Chapter 52 – Stress Release
Tony: "I highly doubt you have any real friends." He said changing the subject again.
Jude: "What is that suppose to mean?" she asked.
Tony: "I'm just saying that it's hard to have friends in this business. Everyone wants something."
Jude: "Whatever." She finished and looked out the window until they pulled up into G Major's parking lot. This was going to be a long day.
Back To Tommy
Tommy had arrived in New York after a boring flight. Sadie had picked him up and dropped him off at the new studio. He took a look around the tall buildings and the masses of people walking down the streets until he finally walked through the double glass doors and headed for the information desk. Once he figured out where he had to go to find Jeff Gordon he headed for the elevator. Finally the doors slid open on floor 16. Tommy stepped outside. Everything looked so upscale. People ran in all directions some stopping to get a better look at him others just passing by as though they had no idea who he was.
Jeff: "My man, Tom Quincy." He heard someone say from behind him. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, Tommy turned around.
Tommy: "Jeff Gordon." He smiled and shook the man's hand.
Jeff: "How was your flight?"
Tommy: "Alright I guess."
Jeff: "Glad to hear that. Glad to have you here. Want to see where you'll be working?"
Tommy: "Sure." He said and followed Jeff up a stair case. Once they reached the top Tommy was stunned. The walls were plastered with album covers of the biggest artists. Jeff saw Tommy checking them out.
Jeff: "Soon enough, that'll be you hanging up there." He said unlocking a door. Tommy smiled at the prospect of his solo career.
Tommy: "I'm a long way from the music hall of fame." He said following Jeff inside. It was amazing; all the upscale equipment. It looked like it hadn't been used at all.
Jeff: "This is all yours. Use it whenever you feel like it." He said and handed Tommy the key. "I have to take care of some business but feel free to roam around." He said and headed out. Tommy ran his fingers over the soundboard. He looked at the sound booth. It was amazing. There was at least ten mics in there, comfortable chairs instead of the stools he was used to sitting on at G Major. Looking around he thought of Jude and how it would be working with here in this studio. He smiled to himself and remembered that he had promised her he'd call.
Back To Jude
Jude and Tony were getting out of the car and headed for the doors of G Major. Jude walked in front of him trying to ignore him.
Tony: "Why are you walking like that?" she heard his annoying voice and turned around.
Jude: "Walking like what?" she asked rolling her eyes.
Tony: "Like you had a rough night. Wouldn't involve a certain ex-producer of yours, now would it?" he smirked and passed by her when she stopped in her tracks.
Jude: "Tommy and I are none of your business." She screamed after him. He laughed out loud and Jude ran after him. Tommy was obviously a sore subject with her.
Tony: "No, I guess you're right."
Jude: "You can't believe everything you read; I thought you of all people would understand that." She said pissed off, her eyes glaring at him. He smiled to himself watching her observe her own steps. She was a feisty one. He walked behind her when her phone rang. He watched her reach into her pocket and answer it with her eyes still on him.
Jude: "Hello?" she said roughly.
Tommy: "Hey girl." He said. Jude's heart stopped and than it melted. All the annoyance she was feeling just flew out the window.
Jude: "Tommy?" she asked a little surprised. Tony's ears perked up a little. He wanted to hear this. Jude stopped walking and so did he.
Tommy: "Yeah, it's me. What are you doing?" he asked. How lame? What else could he say?
Jude: "Just got to G Major, you?" she asked when she saw Tony was listening in to her conversation. "Do you mind? I'd like some privacy." She asked annoyed again.
Tony: "Don't take too long." He said and headed inside.
Tommy: "Who was that?"
Jude: "Ugh my new jackass of a producer."
Tommy: "Oh oh, doesn't sound like you like him too much."
Jude: "Like him? He's opinioned, cocky, arrogant, nosy, and a smart-ass with an ego the size of Europe." She fumed.
Tommy: "All that and you just met the guy. I remember you saying the same thing about my ego not so long ago."
Jude: "No, I said you're ego was the size of Texas. Tony's is Ughhhhhhhh. I just wanna throw something at him." She screamed after Tony even though she knew he was long gone. "You know he had the nerve to pick me up from school and not sing one single autograph?" she asked into the phone.
