I realize that this chapter is not too heavy on action, really… Or that it kind of skips over the time she spends with, well, you'll see… Her sort of date. But yeah.
Oh, and Jude didn't get the tattoo with Jamie 'cause I say so… Let's see, after this I've got the chapter where her parents get pissy and then I'm in the middle of her first day at the school (which is, predictably, a nightmare). But, yeah, I got the ideas for the guy below and Jude's teachers and what not in the shower, which is where I do all my best thinking, oddly enough. And I knew I wanted to have her answer the phone really snappily and then get really mega-embarrassed about it… But that's for another chapter.
So, remember, it's Wednesday night. And Jude has school tomorrow, on Thursday… Speaking of which, who can't wait for tomorrow's episode? Me! I wanna find out more about Boyz Attack, considering Jude mentions them so much in the story… Anyways, might as well post Jude's schedule… Poor girl. So many things go wrong on her first day of school…
Homeroom
Travis Quinn
English III
Jenny Collins
Geometry
Matthew Hilton
French III
Noelle Castelnau
Media and Pop Culture/International Relations
Harry James/Philip Charles
History
Philip Charles
Studio Level Music
Travis Quinn
Music Theory/Advanced Music Theory
Lyra Aarons
Hope that showed up right… Anyways, I'll give you some spoilers for the story, because, well, frankly, I can't shut up about these things and it's late and it gives you something to look forward to in case I don't post soon.
Anyways, in the next chapter, you get to hear part of one of Jude's new songs… That I wrote, but I've probably already mentioned this… So it might not be the best. Anyways, at least one of Jude's teachers seriously HATES her. This teacher's got a vendetta a mile wide, and they make all these cracks, which Jude handles with surprising grace (and by that I mean not crying… She'll probably say something like "Why are you out to get me?" and then get in a verbal fight with said teacher, but that's not the point).
Oh, and just in case you're wondering, Studio Level Music is basically like practice, it's sort of a class for those people who want to go in the record industry… But my school actually has all of these classes except that one, which I sorta made up. And we don't have Homeroom first or call it that, and you don't see many Juniors in Geometry… And we don't give our core classes basic names like History or English. We give them fruity names… Like Communication Arts, and History of the Western World (but I sort of avoided adding something to Jude's History class 'cause I don't know much of anything about Canadian history… And at my school you take American History when you're a junior… Which is sad, because some of them still haven't mastered the art of spelling…). And let's say Jude dropped out of Science because she was getting such bad grades and what not.
Let's see… I've finished two of Jude's new songs, one's a cover (but I'll get to that later... I might have Jude do another one), one I can't decide a chorus for (it's between two verses), and then I have to edit the other three into decent length sense-making material… Which takes a lot longer than you'd think. Because first I just randomly write whatever comes into my head, go over ALL of it… There's a lot! And then pick it out by topic, and then what's decent, and what meshes with the song, then I delete lines that don't fit, and then I have to edit the words to fit and flow better and change up and figure out the order, and it's argh! And this is all generally without a melody. And so I don't know if they suck totally. All in all, a very time consuming process, but it's 3:23 and I'm listening to old Oasis songs and I'm hot and rambling and my head is filled with Renaissance people and it's all confusing, so I'm gonna stop now… If you read that all, you seriously have the patience of Joan of Arc. Seriously. And I love you guys.
Oh, right, don't own Pick Up the Pieces, Boyz Attack, Jude, Tommy, Sadie, the bar, Humpty-Dumpty, Eden, Tim, Shay, or Jude's parents.
I do, however, own Jude's disguise (it's very important that no one knows who she is), Jude's car, Jude's dress for later, Tim's two nameless brothers, the creepy guy, the bartenders, and Jude's alias (Sorry, I just find it odd that Jude, Sadie, and Tommy all have songs with their name in them… And I bet if I looked I could find Kat and Jamie songs too… Oh, and Georgia! Don't even get me started on all the Georgia ones! Hey, Jude… Obviously, though it's about a guy… And then there's a Bob Dylan song called Little Sadie, which I looked up because Jude's dad was going on and on about him and I wanted to see some lyrics and what not… And actually, there's a Beatles song called Sexy Sadie too… Which is actually pretty fitting, looking at the lyrics… So I guess both Jude and Sadie are named after Beatles' songs… lol… Their mom must've lost a bet or something… Oh, and then Tommy Gun by The Clash… 'Cause it's on the site as like number two on Jude's Playlist, which makes me go "Hmm, coincidence I think not!", but that's entirely not the point, because the song is about war and guns. But so many of the episode titles are Clash songs and isn't Jude's guitar pick necklace Joe Strummer's guitar pick or something? I can't remember, 'cause Jamie said it in the first episode and then, yeah… Anyways, I'm rambling, so I'm gonna shut up now…). Oh, song lyrics are in italics!
