You complete me! lol... that is all...

.8.

Self Made Ditches Can Lead to Stitches

Watch out.

Calm Yourself.

If you keep on this way there is only one place you will end up.

Self made ditches can lead to stitches.

Unlaid plans can make you mad.

-IA


Jude sat in a Darius lead meeting a couple of days later. Her eyes were on the glistening diamond on Sam's hand. She hated that ring. She hated that Sam was nice. It would be a lot easier if she was a bitch, but she wasn't. Damn.

"The crew will be here tomorrow at 3. I think Jude should start recording before they set up," Samantha suggested.

"Are they going to get in the way?" Tom inquired.

"We've moved you to Studio D. It's much roomier. The crew should not be a problem. They are going to place camera's in different places of the studio. It will be like how the real world is filmed. Jude will be given her own camera to record her own reflections whenever they hit her," Samantha continued. " Is there anything else?" No one said anything. "Perfect."

Everyone moved to leave the room when Darius broke the silence.

"I'd like to speak to Jude, alone."

"Darius, we have some track to-" Tom attempted to say.

"I am not asking to speak to you, Tom," Darius interjected.

Tom nodded and followed Kwest and Sam out.

"So, what's up?" she replied. Darius circled the table. His hands behind his back.

"You know, Jude, I would hate to see a talent like yours disappear because the artist doesn't know how to handle herself. You are really lucky Ms. Martez is more forgiving. I'm sorry, Mrs. Quincy. It sure will be a blast from the past to be working with another Mrs. Quincy. Though, I'd rather it be my partner than kid sister," Darius explained. " You've been skating on thin ice since you came back from your tour. One more slip up, Jude, and I will let you go. With or without the consent of Mrs. Quincy. You are my client, not hers. Are we clear, Jude?"

"Crystal," Jude replied through clenched teeth.

"Excellent. You may leave."

Jude pushed her chair away from the table and exited the room as calmly as she could. Jude cursed Darius under her breath as she made her way to the recording studio. Tommy and Samantha stood against the sound board flirting. Jude cringed. They were almost married, did they really need to flirt? Jude coughed loudly.

Tommy and Sam turned to smile on her. Sam reached up and kissed Tommy quickly on the lips. " Have fun," she said to Jude, as she left the studio.

I really want to hate her.

"What did Darius want?" Tommy asked, while the set up to record.

"Oh, you know D. He basically told me if I say anything that could be taken the wrong way about the Mrs. Quincy to be, I am out."

"Don't pay any attention to Darius, Jude. Sam won't let him drop you."

Jude nodded and walked into the sound booth. "Are we ready to start?"

The next day brought a new kind insanity to G- Major. Microphones and camera's were placed around studio D. Jude was feeling uneasy about the entire situation, but everyone said it was a good idea. She kept telling herself it was a good idea, but a nagging feeling wouldn't go away. Jude and Tommy ignored the camera's and went to work.

If I told you once

I've told you a thousand times

But you never listen to me

I just wanna be free to live

To live my life

I don't want your thoughts

Or your opinions about me

You think you tell me what I wanna know

But I only listen to what I need to hear

So much drama I don't understand

How you make nothing

Sound so sincere

I'm gonna do what I wanna do

Say what I wanna say

Be who I wanna be

(declaration- wild orchid)

Tommy tapped the soundboard as Jude sang out her latest creation. It was an obvious shot at Darius, without being about Darius. He reached across the board to check over the list of song they had recorded. They had 4 songs down. The goal was to record 18 songs and choose anywhere from 12 to 14 for an album.

From a studio over, he could hear his own girlfriend working on stuff for IA's next album.

He couldn't get her newest song Halo out of her head. It seemed a lot of the stuff this time around were from her own journals. Usually one of the guys did the writing and Sam composed the music.

"Tommy!" Jude shouted, finally pulling Tommy from his thoughts. Tom looked into the sound box to see Jude looking at him with annoyance etched across her face.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

Jude groaned in frustration. " I was asking if we were done here. I have plans in half an hour."

"Yeah, sure. Good job, Jude. We have Fade to Black, Not Standing Around, My Sweet Time, and Over-rated down. I'll work on Declaration. Tomorrow will re-work Anybody But You."

" Okay, cool. Later, Tom."

"You know what? I sometimes wonder if she is high or something. She is just so nice," Claudia commented to Jude as the two girls hid away from the cameras in the bathroom of a cafe.

"I know! She is making it very difficult to hate her, but at the same time I hate her for being nice. Why did he have to run off and get engaged?"

Claudia shrugged.

"Everything is just so… urg. Can someone please tell me how we got to this point? Please? Can we just rewind to when I got off the tour bus? I would re-work things with Jaime and Kat, not get myself banned from G- Major, not dye my hair blonde, and oh, make sure Tommy did not end up in Los Angeles for 6 months."

"Uh, hello? Where would that leave me?"

"We'd still be friends."