Tommy: "He picked you up from school?"
Jude: "Yeah, and I hadn't even met the guy. Sorry, how's New York?" she asked finally calming down a little.
Tommy: "It's hectic but you should see the studio they have me working in. It's amazing." He gushed.
Jude: "That's awesome. So you like it there?"
Tommy: "So far so good. I miss you, girl." He added hoping for a reaction. Jude clutched to her phone tighter.
Jude: "I miss you too." Just when the words left her mouth Tony poked his head through the doors of G Major again.
Tony: "JUDE, WE HAVE TO GET TO WORK. GET OFF THE PHONE." He yelled to her. Jude rolled her eyes. Tommy was laughing.
Tommy: "Stop rolling your eyes."
Jude: "How did you know what I was doing?" she asked ignoring Tony.
Tommy: "I know you girl. But maybe you should get to work. He is said to be one of the best. Just give it a try, Jude."
Jude: "I don't have another choice. Bye Quincy."
Tommy: "Bye Harrison." He said and Jude hung up the phone.
A little over three week had passed since Tommy had left. He had gotten himself settled in his new two-bedroom apartment in the big apple and thrown himself into work full force. Since Sadie was really the only one he knew in New York he had been spending most of his free time with her. They had gone out to eat, sight seeing and he even went to her dorm but decided to put that off for a while when he was almost trampled to death by all the girls. Tommy and a girl's dorm do not go well together. Tommy noticed a change in Sadie. She was more mature, not as ditsy as she used to be. He could carry on a full conversation with her and she wouldn't mention shopping or the mall once. He would also call Jude every now and than to see how she was but other than that it was all work. He spent most of his time in the studio writing things he never even thought he dreamed of. He tried to push Jude out of his thoughts by working but it was useless. No matter what, the girl was always on his mind.
Jude was getting accustomed to the idea of having Tony around for a while. They argued all the time, never saw eye to eye but Jude had to give it to him, he knew his music and he knew her style. She liked the things they came up with together even though he was a complete ass. He was always off flirting with the interns when he should have been working with her. If it wasn't for her music, she would have hit him with a frying pan over his head a million times by now.
Jude strolled in through the doors of G Major with her back bag on her back. Another day of school was behind her and now it was time for her musical genius. She said hi to Georgia on her way to the studio, where she expected Tony to be waiting for her. Without even thinking about it Jude flung the door open like every other day and froze in embarrassment. There was Tony, shirtless on top of the newest intern on the couch. Jude's hands flung over her eyes as Tony jumped off the young woman who was buttoning her shirt back up.
Tony: "Jude, don't you knock?" he asked fidgeting with his shirt.
Jude: "Ask? Last time I checked this was my studio not your hotel room." She yelled, waving her hand in the air and now looking at him.
Tony: "I didn't think you'd be here for at least another 20 minutes."
Jude: "Well I am here and now I'm scared for life." She said now looking at the woman. She was in her early 20s with long blonde hair and creamy, long legs. Kwest had told her that her name was Tania and she was new. Tania was straightening her hair out and smiling uncomfortably at Jude.
Tony: "Well if you had listened to me when I asked to get home-schooled here at the studio, I wouldn't have had to wait for you every day."
Jude: "Oh excuse me that my life doesn't revolve around your schedule." She yelled back at him and than looked at the woman. "Don't you have somewhere else to be? Work to do?" she asked the woman rudely.
Tania: "Yes, on my way." She said and than turned around to Tony "Maybe we can get together after work." She whispered just loud enough for Jude to hear.
Jude: "I don't think so. It'll be a late night at the studio for lover boy here." She said her eyes piecing holes through the intern. Tania just walked out ignoring Jude.
Tony: "Ok now that you've completely blown my chance with Tasha tonight and kept me from my stress release you better have something good to work on." He said running his hands through his dark hair.
Jude: "It's not Tasha its Tania. She's Russian. Wait, stress release? I'll give you stress release." She said giving him the I-want-to-kill-you-right-now look before grabbing a pen she found on the table and violently throwing it at him. The pen hit Tony right in his forehead before falling to the floor. She just stood there looking at her in shock. No one had ever thrown anything at him. Then he broke out into fits of laughter. Jude just stared at him.
