Author's Note: Ahhhhh, what great happiness I feel right now at all of your hefty responses. You guys are just terrific. Really you are. And all of the finals and semester papers you all have due are constantly in my thoughts. Good luck. I have all my fingers and toes crossed for you guys and should English ever be something you need help with--It's my major. Smiles. I have some incredible things planned for you, and I hope that you guys enjoy. I am already attached to Lettie myself and I have a few other characters I intend to throw into the mix eventually. I am just so thrilled you guys are reading! It humbles me. Lots of love, hugs, and smiles to you. Now on to the show (laugh). Please R&R. Angel422. Yikes, I forgot the dislaimer in this story: I do not own Instant Star or most of the characters. Okay now that that's taken care of...
"You look daunted." Lettie remarked on a laugh as we pulled up to her quaint home later that afternoon. I couldn't help the feelings that swept over me as I perused the villa quietly. It looked so peaceful—the antipathy or the opposite of what my life had been like lately. I shuddered as a chilly breeze lifted up the end of my shirt.
"Mon culbuteur courageux effrage (My fearless rocker afraid)?" Tommy asked me suddenly in French. I didn't understand him so I just ignored him as I watched Sadie brush past us brazenly. She looked as out of place as I felt here. Following her into the place, I looked around curiously at the tans, greens, and rustic reds that splashed the entire space with color. Spiraling wrought iron staircases winded upwards towards what I assumed was the second floor and the third floor loft as I let Lettie take my suitcase from me.
"We'll figure out where to put everybody later. Right now I'm just interested in getting straight to work." Lettie announced as she motioned for me to follow her. I sighed with trepidation as I did as she bid. Movement alerted me to the fact that Sadie and Tommy were not far behind us as we entered a quaint little living room. Something told me neither one of them wanted to be left alone together.
"I like doing a precursory interview on my artists or subjects before jumping right into the mix." Lettie explained as she took a seat on an armchair facing me. I just shrugged in compliance before taking a seat on her couch. It's not like I had a lot of choice in the matter anyhow.
"So I'm going to get right to the point. What do you think about this, Jude?" Lettie asked as she threw a few international tabloids into my lap. I gasped as Tommy almost stumbled against the couch next to me.
"Lettie!" Tommy exclaimed as Sadie looked over my shoulder. She took in a deep, quivering breath. These must have been the tabloids Tommy's mother had looked at because right on each of the covers was a picture of Tommy brushing a strand of hair out of my face at an outdoor concert, a picture of me pouring the contents of a water bottle over his head at a party, a picture of Tommy carrying me piggy back style as I laughed hysterically at a charity event, a picture of me resting my foot on his legs at the elementary school I had visited for damage control a while back, and most devastatingly of all, a picture of me hitting the back of Tom's car as he drove off that fateful day to go to Montana. I couldn't even look up at Tom as I stared down at them. There were things you didn't share with people—places you didn't go. This was one of those moments. Shrugging, I threw the magazines on the floor at my feet as I stood up hurriedly.
"That's the tabloids for you." I stated simply as I stumbled towards the stairs toward her loft.
"Maybe we should do this tomorrow. The jet lag has suddenly caught up with me." I mumbled as I took the stairs two at a time. I heard Sadie hiss behind me.
"You have some nerve!" Sadie remarked as she followed behind me up the stairs. It wasn't Lettie's fault. I liked her. I would have been curious too if I saw my brother embroiled in those type of personal moments with someone, but I just wasn't ready to face up to that yet—those moments just haunted me, especially the one of Tommy driving off into the night.
"I'm fine Sadie." I stated vaguely as she reached out to grab me by the arm. She squeezed my hand gently as she finally managed to grab a hold of it.
"Oh, just let me be reassuring for once, Jude. I have this sudden desire to watch hours of French TV and sleep before I go into the agency in the morning." Sadie remarked softly as I laughed down at her.
"Easy for you. You speak French." I stated wryly as Sadie shrugged.
"I could always run you a hot bath, then." Sadie replied helpfully as I grinned over at her. We both had our secrets—our secret desires and envies. I couldn't hate Sadie for having been with Tommy or for possibly still wanting him when I hid feelings for him too. I just hoped that our similar desires wouldn't tear us apart because as much as we loathed each other most of the time, I truly did care about her deeply.
"That sounds like a good idea." I remarked quietly before we both disappeared around the corner for the rest of the day. I stopped only once at the edge of the hall as Sadie swept on past me to hear Lettie and Tommy speaking from down below.
"What was that, Collette?" Tommy asked almost angrily as Collette shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
"That was searching for truth." Lettie explained as Tommy sighed wearily.
"Was it?" Tommy asked as she pointed at his chest accusingly.
"Mom wouldn't be so interested in her, Tom, if you hadn't turned down that date, with a girl you've had a crush on for years nonetheless, that she set up for you in Montana based on the fact, and I quote, you were involved with someone else. So, are you?" Lettie asked as I stood at the top of the stairs stunned. My fingers were wrapped in a death grip around a doorknob just inside the hallway as I waited for an answer. It never came because Tommy just walked away.
