A/N: Hey guys! Alright, here you get to finally meet the big new character, so please yet again I'm asking to not completely hate me for what happens lol.
The next two weeks were spent casting the roles of Kwest, Sadie, Nate, Jay, SME, Jude's parents, Georgia, EJ, Darius, and everyone else who had a part in the movie. There was only one day that Jude refused to go to the casting and she had also refused to let Jess go. It was then that Jess felt she had a right to know what was going on.
"Mom, this makes no sense. Why aren't we going to the casting today?" Jess asked as her mother was just lying down on the couch watching TV.
"Because I'm tired and don't want to go," Jude said flipping through the channels.
"That's not true, you know it isn't. Tell me, you've been all weird at certain times ever since you and Dad got back together, now why aren't we allowed to go?" Jess asked.
Jude had enough of this and grabbed the script that was on the coffee table and flipped through it a few times before she found the page she was looking for.
"Since you obviously didn't read the script, read from page 90 to 95, and then maybe you'll understand," Jude said firmly going back to the tv.
Jess read the script carefully, and it was then she realized why no one had told her who was being casted that day. Jude was assaulted after one of her concerts on her world tour. That's why the tour had been cancelled and rescheduled for another time. Jess sat at the table taking in deep breaths and then closed the script walking over to her mom. Jude sat there, her eyes focused on the screen, until Jess pulled her mother in for an embrace.
"I'm sorry mom," Jess said still hugging her.
"You didn't know, it's ok," Jude said with a small weak smile on her face.
"Was he ever caught?" Jess asked.
"By the time I was found he was long gone, and there wasn't enough evidence," Jude said turning the tv off.
"And you're ok that he could still be out there?" Jess asked a little irritated.
"No, of course I'm not. But part of life is understanding that not everything is right and wrong. The areas are all shades of gray, and this just happened to have been one of them," Jude said clearly getting her point across to her daughter.
"What are you going to do the day we film it?" Jess asked, running her fingers through her hair.
"I don't know. It's going to be shot more than just once, I'm going to have to watch it in the end so I mind as well watch it be recreated," Jude said. Jess just nodded and the two just watched TV on the couch together.
Tommy sat in his chair, his fist clench as he saw the auditions go. Nate was in the same state with Sadie beside him as they stayed with Tommy since they knew that Jude wouldn't want to be here Tommy didn't care who they chose for this scene, none of them did, they just wanted this day over with. Once it was, Tommy silently went home and saw Jude and Jess making dinner and dancing to the music that was playing. Tommy's bad mood eased into tranquility at the sight of his family happy. Jude smiled over at him, and he walked over and hugged Jude tightly.
"You ok?" Jude whispered in his ear.
"They casted him, and now that I'm done yeah, I'm good," Tommy said helping them set the table while Jude and Jess continued cooking, singing to an old mix CD from when Tommy and Jude were younger.
The three had a quiet night together just enjoying being a family, it was something the three had wanted ever since Jess was born. The next day was the read through which everyone had to be present, they would be going through as much of the script as possible.
There would be some moments with voice overs, in which Tommy and Jude would speaking during those parts, and that's how the movie started, with a voice over from Tommy.
"My first job in this crazy messed up business was some low budget taco commercials, later I was basically drafted into the classic boy band Boyz Attack," Tommy continued to read the script while slides of the story board were on the projector. The first scene was Tommy on stage with the rest of Boyz Attack performing "Picked Up the Pieces", the next was Tommy in a hotel room party with his group members with some groupies. Afterwards it was a clip of him on tour, penning down his thoughts, he had a look on his face of not being satisfied with his music career.
"But once I left Boyz Attack, I didn't know I was going to get the loudest wake up call of my life," Tommy said finishing the voice over and Tanner read the next lines. The next several minutes was just dialogue between Tanner, and the actors of Boyz Attack, Darius and Kwest. The next scene was when Tommy had arrived late to the Instant Star finale, missing his client's performance, but he did manage to arrive to see them hand her the contract.
"Oh..my god," Tanner read aloud.
"She's really somethin huh?" the actor of Kwest said.
"Yeah, that's my client? I'm going to have a hard time leaving the studio," Tanner read.
"Well, you better learn fast. She's out of your league," he read.
"No one's outta my league," Tanner read.
"She's fifteen," the other actor read, as they turned the page and Tommy's monologue came back in.
