AN: OMG, you guys totally rock! Seriously! I thought people would give up on reading this fanfic, but they aren't. I want to thank everyone who reads this fanfic. You're all awesome! OK, now on to the special ANs:

scott4eva, thanks for your comments. I think they're making me feel better ;o)!

tommyandjude4ever, you'll just have to read it and find out…lol!

Shannon, I honestly don't know what's going to happen. I'll just have to see what happens, just like everyone else!

MyCrAzyWorld, awww, I'm touched that you have faith in me. Thank you so much!

Chloe, hold on. There's more in the chapter after this one. Actually, I'm thinking about making it one whole Jommy chapter. Let me know if you want to read something like that.

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star or the characters. Only in my dreams is Tommy all mine, and Jude'll just have to settle for someone else :o)! LOL!

Chapter 25: Prom Night (Part 1)

I watched silently as Jude ran after Shay. What was she up to?

"Shay, wait!" Jude called out.

"Look, shorty, if this is about you and St. Tommy…" Shay began.

Just then, Darius, Georgia, and E.J. came out. Darius and Georgia looked excited, as if they were planning something. E.J. was beside herself, and it was taking all of her self-control to keep her from bouncing off the walls.

"Just the two people I want to see," Darius said in a loud voice. He had this way of making everyone pay attention, even if it was completely crowded and noisy. When Darius spoke, everyone listened.

"Hey, Uncle D. 'Sup?" Shay said, coming over to his uncle. Jude also looked curiously at him.

"I've got a great idea. Jude, you and Shay will go to your prom, and Mason, Nicole, and Eden will come along and do a few songs. Georgia and I will go as chaperones, Tommy, you and Kwest will double as chaperones and DJ's. It'll be the biggest media event of the millennium!" Darius said, daring any of us to defy him. "We'll be able to promote our CD sales, have a contest so that some lucky winners will get tickets to your shows, and everyone will want in. So, how does that sound?"

"Great idea, Uncle D," Shay said, hoping to appease Darius's endless quest for more publicity. "I'm in."

"Me too," Eden said, striding up and placing her arm around Shay, "I just love performing. I'm not so sure about Jude though. The way she dances, you'd swear she didn't want to be a part of this company."

Jude clenched her teeth, and smiled just barely. I knew it was taking every bit of Jude's resolve not to attack Eden right then and there, and I couldn't be more proud of her then I was at that very moment.

"Oh, I'm definitely in, just watch out for Eden's feet though. They're so big, you'd better watch it or you'll trip over them, since she can't move them out of the way fast enough." Jude smirked, as Eden glared at her.

"Alright, that's enough. Come on, people. I've scheduled you for a triple rehearsal, so that we'll have everything ready in time." Darius signaled for them to move out, and Shay, Eden, and Jude slowly trudged out the door. E.J. ran up to Jude and started babbling to her about her look, what she wanted to do, what kind of dress she wanted to wear. I smiled as I saw a look of horror cross Jude's face when E.J. wouldn't stop.

I went over to Kwest, who was, not surprisingly, free, and I gave him the good news.

"Oh no," Kwest moaned, as I mentioned that our talents were needed.

"What is it?" I wondered.

"I was supposed to be Sadie's date that night," Kwest explained. "She wanted me to take off so we could spend some time together. You know how she always complains that she can't get to see me during the day, because she's glued to the desk, and I'm glued in here. What am I going to do?"

"Relax, man. I've got you covered. We'll switch off, and we'll both get a chance to dance with our girls." I said confidently. I was secretly writing a song for Jude that I was going to perform there in front of her. The only problem was, I needed D's permission to let me sing a song. He was so focused on marketing the others that there was a chance that I might get passed over, and no one passes me over, not even D.

"If you say so, man," Kwest looked at me doubtfully for a minute, then shook his head

"Listen, man, if D comes by…" I said to Kwest. He knew exactly what I meant.

"Tell him you're working on something and not to disturb you, I got it." Kwest finished. He could be so helpful sometimes. It's one of the reasons he's my best friend. Because I can always count on him for anything. Kwest nodded and walked away, leaving me to finish my creative masterpiece.

