I'm SO sorry this took so long. I'm rounding up the last 2 weeks of the semester and I have a lot of business crap to complete so it keeps me uber busy. Plus, this was a particularly interesting chapter to write and it, therefore, involved a fair amount of thought and detail.
For the J+T fans out there, this one's for you, although I must warn you that this isn't a happy ending just yet. I have many, many chapters to write.
If my fanfic were a school bus, my advice is to endure the whorish bus driver long enough to enjoy the mass spitball fight at the end (that is the dumbest analogy I've ever created). Toodles!
Chapter 10: Come Together
The doorbell rang as Tommy was filling his cup to the brim. He put the juice carton back in the fridge and made a bee line for the front door. Quickly jarring the heavy door open, Tommy was shocked by the person standing on the other side. "Jude?" He leaned his left hand on the edge of the door frame as he took in Jude's unwavering face and crossed arms. "Jude, is everything okay? I mean, hi. How are you?"
Jude rolled her eyes and ducked under Tommy's arm to slip her way into his apartment. Tommy turned his head when he realized Jude wasn't standing in front of him anymore. When he spotted Jude in his living room, she was arbitrarily pacing back and forth until it looked as if she would burst if she kept her mouth shut any longer. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Tommy was surprised by Jude's sudden and unwelcome attack. "I'm sorry. But, what's wrong with me? If I'm not mistaken, you're the one who shows up at my home after giving me the silent treatment for almost three weeks." This was true. Since Jude first turned Tommy away that day at the hospital, she had done everything possible to continue avoiding him. Darius had given Jude a temporary leave from recording, which made 'Operation Invisible' a lot easier to enact.
Jude contemplated the best way to cunningly defend herself, but failed miserably in that attempt and, therefore, opted to flip the switch. "That is so not the point right now. I have my reasons for that, but your reasons for kicking my sister to the curb aren't worth jack shit!"
"Hold up! Don't assume you know the real cause behind our separation. And what happened between Sadie and I is none of your business." Tommy was having trouble controlling his anger but knew he had no right to really be mad at Jude. "Listen, I'm sorry…I know your sister is your business but I just really don't want to talk about it right now. How are you? I haven't seen you since you…the incident. You feeling a lot better now?"
Jude's anger swelled when Tommy's mood suddenly changed to concern, because she thought this was just a tactic of his to avoid the subject. "I'm fine, but Sadie isn't. You've wounded her all because she told a little, white lie for me. It had nothing to do with you! She did it because she cares about me and respects the fact that I didn't want anyone to know about my unsettling past." The more Jude ranted, the more her blood began to boil and pulse madly through her veins. "God! Why do you have to be such a fucking dickhead sometimes? You're just like every other man in this world…if not worse!"
Jude's rage-induced shouting resulted in contorted breaths and a sweeping wave of exhaustion. Tommy noticed this immediately and gently took hold of her arm. "Jude, you're getting flushed. Maybe you should take a short break from belittling me and sit down so you can cool off." Jude was in a bit of a daze as Tommy led her to the couch. "Do you want some water?"
Jude eventually snapped out of her hazy state. "What? No. I don't need anything. Stop babying me and asking me stupid questions. This conversation isn't about me!"
"Yes it is!" Tommy didn't know what came over him. It was as if he couldn't contain the beast inside of him anymore. He needed to tell Jude the truth. "Don't you get it, Jude? Everything I do and everything I think has to do with you."
Jude's incomprehension was blatantly written on her face. She remained silent hoping he would understand that as an indication for further clarification. Tommy proceded. "Ever since I…we kissed that night in the studio, it has become increasingly difficult for me to think of anything, or anyone, else. Sadie is, and will only be, a friend."
"Then why did you…"
"I only started dating your sister again because I thought…well, I thought it would help me get my mind off of you." Jude's eyes grew wide at his confession. The thought of Tommy caring so much for her was too preposterous to even consider, though it did sound positively wonderful coming from his lips. She would wait a while before her protests began, just to hear the glorious sound of his sweet nothings. "When you told me that the kiss we shared meant nothing, it was like peeling off a freaking band-aid. But I heard you…and I tried to move on and forget, which is why I asked Sadie out. For a short while, everything seemed normal again. Our friendship was better than it had ever been and I was okay with us being just that."
Jude's breath caught in her throat. Listening to Tommy was like a dream, and it wouldn't have been too surprising to Jude if this all was a dream. It's practically a repeat of the one she had four nights ago. Nevertheless, she continued to listen as if in a trance.
