Chapter 3: Tommy's Return

I yawned sleepily as I walked into the kitchen the next morning. It still felt so strange living at Dad's and not the house I'd grown up in. Everything was so unfamiliar.

"Hey" Sadie said glumly as she walked into the room "How was your date last night?"

I grinned "It was great! Guy's a really great guy"

Said smiled, though it looked like something of a forced smile "That's great Jude." She put some toast into the toaster.

"You know what's weird though? I could have sworn I saw Tommy drive past as we were leaving the theatre, "I shook my head. "Strange huh? It can't have been him though. I'd never seen the car before, it was old and scruffy and something he wouldn't be caught dead driving. Sade, are you ok?"

Sadie had frozen mid way through pouring herself a coffee and the water was spilling over the side of her cup. "I'm fine!" She said in a fake cheery voice as she quickly mopped up the mess "I'm just… not awake yet."

"Hmmm" I said. I'll admit it, I was daydreaming about Guy and it felt great! For once Tommy wasn't the dominating thought in my mind. Maybe I was finally starting to move on? Maybe I was actually getting over Tom Quincy.

---

"Hi girl" Guy leaned over to kiss me on the cheek as I walked into the studio.

I smiled and felt myself blushing a little. "Hi G. What's up?"

"I've been working on our song" He said as he ushered me over to a stool. I've come up with a rap for the second verse. Let me know what you think. He cleared his throat and rapped:"

"My hate is blinding me
That's not something I want to be
I don't want to hate you for that day
I don't want my life to go that way
I won't hate you anymore
This anger stays behind when I walk out that door
It's through"

I smiled and sung "It's through" as an echo. "I really like that" I said.

He smiled. We worked on the song all morning. It was finally starting to come together.

My verse:
You let me down, one too many times
You hound my dreams, but I wish it would just end
I'm over you, I've said it so many times
Good-bye to you, you left me in the dust.
So long, good-bye, I must… get over you

The chorus, sung together:
So baby I'm screwed up
By how we messed up
And the way we said good-bye
I'm so angry and can't get over
The way we'd always lie
Good-bye to you.

Shay's rap
My hate is blinding me
That's not something I want to be
I don't want to hate you for that day
I don't want my life to go that way
I won't hate you anymore
This anger stays behind when I walk out that door
It's through

Chorus repeated

Me
It's through

G
Good-bye

Together
Good-bye to you

My inspiration for the song had of course been Tommy. I wondered in the back of my mind if there was a certain person inspiring G. I really liked the direction he'd taken the song. My original (solo) version had been bitter and angry but with G's input the song had gone from a screaming match to a sad acknowledgment of a relationship that was over and two people who could never go back.

I shivered as I thought again of Tommy and that kiss we'd shared after recording 'White Lines', a mere week before he left. So it's through. Is it really good-bye to you?

---

Sadie sighed as Kwest walked over to her. "I'm working" She said as he leaned on her desk.

"I can see that" He leaned over and spun her computer screen around to face him. The screen showed Sadie's favorite internet hangout: The Portrait Forums, an Internet chat forum. "I assume this is market research of some sort?"

She glared at him and turned the screen back to face her, "Ok, so I was taking a momentary social break. Sue me"

"I'll refrain" He said with a smile, "But I wouldn't mind taking you out to dinner tonight"

Sadie glanced at him, "You've reassessed your priorities then?" She asked.

He frowned, "Sadie I don't go inquiring into your friend's private lives. I know that it does relate to Jude in a way but that still doesn't qualify as a reason for me to betray Tommy's trust. I absolutely adore you" He paused "I love you in fact"

Sadie's eyes widened, it was the first time he'd ever said that.

"I hope you can understand" He leaned over and kissed her forehead before walking away to join Jude and Guy in the studio.