"Right. Jude, I don't mean to sound like a bitch, but what makes you think that you and Tommy would click like that? You just turned 17! He's what? 23?24? Trust me from experience. Those situations don't play out happily ever after."

"You don't know me and Tommy, Claud."

Claudia shrugged. " You aren't going to try anything are you?"

Jude looked insulted. " NO!"

"Sorry, I had to ask. A girl in love will do crazy things."

Jude shook her head. " I won't do that to Tommy. If he loves her, then he loves her. I'll be happy for him. I am happy for him. As long as he is happy, I'm happy."

Claudia looked at Jude skeptically.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Samantha sat in the studio re-working Halo with Johnny Howard, IA's bassist and her best male friend.

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked. Samantha had sighed for the 3rd time in 30 minutes. " Sam, come on. Talk to me."

Samantha looked at her best friend out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes glanced at the studio door.

"Its ridiculous. Don't worry Johnny," she replied. Johnny shot her a questioning look. He wasn't buying her excuse. He knew her too well.

" I think Tom's feelings for Jude may run deeper than I thought. I did an internet search the other night--."

"For the love of music, Samantha. Why are you doing this? You love him. Why are you looking at the internet for rumors? " Johnny ranted. " Sam, you have been in love with Tom for almost as long as I have known you. Your eyes sparkle when you are around him. I haven't seen you this happy in a long time. Come on, tell Uncle Johnny about your problems."

Samantha chuckled to herself. No matter what state she was in, John always managed to amuse her.

"It all started with TRL. I had talked to Darius that night. He mentioned to me some rumblings about Jude and Tommy that had been circulating since she won the contest. I've heard some talk around here. Not to mention what I read online. I shouldn't be feeling insecure but I am. She is in love with him. He's been weird ever since TRL."

Johnny sighed. He reached over to turn off the song.

"Come here," he said gesturing for Sam to hug him. "You are being ridiculous. Tom loves you. He wouldn't have asked you to marry him if he didn't."

"There is something not right about the proposal. When he kissed me, it was as if he was kissing a problem out."

John groaned. He placed his hands on the side of the singer's face.

"I am going to say this once. Samantha Chrishelle Martez Cortes, you are a beautiful, intelligent, talented, sweet, loving, amazing woman. You can throw down with the boys and still look sexy in a pair of heels. Your boyfriend loves you. It is just your insecurities. Tom's grown up. He isn't the same guy that relied on booze. I spent a lot of time with him in LA. He's changed. It will work out."

Samantha looked him with uncertainty in her eyes. Johnny leaned his forehead against hers.

"Just enjoy being in love, Sammy. The world will not come crashing down."

"What's going on here?" a voice demanded.

Samantha and Johnny turned around to find Tommy in the doorway. His arms were crossed on his chest. He did not look pleased to find his fiancée in such an intimate embrace with someone else. Sam wiped a stray tear from her eye and let go of John.

"Hey babe."

"Am I missing something?" Tommy quipped. "What's going on?"

"We're just having a heart to heart." John answered. " It won't be the same once you make an honest woman of our Miss Martez. I'll be back."

Johnny hastily escaped the studio. Tommy looked at Samantha suspiciously.

"Sam, what's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm just having one of my moments."

"There isn't something going on with you and---"

Samantha's eyes widened at the thought. "Tommy, it's Johnny. I've known him since I was 10. He was just being a friend. These past few weeks have been crazy. You know that."

Tommy took the opportunity to kiss the babbling woman. Sam instantly deepened the kiss. She needed this.

"What's wrong?" Tommy asked again, breaking away from the woman in his arms.

"It's nothing. I'm just being a silly girl."

"I think Samantha is having second thoughts."

Kwest looked at his best friend surprised. The two men were hanging out at Tommy's place watching a game.

"What?" Kwest was confused.

"She's been off since New York. I walked in on her and John having a moment."

"You don't think that…"

"No. Sam isn't the type."

"Do you think it has something to do with Jude? I hate to break it to you man, its obvious that your girls don't click. Jude isn't a fan of the idea of you getting married."

"Yeah, I know."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I hate it, man. Jude has become one of my best friends. I care a lot about her." Tommy explained. He got up from the couch to get him and Kwest a couple of beers.

"And Sam?" Kwest asked. He took the beer from Tom and took a swig.

"I love her. She gets me like no one else. I don't know what I would be doing if I didn't have her."

"Does she know that? You realize that you said the same thing about Jude last year."

Tommy looked down at his bear. " I don't know."

"Look, you need to settle things with Sam. I overheard her on the phone. Darius told her something about you and Jude that isn't sitting well."

"What did he tell her?"

Kwest shrugged. " I don't know. What I do know is that you need to set things right with Jude and with Sam. You put a ring on Sam's finger. You made that girl's long standing dream come true. I know how you two were the first time around. I'd like to see it work the second, but I also don't want to see Jude hurt."

Tommy sighed. He only had himself to blame for his predicament..