A/n: And here is your first taste of real juice :) Truthfully, I don't know what I want to happen as I'm writing this. I only know what's going to happen in the end. I hope you all think as greatly of this as you anticipated it to be.
I looked up the legal drinking age in Canada and from what I understand it is 18 and older. If not then... well I don't care. It is in the fiction :)
Jude was paralyzed. The crowds of people, the recurrent flashing of lights, the mind-numbingly loud music: it all overwhelmed her. She had over three years of experience in the business. Over three years of parties, interviews, events, and fame, and this was more than anything she had ever expected.
She looked around the room and didn't even recognize G Major. The lobby had somehow been extended into a room twice the size. Every inch of the dance floor was jam-packed, every table was full of conversation, and Jude only looked for one thing, or one person rather.
Making small talk and little conversations, Jude perused the festivities in search of her one desire. If she could only have a look at him, she would be at least satisfied enough to wait until he approached her, if he approached her.
Hours upon hours of unimportant photos and colloquies passed before Jude spotted him. He was talking to Kwest and a few other guys Jude had never seen before. She had talked to Kwest recently, along with almost everyone else at G Major, and he had not seen head or tail of Tom Quincy.
It wracked her nerves to watch him. Though Jude barely believed it, he looked even more attractive then she remembered. His look was only slightly different, and she could tell that the past two years had done some wear and tear on her Tommy.
Suddenly Tommy turned and locked his gaze with hers. They were practically magnetized to each other, and Jude was mesmerized. Every feeling she ever felt towards Little Tommy Q. rushed back to her like a slap in the face as she watched him excuse himself from the conversation with his apparent friends and walk towards her. Jude lusted for his soft lips in the rain or locked in her apartment or anywhere he pleased. She yearned for his complete attention and overprotective actions that took place whenever a scummy guy approached her. She longed for a look in his captivating eyes as she recorded her new song that those very eyes inspired.
And here they were, only a foot away and perfect for Jude's staring pleasures.
"Hey," Tommy's voice was just like on the phone, just like when he told her that he was leaving, and just like the first time they had met.
"Hey," Jude returned rather breathlessly.
It took a moment for either of the two to come to their senses and speak.
"You look beautiful, Jude." She melted at his words. "You've really grown up since I last saw you."
Jude couldn't find the words to say. She fought the urge to just grab him and kiss him right there. Every angsty angry remorse Jude felt towards Tommy had died the moment she entered the party. She seemed to forget how he had just left her in the dark for so long. But he was back now, and that's all that mattered, right?
"You haven't changed one bit."
Tommy let loose a luscious smile and Jude shivered. Tommy peered around the room, clearly not finding what he was looking for. He sighed and put his hands in his pockets.
"You… you want to go talk somewhere else? You know, catch up?" Tommy suggested. Jude almost thought she could hear a bit of embarrassment in his voice, but she decided to ignore it. Tommy, though, was just that. He couldn't believe he left this girl… no, this woman for so long just for his own selfish needs. He had managed to force himself to forget how much he needed Jude while in California and he suddenly remembered now.
Jude nodded and gasped slightly when Tommy grabbed her hand and led her through the crowds of people to an unknown destination. She could see tiny flashes in the corners of her eyes. Jude grimaced; she could just see the headlines of the tabloids the next day. I bet there will be something like 'Jude and Tommy's 3-year romance revealed!' or 'Socially unacceptable seduction; what is Little Tommy Q. up to now?'
A few minutes later Jude found herself on the roof of G Major. She had never been up there before; she didn't even know you could get up there.
The two sat down near the edge and Jude noticed the already starry sky winking down on her. She smiled and stared a while before Tommy spoke up.
"I missed you, Jude."
"I missed you, too." She inched away slightly. She was not going to blow everything the first night he was back.
But the look in Tommy's eyes was sincere. Jude sighed and let her head fall back to look up again. "So what really happened in California?"
Tommy shrugged and ran his hand through his hair. "It was mostly work. I produced two different bands. I got to taste the life of an American celebrity." Jude heard a soft chuckle come from Tommy. "Really, I would go to a bar and meet a nice girl. She would tell me about her family, and then ask me if I wanted to go back to a hotel." He shook his head.
