Such a small world
"What the hell are you doing here?" they both screamed at the same time, looking at the other with hate.
Don and Stuart looked at them, totally puzzled. Sister Cheeks walked towards Jude with a worried expression on her face.
"See Jude?! I bet you left him sterile after the kick you gave him! Now we're in trouble!"
"Shut your friend up please and tell me what you are doing at my house!"
Jude laughed sarcastically. All the people were listening to them as they argued.
"Your house?!"
"Yes, my house...happens that I'm Thomas Quincy, the son of the owner of this house!"
"Well happens too that I'm Jude Harrison, the daughter of the best friend of the owner of this house!"
"Really?" Tommy seemed to be in shock "Why didn't you tell me?"
Jude rolled her eyes.
"Duh, because I didn't know! C'mon, I've been living here for two days and I never saw you!" She rested her hands on her hips and opened her eyes wide, like she was realizing of something "of course! you were outside bugging a girl or ill-treating your workers!"
"What? I don't do that...you're the one who likes to hit and wet and insult people who didn't do anything to you!"
Jude was totally red and clenching her fist, ready to hit him, but suddenly Stuart stood in the middle of them and looked at her and then at him.
"Sorry to interrupt such a lively conversation, but...did you know each other?"
Jude as she crossed her arms over her chest, looking away from Tommy and his father.
"Are you asking me if I knew this stupid braggart? Yeah, I've seen him a couple of times" she said, not giving it much importance.
Tommy crossed his hands over his chest too.
"I knew her too, dad. It's impossible not to recognize such a bad mannered, unfeminine and aggressive girl...if I can call you a girl, Charlie"
Jude clenched her fist and gave him an aggressive look.
"Charlie my ass!"
Jude pounced on him and tried to hit him, but sister Cheeks grabbed her by the waist and kept her away from Tommy as she waved her fist on the air, trying to reach for Tommy. He backed off, totally scared.
"C'mon ken, come here and repeat what you've just said" Jude provoked him, showing him her fists.
That was the first moment she saw her. Black, tall and beautiful, a elegant woman who was wearing an amazing strapless white dress walked towards Tommy and rounded her arms around his.
"Tommy, please tell me you don't know this girl. How could you possibly know someone like her?" she said disparagingly, looking at Jude up and down.
Jude was about to say something, but suddenly she felt her father's hand over her shoulder.
"Jude, we need to talk...let's go to my room" he said serious.
Jude had never seen him more serious than now and for the first time in her life, she obeyed her father.
"Wait Mr. Harrison...your daughter and I need to talk" Tommy said as he pulled away from the black woman's grip and tried to grab Jude's arm, but she backed off instantly as she looked at him hatefully.
"Ok dad, let's go"
She followed her father and sister Cheeks upstairs, never leaving Tommy's eyes.
The room stayed in complete silence as Tommy looked as Jude disappeared of his sight.
"I told you. lodge that brat was a mistake" Victoria whispered to her husband.
Stuart turned around to face his son.
"Remember what we talked about Thomas...you better don't mess it up" he said before he walked out of the room.
Tommy stood there, not knowing what to say but strangely, with his heart beating faster than usual.
Upstairs.
"WHAT?! NO! I'm not marrying that stupid braggart!" Jude screamed across the room immediately after her father told her the news. Sister Cheeks got incredibly pale and stayed there, frozen and speechless.
"It's the best for you, Jude. You need a man to chance that , and he's my best friend's son"
"But you don't know him. He's arrogant and stupid and...And...No!, I', not even talking to him!"
Jude crossed her arms over her chest and sat on the bed, completely annoyed. Don looked at her and smiled weakly as he sat next to her.
"You look just like your mother when you get mad" he said as he kissed her daughter's cheek.
Jude smiled at him warmly.
"Dad, you can't do this to me, please. We're in the 21st century please!"
"Jude, I'm not forcing you to marry him...let's make a deal. You will know him, treat him and do whatever I say..."
"I'm not getting..." Jude started but her father put his index finger over her mouth.
"Let me finish. You'll do it and if, after six months, you don't want to marry him, we'll come back to Mexico"
"Really?!" Jude stood up and smiled happily.
Don nodded as he kissed his daughter's hands. Jude's smile faded as she remembered what she had to do to get what she wanted. She sat down again and thought for a moment.
"Okay dad, we'll play your game, but I warn you, if you think I'm gonna fall in love with the gel boy, you're wrong"
"NO!" Sister Cheeks suddenly screamed, finally able to talk.
Jude and Don looked at her completely puzzled. Sister Cheeks looked back at them with a scared expression, but before they could ask her what was wrong, she ran out of the room.
After a few minutes, Jude and her father walked out of the room.
"I'll go back to the party...are you going with me?" he asked her, waiting for her to say yes.
But Jude limited herself to shake her head
"No dad, I'm tired...I'll go to sleep"
Don nodded and kissed her daughter's forehead.
