A/– Don't own neither the characters nor the song used in this chapter. A little bit of cursing in this chapter. Sorry if that offends you. :-(
Tom Quincy sat with his head in his hands as the voice of a seventeen year old girl flowed into the recording booth he was in.
"With anyone but you..."
His fellow producer Kwest looked over at him. "What's going on with her today man? She definitely does not have her A-game on."
Tommy gave a silent huff before hitting the button in front of him that would allow his voice to reach his artist's ears. "Jude, can I talk to you outside for a minute?"
She nodded, quickly removing her headphones. Both made their way towards the exit. Jude stepped out in front of him, hands stuffed into her back pockets. "Yea?"
"You're here physically, but mentally?" He just shook his head.
"I got a lot of things running through my head alright Tommy?" She snapped at him, her blue eyes piercing into him.
He sighed slightly, leaning back against the door to the studio. "Look, I know things are complicated right now, for all of us but-"
"Complicated Tommy! Well, if that isn't the understatement of the year!" Jude exclaimed, a sarcastic snicker placed behind her words.
Tommy could feel his patience wearing thin as he allowed Jude to say her piece. He stared straight ahead of him shaking his head slightly, avoiding her eyes at all cost. "I don't know what you want from me" he quietly admitted.
"What I want from you Tommy! You know all too well what I want from you! I want you to stop ruining my life! I was happy with Spiederman! Now he won't even speak to me because of you! And Sadie! I never thought I could be so hated by my own flesh and blood. As if there weren't enough harsh feelings between my mother and father, now my whole family has negative feelings towards me as well. Why couldn't you leave well enough alone Tommy!"
"What happened last night-"
"What Tommy? It didn't happen? You've used that one before. Only this time, it won't work! Too many people got involved this time Tommy! My feelings aren't the only one's on the line this time Tommy!"
Something inside him snapped. "Would you quit yelling at me! Do you think this is easy for me! I know I fucked up! I know I can't make things right! Sadie hates me, and you-"
"I'm surprised you give a flying fuck about what I feel about you."
"That's not fair. Do you think I'd be willing to fuck everything up if I had no feelings for you Jude! I love you alright! But I don't know how to deal with that. I haven't known since the moment you walked into my life! You confuse the shit out of me!"
"I confuse you! I'm not the one playing this game of emotional tug of war. I don't say 'I love you' only to rebuke the statement a day or two later. You don't love me Tommy, so just stop pretending!"
"Who are you to tell me about what I feel or don't feel Jude!"
"I'm the girl who has had her heart broken by you one time too many. If you truly loved me, you would have either been with me, or you would have let go of me so I could find happiness without you! You wouldn't kiss me the moment you thought I was slipping too far out of your grasp. You saw that Spiederman and I were building something special, and you couldn't let that happen, could you Tommy! No, you had to make sure that you kissed me in order to ensure that I was still dedicated to you, that I still worshiped you! Well, guess what Tommy? It doesn't work that way, not anymore. Every time you do stupid shit like this, you cause me more pain and that little piece of me that loves you dwindles down even more."
He looked up at her. This had caught his attention. "Jude, you don't mean that."
"Yea Tommy, I do. Either you want to be with me, or we're friends Tommy. But this time the decision you make is permanent. Because I can't deal with the head game anymore Tommy. And next time you cross the line, you'll lose me altogether. So you decide Tommy. What's it going to be?"
Tommy just looked down quietly, resolving not to say a word.
Jude sighed. "Tell Darius I was feeling a little under the weather." With that, she was gone.
Tommy turned back to head into the studio. Immediately he was met with Kwest's disapproving look. "Again Quincy?"
"Shut up Kwest. You don't know so, just, don't comment, okay?"
"All I know is that you got some major shit going on in your head. And you really need to resolve all of these issues because they're digging you into a hole that's getting bigger and bigger by the second. Pretty soon, they'll be no chance in hell that you'll be able to climb your way out of it."
Kwest patted him on the shoulder before exiting the studio. Tommy collapsed into his swivel chair and threw his head back. You really are fucking up past the point of no return Quincy.
Just then a knock came on the studio door. "What!" Tommy growled on the unsuspecting perpetrator. In walked Jaime, not exactly a person Tommy wanted to be bothered with right now. "What do you want Andrews?"
"You're a chipper fella ain't ya?" Jaime mocked, knowing how to push every button in Tommy's system.
Tommy shot him a look to know that this wasn't the right time to be messing with him. "I'm giving you five minutes Andrews."
"I need less than that. Just letting you know that you and Liam have an appointment to meet with this new talent I convinced to come in. Today. 3:30. Her names Isabella Rosenelli. Meeting Room # 3."
Tommy pinched the area between his eyes. "No way Andrews. Reschedule. There is no way I'm in the mood to meet with anyone today."
"Too bad because Liam already agreed. And, even though you two are both so-called 'vice presidents,' the way I see it, Liam has a little bit more pull around here than you do."
Tommy looked at him menacingly. "Whatever. Just get out Andrews."
Knowing that Tommy could very well reach his breaking point at any second now, Jaime exited quickly, knowing that his goal had been reached and that Tommy would, indeed, be present in Meeting Room # 3 come 3:30 that afternoon.
Tommy let out a long breath. Fucking twerp.