I didn't leave my parents a note. As a matter of fact, I snuck out my window. Go figure. First thing I did was grab a bite to eat, and then I went shopping for a bit… I didn't buy much, but what I bought was, well, kind of hot. For me, anyways… Probably not for Sadie.
Okay, I really have to stop it with the digs at Sadie. She is my sister. Who slept with Tommy! Well, technically, I don't know that…
Oh, come on, she so did! But I don't know that! I don't! Yes, you do… It's Sadie, for crying out loud! No, I don't! This whole argument is stupid!
Then I went out dancing, but frankly, there were too many people giving me weird looks. So that's how I wound up in a karaoke bar around nine, staring at the stage. Performing always made me feel better.
There were only a few people (a lot of Japanese businessmen and some other random people) in the bar… And, right now, no one was singing. After debating the merits of going up there, I sighed, and walked over, knowing exactly which song I was going to pick. I walked up on stage, grabbing the mike and smiling.
"I know this song is old and cheesy, but, well… I guess I'll just start then," I began awkwardly, beginning to sing as the background music started to play, "I was adrift on an ocean, all alone…"
No one much batted an eye. And, oddly enough, this made me even happier. I smiled, continuing with the all too familiar song. "You came and rescued me, when I was far from home…" And then I started to launch into a bit of a dance move thing.
It wasn't really embarrassing. It would have been embarrassing if I started doing the real dance moves, à la Boyz Attack! Despite the fact that I know all of them… You know, from the charity telethon.
"A rush of love around my heart… Just as I fell apart," I chanted on, hitting all the right notes. Wow, this was almost even better than I'd sung it in the studio. Of course, in the studio I kept busting up into hysterical laughter… The guys were pissed… They had to do their vocals in a separate studio… Well, more like they all sung it first for back-ups (I was laughing all the way… Tommy kept scowling at me… I was very distracting), and I watched. Then I sung it later.
"Nobody ever cared as much for me. Nobody's touched my heart and healed my pain. You picked up the pieces and put me back together again…" I sang softly, closing my eyes and drawing on all my experience from the concerts I'd done. I wondered vaguely if anyone was looking, but I decided not to dwell on it.
"Ooh, yeah, uh huh…" I whispered into the microphone. This song invariably reminded me of Tommy, and no wonder. He wrote it! I don't get how he could've. Personally, I'd need a lobotomy and a sugar rush to write something like this. But he was like thirteen or something, so I'll give him a break.
"Careful, we're fragile, and easily we break…" That's the part where you can usually hear Tommy's vocals mixing with mine. How sweet. I love that part. "In your arms, I'm certain, is all the love we'll make…" I sung softly, as my eyes flashed open. Whoa, whoa, whoa… He wrote that when he was thirteen? Okay, maybe he was getting a little too much action as a thirteen-year-old, don'tcha think? Why am I surprised?
This is Tommy Quincy, Playboy Extraordinaire; we're talking about, after all.
"A rush of love around my heart, just as you take my hand…" I trailed off, noticing how interested some of the people looked. A few looked like they were trying to place me or my voice. I had an unfair advantage over them in this, after all. I was a professional singer.
Am I actually swaying to the music? Damn. "Nobody ever cared as much for me. Nobody's touched my heart and healed my pain. You picked up the pieces, and put me back together…" I hummed, remembering just how Tommy had picked up the pieces and put me back together again, only to have me fall apart. My heart's like Humpty-Dumpty. It can't ever be put back together again. It can only fall apart repeatedly.
And keep on shattering until there's nothing left to break.
"I'll write your name in stars across the sky. We'll drift away into each other's arms…" I crooned, batting my eyelashes on purpose, before launching into the complex "Hey, yeah, yeah, oh, ah, yeah" sequence. I'd spent so long working on and singing this song.
"Nobody ever cared as much for me. Nobody's touched my heart and healed my pain. You picked up the pieces and put me back together… Nobody ever cared as much for me. Nobody's touched my heart and healed my pain. You picked up the pieces, and put me back together again!" I sang, almost done, holding out the note long and hard, the way I was supposed to, on the last note.
Well, I was in love with my guitar, after all… However gimmicky and commercial it might be, it was true.
My guitar is the only thing I'd ever loved that has always loved me back and has never broken my heart. But then again, how can it? It's an inanimate object.
"You've put me back together again…" I finished finally, as the music drew to a close. I was greeted by rather enthusiastic cheers as I placed the microphone in its stand. I felt a blush light my face, stomach shooting up to my throat as I was greeted by cheers of praise.
I stepped down from the stage, smiling, starting to walk to the bar to get a drink. The owner smiled at me, nodding, impressed.
"You're much better than the last girl who sang that song," He confided in me, glancing about, as if looking for the girl. The bartender nodded in agreement, shuddering at the mere remembrance of said girl.
