Here's the latest update everybody! Sorry it took so long but the site isn't letting me upload it the normal way, I have to use Wordpad and it's really complicated. :) But I finally figured it out, yeah to me! I hope you like this next chapter, I wrote it on the beach, literally, and I had fun writing it. I have the whole story done but I won't post them all right away. I'm going to delay the end a little bit, I like this story to much for it to end right now. R and R please.

Chapter 16

"Are you guys ready?" I asked walking up between Kyle and Wally. They were both yawning and looked like hell and I knew I couldn't luck much better. Even with the make up that Portia caked onto my face.

"I don't know Jude, this doesn't feel right, performing without Spied," Kyle said looking over at Spied who was sitting with Darius and Liam.

"Yeah, he's like the creator of our band, leaving him out is wrong," Wally added.

"Guys, he wouldn't understand this. I have to sing this song, to make this statement," I said glaring at Darius who sat over their laughing with Liam. He was going to be so pissed but I didn't care anymore.

"I do have to admit that your song is way better than your current single," Kyle admitted while Wally pretended to throw up. I laughed at their antics, these were my guys. I looked back at Spied and smiled sadly. He use to be part of the group, to joke around. I felt bad about leaving him out but I also felt relieved. After this performance we were going to have to talk.

"Five minutes," Kwest said walking up behind us. Spied was walking towards us carrying his guitar.

"Spied," I said when he was standing with us. "You aren't going to need that."

"What," he said confused.

"We're going to perform without you today," I said watching him closely. I could tell when he realized something was up.

"Jude don't," Spied said grabbing my arm and dragging me away from Kyle, Wally and Kwest.

"Spied don't try and talk me out of this. I made my decision last night; Kyle and Wally agree with me. I would have called you but you've let me know numerous times this month where you stand and it's not with me," I said shrugging my shoulders.

"Don't say that," Spied said pissed off. "Just because I'm trying to help you with your career doesn't mean I'm not with you. You are going to lose your record deal Jude, is that what you want?"

"Some record deal," I scoffed. "I can't write what I want, sing what I want, wear what I want. I'm their damn puppet and Darius and Liam hold the strings."

"Stop being a drama queen," Spied said rolling his eyes.

"Do you know me at all?" I asked shaking my head at him. "I thought you did, we were so close on that tour. You were my best friend but you don't even see me anymore. What happened to us Vincent? I want my friend, my pal back. The prank wars guy, the one who would do anything so I would laugh. The guy who made the bus driver drive thirty miles out of our way so I could get my chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. The guy who held me when I cried and never made me feel like a fool. Where did he go 'cause he's in there somewhere."

"Jude I'm still the same guy but you have to understand that Darius is going to make us go places," Spied explained.

"No, I'm done with excuses and pathetic explanations," I said stepping away from him. "I've been such an idiot since I got back. But I've seen the light and I know where I want to go."

"Well Spiederman Mind Explosion is staying with Darius, so if you screw this up, you are on your own," Spied smirked.

"You know what, a month ago I would have panicked at the thought," I said smiling softly. I looked over to where I'd last seen Tommy and Sadie. "But I know that I'll be okay. There are some people who are looking out for me and maybe it's time we separated….after this performance." I walked away and I knew Spied was still standing there staring at me with his mouth hung open in shock. I expected to get a couple more looks like that before the day was over.

"Jude, care to tell me what's going on?" Kwest asked nervously.

"There's just something I have to do Kwest," I said picking up my guitar. "But don't worry, your job at G Major will be safe." I walked towards the stage before turning back to face him. "Mine, on the other hand, is most likely going to be in jeopardy."

When I walked out on that stage with only Wally and Kyle standing behind me, I expected to feel nerves (which I did) but most of all I expected to be afraid. I was basically throwing my whole career at G Major away with one performance. But all I felt was relief; like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

The crowd was full of fans, young and old. The girls had signs proclaiming that they wanted to be me and I was number one. The guys had signs asking me to marry them. I smiled and waved to the crowd before I looked back at Kyle and Wally. I held up a finger telling them I needed a moment.

"Hey everybody," I said surprised to hear my voice come out so confident. I hadn't felt like this in a long time, I had missed this feeling. "I know you all came out here wanting to hear me perform Dumb Girl but I have something new for you." I saw Darius stand up and make his way to the sound booth but Kwest stepped in front of him and whispered something to him and he froze. "I don't know if anybody could tell but I've had a bit of a make-over since my first album. G Major decided that Jude Harrison needed to change because I didn't have a big enough fan base. They wanted to reach more people and I went along with them."

I saw Tommy and Sadie staring at me in shock and I smiled at them. "I was wrong, there was nothing wrong with that girl. Okay so maybe I needed to update my wardrobe, wearing the same clothes every week does get old. But dying my hair just because my red hair was to flamboyant, that's weak. I've learned a few things these past couple months, things I never thought I'd have to learn. Life is hard and when you think you can't handle anything else, it'll throw some more at you. That's what happened to me but I let the business change me. I was trying to please everybody and I ended up losing myself."

The crowd was completely silent, everybody staring up at me and actually listening to what I was saying. "I wrote this song last night with the help of two of the greatest band members on the planet. They are going to get in a ton of trouble for doing this but they love controversy so here they stand with me." I took a deep breath before I continued. "I don't know if you will like my new song and I have to admit I don't really care. I haven't written anything this good in a long time and I'm proud of it. So here it goes."