"That was the first time since I was a kid, that I had a hard time accepting no for an answer," Tommy concluded the first scene.
Everyone took a 15 minute break going out for a snack at the vending machines. Jess was getting Jude and herself two bags of chips and a candy bar when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She immediately turned around and was face to face with Tanner Hudson.
"Oh, hey, what's up?" Jess asked.
"Not much, just hungry. I just wanted to say hi," Tanner said, he was acting strangely shy around her.
"Um, well hi. It was nice to meet you," Jess said grabbing the six items out of the vending machine.
"Here, let me help you with that," Tanner said grabbing two bags of chips and walking with her back to the room.
"You know you look just like your mom," Tanner said trying to make conversation.
"Thanks, I hear that every where I go," Jess said with a smile.
This guy is really cute, he may be playing my dad but he looks nothing like him...Wait, what am I thinking! I have Ethan!
"Well it's the truth, how old are you? 17? 18?" Tanner asked.
"I'll be 18 in about two months," Jess answered.
"Ahh, I'm 21," Tanner added.
"Thats...cool. So, besides acting, what else do you like to do?" Jess asked.
"I swim a lot, bike ride, really my only talent is acting so I've heard so far," Tanner remarked.
"Heh, for me it was kind of hard to come out talentless," Jess said with a chuckle.
"Well, you are the daughter of Tom Quincy and Jude Harrison," Tanner said.
"Well thanks for the help, but we only have about 5 minutes left, and my mom is going to murder me if she doesn't get some sort of food in her stomach," Jess said, the two smiled at each other and he placed the food on the table and walked back to her seat.
"What was that?" Jude asked opening her bag of cheetos.
"I think Tanner was hitting on me," Jess said a little bewildered.
Jude just shrugged as Jess opened up her bag of lays and they both ate as quickly as they could. Tommy was watching Tanner and Jess exchange words, and he felt a mixture of odd emotions. One, he was a little protective of Jess and he knew what kind of guy Tanner was, but also, Tommy was exactly the same kind of guy as Tanner, he saw what he did to Jude, but in the end it managed to turn out for the best. He just sighed as he went back to his chair next to Jude and they had gotten ready to continue with the read through.
Throughout the rest of the read through, Tanner kept stealing glances at Jess who just sat there, quietly eating her potato chips and sipping on her water as she followed along with the script and the story board that was on the projector. He couldn't help but find her captivating, her big piercing blue eyes following the words he read, every once in a while glancing up to the storyboard to see what was going to showing through the film. Jess chuckled at some of the dialogue that was being said between her 'Mom' and 'Dad'.
"Don't you ever, call me Little Tommy Q again," Tanner read a lot as Jess just smiled at the script, or was it the thought of that her parents actually had a love story worth telling?
They managed to get through to Jude's performance at her school when they all decided to take another break and order in some lunch for everybody. They took a vote and decided on pizza for that day and Chinese for the next. Jess was talking with Jude, who decided she needed a bathroom break and left the room, and Tanner took a seat where Jude was just previously sitting.
"So, what are you doing tonight?" Tanner asked, straight forwardly.
"Um, I'm underage and have a boyfriend," Jess stated, now getting a little apprehensive towards his attitude.
"Who said it was a date? I was just hoping to have dinner as friends," Tanner quickly said to excuse his intentions.
"I'm sorry, you're a nice guy and all, it's just. I'm not really in the mood to go out tonight," Jess said. It was partially true, she'd rather be out with Ethan. But he was just expecting too much from her.
And a coincidence it was that Ethan happened to have called at that moment. Jess looked down at her phone and then excused herself and went out into the hall to take the phone call.
"It's so good to hear your voice," Jess said into the phone.
"Jess, we have to talk," Ethan said, he was sitting on his couch in his apartment living room. His eyes were red and puffy. He had made a mistake, the one that would cost him someone he didn't want to lose, but he knew the best thing to do was be honest with her.
"I don't like the sound of that," Jess said her tone now serious.
"There was a party the other night that my friend Brent dragged me out to. I had too much to drink and...I kind of slept with someone," Ethan admitted, rubbing his forehead and then his eyes.
"How do you KIND OF sleep with someone?" Jess said, her tone now filled with hurt and anger. Tommy heard this and looked around the corner. Jess was still on her phone, she met eyes with her dad, and he knew to stay back.
"I was drunk! I didn't know what I was doing!" Ethan said trying to defend himself.
