So I don't own Instant Star or anything affiliated with it, blah blah blah.

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After school was out Jude ran home, but not after calling Kat and having her come over to help put an outfit together. Sure, she was into punk rock, but tonight she wanted to be a little more girly, this was a date, right? After two hours, a major makeup job, hair curling, and extremely cute outfit had been put together, Jude thought she looked ready. She wore a Kat design, a dark green corset halter with black pants, and a black blazer to go on top.

"Kat, I actually really like this. This is awesome."

"What's awesome is Tommy Q asking you out!"

"KAT KEEP IT DOWN! If Sadie finds out about this, she'll flip a shit!"

"Wait…you're telling me you didn't tell her you were hanging out with her producer tonight"

"Umm..well.. sorta…kinda….well yeah it's exactly what I'm saying." Jude blushed and looked ashamed. " I should have, right?"

"You SHOULD HAVE told her! What if she finds out about this!"

"She won't! I have a whole plan. I'm gonna tell her that me and you are putting together some stuff for your show"

"Jude…I don't mind being your cover. But didn't you say Tommy has this amazingly hot car that's like…impossible to miss?"

"Omigod Kat…I totally forgot! What's the time!"

"Um…6:35"

Jude whipped out her phone and called Tommy.

"What!"

"Oh um…hi Tommy…" Tommy sighed with relief. Kwest had been calling him nonstop about having to work on Sadie's tracks. He didn't get why nobody else understood why he was so unenthusiastic…had anybody else listen to Sadie sing lately? But when he found out it was Jude he felt a warm feeling spread in his chest.

"Hey, Jude" He laughed. For some reason he knew that she would—

"Spare me they Hey, Jude HAHAHA. I just wanted to tell you to park around the block, and I'll meet you at 7:05, okay?"

"Secretive, much?"

"Look, you suckered me into this, and the last thing I want is for Princess Sadie to know about this! She'll just throw a freakin bitch--"

"Jude! I need you down here" Mrs. Harrison called for her second daughter. The two needed to have a serious talk.

"Hold on Mom!"

"NOW!"

Jude panicked and hissed" Look just around the block at 7:05" and hung up.

Tommy was smiling at the other end. Something about meeting her so privately was very appealing to him. He had to keep telling himself that she's sixteen, and out of bounds. He checked himself in the mirror.

"I guess this okay" he muttered under his breath. He took in his reflection, his hair messed up in the usual Tom Quincy fashion, a black shirt with jeans, and his leather jacket. He picked up his keys and left for his car.

In the meantime, Jude was having other problems beside how she looked. While Kat stood to the side Jude was getting yet another lecture from her mother.

"Jude Harrison! How could you not think to tell me about failing another math test?"

"Mom! It's not my fault, I swear that he's out to get me!"

"I'm sure the whole world is out to get you Jude!"

"Well then I'm sorry I'm so stupid!"

"Jude, honey, you aren't stupid you just aren't motivated in school! What will it take to get you to pass a math test once in a while!"

"Okay Mom, look Kat and I really have to work on this, the show is in less than a month!"

"Fine, but it's to Kat's and back, nowhere else."

"Oh we're going to be working at her studio in the city, but mom I PROMISE to be back before 11:30"

"If you're not home by then I'm coming to get you"

"No need mom, I promise"

Kat and Jude ran out of her house and looked at her phone. It was 7:08.

"Kat I'm really sorry that I have to--"

Kat yelled after Jude as she ran.

"YOU"RE LATE, RUN! You look hot and you'll do great I want details afterwards!"

Jude turned around the corner to see a very handsome Tom Quincy leaning on the hood of his car waiting for her.

"Hey! I'm so sorry I'm late my mom found out about my latest math disaster and--"

But Tommy wasn't listening. He couldn't stop looking at her. She looked gorgeous.

It should be illegal for girls under 18 to wear clothing that makes them look so …. There's no other word than hot. He thought to himself.

"Earth to Tommy! Where're we goin'?"

"Oh sorry, girl. Zoned out for a minute…hmm how's Italian sound to you?"

Jude smiled and turned to put on her seatbelt.

"Italians fine"

She turned back to Tommy as he started the car and the stereo started blaring…really bad music.

"Jesus what the hell is that crap?" Jude hollered over the… "music"

"Welcome to having to listen to your sister sing everyday" Tommy smiled at the look of horror on Jude's face. "Not your idea of good stuff? I was getting kind of used to it!"

"Oh my god Tommy I would rather listen to a dying camel than listen to that"

" I figured you'd say something like that." He turned it off and put on The Clash. Jude smiled.

"This is more like it!"

" But, now you see why you need to go into the studio?"

"Um…To show that some people don't have to shriek to get fans?"