Sadie chewed on her bottom lip as she sat at the computer. Was she being childish and selfish asking Kwest to reveal the reason of Tommy's absence? Did he even know? She wished Tommy were no longer any of her business and she could completely forget about his existence but she'd seen what his abrupt departure had done to Jude. It had caused a domino effect knocking her first into a breakdown, then a dark makeover, a dark change to her music, and a new partying trend (She often didn't return home till well after midnight and despite being underage she often came home drunk). Sadie was worried she'd get into something heavier like drugs.

Did Sadie dare risk her relationship with Kwest which she didn't doubt was love and the first relationship she'd been in with true lasting ability? She hated the fact that she hadn't told Jude about Tommy's return last night but she'd been so happy and what would Sadie have said anyway? "Tommy came back last night. He looked like crap. That's all I know" Yeah that would help the situation so much.

She shrugged. For all she knew Tommy had left town again already. Maybe she could just forget about everything and continue as if nothing had happened.

She smiled. Kwest loved her.

---

Guy and I had gone clubbing to celebrate the completion of our song. We'd been working hard for the last week or so and had just recorded the final version earlier that day. Darius was really excited about the track and already talking about shooting a video the next week.

I could feel the base thumping through my veins the moment we walked into the club. Grinning to myself I grabbed G's hands and led him out onto the dance floor. We danced to a number of fast paced techno beats getting closer to one another with each track.

During the fourth track he placed his hands on my hips and pulled me close to him then leaned down and kissed me on the lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him a little closer. The music forgotten we stood in the center of the dance floor, strobe lights playing over us and kissed for the first time.

After a number of dizzying kisses G reluctantly pulled back. For the first time I noticed the amused glances being cast our way and the fact that a different song had started. "You want a drink?" G whispered into my ear, his breath tickling my neck and sending chills down my spine.

I nodded and he left to get the drinks while I continued to dance on the dance floor. A couple of girls who were there on their own came over to join me casting 'he's so cute' glances in G's direction and winking at me. I laughed. Life was feeling pretty good.

As Guy was motioning for me to join him at a table I caught a glimpse of someone at of the corner of my eye. I spun to try to get a better look to confirm my suspicions but the person was gone. I couldn't decide what was wrong with me but I seemed to be seeing Tommy everywhere lately.

I joined G at the booth and sipped the Vodka he'd purchased for me. I liked not having to argue with the bartender about my age. Sometimes they would accept my fake ID, sometimes I had to play the celebrity card and sometimes just throwing a tantrum worked. G happily supplied drink after drink as the night progressed.

I motioned to G that I was going to the bathroom then set out to maneuver myself through the dancing crowd to get to the bathroom on the other side of the building.

"Why if it isn't Jude Harrison?" A guy said as he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him.

"Hi" I said as I wrestled my arm away from him "Excuse me" I turned to leave but he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back toward him.

"Let go of me!" I said firmly.

"Come on now honey. Can't spare a dance for one of your biggest fans?" He said, his speech slurred.

I tried to pull away but his grip was strong, the people around us were so lost in the music that no one noticed my distress. I'd lost site of Guy so couldn't get his attention.

I stomped on the guys foot and elbowed him in the stomach as hard as I could but he still wouldn't release his grip "Let go of me you pig!" I yelled.

I was about to start panicking when someone put a hand on the guys shoulder and spun him around to face him, his grip on me loosened and I pulled away. "The lady requested you let her go" A familiar voice said.

I was struggling to regain my balance which I'd lost when the guy suddenly released me, all of a sudden those Vodkas were affecting me and I stumbled and fell on the dance floor as the dizzying strobe lights started to make my head pound. I glanced around trying to work out what had happened. I remembered a voice that tugged on the edge of my drunken consciousness. What was it? Who?

I glanced up. I could see the back of the guy who'd grabbed me but not the person who'd come to my rescue. Just then a punch was swung and my attacker nearly fell on top of me. I quickly slid backward to avoid him then stared in a state of stupor as the guy rolled back and forth on the floor clutching his nose which was bleeding rapidly.

"Are you ok?" That voice. I knew where I knew that voice. I glanced away from the blood and back up to see my rescuer leaning over and helping me up.

"Tommy?" I asked, my voice quivering.