Jude smiled slightly. She had lightened up about her parents' situation. No, she didn't exactly contact them much any more, but she didn't hold a grudge for their mistakes anymore.
"What about you, you had to have done some crazy things. Being eighteen and all." Jude immediately frowned. He was already getting into her age. Suddenly Jude remembered just why she shouldn't give him a chance.
"Well I finished my album, I decided not to go to college, and I had a boyfriend." She fought a smile as she watched Tommy's expression change from amused to concerned very quickly.
"Who were you dating?" He tried not to sound so interested, but it didn't work. Almost two years and Jude could still read him like a book.
Jude shrugged. "A friend of a friend's. He was a drummer, dirty, fun. I figured why not."
Tommy gaped and Jude found it even harder not to giggle. "It lasted about four months. But he really opened me up to being an adult."
Tommy's eyes nearly popped at her innuendo. She was completely and totally enjoying this, and the best part was that she could tell the truth and do it.
Sure, Leo had been her first. But he had also opened her up to serious relationships, drinking, and real fights.
"But that was over a couple of months ago."
The two sat in silence until Jude spoke up once more. "What about you? You have to have had a girlfriend or two."
He sighed, clearly annoyed at the topic. "Well, that's the thing…" Tommy sat silently and stared off into oblivion. Jude wondered if he was still present, but his persistent lip biting told her he was. "Joanne, one of the new producers, and I met at Cape Cove. She really helped me get used to the new scene, and well we got close."
Joanne doesn't sound like the name of a girl Tommy would go for. Not at all. Jude thought frantically.
"She and I are dating." Tommy dare not look at Jude, for he knew he would feel her wrath.
"Oh." Going from fighting smiles to fighting tears, Jude stood up. "Well, I better get back to the party. Publicity calls." She didn't even look back as she sulkily walked away from Tommy.
How could I be so stupid? Did I really think that Tommy would want me after all this? I bet she's prettier than me. I bet her hair is blonder and her skin is tanner and her eyes are bluer. I bet she has more curves and more experience. I bet she's beautiful. How could I think that I would even need to turn Tommy down? What in the world- Jude's mind rant was quickly interrupted as she bumped into someone who was heading up the stairs to the roof.
"Oh, sorry!" It was a thin, pale, little brunette woman with bright red lips and a tight red dress. "You must be Jude, right?"
Jude nodded and tried to squeeze by.
"Tommy's told me so much about you! Do you know where he is?" Jude frowned. This was Joanne. This was Tommy's new girlfriend.
"He's on the roof." Jude turned around huffily without saying another word. She wiped a threatening tear out of the corner of her eye and headed back to the party once more. Where is Kwest? She searched the room for a certain best friend of Tommy's.
It took Jude another hour of searching and getting away from people who insisted upon talking to her to find Kwest. He was practically in the same spot as she had seen him two hours ago, but now he was talking to a different group of guys she had never met before.
"Hey, having fun?" She asked as she stepped in on the conversation.
Kwest nodded and took a sip of his drink, which smelled suspiciously like a fine wine.
"Where's Tommy?" He asked nonchalantly.
Jude frowned. "With Joanne."
Kwest spit some of his drink back into the cup and began coughing.
"Yeah, by the way, thanks for telling me about that." She shook her head and began to walk away. Kwest had known all along that Tommy had a girlfriend and hadn't even told her.
"Jude- wait! Wait." He snatched her wrist and forced her to stop walking towards the door. "Look, it wasn't my place to tell you about Tommy's life. Besides, I wasn't going to incur the wrath of Jude Harrison. You can get pretty scary when it comes to him."
Jude just glared through narrow eyes.
"He wanted to tell you about it. He thought you would understand about things like that. You know, getting close to someone in the studio."
She snorted. "Oh, please! He is such an ass." She tried to pry herself away from Kwest but his grip was too strong.
"You know what, you're 18 now. Lets go to a bar." Jude raised her eyebrows. All this time of her being 18 and she never really thought of being able to go out and drink.
But right now, that's just what Jude wanted to do. She nodded and smiled at Kwest."Ok, lets go."