"The blonde screechy one that could not stay on pitch to save her life, right? She was with that dork in the sweats and the baseball cap… You know, the one who was grimacing even worse than the rest of us?" He remarked, somewhat amused. I snorted, being suddenly reminded of Eden. However, even Eden could hit some notes.
And then suddenly, this weird guy with his hair all slicked back wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I jumped, turning around, but before I could push him off of me, he led me past the bar smoothly. Who does this slimy weirdo think I am? I mean, I'm not even legal yet.
"I saw you out there. You were really good," He said as we walked towards the wall. Honestly! How corny can you get? I rolled my eyes, shoving his arm off of me none-too-gently.
"Thanks," I muttered, backing away from him.
He only leaned in closer, to my chagrin. "You know, you could get a contract… I could help you in that area… A lot," He hinted flirtatiously. Ew. He's coming unto me with a recording contract. And I already have one. And Tommy… Well, I don't have Tommy, but he is my producer.
"Sorry, I've already got one," I retorted a moment later, turning away from him.
He nodded briefly, moving closer. "Got a manager?"
"Yep." Georgia. I think.
He nodded again, still moving closer. Augh, pig! "Got a PR manager?"
"Yep." E.J. Ah, good old E.J.
He's frowning now. I have a feeling this isn't gonna end well. "Got a producer?"
Hell yes, I do. Wait, did I just say that out loud? Uh oh. Crap. He's moving closer. Wait, am I pinned into the wall? I am! And ew, is that what I think it is? It is! Pig! Hmm, I'd kick him in the nuts, but ew. This is the second time in two days! Argh! I could try and push him off, but he weighs more than I do, and I'm in heels.
"Get the hell off of her!" Weird. That voice sounds oddly familiar. Ooh, good, that voice just pulled Weasel Boy off of me… And that guy just threw Weasel Boy to the ground. Face-plant!
My mystery rescuer walked up to me, placing a hand on my arm. I was just kinda stunned by the whole ordeal. I mean, I guess I'm just really lucky that guy didn't try anything, you know? Bad, that is… If he'd been against me a second longer, I would've found a way to knock him down. Oh, I'd better pay attention. My savior's talking to me.
"Are you okay?" He asked, sounding very concerned. That's really a relative question. If I was, I wouldn't even be here in the first place. Meh, whatever.
"Yeah, maybe a little shaken up at most," I answered him calmly, surveying him warily. He's taller than me (but not as tall as he'd be if I were not wearing heels). He's wearing a leather jacket (honestly, who doesn't nowadays?) and some rather tight jeans… I'll have to say, he sure knows what flatters him… He looks pretty cute, but he's wearing sunglasses, a cowboy hat, and the collar of his jacket up… There's something about him…
Anyways, I suppose I should say what I look like right now, eh? Okay, uh, I'm wearing my hair in a bun (which I never do), with that hat I wore to Shay's performance, and, naturally, sunglasses. I've also ditched the ripped jeans and t-shirts for the night, so no one recognizes me. I mean, I'm wearing heels. Really tall heels. I just hope no one recognizes me. Oh, who am I kidding? It's not like Tommy's gonna show up here or anything.
You know, this guy's pretty cute. High cheekbones, strong jaw, nice facial structure, good tan, very toned, tall, dark browny-black hair (I looove guys with brown hair)… When was the last time I went out on a date? Shay. Ooh, that's bad. It's been months since him. Months. Well, why shouldn't I go out with someone else?
Maybe because the entire world thinks you're shacking up with Tommy.
I am not shacking up with Tommy!
Besides, it's just a date. I won't be me. I'll be Not-Me. Yeah.
You're assuming he'll ask you out.
Who wouldn't?
Uh, let's see, you really want me to make a list?
Okay, I see your point. Shut up.
"So, can I buy you a drink or something?" He offered politely, hands in his pockets. He's offering to buy me a drink? Wow. Except I don't drink, and it's not even legal, but whatever. It's a good offer, and he's hot, so why not?
Maybe because he's a stranger and you don't even know his name…
But he saved me from that pig!
Okay, true, but you don't even know his name.
So, he doesn't know mine!
It's just a drink. Just one drink.
But for all I know, he could have just saved me so HE could have his way with me!
As if anyone would want to…
Uh, hello, Shay! And that creepy guy from before… Ewww.
Never.
Hmm, maybe I ought to see a shrink…
"I'd love to," I replied quickly, a moment later, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the bar. He smiled in spite of himself, turning to the bartender. Now, it might sound weird, being a musician and all, but I cannot recognize people by their voices. I mean, yeah, their singing voices, but not normal voices, you know? All I knew was that my mystery guy (whoa, since when is he mine?) had a very familiar-sounding voice, but I couldn't place it.
