"Then what's up, Quincy?" Jude held Tommy's hand resting on her knee. She wanted Tommy to know she still cared and wanted to be with hi, but she wasn't going to take any of his games.
Rubbing Jude's hand with his thumb, Tommy embraced her silky skin. "I--I don't want to mess things up between us. And that's the truth." Tommy used his other hand to run his fingers through Jude's hair lovingly.
Still unsure, Jude responded, "Well I don't think giving me the cold shoulder will help any."
"I didn't mean to. I just…" Tommy got lost in his thoughts again as he pondered how to go about their new relationship.
Jude stared at Tommy, wide eyed, waiting for him to finish his sentence. He tortured her with his unfinished statement until she blurted out, "You what?"
Tommy cleared his throat and continued, "I don't think we should tell everyone about us."
"Oh…" Jude's grasp on Tommy's hand loosened as she turned slightly to look out of the window. "I guess I wouldn't want to be seen dating me either."
"No! Jude--"
"I am just a wannabe rocker chick that got dumped in front of millions of people by an idiot rapper for a blonde bitc--"
"Jude!" he exclaimed, cutting her off. "You should probably add 'drama queen' to that list while you're at it." Jude was obviously avoiding Tommy as she looked in every direction he wasn't in. "Jude, look at me." Still refusing to look at Tommy, he reached out to her and guided her chin to his face. "I am not and will never be embarrassed by you. All I want is to give our relationship a fair shot."
She asked, "Is that what you call this?"
"No. This is what I call 'You being a pain in the as--"
"Hey! Watch it!"
Tommy and Jude gave off a light chuckle. Tommy took a deep breath and said, "A fair chance is not letting anyone or anything get in the way."
Jude nodded her head in agreement. After what happened with Shay, she understood about keeping her privacy, but she still needed to know how to go about it. "Like what? Where's the line of who we tell and who we don't?"
"I don't think we should tell… Anybody."
Once again, Jude nodded, this time a little more glumly. "I guess…"
Tommy caught the disappointment in Jude's reaction. Even when they were together, Tommy could still find ways to hurt her. "The press would do anything to bring us down, and I don't want them to turn us into something ugly," Tommy explained. "And--And your parents would never approve. They might make us stop seeing-- and working-- with each other if Georgia doesn't first."
"I get it, Tommy," Jude said with a faint smile. "It's okay."
Leaning in closer, Tommy kissed Jude. Breaking away, Tommy whispered, "We get to be together."
Jude's smile brightened and she gave Tommy another quick peck on the lips. "Let's go! I'm hungry!"
Tommy placed the key in the ignition and suddenly let his hands fall to his lap. He looked straight forward and the smile disappeared from his face. Tommy let his head fall back against the seat as he slouched. He exhaled sharply as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"What is it?" Jude asked worried.