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Tommy stared at Jude in shock but underneath he was so damn proud of her. He'd been watching her since she'd arrived and when she followed Darius and Portia around without a word he had assumed she'd ignored Sadie. Tommy wanted to punch Spiederman for grabbing her and dragging her like that but Sadie stopped him.

"Jude will only get mad at you for butting in, let her handle him," she warned.

"But he's manhandling her," Tommy said stepping forward again.

"Look at her Tommy, she's fine," Sadie said rolling her eyes. But she smiled when Tommy crossed his arms over his chest, he was so cute when he was worrying. She was surprised it didn't hurt that much anymore to watch him openly devour her little sister. He honestly cared about her and Sadie wanted, more than anything, for things to work out.

Tommy stood back and watched as Jude and Spied had what he assumed to be a very interesting conversation. Jude did most of the talking and then she walked away from him before walking onstage without him. Spied was her lead guitarist and he had the all important solo in her single. How in the hell was she going to perform without him?

Tommy stared at her and never took his eyes off her during her whole speech. Something had obviously happened last night for her to have made such a huge decision and Tommy found himself worrying about her; which was new for him. He'd never let himself care about a girl this much before. But Jude made him feel things and want things that he'd never let himself care about before. So to hear her talk about how lost she had been and hurt, it made him hurt just as much.

"She must have talked to mom," Sadie said sadly. She hated watching her baby sister basically admit that she was sell out for the business. This would either boost record sales because people would be so happy to hear an artist admitting they weren't perfect or her record sales would plummet because nobody wanted to listen to a sell out. This took a lot of guts and Sadie found herself biting her nails anxiously waiting for the song to begin.

"Or she came to her senses," Tommy whispered. The crowd had gone completely silent and he didn't want everybody staring at them.

"No, look at her," Sadie said shaking her head. "She's standing up their proud and confident but in her eyes, she's in pain. Mom really hurt her and I'm not exactly eligible for best sister in the world either."

"But you are here for her now, that nominates you for something," Tommy said still staring at Jude.

"Hopefully not the too little too late award," Sadie said.

Tommy watched Darius stand off on the sidelines while shooting daggers at Jude with his eyes. Jude was either going to have to kiss some major ass after today or she'd be fired. He could tell by looking at her that she didn't really care anymore. She was taking back her life and her music, it made Tommy inspired to watch her pour her heart out to her fans. He wanted to go to the studio and write a song but more importantly, he wanted Jude sitting beside him, helping him.

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You think it's cool, just cause they're telling you
You gotta have it, then you'll never miss it at all
You need the thrill, just cause it's killing you
You're so close, so don't take it too far

I watched as the crowd looked at each other and could see the wheels turning in their heads. This song was completely different from her current single. I wondered if they were going to except it or reject it but more importantly, I found myself wondering if Tommy liked it. He had inspired me still, after all the anger and pain, I wanted his approval. I knew he had been disappointed in me for a long time, I wanted him to be proud of me now. But I couldn't look in his direction.

Where there's smoke you'll find a mirror
It's over-rated I've watched it fade
So please don't give in
Don't forget what you believe in
It's over-rated It's not worth chasing
Don't you know that
You'll love to love and then you'll hate it

The crowd was slowly getting into it, moving their bodies with the rhythm and bopping their head as they smiled. Their approval made me smile; at least I wasn't getting booed off the stage.

Love and lost and everything between
It's perfect, it's poison that made me fall
You want it bad
Don't want it to skip away
It's too fast
It's gonna drag you down

I looked back at Kyle and Wally and shared a smile with them. This was what we had been craving since we stepped off that tour bus. A crowd dancing to a song we wrote, not something approved by the head honcho. We were musicians but more importantly we were artists. Writing our own songs was what got us up in the morning. It gave us our relief from life. Writing a song was therapeutic for us and Darius had taken that away from us.

Where there's smoke you'll find a mirror
It's over-rated I've watched it fade
So please don't give in
Don't forget what you believe in
It's over-rated It's not worth chasing
Don't you know that
You'll love to love and then you'll hate it

I didn't have to look in Darius's direction because I knew he hated it. It wasn't that perfect pop song that he liked. I wasn't conforming to his image that he had in his head. I'd tried but it wasn't me. I was punk on a good day, rock on a bad. I would probably have a little garage band in me. It's who I am.

Coming close now, not any clearer
With every breath you're going deeper
But I will pull you back to me

I finally swallowed my nerves and looked over to where I last saw Tommy and my heart jumped as I looked into the familiar blue eyes. He was smiling and talking to Sadie as he bopped his head. I wanted to cry when he winked at me and gave me a thumbs up, his approval meant more to me then anybody else in the whole world.

It's over-rated
It's not worth chasing
Don't you know that
You'll love to love and then you'll hate it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh..
It's over-rated
And it's over-rated
You learn to love and then you'll hate it
You learn to love and then you'll hate it

"It's over-rated," I sang before stepping back from the microphone. Wally walked up beside me and put his arm around me as he leaned in close.

"I think you have a hit," he whispered.

"I think we both do," I countered making him smile. I bowed as the crowd continued to clap and cheer. I watched Darius make his way towards the stage and I wished I never had to leave this stage. I didn't want to deal with Darius today, he would only ruin my moment. But as I followed my band mates offstage I knew that I would have to say something, anything. But what?