Thank you all sooooososo much for the reviews. I'd go through individually, but I'm short on time. I'm already writing up the next chapter. Yeah, my priorities are soo in order. I'm supposed to be studying for finals!

Chapter Three: The Rule

Tommy walked lazily into his apartment, kicking off his shoes before making his way into the living room. As he walked down the hallway though, he noticed the lights already on. Thinking nothing of it, he strolled in, surprised to see Kwest sitting on his couch, eating and watching TV.

"Where you been man?" he asked, nonchalantly.

"What do you mean, where have I been? What are you doing here!" Tommy asked, throwing his keys on the end table and staring at him incredulously.

"I saw you leave with Jude last night, I figured you were just taking her home. We were supposed to go out, remember? I thought you were coming back. You didn't. So I stopped by, figured we could catch breakfast or lunch. You've been gone for like hours, dude."

"Sorry, man. I forgot. I took Jude to dinner. How'd you get in here?"

"I got the spare from your landlord when we thought you were done for. Forgot to give it back. It's on the dining room table though, if you want it."

"Yeah, I think I'll be keeping that…" he said, glancing over. Sure enough, his spare key lay there.

"Kwest, I had meetings all morning. If I wasn't home, why did you wait so long?"

"We gotta talk man," he said, finally tearing his gaze away from what appeared to be a rip-off version of Baywatch. Damn, he needs to get a life.

Kat plopped herself down next to Jude at lunch.

"Hey, why the somber mood? I know we're in school, but it's only the first week…" she said cheerfully. "Is the food that bad?" she joked, watching Jude as she rearranged the food on her plate instead of eating it.

"What?" Jude asked, apparently having missed the entire conversation.

"You're not eating. Is something the matter? I mean, besides the whole school thing?"

"Oh no. Nothing. Just tired, I guess," she said, snapping out of her daydream. To be honest, she was in quite the opposite mood. She couldn't get Tommy and their date out of her head. Maybe I should just tell her.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both realizing the awkwardness.

"It's Tommy."

"Jude, I should tell you something."

They said simultaneously turning towards each other.

"I just wanna make sure you know what you're doing man," Kwest started in all seriousness.

"Kwest, I do. Look, you don't know what it was like there-"

"You're right, I don't. But that doesn't change the fact that she's sixteen, right?"

"Kwest, it doesn't matter to me, don't you get it?"

"I do, man! You of all people should know that I do. Look, she's a great girl, I can tell that from only knowing her for a day. But what about 'the rule'! You can't just throw everything away because of something that happened when you weren't even in your right state of mind. "

"What rule! Kwest, she's almost 3 years passed the age of consent, in Canada anyway. I don't give a shit about the rules."

"She might be man, but that wasn't what I was talking about. Come on, you remember. Half your age plus seven, isn't that the limit? There's like an unwritten code- you said it, not me."

"Kwest, I'm sorry, okay."

"No Tom, don't be. It's not even about that anymore. All I'm sayin' is I know how you are. I don't know what went on exactly while you two were away, but are you sure this is for real? Cause this could cause a lot of shit- and you know it- especially if it's just another one of your flings."

"Look, I understand where you're coming from, especially after what you went through with Sarah. But I swear I know what I'm doing."

"And I didn't?"

"I thought this wasn't about her?"

"It's not. It's about both your jobs and G Major's rep. It's about my best friend, who came back a totally different person. We all noticed it, Tom."

"And is it such a bad thing?"

"No, that's the worst part, man."

"We're a couple," Jude admitted, biting her lip as she waited for her friend's reaction.

"WHAT! You and 'Little Tommy Q'! You're kidding!"

"Shhh! Jeez, tell the rest of the school, would you?"

"You're not kidding!"

"No, I'm not," she answered, smiling.

"The whole time, or just when you got back? What really happened there!"

"Calm down, calm down. It's only been official since last night."

"Last night! I thought you were recording last night? Or is that just what you're calling it these days!"

"Kat! Noo! We went to dinner. He's been kind of off since we got home, totally weird. Like a completely different person, you know? I've been waiting for him to make a move, say something- anything really. And he just wasn't. So I wrote a song, he kissed me, took me out to dinner, and we talked. About everything. And he wants it to be exclusive."

"I can't believe it!"

"Neither could I, now that I think about it," she laughed, wondering what he was doing right then. Probably working.

"How old is he anyway? Aren't there rules against this sort of thing?"

"I'm not sleeping with him, Kat!"

"Yet!"

She rolled her eyes, " It's a little soon, don't you think? He knows he was my first kiss."

"Yeah, but guys like that, they move fast."

"He's almost 24," she answered, ignoring the fast comment.

"Twenty-four! Damn! There's no way you make the cut!"

"What cut?"

"Half your age plus seven. That's the minimum age. So once he's 24, it's half of that- 12- plus 7… which means he shouldn't be dating anyone younger than 19. You'll still have two years, and that's once both your birthdays pass."

"Who the hell made that rule!"

"I don't know, everyone knows it."

"I didn't…" she exclaimed. "You don't think he follows that?"

"Obviously not. Besides, it doesn't matter. You two have a bond now. You know, the whole survivors thing."

"Yeah, I guess so," she said, but she suddenly wasn't so sure. Maybe age does matter?

"So, when do I get to meet him!"

"You will…eventually. I just can't tell Jamie yet," she explained, a frown immediately taking over. "He's gonna totally flip. You'll keep this a secret, right?"

Kat squirmed in her seat. " Yeah, definitely. I can't imagine the two of them having a thing in common… they'll probably hate each other. Jamie ranted the entire way home yesterday about how horrible the guy is- 'a total disgrace to music', if I remember correctly."

Jude sighed, "Great…"

"Anyway, what was it you were gonna say?" Jude said, cheering up slightly. She missed gossiping with Kat.

"Oh, nothing. It wasn't important at all. Tell me more about what happened while you were gone…"

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