I want to thank everyone for the reviews – especially Anni. She gives me so much push with my writing even if she hates that I write fan fiction. What can I say that hasn't already been said? All I will tell everyone is to watch out – one day I'll produce something so far from this drivel and you'll wonder where it came from.
Another thanks her way because she mentioned something that was completely unintentional – the clothing. I hate to say that I'll run with it, but it does make sense, eh? Clothes are your first indication for what is to come (or not come as some cases may be).
This chapter is to set up to a comparison/contrasting of sorts. See if you can pinpoint exactly what I mean.
I'll leave everyone with this: It isn't the party but the attitude and that is the point.
Chapter 3 / Baby's Black Balloons
Everyone waited by the door impatiently, the long hallway to the inner chamber winding. Jude emerged, arms outstretched in "The Ego has Landed" haughtiness and lips curled in pure amusement. She was ambushed with hugs and "Happy Birthdays". She laughed at their enthusiasm, parting them into select groups of familiarity.
She pulled Sadie into a tight embrace, matching in wavy meshing of knock-offs and last year's trend. She rose on flat slides, delicate oriental ornamentation across the thin straps. Her hair was pulled into a tight pony tail at the nape of her neck, smoothly hanging down her back and just above the low back of her black halter dress. A gentle platinum broach of rose diamonds accentuated the plunging neckline and was simultaneously attached to a contrasting platinum chain. No doubt a gift from Liam during their on period, they smiled at each other warmly.
"Fabulous as always, sis," Jude whispered loudly to her sister, releasing her to give her the once over. Sadie smiled again, shyly, giving Jude an approving nod.
"Portia did pretty good with her selection as well. Who knew you would turn into a knockout coat hanger for designer fare? Very nice, indeed."
"'Very nice, indeed' Sadie? Stay away from Liam. He's making you talk Brit, again." They laughed at their pleasant exchange in words, Jude stepping away to the man in question. She hugged him and Darius concurrently.
Equally dashing in matching dark Armani suits and pink button downs, Darius's half-unbuttoned and Liam's fastened to the top with a striped tie, they would have made the House proud. Darius's extravagant cufflinks glinted in the mood lighting of the club, catching Jude's eye in mesmerizing fashion.
"Ms. Harrison," Liam nodded at Jude in recognition. After nearly four years, they'd grown to know each other and even like each other to some degree. He wasn't as hard ass as everyone thought he was. No, in fact, he was pretty gooey on the inside. The wall between them crumbled when Liam wanted help gaining the upper hand on Kwest when the two were vying for Sadie's attention. A few late nights planning and plotting brought them to a comfortable plateau of "cool with each other".
"Mr. Fenway," Jude mimicked his nod, looking over to Darius. "Mr. Mills."
"Welcome back, Jude!" As hard he tried, Darius couldn't fight the zeal lining his voice. "Oh, and happy birthday."
Jude rolled her eyes in faux annoyance.
"Ok, for tonight? Let's forget this party has anything to do with my birthday. This was just a cheap way to get all of my people in the same room at the same time."
"Cheap? Do you know how much..." Darius trailed off at the end of his sentence, back tracking at the same time. "Never mind."
"Good. You know me and numbers aren't friends."
Jude spent the next ten minutes meeting and greeting everyone around her. She was happy to see her mother, father and their respective spouses after spending the last six months away from them at Concordia. Kwest and Portia rushed to her side with lots of cheek kissing, Portia never stepping out of the stylist role as she smoothed out Jude's wrinkling dress. Jude had to shoo her away and tell her that she was meant to be free from beautifying responsibilities and sent her off with Kwest to partake in the champagne being passed around. Jaime and Patsy, still together after three years, smiled at her in recognition, forever the epitome of grunge glam. Patsy's ripped cherry tights under fishnets complimented Jaime's spiked cuff. Kat stood next to them, gorgeous as ever in her now widely known and respected original design of tulle and leather.
Jude marched on towards Tommy, not bothering with hellos or anything of that sort. She hooked her arm through his, and pulled him away from the group now dispersing. Once out of ear shot and eye shot, she kissed him affectionately on his earlobe, a favorite hot spot she'd discovered in the hall of his apartment building.
"Jesus, girl! Nice to see you, too." He shuddered visibly but shook it off arrogantly. "Happy..."
"Don't say it! If I hear it one more time, I'm going to smack the person who said it. Then again, you always did like it rough." She contemplated her innuendo for a second, before drawing him in close. "Two months is way too long. How have you been?"
"Good, but better now."
She didn't even bother to acknowledge what he was trying to say nor did she take impressive notice of his hands running along the invisible eye-hooks of her corset. She took in the sight he was giving her, smirking at the same time.
"I never knew you were a man of pink, Quincy."
"I could say the same about you."
"Yeah, well, things happen when you're in college. Hell, I even passed Math 101!"
"Now that's one report card I wouldn't mind framing." He laughed while she jabbed him in the ribs. She deftly grabbed at two glasses on a passing tray, handing one off to her partner.
"To tonight, Tommy..." She tilted her glass in a pantomimed clink, swigging back the expensive blonde liquid.
He gave her a demure smile before drawling out the toast dreamily. "To tonight..."