It took me several days to finish it, and I used every moment of spare time that I had. When I wasn't with an artist, I was busily writing, rewriting, or putting it to different kinds of music. I was constantly searching for ways to make it better, beyond acceptable, the best it could be. I had to let Jude know how I felt about her.

Finally, prom night came. It was time to pull out all the stops, Tom Quincy style.

I took extra care to look my best. Sometimes, presentation is half the battle. And I have to admit, that night, my hair looked extra perfect. My suit didn't have a wrinkle in it, my tie was impeccably knotted, all the way down to my dress shoes, which were so polished that I could see my reflection in them. I glanced in the mirror one last time, giving myself the most critical once-over. After a few moments, I smiled, not able to find a single thing wrong.

My POV: It's now or never.

With one last look, I grabbed my keys off the table and headed toward the door. I'd be taking my Chevy ZO6 tonight. No chance of me messing up my hair in the wind.

Just as I was about to open the door to leave, the doorbell rang.

My POV: Whoever it is, they'd better have a damn good reason to be here. I'm not messing this up, not for anything.

I opened the door, and the person behind it was not who I thought it was.

"Eden?" I was surprised, but managed to hide it well after years of keeping my emotions out of the spotlight.

"Tommy, I think we have some business to discuss," Eden said, coming in without waiting for my invitation. Not that I was going to give her one anyway.

"Eden, what do you want?" I said politely, purposely keeping the annoyance out of my voice.

"That's easy. I want Shay, you want Jude. It's a win-win situation for both of us if we go together." Eden smirked, as if that was the most obvious answer in the world. "Little Miss Punk sees us together, tries to hook up with you to make me jealous, and I get Shay all to myself. Not a bad plan, if I do say so myself."

I hated to admit it, but Eden did have a point there.

Note to self: Never let Eden know how you really feel about Jude. Damn, too late.

"I don't know about this," I said weakly, although my mind was already made up.

"Just think about it, OK? And in the meantime, I'm stranded here, so you might as well take me there." Eden looked pleased with herself as I looked out the door. She was right, there were no cars in sight, except mine.

"Fine, but if this backfires, it's all on you," I warned, even though we both knew she had a backup plan to get out of it if it did.

"Sure, whatever you say, baby," Eden took my arm, and led me outside.

I drove there in silence, willing myself not to look at her or talk to her, but she never broke contact with my arm the whole way there.

Note to self: scrub my arm until it bleeds, if I have to.

When I got there with Eden, Kwest was there, and Sadie was staring daggers at him from across the dance floor.

I took the opportunity to pull away from Eden, and sat next to Kwest.

"Giving you the cold shoulder already?" I teased.

"Don't go there," Kwest said miserably. He looked sadly at Sadie, and she turned away, frowning.

"Here, you'll be needing this," I said, taking out a CD from my coat pocket. "I always keep it here if I need to play something for Jude. It's for those times when I'm sorry isn't enough." I took it out of the jewel case, and slipped it in the player. Moments later, the song I was thinking of blared out over the speakers.

It was a nice, slow song, one that would have people dancing close together, and have them making up in no time at all.

Sadie turned around, and looked at Kwest. She came over slowly, and said, "Do you want to dance?"

Kwest smiled shyly, and said, "Only with you." He held out his hand, Sadie took it, and they made their way onto the dance floor.

I pulled out the paper I had written my song for Jude on, and quickly went over it in my head. Then I pulled out another CD, this one with Jude's song on it, which I'd labeled: To be performed after Jude sings. I laid it on the soundboard, and watched Kwest and Sadie dancing. I hoped that things between Jude and me would start off just as well as it had with Kwest and Sadie.

My POV: The night is young, and there's still plenty of things that could happen. I'll just have to help the good ones along, and keep the bad ones from happening.

I spotted Eden and Shay getting up close and personal. Fortunately, Jude wasn't there yet, and I wasn't going to let her see what was going on.

I grabbed a glass of champagne at the chaperone's table, downed it easily in one long gulp, and set the glass back down on the table. Just then, I saw that Jude was just about to come in.

My POV: Here goes nothing.

AN: So, what'd you think? Let me know, OK? Please?