Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star and I never will, unfortunately.

Chapter 5: Betrayals on All Levels

AN: Thanks for all the reviews!

Tommy banged on the door to the apartment. "Kwest! Dude, you in there?"

Kwest opened the door. "What do you want, T? It's midnight."

"I need to talk to you."

Kwest sighed. "C'mon in."

Tommy blew into the apartment in a frenzy and collapsed onto the couch.

"It's her again, isn't it?" Kwest was always good at telling what was bothering Tommy, since it was usually Jude.

"So she comes home from her tour to find out that Jamie and Kat got back together. She crashes at my place and then tries to kiss me. I shoot her down with the same reasons as always and when I wake up she's gone. She ran off and I find her beat-up downtown. So we convince her mom to let her stay with me until things between her and Jamie cool down. And then finally, when we get back to my house, I kiss her. Then when I pull away, all she has to say is, 'what are you doing?' Any ideas?"

"She's probably really confused. She tried to kiss you and you shot her down but then you go ahead and kiss her the next day. She just doesn't know what is going on with you and she doesn't know how to react to what you did. I suggest you talk to her. ASAP."

"The problem is I don't what is going on in my head either. I have no idea what I want and if I have no idea what I want, how am I supposed to explain to her why I did what I did?"

"Maybe you're feeling guilty that you didn't tell Jude about Jamie and Kat when you knew about it. I mean, dude, you talked to her every day but you couldn't seem to mention that you caught her boyfriend with her best friend. What's up with that?"

"She always seemed so happy and I didn't want to bring her down."

"What you need to do is stop trying to protect her, she can take care of herself."

Tommy stood up and said, "Thanks, man. I should go."

"I should really start charging you for this."

"Funny." Tommy left the apartment for his own house. He entered as quietly as he could so he wouldn't bother Jude.

She was sleeping peacefully. Her long red hair was draped over her face and her arms were hanging off the edge of the couch.

He walked over to her and brushed her hair out of her hair. He realized that there were red streaks running down her face from where her tears had been. He backed away, thinking of how much pain he caused her. I've hurt her too much, I just don't want to anymore…

Tommy woke the next morning, expecting Jude to be gone. And he expected right. She wasn't there, but at least he knew where she was this time. She had left a note saying that she had already left for G Major.

Jude was dazed and confused. She didn't know how to feel about what had happened with Tommy the night before. Maybe he was sick and he couldn't even control what the hell he was doing. She kept thinking of different reasons why he might've kissed her but none of them seemed real logical.

"You okay, Jude?" EJ asked her as she came into G Major.

"Fine, EJ," She snapped without meaning to.

"You alright, Jude?" Georgia questioned.

"I'm okay!" She screamed. "Will everyone just stop worrying about me?"

"Whoa, whoa, Jude, calm down," Kwest said, coming out of the studio. He grabbed hold of her arm. "C'mon, follow me." He pulled her back into the studio and sat her down. "Look, Tommy came to me last night and told me everything that happened."

She rolled her eyes. "Great," she mumbled.

He sat down in a chair across from her. "He is just as confused as you are. He got swept up in his emotions. With you running away, and him looking like a hero, it's the sort of thing where the hero gets the girl."

"I'm not a thing, I'm a person, and I don't belong to anyone."

"He knows that and so do I. He's just tired of seeing you get hurt by stupid guys."

"And I'm tired of being hurt by stupid guys. But what he doesn't get is that he's one of those guys…" Tears started to fall from her eyes. "He keeps changing his mind and he doesn't realize that it's hurting me. So if he wants to keep me from being hurt, then he should stop hurting me."

"Tom just doesn't get it. He says he cares about you but the truth is he doesn't know if he wants you as more than a friend."

She started crying harder. "I asked him once why I was so easy for guys to give up. He didn't give me an answer, he just couldn't give me an answer."

"I could see why. I don't get it either. I also don't want you to be hurt anymore, by anyone, including Tommy." Kwest slid his hand over hers. "You deserve a guy that will treat you like you deserve to be treated."

Tommy came into G Major. "Hey, Georgia, where's Jude?"

"She's in the studio with Kwest. I'd be careful though, she seems a little upset," Georgia informed him.

"Thanks." He walked over to the studio door, and when he was about to open it, he saw Kwest inside holding Jude's hand. He watched as Kwest wiped tears off of her cheek and as she hugged him as tight as she usually hugged Tommy when someone had hurt her.

"Tommy doesn't deserve you…" Kwest whispered in her ear.

Jude sat there so overcome by emotion; Kwest was being so nice to her. He always had been; she could talk to him about Tommy and any other guy that hurt her.

He placed his other hand gently on the back of her neck and all at the same time, he leaned in towards her and pulled her towards him. They're faces got closer and closer until their lips collided.

To Jude it felt like her problems were disappearing, to Tommy they were just getting started.

Tommy entered the room quietly and cleared his throat loudly.

The two disengaged from each other.

"Well, lookie here," Tommy said in a smug voice. "Isn't this pleasant?"

"Tommy, dude, I can explain," Kwest stammered.

"Don't bother," Tommy snapped. "I came to you man! I told you how I felt about this girl, and you stabbed me in the back!"

"She's not your freaking property, Tom! She is a person! A girl who I've really liked for a long time! But I couldn't make a move because you wanted her! Now you've hurt her like all the other guys before you! So now I have a chance and I'm taking it! Get over it!"

Tommy looked from Kwest to Jude.

"I'm sorry, Tom, he-he is a good guy and he takes care of me as much as you do. And now that you're hurting me, I need someone who can help me," Jude said. She clamped onto Kwest's arm and looked away from Tom.

"Tommy, just let it go, it's over," Kwest replied.

Tom's face turned an angry red. His fury got the best of him. He lost all control.

"Tom!" Jude screeched. "Tommy stop!"

AN: I know, it's kind of out there and still really bad writing but like I said before, I'm having fun writing it. Please R&R!