20 minutes to find Jude. I just couldn't leave the set because Darius would be pissed if I left that judges chair empty for the rest of the show.

I was getting good money for doing the judging and also as much studio time to record as I could grab. I couldn't throw a fit and leave the set because not only would Darius take away my recording time he had made me sign a stupid contact that stated if I didn't fulfil my duties as a judge my producing contract would be extended another 5 years!!! I would be Darius's slave for a little more than 7 years, there is no way I could do that.

God, this was taking so long. Seriously how long does it take to find your bottom two stars and eliminate one? I wanted to just get out of here, but still I had to sit here and sort of pay attention to what the host said. Make sure I had the right answers to the questions that he asked.

"Of course", I replied to one of the questions. "I think that both of them should go home". Damn, I was being my nasty self. Thank God for that, but I really wasn't on my A game. I should have said something more witty. Oh well I should try and pay more attention to what was going on.

Every now and then I kept looking over to the empty seats behind me hoping that Jude would magically appear in them. But of course she didn't.

Only 15 more minutes of torture before I could leave my seat and go find her. I had to go and find her and see what her reaction is. Great now a commercial break.

Vibe, vibe.

I could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. Pulling it out quickly, I saw that it was a new text from Jamie. don't worry. J wid me outside. don't freak, shes calmng down.

What does that mean?, I wondered, looking to the side VIP door that was just to the left of where I was sitting. Was she out there? Should I go and see if could be back in two minutes before the commercial was done? Of course not, nothing with Jude is easy. I guess I'll have to sit and wait it out until the end of the God damn show to hopefully find her and talk to her.

"30 seconds", the stage manager yells again.

"Put away the phone Quincy", Darius hisses to me.

I did as I was told, trying to listen to the host again. But I can't really concentrate. My mind keeps drifting off to Jude. I make my decision to call Jamie on the next commercial break and see what Jude is thinking.

As I am about to pull out my phone, I see Jude and Jamie walk back into the theatre. I try looking at Jude's face but it is unreadable and Jamie has an almost sad look on his face. I so badly want to run over to her as they sat down, but I can't.

For some reason today the commercials seem shorter than normal. Why is that? Why is it on every other day when we are taping a live show that the commercials seem so long that they feel like they take forever and today when you want them to take forever they are so short? Someone in the universe is messing with me. Great.

"I am sorry to say that tonight we are saying goodbye to Justin", the host said.

"Finally", I think.

"Why do you say that Tommy?", the host asks.

Crap I thought I said it to myself not out loud. "Well, he obviously wasn't good enough to be the World Instant Star, and he was way too cocky for my liking. You have to have the goods to back up the swagger".

Good thing I'm quick on my feet too. I still can't believe I said finally out loud. Stupid, stupid Quincy.

"That's it for this week on World Instant Star, see ya next week", the host said

"And were clear", the stage manage yells. Yes, I can go and talk to Jude.

"Great job Tom", said Darius. "Now go and get your girl".

"What?", I say confused.

"Go get her", Darius repeats. "We all know your song was for her and she is all you write about."

"Thanks D", I reply still shocked, getting up from the chair.

"Oh, and Tom", Darius says "Thanks for finishing up the taping I know it was hard for you to sit beside me the whole time after you sang and not go running after her".

"No problem", I reply looking in Jude's direction. But she isn't there again. Where did she go?

She had made such a quick exit, and must have gone through the VIP doors yet again. Great.