" Well… partly yeah. But girl, you have it. You've got the talent and the drive. I can feel it"

He turned to her and smiled. Jude blushed and turned away.

Man, I never thought I'd think somebody like Lil' Tommy Q was so damn…hot. She thought to herself. She noticed the awkward silence and spoke up.

"So, how long have you been producing?"

"Three or four years now… ever since the big split of Boyz Attack. How long have you been singing and songwriting?"

" Oh I don't even remember how long I've been singing. But I picked up my first acoustic when I was 6…and I remember for the first time in my life not feeling like such a freak. With a sister like Sadie…how could I not feel like a freak? I love her but…she's got such an addiction to being this gorgeous, perfect, smart, winning chick…. you know?"

By now they had arrived at the restaurant and were making their way inside.

"Yeah…so you two aren't close?" Tommy replied softly. He knew Sadie was crazy , but in order to make a six year old feel that inferior something had to be wrong.

"Not really…I don't think we've had a real conversation since I was like…15"

Tommy's head snapped. This whole time, he realized, he had been getting to know a girl who was six year younger than him, who he wanted to work with. How could he have feelings for her? She didn't even seem to reciprocate them. Sure she seemed interested and it seemed like she liked talking to him but he couldn't take away her innocence….

While Tommy was having all the thoughts he was having, Jude was freaking out.

Okay, why is Tommy Q so interested in me? He can't LIKE me… can he? Why would he like somebody like me when there's girls like Sadie all over him. I'm just not even gonna give this a shot. I'll record with him, but that's it, I can't get involved that'd be so wrong…and he's like what 6 years older than me? And he was in Boyz Attack, um EW. Why couldn't he be somebody like Billie Joe or something?

Jude was having all these thoughts while Tommy and her were being seated. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror that was up for decoration…she looked decent.

They sat down, got their drinks (Shirley Temple's for both…) Talked about music, and got their menus. Tommy couldn't help but notice every time she smiled or laughed he fell for her harder and harder for her. How can she make me feel this way, just being herself? She's not even trying to do anything…"

Jude was having a really hard time.

" You okay, Jude?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah" She looked up and smiled sheepishly, "I'm trying to figure out which will be the biggest, but least expensive dish"

Tommy raised his eyebrow at the skinny girl.

"You eat a lot?"

Jude looked up alarmingly.

"Do I eat a lot? As if that weren't the understatement of the century. Eating is like…my middle name"

Tommy laughed and felt himself blush. I'm blushing because of a sixteen year old. What the hell is wrong with-- woah she just bent down and I could see down her shirt. But she's sixteen that shouldn't turn me on or anything and…now she's saying she has to go to the bathroom and SHE JUST KISSED ME ON THE CHEEK. Oh man, this isn't even her fault. She probably doesn't even know what she's doing to me…but how can she be sixteen? She knows more than half of the 20 year olds I know…man I'm falling harder than I thought…"

Jude noticed that Tommy was getting a dreamy look on his face, with this dopey smile, so she quickly excused herself, kissed him on the check and went to the bathroom. She still looked good, so she quickly went to the bathroom, fixed her makeup quickly, and was on her way back to their table when she saw her father. She was about to say hi, but figured it'd be best not to disrupt her parents.

That's funny…she thought to herself… I don't remember Mom saying that her and dad were going out…

She hid behind a plant, and when the woman turned around her eyes widened. That's not mom…

The woman turned back and got her purse. Her dad got up as well…the woman smiled as Jude's father put her coat on for her. It's probably just business…

All those thoughts of Jude's were shattered when the woman turned to her father and kissed him on the lips and hardly…and her father wasn't hesitating, if anything he was pulling her in for more. The one man Jude idolized beyond belief who she believed would always be there for her family was with another woman, and kissing her! Tears stung Jude's vision as she made her way back to the table.

Tommy looked up at Jude and noticed she was crying.

"Jude, what's wrong?" His voice suddenly became very soft and tender…more than he had ever heard it anyway.

Jude's voice was barely over a whisper.

"Tommy, can we go back to your place?" Tommy's eyes widened and he looked unsure. In public he could restrain himself from hugging her and kissing her but in his home? In private?

"Please, Tommy…I just need to talk to somebody about this…"

Suddenly he felt queasy. She didn't get her period for the first time or something, did she? That would totally ruin the night. He looked even more unsure at her as she cried as quietly as anybody could.

She crouched down and leaned forward pulling him into a hug he didn't resist, and pleaded softly in his ear while she was still crying.

"Please Tommy, I need to talk to somebody, I don't know what to do"

"Jude, what's going on?" he pulled away from her, their faces only inches apart. The restaurant blended into the daze of a background…nobody was there for that moment for him except for him Jude. It all came crashing to an end when she told him.

"Please Tommy can you take me back to your place to talk…I think my father's having an affair"