AN: Thanks for reviewing! I hope you're not too bored with this chapter.
Disclaimer: I also don't own any of the characters on Instant Star, but I wish I owned Tim. Tommy's got himself in trouble again with the Harrison sisters, and I wonder what will happen. I also wonder whether Jude really does get released from her recording contract, and whether Jamie becomes her producer. I heard somewhere that he becomes more involved in the music industry…so does he end up managing Jude? And I can't wait to see Jude push Tommy into the fountain. I watch it over and over on my tape, it's just too funny for words! I love that Tommy broke up with Sadie…she was being a little too selfish wanting Tommy to herself all the time, and not even letting him work when he had to. I think Sadie's the one who needs to grow up, not Jude (like Tommy said). I wish Tommy and Jude would get it on already. Does anyone know if Kat's coming back this season? OK, please excuse my rambling…Here's the latest chapter.
Chapter 35:
The next few days were hell. Jude avoided me the whole time, and was recording before I got in, and was still recording when I left. I asked Kwest how she was doing, but it was always the same response. . .just great. On the day she left, a part of me went with her.
Over the next few weeks, life was the same old routine, get up, eat/shower, go to work, go home, sleep. Georgia noticed how affected I was, and called me in.
"Tommy, you look like crap," Georgia stated the obvious.
"Yeah? Well, guess how I feel?" I shot back, hating the fact that I missed Jude like crazy.
"No one cares, Tom," Darius strode in as if he owned the place. I glanced at him and said, "Darius. What are you doing here?"
"He's here on business," Georgia interrupted, before Darius could answer. I noticed he was smirking as if he knew something I didn't. And Georgia looked tired, as if she'd been through a lot lately.
"What kind of business, exactly?" I pried.
"Now isn't the time, Tommy," Georgia said wearily, and sighed. "Look, Darius and I have to discuss something, and your new artist should be coming in soon."
"OK," I gave in, and left them to their discussion.
I headed over to Studio B, where I usually start artists off in. Then, if they're good, I move them into Studio A. If they're OK, I keep them in Studio B. But if they're absolutely horrible and have no chance of making it big, then they go to Studio C until I can persuade Georgia that she's wasting her money on them.
Minutes later, I heard a knock. I figured it was the new artist. "Come in," I said, not looking up from my notes. The door opened, and I was so immersed in listening to the audio that Georgia gave me that the person had to tap my shoulder to get my attention.
"So you're little Tommy Q." The girl who stood before me resembled Jude in almost every way, except she was dressed completely in black, black halter, black leather jacket, black mini, black shoes. She had a sneer on her face, the complete opposite of the usual smirk Jude was famous for. She had long blonde hair, and blue eyes that were so cold that they seemed to penetrate into your thoughts. I knew the type well.
"Yeah, I guess I am," I smiled cockily, and extended my hand in greeting. "And you are…?"
"Kate," the girl looked disdainfully at my outstretched hand as though it were diseased.
"So…let's hear what you got." I wasted no time in getting to work. I put in the demo tape that Georgia had given me from the competition, and waited for her to start. After a few bars, she walked over and shut it off.
"OK, first things first. We go by my rules, not yours. I sing what I want to sing, not a bunch of corporate crap that you try and make me sing. I write my own songs, not some cheesy pop song that you think would take the world by storm. Got a problem with that?" Kate paused, daring me to challenge her.
"Yeah, actually I do. Since you're the artist, and I'm the producer, I call the shots, not you. And you do what I tell you, or I can get you fired so fast it'll make your head spin. Clear?" I thought I sounded pretty threatening, but Kate merely shrugged and laughed it off.
"Sure, whatever you say," Kate was mocking me now. She bent her head closer to mine. "But just so we're clear, you don't own me. And you're sure as hell not my manager, so there's no way that you can tell me what or what not to do. I do what I want, whenever I want, wherever I want." She looked smug now, confident that she'd gotten the better of me.
"That's what you think, little girl." I didn't bother to hide my contempt, and wasn't surprised when she let out a snort of disgust. "Just sing, alright? You're wasting my time, as well as yours. If you don't want to be here, then leave."
"Fine," Kate replied smoothly. For a moment, I thought she'd stay and behave, like Jude eventually fell into the habit of doing. "I'm outta here." She picked up her bag and left without a backward glance. I was stunned. Jude would never do that. Sure she hated me, but she'd never been so cold to anyone, had she?
Minutes later, Georgia came in. "Was that Kate I saw leaving?" Georgia looked confused. "I thought I told her to work with you."
"Yeah, it was, and yeah, you did. But what you didn't know was that she 'does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, wherever she wants'." I rattled off what she'd said to me moments before.
Georgia merely raised her eyebrows, and said, "Looks we got a meaner Jude on our hands, but I know you'll get her to work. She'll be putty in your hands in no time at all." She walked over to the door as if to leave, then paused. "Just flash her one of your heart-stopping smiles, and she'll turn into one of your most devoted fans faster than Jude gets back."
"Yeah, right," I muttered under my breath. I knew I could handle Jude, but two of them? At the same time? I was in way over my head now.
AN: Poor Tommy. What's a guy to do in this situation? And what will Jude do when she gets back? Read and review to find out!