There was another thing too. His hands. Not that they felt familiar or anything, but they were calloused. Not calloused in the I-work-with-my-hands sort of way, but calloused in the I-play-the-guitar sort of way. At least, I think so… But what are the odds?
So he ordered me a drink (I have no idea what the heck it was and I probably shouldn't have drunk it, but he ordered something similar, and it tasted pretty good, so I didn't care), and then we sat down at table, sipping our drinks and talking about random surface things… Like our families (Tim has two brothers, one younger and one older, and his parents are divorced, kind of like mine… Technically, Mom and Dad are separated), favorite things, the weather…
Just about everything except our careers. I know, because I asked, and he just abruptly changed the subject. I didn't mind too much, as I would have had to tell him what I did, and, oh, the mess that would make.
My voice was a bit deeper than usual, and it made me feel kinda slutty, because I immediately thought of Sadie doing similar things, which lead me to remembering how I'd broken her nose. I felt regret for this, and wondered if she was in the hospital now, getting treated. Probably.
"I'm Tim," He drawled finally, a slow smile spreading across his face, sticking out a hand. I felt myself smiling too. Amazing that we had been talking for hours and neither of us had given our names.
Then again, maybe that was the liquor talking.
"I'm Jud-Julia… Would you believe that my dad named me after a Beatles song?" I hesitated, tripping over my words a bit. The second part's true. Dad did name me after a Beatle song. Making me suffer some needless mocking and some rather annoying puns. Julia's really not that bad of a name, though.
Tim laughed, and I liked the sound of his laugh. It was deep, hearty, and it didn't sound like he laughed often. I couldn't help but laugh back, in a very un-me way. I think I actually giggled. Oh, the horror! He grabbed my hand then, and that shut me up completely. I bit my lip and stared shyly at our hands. Tim smiled again, that blindingly white smile I found so charming. I giggled again, blushing at my own idiocy.
I didn't care much though, because I was kinda buzzed and Tim was cute, funny, smart…
The time flew by, and before I knew it, it was one in the morning. I wasn't freaking out, oddly enough. But Tim frowned, though I could tell he was used to much later nights.
"Jules, babe, I had a great time," Tim said quietly, leaning in closer and putting his hand on my arm. I could feel the sparks. "You wanna do this again sometime?" He asked casually.
I definitely did. Spending time with Tim was great. He was great. Tim was perfect, well, aside from the mystique. But I suppose that just added to his allure.
Wait, he does mean that as a date, right? Because…
"I'd love to," I muttered, leaning across the table, smiling coyly. Man, was I flirting blatantly! Tim smiled back and pulled a pen from his jacket, writing an address, a date, and a phone number on a napkin. He pushed the napkin to me across the table, pointing at parts of it.
"Can you meet me there about a week from now, maybe at nine? If you can't come, it's cool, just call me, okay?" Tim explained coolly. I nodded back at him, smiling, as we both got up and walked out. We stood there, just outside the club, for a minute, in complete silence. We didn't even need to speak. It was like we were connected… On some bizarre, odd level. And speech was unnecessary and below us.
Then suddenly, he sighed, and I turned to face him. He felt my gaze, and turned my way. And the next thing I knew, I'd grabbed him and kissed him. And it felt great. He was an amazing kisser and just… wonderful. Completely wonderful. My knees were weak, my heart aflutter, skin forming goose bumps. I broke the kiss, eyes closed. Tim's arms were tight around me and his lips were right next to my ear.
"Wanna go back to my place?" He whispered somewhat raggedly. His tone sent a chill up my spine, but it wasn't a bad one. Normally, if it was any other guy, I would've just punched him or something, but instead, I smiled, flattered. I don't know, I just somehow knew that generally, he was used to doing this sort of thing, and, well, I was different. I shook my head slightly, and I saw him take on a penitent look.
"I'm sorry I just-" He began, starting to apologize. I interrupted him before he could finish, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Look, Tim, it's fine. I just have class at seven tomorrow, and my roommates will freak if I'm gone all night without calling," I clarified calmly, leaning in and kissing him briefly on the lips. I was fairly certain that we were both smiling goofily. Wait; did I just become a college student?
Tim waved, starting to leave, still smiling widely. "See you later, Jules," He exclaimed. I waved back, and he turned to leave, as we went off in opposite directions. I got in my car (bought with money from my royalties, CD, and concerts) and drove off in the direction of home. If only I had thought it through.
But all I could think about on the way home was how, in all the time I'd been with Tim that night, I had not thought of Tommy once.
- Loren ;
And if you're wondering why I chose Julia, aside from the fact that it's close to Jude, it's my dad's favorite song… :)
Anyways, if you liked it, review. I'll try and update after I finish Jude's day at school, 'kay? Anyways, love ya'll, thanks for the reviews!