"Good night my princess" he said, whispering.
"Good night daddy" she whispered back as he walked towards the stairs.
Jude turned around and started to walk towards her room, but suddenly Tommy appeared mysteriously in front of her, holding a red rose on his hand and looking at her with a beautiful smile on his face.
"I supposed you hate flowers, but this is all I've got to say I'm sorry" he said honestly as he handed her the rose. Jude stood there, looking at him in state of shock as she took the flower.
"Truce?" Tommy said, smirking.
Jude couldn't help but smile back. It was strange how this man, stupid as he was, made her feel in home again.
"What do you want?" she said, defending herself as her smile faded.
Tommy looked into her eyes and realized of how beautiful they were as he grabbed her elbows.
"I don't know" he whispered with a husky voice.
He leaned for a kiss and she didn't move when his lips brushed hers.
"Tommy!" a female voice yelled, causing Tommy and Jude to pull away as they had just been electrified by the other.
Tommy looked at the black woman from downstairs and Jude looked down, not knowing what to say.
"Okay, I'll go before this girl's looks kill me. Goodnight Tommy" she said as fast as she could before she ran out of the scene, leaving Tommy and the beautiful girl alone
"What were you doing with that pey" She asked, looking at him hatefully.
Tommy looked away as he cleared his throat.
"Nothing...we were just talking" he lied, trying to sound as innocent as possible.
Of course, the woman didn't believe a word.
"Your mom told me that your father wants you to marry her" she commented, still waiting for him to say something. But Tommy opened his eyes wide and acted surprised.
"Really? I didn't know that"
She took a deep breath and stayed silent for a while.
"I love you Tommy. And you're hurting me with this whole situation. I don't deserve this"
Tommy finally looked at her, this time serious.
"Portia please, we're technically nothing. We just had a good time and I admit it, I like you" He paused for a moment "But I'm not marrying you or anyone"
Portia was ready to protest, but Kwest interrupted her.
"Hey man..." he said as he joined them, smiling as always.
Portia looked at him and rolled his eyes. As fast as she could, she gave Tommy a peck on the lips and looked at him, smiling.
"I gotta go" she walked away but turned around at the end of the hall "Call me, Tommy"
Tommy nodded.
"I'll do it" he affirmed as Portia turned around again and walked towards the stairs, when he finally sighed and added with a smirk "someday"
Kwest laughed
"It seems that your luck is back" he said as he hit him playfully on the arm.
Tommy looked at him serious.
"Yeah sure...then tell me why Charlie is living in my house?"
Kwest looked at him, totally puzzled
"Charlie? Who's Charlie...oh! ...Charlie!" He finally screamed, in state of shock.
"Yes, she's my father best friend's daughter" Tommy informed him.
He stayed silent for a few second before he said.
"I can't believe it"
"Me neither. I can't believe what's happening to me" he said, as he sighed.
Kwest stared at him curiously.
"Why?"
Tommy hesitated for a moment, but then looked at his friend.
"Because she's not the type of girl I used to like" he confessed, in a whisper
"Wait...you like Charlie?" Kwest whispered back, half laughing.
"I know I know...She's rude and insolent and aggressive...but I can't stop thinking about her"
Kwest laughed as he shook his head.
"Man, you've got a problem"
Sister Cheeks stormed into Stuart studio, where he was reading a book.
"Stuart, you have to stop this! Jude and Tommy...they cannot get married!" she screamed, causing Stuart to jump off his seat.
He stood up and walked towards her, completely puzzled.
"What?"
"Please, for the first time in your life, listen to me..."
He looked at him with resentment.
"Why? You never listened to me when I asked you, when I pleaded you to tell me where Yvette was" he said bitterly as he sat down again.
"Please, that happened eighteen years ago and she was my sister, I had to protect her" Sister Cheeks defended herself, but her expression of pain revealed what she was feeling on the inside. talking about her sister wasn't the happiest thing in the world for her, and less with the man who killed her.
"Was?..." Stuart said his voice breaking. He stood up again and walked towards the nun "Yvette died? What happened to her? What happened to my son? Please tell me!"
He took her by the arms and shook her, but she simply looked away.
"You should've worried about her and your son then, when you married someone else and broke my little sister's heart!" she pulled away from him "Of course, she was just a maid, poor and very far away from the high class lady you needed"
Stuart shook his head.
"I loved her! I loved Yvette with all my heart!" he screamed as a single tear rolled down his cheek.
Sister Cheeks stayed silent for a while.
"I didn't come here to talk about the past" she finally said, breaking the silence "Please Stuart, stay away from Jude and keep your son away from her too" she pleaded, completely desperate.
Stuart looked at her and then looked away.
"I won't do it" he said, determined.
"You have to!" she demanded.
"I don't have a reason to" he replied, walking away from her.
"Of course you do!"
"Why?" he asked curiously.
"Because they're siblings!"
