Chapter 17

2 Months later

The last two months had been insane. Jude's record sales had been plummeting and when she wasn't at school, she was at the studio, when she wasn't at the studio, she was performing at malls and clubs, and when she wasn't doing that, she was sleeping.

Jude was currently at Patsy's first showcase by command of Darius and was currently bored out of her mind. The new instant star winner wouldn't perform for another few acts and she was just standing around doing nothing. Jude got up from her table and glanced into the audience to see Jamie waving at her. Jude grinned and ran over to her best friend turned boyfriend and enveloped him in a hug. Jamie pulled back from the hug and gave Jude a long kiss and pulled away.

"Hey," He said, smiling at her, and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Hey Jamie." Jude greeted, kissing him again, slightly disappointed in the lack of…passion in Jamie's kiss. Once they separated, Jamie looked slightly nervous at her.

"What's up?" She asked, concerned what was bothering him.

"It's just…ok, I know you're busy and all, but we haven't been out on one date since we got together." Jamie pointed out, studying her reaction.

"I know…it's just…"

"You're busy." Jamie said, sounding slightly annoyed. Jude sighed.

"Look, I don't have anything this weekend…except for a small gig later Saturday night, so I'm all yours to plan a weekend around, ok?" Jude said, smiling at him. Jamie looked happy.

"OK, I guess I can come up with something…" Jude grinned and punched him playfully. They kissed once more and Jude pulled away. "OMG, I gatta go!" She said, remembering she promised Patsy she would help her work on her songs before she went on stage. Jude backed away from Jamie, and shouted as she moved through the crowd "I'll call ya later!"

Jamie sighed and looked sadly as his girlfriend moved through the crowd away from him. He put his hands in his pockets and stood alone as people moved about the packed theatre.

Jude ran behind the stage and glanced around anxiously to find Patsy. She was excited at the idea of helping someone out with the rise to fame and was anxious to hear about how her songs were improving. As she made it to the dressing room, Jude paused when she heard voices.

"You're going to do great, don't worry," A familiar voice said, sounding almost tired.

"I don't know…I mean, I'm not like Jude. What if they don't like my songs?"

"Look, Patsy, if you like your songs, it shouldn't matter what the crowd thinks. Your job is to go out there and tell them your song is the jam." Tommy said, sighing. There was silence as Patsy was considering his words. Jude frowned, recognizing the similar speech. True, his words to Patsy weren't as nice as they were for her, but she still couldn't help but feel a stab of jealously.

"Hey, Patsy, sorry I'm" Jude said, turning into the room and paused as she saw her producer and Patsy. They were sitting close, not too close that Jude could accuse Tommy for cheating on her sister, but close enough for suspicion. Tommy glanced awkwardly away from Jude's eyes and moved away from Patsy. Patsy looked very disappointed in his move but didn't say anything.

"Hi Jude." She said, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Hey, sorry, I forgot we were going to go over your song"

"It's fine. Tommy and I went over it." She said, smiling at Tommy who just shrugged in response.

"Oh, ok." Jude said, feeling slightly left out. The trio stood in awkwardness for a moment and then someone came by to tell Patsy she was needed on the stage. Patsy smiled nervously at Tommy and Jude and left the room.

"Jude"

"Save it Tommy." Jude said, following Patsy out of the room, but an arm stopped her exit.

"Nothing happened between me and Patsy." He said, his eyes looking urgently into hers.

"If you're worried I'm going to tell Sadie, don't worry. I'll keep your secret…for now." She said and pulled her arm roughly out if his and left the room to go and watch Patsy perform for the first time.

Out on the stage, Patsy took a moment to calm her nerves and played a soft melody. Her voice was low and sultry, seductive even as she sang her lyrics. Her voice was like a whisper in the back of your mind, daring you to do the deed. Her chords were hypnotizing and perfect. Jude was in awe. Even after being in the business for a year, she never sounded like Patsy did in that moment.

Almost as soon as it began, it was over and Patsy drew out the last note and leaned back away from the mic, smiling widely at the crowd. They cheered loudly for her and Jude glanced over at Tommy to see his reaction. She had to admit, Patsy's song didn't lack personal-ness that 24 hours originally did, but she didn't expect to see him grinning and looking so…pleased.

Once Patsy was released from backstage, she found Jude and Tommy and looked at them apprehensively. "It was great." They both said, simultaneously. Jude and Tommy both stared at each other for a moment, Tommy, as if just now noticing that Jude was in the room, and Jude in amazement that he didn't see anything wrong with the song. Jude glanced over at Patsy to see her grinning happily.

"Thanks, it means a lot coming from you two." Patsy said, but Jude didn't fail to notice how her eyes hardly left Tommy's.

"You don't think the verses are too…"

"We can work more on the lyrics later, but that was a great performance." Patsy beamed at them and Jude excused herself, suddenly feeling ill to her stomach.

Later that Night

Jude had just walked in the door and noticed an extra someone sitting on the couch…no make that two. Jude gaped at her mom, dad, and Yvette sitting on the couch.

"Jude, honey, we were just talking about you." Victoria greeted and motioned for Jude to sit down.

"Jude, honey" Jude didn't look at her father. She couldn't look at the man who broke apart her home when his mistress was sitting next to him.

"Jude, we've been talking about your career." Victoria finished. Jude glanced up and studied her mom and father's faces. Her mother looked concerned, her father annoyed, and Yvette's face was sympathetic.

"Your mother believes you need to leave G Major; Jude, honey, you're grades are slipping, you're always out all hours…"

"No!" Jude snapped, leaping from her seat. She stared at the two people who she came to depend on. "You can't control my career." She hissed.

"Jude, no one's trying to"

"And you! What right to do you have to tell me what to do!" Jude yelled at her father. "Jude, I'm still your father."

"No, you gave that right up when you fell on the couch with Yvette." Jude hissed. Her father looked wounded but didn't say anything.

"Jude Harrison! You apologize to your father this instant!" Victoria yelled at her daughter, amazed at the disrespect she showed towards her father. Jude glared at her mother and said nothing.

"Jude, you apologize or" Jude flung her hands up in the air.

"I can't be sorry for telling the truth! Mom, don't take this away from me!" Jude pleaded. Her mother's face was still stern and unrelenting. Jude was afraid to face her fathers. She shook her head and pushed her mother out of the way and ran for the door.

"JUDE!" She heard voices yell but she didn't care, she ran from the house, from her once salvation and didn't look back.