"Jude, that all changed the minute I thought I lost you." Jude opened her mouth to try and steady her breathing. This vivid hallucination was doing peculiar things to her heartbeat. She'd probably wake up in a cold sweat afterwards, but this dream was definitely worth it. "Waiting in that hospital, unsure what had happened to you, was enough to make me realize that…I can't pretend anymore, or try and hide my feelings for you."
Jude's eyes locked with Tommy's in a passionate stare. They were so engrossed in one another that nothing could disrupt their focus at that moment. The stillness of the room lingered for what seemed like minutes, until Tommy made the first move by taking Jude's hands in his and swiftly raising her to her feet. He cupped her soft, ivory cheek. He savored the delicate feel of her warm skin against his hand as his face leisurely made its descent toward hers.
The kiss was so light at first; their lips had barely touched. Tommy then added more pressure, capturing Jude's lips with such ferocity that it was enough to make a girl swoon. The intensity of the moment grew, and Jude came to the conclusion that Tommy's words and present kisses had to be real because her previous dreams had never felt like this. Visualizing kissing Tommy in her sleep didn't create the same sensations that her body was currently experiencing. The reality of it made her come to her senses, and she pushed Tommy away just like she did the first time they kissed…only this time she didn't bolt.
The absence of Jude's touch was agonizing to Tommy. "Don't do this to me again, Jude. What's wrong with this…with us?"
Jude sighed. She had trained herself to mask her feelings when she was young, and even though she knew that she should unveil her true self to Tommy, it didn't mean she wasn't scared shitless about it. But Tommy wasn't going to hide his true feelings anymore, so it was time she stopped too.
"Tommy…what I feel for you…it can't even be put into words." She attempted, though, to find those much needed words. "You…inspire me…and you're the only person that I feel I can truly relate to, but…you also really hurt me when you left six years ago. I mean, you didn't even say goodbye, and all this time I've had it set in my head that it was because you didn't care about me. And I can't really just disregard all these thoughts that have plagued me for years."
"Hey…don't, for a second, think that I didn't care. Jude, when I left, it didn't occur to me that I would be hurting you too. At the time, I was selfish and too upset by Sadie's insinuations to consider how other people felt about my leaving. I did miss you…a lot…and I even thought about visiting you a couple years back, but I just felt it would be too late for me to enter your life again. I thought you might have forgotten about me." Jude huffed at that last comment. If only I could. "And for what it's worth, I am so sorry, Jude…really, I am. I would never intentionally hurt you because, Jude, I think I'm in…"
"Don't say it!" Jude had a pretty good idea what Tommy was about to say. As much as she had always wanted Tommy to finish those words, now was not the time to say them…especially since he only 'thinks' he means it. Jude didn't have the patience for 'maybes'; she needed a sure thing. She took one step back to further the distance between her and Tommy, but never broke eye contact. "Don't you dare try and seduce me with your sentimental bullshit after you've spent countless nights making love to my sister. I have some dignity, you know." As much as Jude wanted to physical possess that dignity, her eyes refused to obey as they attempted to leak out her emotions.
"What!?" Tommy could not believe what he was hearing. "Okay, for the record, the only thing your sister and I did was sleep in the same bed every once in a while, and also, I'm not trying to 'seduce' you…I'm trying to tell you how I feel about you, but you're making it so goddamn difficult." Tommy stepped closer to Jude and was glad that she didn't move away from him again. "Look, all this 'feelings' stuff is really new for me, but I'm trying, so, give me some slack, okay?"
Tommy wanted a sign that she understood what he attempted to say. Instead, Jude gaped at Tommy. "You never slept with Sadie?"
The question was asked in utter disbelief. Tommy was surprised Jude had assumed their relationship was more than it was, but it did make sense considering the circumstances. "If by 'slept' you mean 'had sex', then no. Sadie told me she sometimes got lonely at night, so I sympathized and stayed with her. One night, Sadie did come onto me but I told her that I wasn't looking for a physical relationship right now."
As if this night hadn't put enough on Jude's shoulders. First, Tommy tells her he has feelings for her, then he passionately kisses her, and then he says he never 'slept' with Sadie. Jude was completely overwhelmed and needed a distraction to process all of this new information. She glanced around Tommy's apartment, doing everything she could to avoid his intense gaze, and that's when she noticed the tall cup of orange juice sitting on the counter.