Tony: "You are some sort of undefined crazy." He said and took a seat on a chair. "Ok, so sit down and show me what you have." He said. Jude looked at the couch.
Jude: "No thank you, I think I'll stand." She said looking at the couch. Tony caught this and began to laugh again. Jude looked at him all puzzled.
Tony: "You're impossible sometimes, you know that? Nothing happened; you walked in way before I got even close." He said still laughing.
Jude: "Ew, I don't wanna know." She said shaking herself as though getting rid of the imagines in her head.
Jude spent the rest of the day with Tony and Kwest. She had come up with a new song for her album. Around 11 pm all three were spread out on the getting-busy couch, that Jude called it now.
Kwest: "Another hit, Jude." He said putting his feet up on the table.
Tony: "I'd like to say I had something to do with it." He added putting his hands behind his head and leaning into the couch.
Jude: "Cocky much?"
Tony: "Not even a little. And if I was, I have every right to be."
Jude: "Oh please, I've never met anyone who's more egoistic than you. All the fame has finally hit you over the head."
Tony: "Me? What about you? Miss I'm-too-good to get home schooled but my songs have to be absolutely perfect."
Jude: "I thought you were the perfectionist in this relationship."
Tony: "Oh is that what this is; a relationship. And here I thought you hated me." He smirked looking her way. Jude was begging to blush a little.
Jude: "I do……..hate you mean. Ugh you're impossible. I thought you only worked with the best and only the best get released. That's what I wanted to say."
Tony: "I do."
Jude: "So I take it you think I'm one of the best." She said smirking this time.
Tony: "I never said that. I'm working hard to get you there though." He said smiling.
Jude: "You're working hard? So my talent has nothing to do with this. It's all about you."
Tony: "Well of course not. You play a small role. God knows I can't hit those shrill pitches you give me sometimes." He said.
Jude: "Shrill pitches?" she asked beginning to fume. Kwest just sat back and watched them. He couldn't help but break out in laughter. Jude and Tony both stopped arguing and turned to Kwest.
Kwest: "You two are too much for me. I'm going home. Jude, you need a ride?" he said getting up.
Tony: "I can take her. I'm heading that way anyways." He said. Kwest nodded and left.
Jude: "Why are you heading my way?"
Tony: "I have a date." He said brushing off his shoulders.
Jude: "With the walking STD, Barbie doll?" she asked.
Tony: "Maybe? What do you have against pretty-looking girls?"
Jude: "Not much. It just bothers me that they're spreading their diseases when they should be working."
Tony: "Yeah, I'm sure that's all." He said and got up.
Back To Tommy
Tommy and Sadie sat in the lobby of Sadie's dorm. It was late and no one was there. The lights were off and only the bright city lights provided vision through the big windows.
Tommy: "So you really like it here?"
Sadie nodded: "Yeah. I started fresh. No one knew me. It's like I'm a completely different person here."
Tommy: "What was wrong with the old Sadie?" he asked. He could see her shoulders go up. She shrugged.
Sadie: "She was broken." She just said and than went on "First my dad's affair, my mom always being away, Jude was always too busy with her music and school, and than the break-up with you. I caved." She added her voice low.
Tommy: "Sadie, I never meant to hurt you."
Sadie smiled: "I know but I'm glad you did. It opened my eyes to a whole new world. A whole new person I could be." She said.
Tommy: "I like this Sadie."
Sadie: "I like her too." She said and smiled at him. Before she knew it her hand was on his cheek tracing the delicate lines of his faces. She could barely see him in the dark but she knew her way around Tommy. She knew every cheekbone, every wrinkle on his face. She saw Tommy closing his eyes at her touch and slowly, she leaned in. Before either knew it, Sadie's lips brushed against Tommy's.
Hey Guys, Don't KILL ME.
Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter. These next few chapters (including this one) are just kind of transition chapters until we get to the juicy part. Stick with me.
Hope this last chapter wasn't too boring.
Oh and before I forget. Started a new ff called "Stay With Me" I'd love it if you all checked it out. It's posted on here. Let me know what you all think. Not sure how far I'll take it but the idea wouldn't die.
Minela