"That's no excuse! How can you just go and have sex with someone! I thought we were using this time to think about everything!" Jess yelled into the phone.
"We are! It just happened Jess, I swear, I never meant to hurt you. I just had too much to drink and the next thing I knew I was in bed with her the next morning," Ethan said, his voice was becoming shaky.
"Fuck you," Jess said softly in a tone filled with pain and hung up her phone. She ran down the hall, the tears threatening to fall down her eyes, she passed by her mother who saw the same hurt look she had in her own eyes years before.
Jude followed Jess outside. She was sitting on the curb of the front of the building, silently crying to herself. Jude sat down next to her and pulled her heartbroken daughter towards her and hugged her tightly.
"He had sex with someone," Jess muttered, tears still streaming down her face. Jude just wiped away her tears and kissed her on top of her head.
"He's a jack ass who couldn't keep his dick in his pants. It's his loss sweetie," Jude said with a chuckle, that got Jess smiling a little.
"Wow mom, you really are blunt," Jess said wiping her eyes.
"Hey, it's what I'm known for after my music," Jude said hugging her daughter still, "Everything will be ok. He was your first love, but he won't be your last," Jess just nodded and continued to sit on the curb.
"Now, I don't know about you, but are you too heart broken to eat? Because there are atleast 10 boxes of pizza in there waiting to be digested," Jude said standing up.
"I'll be there in a minute, Mom, I just need a little more fresh air," Jess said leaning back, using her hands to support her. Jude just nodded and came face to face with Tanner who was just coming down the hall.
"Tanner? Was there something you wanted," Jude asked, perplexed as to why he was in this area with two plates of pizza.
"Well, I wasn't trying to eavesdrop ma'am, but I heard the conversation between Jess and what I'm assuming was her ex boyfriend. I just thought I'd go check on her and bring her something to eat," Tanner said innocently. Jude looked Tanner in the eyes, searching for something to give away an alterior meaning, but all she saw was the the same truthful and hopefulness that she sees in Tommy's eyes.
"She's outside right now getting some fresh air, that's really nice of you Tanner. And don't call me ma'am, just call me Jude," she said walking past him and going into the read-through room.
Tanner walked outside and saw Jess just sitting there quietly to herself, and Tanner couldn't help but notice how beautiful she really was. Her skin was a flawless creamy white and her eyes stood out compared to her dark brown hair and milk white tone. Tanner sat down next to her and handed her the plate of pizza.
"Hey," Tanner said softly, resting his plate on his lap.
"Hey, and thanks," Jess said nodding towards the pizza.
"No problem. For what it's worth, that guy's an idiot. A real jerk for doing that to you," Tanner said taking a bite out of his pizza.
"You don't even know him," Jess remarked, not defensively, just factually.
"I know that you don't cheat on your girlfriend of two years if you love them," Tanner remarked also factually.
"You're right. And, who told you me and him were dating for two years?" Jess asked, confused at his statement.
"Your dad, he mentioned it to me, he thought I was hitting on you," Tanner responded with a smile.
"Well, you come off as you are," Jess said taking a bite out of her pizza.
"Sorry. I just thought that since we're going to be on set together for probably a year at the minimum, we mind as well become friends," Tanner said handing Jess a napkin.
"Well, is it just me that you're doing this little budding friendship thing or are you doing that with all the other co-stars too?" Jess asked.
"Everyone else too, look, tomorrow we're having a sort of dinner party at this small pizzeria around the block from the set. Why don't we all go there and just have dinner, me and the other actors and you and your family? David rented out the whole restaurant for us tomorrow and we mind as well invite as many as we can," Tanner said.
"Alright, I'll mention it to my parents, but I'm sure my mom is just going to want to go home and rest, she is pregnant you know," Jess mentioned.
"Yeah, so are we expecting another Quincy to go famous?" Tanner asked.
"Well, my so called 'debut' is going to be on the soundtrack actually, and my character sings a part of one of my songs in the movie, so it's a possibility," Jess said.
"I don't mean to go on such a topic change here, but seriously. You're ex boyfriend sounds like a real jack ass," Tanner said.
"Yeah, he's been like that for the past month, did you get the jack ass bit from my mom?" Jess asked.
"Nope, just came to me. I call them like I hear them, well in this case, hear them," Tanner remarked. Jess smiled and then continued to eat her pizza.
Maybe I can get through this...