"I'm thirsty now." And before Tommy could say 'flabbergasted' Jude scuttled her way into the kitchen and began chugging the entire contents of the glass.
After the events and revelations that had recently taken place, Tommy didn't understand why Jude's only response was that she was 'thirsty'. Either her parched throat was in such an awful state that she needed to interrupt their conversation, or it was just an excuse to run away…again. Nevertheless, Tommy decided the best thing for him to do was to be 'Tommy'. "Yeah, you can have my juice," Tommy interjected sarcastically as Jude gulped down every last drop. "Feel free, while you're at it, to take whatever else you want in here."
Jude momentarily thought about his proposal. Considering he was close to confessing that he loved her—though she wasn't entirely sure this was a fact—she did feel more comfortable exposing herself, emotionally, to him. Maybe it was time they started to move forward.
Jude's index finger circled the rim of the glass, all the while staring at it intently. "Okay…I want you." It was spoken at almost a whisper, and Tommy had to second guess himself at her words.
"I'm sorry…what was that?"
Jude finally steered her eyes away from the glass and focused all her effort on Tommy. The compassion in his eyes was so blissfully sweet. She gave up worrying or trying to find excuses to avoid confrontation. Everything she ever wanted was willingly standing in front of her, and she wasn't going to let it get away. Jude placed the glass back on the counter and slowly closed the empty space between her and Tommy, making sure the eye contact was never lost. "I said I want you."
Tommy noticed a change in Jude. She had more confidence in her words and actions, and there was something else about her eyes that he couldn't quite place. Her forwardness intrigued him beyond end, but it also slightly caught him off guard, and he wasn't sure how to respond to that. "Are you sure?"
Jude gave Tommy a puzzling look. "Yes, I'm sure. Are you?"
Tommy mentally slapped himself. He hadn't paid attention to the actual words coming out of his mouth. "Of course! I was just surprised that you…and then after everything that…because I do want…" Tommy briefly silenced himself so he could restructure his thoughts and try to form a more coherent sentence. "What the hell is wrong with me? I'm 23 years old, and yet I sound like a geeky teenager when a beautiful woman tells me she wants me."
Jude giggled then followed her eyes to where her finger was making lazy circles on Tommy's chest. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, nerds turn me on."
Tommy cocked has eyebrow and felt the smirk appear on his face. "Is that so?"
Jude nodded her head with enthusiasm. "Oh yeah, I've always liked those shy, pocket-protector wearing, computer savvy dorks who fantasize about female extra-terrestrials. Do you fit that description?"
"Absolutely." Tommy snaked his arms around Jude's waist, finding comfort in the contact…and the fact that she didn't jump or try to back away. "As a matter of fact, I have every season of Battlestar Galactica in the other room. We can watch a few episodes if you want."
"Tempting…but I think I'll take a rain check on that one." The pair laughed. Their conversation had taken an odd turn, but it definitely helped relieve the tension they were feeling. By the time their laughter subsided, Jude noticed the strong arms that wrapped possessively around her small frame. "So, do you plan on doing something about removing that locked grip you have on me?"
Tommy smiled slightly and gazed adoringly into Jude's eyes. "Nope."
"Good." Jude, surprisingly, felt compelled to make the first move. She slowly slid her palms upward against Tommy's abdomen—which was regrettably concealed by the dingy, blue t-shirt he was wearing (at the moment)—gruelingly making her way toward his chest until, eventually, her fingers intertwined behind his neck.
Tommy then thought she was going to kiss him when her body began inching forward, but Jude managed to surprise him again by doing something else all together. Jude tightened her hold on Tommy and nestled her head in the crook of his neck. Though surprised, Tommy thought he couldn't have been happier in that single moment.
Jude's breath tickled Tommy's skin, and his body tensed with every sigh she made. Once aware of her effect on him, Jude felt brash enough to take things up a notch. She grazed her lips against the exposed skin on his neck. She took delight in the warmth he emitted as she placed hot, wet kisses leading up to his jaw line. Tommy caressed her back lovingly, quickly succumbing to his arousal.
Her delicate kisses reached Tommy's ear, and once there, she whispered softly and seductively, "I still want you."
Tommy's knees attempted to give out on him. He quivered with a want and desire that he had never felt before. His appetite increased when Jude began blowing cool air in his ear. It took all of his willpower to grab Jude's shoulders, take a step back, and look at the beautiful creature before him with an earnest disposition. "Listen, Jude, I don't want you doing anything that you'll regret. I mean we just started something…it's okay to slowdown the pace a little."
