I agree, this story is dragging on way to long. I can't believe it's almost been a year since I posted it, and it's still not done. That was never my intention. But I have set a goal, I will write the ending before that year is up, and get the whole thing posted. So keep the ideas coming, and I'll go back and rewatch the show. In case you couldn't tell I was trying to follow along with the show.
"Jude!" Kat bellowed as she rushed through the door, the music on the other side was loud enough that she wouldn't be heard by the audience.
"Sorry, I'm so sorry." Jude said, quickly pulling her shirt over her head. This wasn't the first time she had modeled for Kat, and it wasn't the first time she had stripped down in front of the people around them. Two years ago she would have been to embarrassed and modest to do such a thing, but after the first few times of being in one of Kat's shows, it didn't seem to faze her anymore, that and she lived with three guys. She tossed her shirt into a chair, as she headed back towards the makeshift changing room, kicking her shoes off on the way.
Kat and Molly were hot on her tail, Kat with the dress and Molly with a brush.
"You're so lucky I love you." Kat laughed, as her friend finished taking her clothes off. She was quick to help her into a different bra, and then the dress. Kat had used Jude for her perfectly simple figure, it had been what had inspired her whole line, something for the real women.
"Why is your hair always so difficult?" Molly sighed, trying to run a comb through it.
"Maybe because it's mine?" Jude laughed. She had heard all the jokes there could be about her hair, it was something she was use to. It was to thin, to limp, to short, to long, to blond, to shiny, it never did what they wanted it to do, but she didn't mind.
"Leave it simple, I want it focus on the dress, not her head." Kat sighed, pushing the curtain back. "Why were you late?" she asked, messing with a tie on the side of Jude's dress.
"That would be my fault." A male voice said, making everyone look up. Tommy Quincy stood just outside the makeshift dressing room with a smug smile on his face, and Jude's bag in his hand. "You forgot this."
"Sorry." Jude said rushing forward to take it from him. She wanted to slap him for following her in there; this was the type of attention she wanted to avoid. Everyone back stage should have been working, running around sending the next person out, doing touch ups. She had seen enough of these to know how it worked, the school fashion shows were always crazy. But now, everyone was looking at them, their eyes following the two.
"You-he-hi." Kat pointed at the man, then her friend, shaking her head.
"Thank you." Jude said, taking a hand full of material, to keep from stepping on the dress, in one hand, and Tommy's arm in another. She guided him back away from everyone, towards the exit and didn't stop until she heard someone say get back to work. "I said you couldn't come, remember?"
"I thought you would need your bag." Tommy told her innocently. He had dropped her off and then found a parking spot, wanting to see her model. He had followed her backstage, and had been shocked to watch her start stripping down as she came in. Even though all he saw was her shoulder blades, it made him want to see more of her creamy white skin.
"And coming back here, that's the way to return it." Jude rolled her eyes. She could see Molly waiting behind them, needing to fix her hair and makeup. "Well you've returned it, you can go now." She couldn't help but laugh.
Tommy gave her a soft smile before looking her up and down. He leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "You look stunning in that dress, but I think you looked better when you were taking your shirt off."
Jude could feel her breath catch in her throat, but she reacted quickly and pushed him back, rolling her eyes as he laughed. "Don't make me tell your girlfriend you're stalking me." She told him before turning around.
Tommy flinched at her usage of the word, but could say nothing because she was being pulled into a chair, with people surrounding her the second she sat down.
"That was Little Tommy Q!" Molly said in awe, staring at Jude in the mirror.
"Yeah, he's producing my album." She sighed, and tried to smile when Kat joined them. "I'm so sorry."
"For what?" Kat asked. "You realize that you're going to be the most sought after person on campus now! I mean seriously, Little Tommy Q just showed up for you."
"I didn't want him to take the spot light away from your clothes." Jude told her. Her Jude's mind Tommy showing up was nothing but bad news.
"Oh honey, he just put the spot light right on me!" Kat said hugging her friend from behind. "Everyone is talking about him, and he was only here for 30 seconds. I am going to be the most talked about one tonight because of that. Thank you so much! You can be late anytime you want."
Jude laughed as she friend hugged her.
"But if you fall, I'll kill you." Kat said turning more serious again. "Now get her ready, she goes on in ten minutes. Your other clothes are in the dressing room with my name, after you walk, go right there."
"Got it boss lady!" Jude said giving her friend a salute. She was glad that something good had come out of Tommy showing up, because she wasn't sure what to make his comment. It was so easy for them to blur the lines between them, to go from joking, to flirting, or fighting to holding back the urge to kiss him. It was hard to remember where they stood with each other, but easy when Karma was in the picture.
ISISISISIS
Tommy stood in the back, and watched as the show started. He knew that he should have left, he had plans to meet Karma that night for dinner, but he wanted to see Jude model, to see how she would walk in a dress and heels, something he had never seen her in in the weeks he had known her. She didn't come across as a girly girl, but seeing her in the dress backstage, it was hard to think that she would wear anything else.
And seeing her the three times she walked down, full of confidence made him more aware of the fact that she was a woman. The last dress she came out in was stunning on her, almost like it was made for her. The silver color seemed to make her glow, and it was cut low enough to make Tommy react to seeing her, but the reaction was enough to remind him that he shouldn't be there.
"Kwest." Tommy sighed into his phone as he left the college campus. "You want to meet up for drinks?"
"I thought you had that dinner with Karma tonight." Kwest laughed. Tommy had been back a mere six weeks before Karma has snaked her way onto his arm.
"Yeah, not really up for a full blown dinner with her right now." Tommy sighed. He was still mad at her about the whole Jude album thing, and they hadn't really spoken much since then. Tonight was suppose to be the night they talked, worked things out or broke them off.
"Yeah man, I hear you." Kwest knew the way his best friend worked, and he had seen this coming long before he did. "Let's meet up, I'm still at the studio."
"Yeah I need to come by and close some things up there. I'll see you in ten." Tommy told him.
"Wait man, when did you even leave?" Kwest asked. The last time he had seen Tommy her and Jude were locked in the studio together going over what he guess were songs.
"About an hour ago, Jude needed a ride." Tommy sighed.
"Of course she did." Kwest laughed.
"What's that mean?" Tommy asked.
"It means I can't even score shot gun in your ride, and here you are, running her around."
"She was late because of me, I couldn't just let her take the bus." Tommy defended his actions.
"Right. See you when you get here man."
Once in his car, he made another phone call, one that he knew would put him in the mood to drink.
"Tommy, where are you, you're late!" Karma didn't bother with hellos, that was past them.
"I'm also not coming." Tommy told her. "Something came up, I was busy."
"But you said we'd talk." Karma whined. "You can't keep putting this off, we need to figure this out."
"I don't want to talk Karma, what you did was wrong, and using Jude like that, it's not cool. You can't cross the lines between work and our relationship, and you don't seem to get that, ever. I just don't see how things can keep going this way, they aren't working."
"Are you seriously breaking up with me over the phone?" Karma asked. "God, how is this going to look in the front page next week."
"It's no one's business how we end things." Tommy sighed. Being in the public was all that Karma cared about, and being with someone was all Tommy had wanted from her. "Spin the story whatever way you want, but we're done." As he said the worlds he couldn't' help but smile, Jude wouldn't be able to tell him he had a girlfriend anymore.
"You don't get to do this!" Karma yelled, her voice filling his car. "I get to break up with you, I get to leave your sorry ass!"
"Bye." Tommy rolled his eyes one last time before hitting the end button on his steering wheel. That was one else drama filled nightmare he wouldn't want to deal with now.
