Hey everyone! Here is the next chapter. This one isn't near as sad as the last one. So I don't think you'll need any kleenex this time. Just quickly wanted to say thank you to everyone who is reviewing. It means so much to click on to my account and see all you that reviewed and I really love reading them. And thank you to everyone who is reading. This story wouldn't be as successful without you all!
Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star or the Characters. Oh and I don't own the song from the last chapter either! That was Michelle Branch's Goodbye To You...but I'm sure most of you guys probably knew that. lol
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Ada, Minnesota
Jude had woke up this morning thinking about how she was almost home. Liam had told her last night that all she had to do was wait for the trial and then she could go home. She was going to see Toronto in like 2 months! Getting dressed that morning Jude decided she was going to go for a horseback ride down to the river. She liked going down to the river. It was so peaceful there and it let her clear her mind of everything that was going on around her.
But walking out into the kitchen she saw Darius and she knew that he had other plans for Jude.
"Jude. We need to talk."
Toronto
Tommy doesn't know how long he's been at Jude's grave. After reading what was put on her headstone Tommy had sat down and was just looking at it. Which is what he was doing right now. Sitting there he felt something in his jacket pocket. Pulling out whatever was in there he realizes it's the journal. He didn't even remember putting it in there, but he must have when he was grabbing his helmet.
Opening it up to the page marked with the picture Tommy finds the lyrics to the song he had heard earlier. Flipping through the pages Tommy finds the journal is completely empty besides that one song. Thinking that the reasoning behind only the one song being in the journal had to do with the fact Jude had forgotten the journal in his office was just stupid. Tommy knew that Jude had done it as her way of letting him go. It was Judes way of moving on after he had left her. Tommy just wished he wasn't the one that had hurt her so badly.
Looking at his watch Tommy realizes he has 40 minutes to get back to G-Major and it was a 30 some minute drive to G-major from the cemetary. Walking back to his motorcycle Tommy puts the journal back in his pocket. He was going to hold on to it. Not just because of the lyrics in it, but because it was going to be a reminder to him of what he did to the one he loved most. Not that he needed another reminder. His broken heart was reminder enough.
Ada, Minnesota
"Ok Darius. Let's talk." Jude says grabbing the orange juice from the fridge and pouring it into the glass. Sitting down at the table across from him she asks "what's going on? It can't be anything to horrible."
"I just got of the phone with the prosecuting attorney on the case of your blackmailer. He said that they do have a case against this guy, but it's not a very strong one." Darius says leaning forward.
"What are you saying? That he's going to be let go! What does that mean for me? Do I have to stay in hiding!" Jude says jumping up from the table. "Darius I'm not hiding for the rest of my life!"
"Jude shut up and listen to me for once." Darius says with a deep sigh. He knew she was going to react this way, but for some reason he had hoped she would listen to the whole story before she jumped to conclusions. "They didn't say that he was going to get off. Just that their case is weak at the moment. All they have to go on is the fact the guy had the pictures from that night, the money that entered his account, and Mason can identify him as being the guy from the bar. He would go to jail for blackmail, but that's only about a year in prison. Less if he gets out on parole."
"What about my murder! He ran me off the road Darius! He left me there for dead, just because I wouldn't pay. Won't he get charged for that?" Jude asks leaning against the counter.
"The prosecuter can't charge him with your murder." Darius says knowing that Jude wasn't going to be happy with his answer.
"And why the hell not!"
"Because Jude. You aren't dead!" Darius yells back. Jude just stares at him like he has a second head. Through everything. From the time she brought Darius the pictures up until this point Darius never yelled at her. He always seemed to keep his cool with her. Understanding the pain and hurt she was going through. But now that he did and he would do anything to take it back.
Then all of a sudden Jude starts laughing and it wasn't your normal joyful laughter. No it was on the verge of crying laughter. "Darius this can't be happening. I've been hiding, playing dead, for 4 months now. I've gotten so close to being able to come out of hiding. You can't just take it all back. You can't tell me that my playing dead will be the reason this guy gets free." Jude says while falling slowly to the floor. Looking up at Darius she continues. "There has to be something I can do to make it so he will go to jail."
"Jude there is. But I don't like this option. It's not safe for you and it's going to make everything we've done, including these last four months, a waste of time." Darius says crouching down in front of Jude.
"What do you mean? Why would these last four months end up a waste of time?" Jude says looking at Darius.
"You have two options." Darius says standing up and holding out his hands to help Jude stand up also. "Option one: You never go back to Toronto. You will get a completely new identity. You could still write songs, singing would not be an option. You could never be in the spotlight again. Jude Harrison will be dead to everyone, including you." Darius says pulling Jude up off the floor.
"Darius that is not an option. I don't care what the other one is." Jude says shaking her head.
"I figured you would say that. I hate that option too. But at the same time your second choice may end up with almost the same result." Darius says sitting back down at the table.
"How is that possible Darius? What could be the same if not worse than option number one?"
"Option two: You go back to Toronto for the trial. You let everyone know you're alive and you will testify against this guy for attempt of murder and for blackmailing you. You saw this guy more than anyone and you also saw the car that pushed you off the road. You can identify him better than anyone."
"Well what's so bad about that option?" Jude asks shrugging her shoulders. "I don't mind testifing."
"Yes I know that." Darius says nodding his head. "But the bad part is when you get back you won't be safe from this guy. He'll know you're alive and will probably try harder than ever to get rid of you to save his sorry ass." Darius says looking Jude in the eye. "And if that's not bad enough. The press will get wind of the whole story. Everything from the night you got drunk and the pictures were taken up until the trial. They will nit pick everything you've done and will air your dirty laundry out for the world to see. Which is where everything we've done would end up being a waste."
"Ok. So what you're telling me is that I can either stay in hiding for the rest of my life. Which means change my name and career and never talk to anyone from my past. OR! I can go back to my life asap and have everyone find out why I was hiding in the first place. Which would probably ruin my career and that's only if this guy doesn't kill me first." Jude says looking right at Darius. "Am I getting this right D. Or am I missing something? Is there a secret option C where I, oh I don't know, jump off a cliff and end this whole fiasco!"
"That's it Jude. Those two options I gave you are about it." Darius says standing up to leave the room, but stopping in front of Jude first. "Listen I know they both are horrible options. But there is nothing I can do. I've tried everything and this is what I've come up with."
"Yeah D. I know. And thank you for trying." Jude says "How long do I have to decide?" She asks looking down at the floor.
"The prosecutor told me the hearing on bail is for a week from tomorrow. And after that about three weeks before the actual trial begins. So about a month."
"Ok I have a month to decide what to do with the rest of my life." Jude says walking out of the kitchen to go to her bedroom. She didn't feel like horseback riding anymore. "And to think I thought being asked in the second grade what I wanted to do with the rest of my life was a hard desicion."
Darius just stood there watching her walk away. Wishing that this could be anyone else but this 18 year old girl that, up until about 8 months ago, had the whole country of Canada at her feet wanting to hear more of her music. Life just wasn't fair.
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