Thanks," Jude grinned when they pulled apart. She gave him the once over, "You don't look half bad yourself." Chris was wearing black slacks and a button down silk white shirt, over his perfect 5'8 body. His sandy blonde hair was styled carelessly, and his deep blue eyes shined.
"Thank you. Happy Birthday." He said as he handed her the roses.
"Aw, isn't that sweet?" Kat commented.
"Chris, they're beautiful." Jude replied as she smelled them.
"We'll go put them in water, right Kat?" Sadie said taking the flowers from Jude.
"What? Oh, right, sure." Kat smiled as she and Sadie left the room.
"That's one hell of a dress, Jude. I have no idea how I'm going to be able to keep my hands off of you." Chris said, as he put his hand around her waist.
"Who says I want your hands off of me?" Jude looked up at him, grinning as he held her.
"That's good enough for me." Chris kissed her on her cheek then slowly made his way down to her neck.
"Chris..." She trailed off, then giggled. "Chris, if you don't stop we'll never get out of here."
"Mmm," he murmured. "I'm okay with that."
She pushed him lightly off her. "Come on Chris, I can't not go to my own party." She joked.
"I know, I know." He sighed, then handed her the box. "This is for you."
She excitedly took the gift and threw open the box. She gasped when she saw the content.
"It's beautiful..." Jude whispered as she fingered the slim 18 karat white gold charm bracelet.
Chris took it from the box and took her wrist in his hand. "The guitar speaks for itself, you know you being a rock star and all." He smiled explaining the small white gold guitar charm with a diamond in the middle. "The tiny T.V set, well, it's how we kind of met, and without it we probably wouldn't have. So I felt we needed to pay homage to it." He kidded as he kissed the palm of her hand before he proceeded to fasten the bracelet on.
"Chris, it's wonderful." She said as she hugged him tightly, squeezing her eyes shut hoping to stop the unexpected flow of tears.
He pulled away and noticed the tears. "Hey, if you don't like it we can return it, it's no big-" He started, confused.
"No, no," She gave a watered laugh. "It's not that, it's wonderful. My emotions seem to be all over the place." She explained it away with a wave of her hand.
Sadie walked in with the vase in her hand, and Kat followed. "Hey, why you making my sister cry?" Sadie kidded as she smiled.
Jude held up her bracelet for Kat and Sadie to examine, replying with a string of "oohs" and "ahhs".
Chris looked at his watch. "Okay, maybe we should get a move on." Jude nodded her head as she glanced at the wall clock.
"Do you mind if I take my new car tonight? I'd love to show up in it." She grinned excitedly as she looked at him.
"Sure, I'll just follow you in my car, kay?"
"Sounds good." She looked towards Kat. "You want to ride with me?"
"Actually, I'm going to hitch a ride with Sadie." Kat shot Jude's sister a look. They wanted to talk about Tommy and how they think Jude would react to his appearance.
"Ookkaayyy." She looked at the strangely then shrugged it off. "Whatever." She took Chris's hand in hers. "Let's go."
Jude pulled around the back entrance of Ice, the place where her party was being thrown. Chris was leaning against his car, waiting for her. Sadie and Kat got there seconds later and went directly in.
"Beat you here." Chris smiled as he went to her.
"Yeah, well I'm a beginner." She smiled back.
"You ready?"
"As I'll ever be." She said as they walked in the back door to avoid the press.
"You should play Temporary Insanity when she walks in Kwest, you know when the chorus hits, that be great." Tommy said nervously fidgeting with his tie.
"Whoa, man you're back barely a day and you're already running things?" Kwest gave him a look. "Chill, you're gonna look desperate if you're nervous."
"I'm not nervous, okay?" He said as he started to pace in one of the private rooms at Ice.
Kwest laughed. "Whatever." Tommy had stopped by earlier Kwest's place to pick up his car and let him know he was back. Recalling the bet he made with Georgia, he gave Tommy a dirty look. "Thanks a lot."
Tommy stopped, confused. "For what?"
"I'm out a 100 bucks because of you." When Tommy sent him another quizzical look, Kwest said "Forget it."
Tommy shrugged it off and resumed his pacing. "Do you think she's going to be happy to see me, Kwest?"
"Yeah, real happy." He said sarcastically. "You'll be lucky if she doesn't sucker punch you, I hope she does too."
Tommy glared at him. "Gee, thanks a lot, friend."
"Hey," Kwest held up his hands in innocence. "I'm just being honest. What you did to her was messed up man. You'd get off easy with a punch." When Tommy continued glaring at him, Kwest said. "Well, look at the time, Jude will be here any second, better go out and get set up." He hurried out of the room, closing the door on the way out, leaving Tommy to his pacing.
Jude waited in the back of Ice with Chris, arguing with Georgia about walking in.
"Do I really have to be announce?" Jude complained.
"Yes, stop whining. Don't you want to be center stage so everyone can be envious about how gorgeous you look? Besides you have Chris to walk in with you." Georgia said, sending him a what. "What song do you want to walk into?"
"Fine." She huffed. "Tell Kwest, 'Temporary Insanity'."
"You got it." She said as she walked out to tell Kwest. "I'll send someone back to let you know when to come out, okay?"
"Okay."
The beginning to 'Temporary Insanity began as Kwest took the mic. "OK, Ladies and Gentleman, can we all quiet down for a second?"
Tommy stood somewhere in the back trying to blend in. Nobody even noticed him, as he leaned against a wall
"I'd let you go but I still don't know, how I feel about you, what this really means, It's crazy to want you, Is it meant to be?"
Applause broke out as the doors swung open.
"It's temporary insanity, What's going on with you and me, Is it real or is it fantasy? Forever or just temporary?"
Jude stepped through, grinned brightly as she held onto Chris.
"It's temporary insanity, What's going on with you and me, Is it real or is it fantasy? Forever or just temporary insanity?"
Tommy stood up a little as he saw Jude walk through the door, his breathe caught in his throat. 'She's beautiful.' He thought. The pictures of her he'd seen in magazines didn't do her justice. Looking at her he felt like he was a man dying of thirst, and Jude was his drink. He could have stared at her for the rest of his life and he'd be a happy man.
Jude did a little spin around the floor for everyone as Chris held her at her waist. She talked and laughed with people, but became uneasy when she felt eyes on the back of her head. She turned around quickly, but nobody was there. She shook it off and continued talking.
Tommy moved ever so slightly as Jude turned towards his direction. He stayed out of view until she turned back, looking confused. He wanted to go to her now, take her in his arms and kiss her, but he knew this wasn't the right moment. He'd wait for Jude, he always would.
An hour later
Jude stepped into one of the back rooms at Ice, needing a minute or so to herself. It had all been surprisingly overwhelming. But something didn't feel right. She couldn't put her finger on it. She had danced with Chris, was civilized towards her Dad and Yvette, and partied with Jamie, Kat, and Sadie. That was all normal, but she couldn't shake this feeling.
She shook herself loose and said out loud, "You're being ridiculous again, Get back out there it's your party." She walked towards the door absorbed in her thoughts, not looking straight ahead as she collided with a figure.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there-" She said but stopped when she saw who it was. "Tommy?" She whispered shocked, not even realizing how close they were standing together.
He smiled slowly, saying, "Happy 18th, Girl." He then pulled her even closer, putting his hands on the back of her head and met her lips with his.
A/n (I don't own the lyrics or rights to 'Temporary Insanity')