"Are you scared, Quincy?" Jude loosened Tommy's hold on her so she could remove her jacket. She discarded the item on the couch closest to her. "I never thought the one and only Tommy Q would have the stamina to turn down an opportunity like this."
"Hey." Tommy hooked his index finger around one of the belt loops on Jude's jeans and yanked her toward him so that their bodies were flushed against one another. "Believe me when I say that I am not turning this down." He seized her lips with such urgency and raw emotion that she couldn't avoid the slight moan that escaped. He pulled away from her slightly, but it was enough to make Jude whimper. "All I'm saying is that if you don't feel you're ready we can…"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Jude did everything she could to stop him from continuing. "Um, if you were implying what I think you were, I'm afraid I have to tell you that my…uh…virtue has…assailed, so to speak."
Jude's lecturing was so ambiguously worded that Tommy's eyebrows remained in a furrowed state until understanding hit him like a slap in the face. "Oh. I see. Uh, sorry for, you know, assuming that you were…god, I feel like an idiot."
A soft hand pressed to Tommy's cheek, and forced him to look at the person in front of him. "Don't be sorry. It happened about a year and a half ago and is really not something worth remembering, let alone blabbing about to all my friends. Being with you will still be special to me, more so than anything else." Jude thought she saw a slight blush appear in Tommy's cheeks. As adorable as it was, she felt bad for constantly making him feels so uncomfortable. She slid the hand that cupped his cheek down his arm, and eventually interlocked her fingers with his as she began leading him away from the kitchen.
Tommy followed her lead curiously. "Where are you taking me?"
She cocked her head in Tommy's direction and made sure he noticed the deviant look in her eyes. "I'm surprised you haven't guessed by now." She rotated the doorknob to Tommy's bedroom, then gave it a light push, allowing the door to do the rest of the work. The room was fairly dark, save for the glow of the nearby street light that shun vividly through his bedroom windows.
As Tommy followed Jude into the room, he instinctively reached for the light switch to his right. The newfound light highlighted every feature of the bedroom. Jude had never before made it this far into his apartment, so she gave herself a few seconds to scan around and gain a little insight into the personal life of the man of her dreams. It was a comfortably sized master bedroom that exhibited a green motif. Not something you'd see out of an interior design magazine, but it was fairly organized and neat. The various shades of emerald, lime, and viridian gave the room a modern elegance. The oak headboard of his king-sized bed was situated between two windows draped in chartreuse curtains. A chair in the left corner of the room was adorned with assorted green throw pillows.
After taking in the space before her, Jude decided the light was no longer necessary. "Turn the light back off. The street lights provide a better ambiance." Tommy took no time to object. He flipped the switch back to its original position. Their eyes adjusted briefly to the abrupt darkness, which gradually turned into a lackluster glow that enabled them to maneuver their way around the room.
Jude was the first to reach the bed. She sat on the edge and looked up at Tommy with doey eyes. She motioned for Tommy to come closer. Tommy took slow steps toward the blonde belle on his bed, not wanting to rush a single moment. He let his hands rest on the edge of the bed on either side of Jude, his face merely inches away from her own. She got even closer, breathing in his scent, and tenderly nudged her nose against his. Their lips were so close, yet still refused to make contact, as they reveled in the anticipation of the moment. Savoring became unbearable as their impulse to do more began to take over.
"Oh, Tommy." That was it. That was all Tommy needed to devour her completely. He pushed his lips with carnal force onto hers. This kiss was different than the other ones. One, because Tommy knew Jude had no intentions of stopping the activities. Two, because of the way she tasted. He never noticed before how sweet and juicy her lips were. Her lips became his weakness as he zealously sucked and licked them, claiming full ownership.
Jude didn't mind. Tommy's kisses were the ones that made your eyes roll into the back of your head. The two lovebirds would have probably been perfectly content with only indulging themselves in a long and heated make out session, but it was mutually acknowledged that this night would be indicative of the special bond that united them.
Tommy gently picked his head up for air, each hand still clutched tightly to the bed as he hovered over her. Jude smiled genuinely and effortlessly lifted her arms above her head, non-verbally telling Tommy to remove the pale yellow Snoopy shirt she was wearing. He caught on quickly and commanded his fingers to find their way to the hem.
The small t-shirt began its trek up Jude's body at a turtle-like pace; Tommy made sure his fingers grazed the recently exposed skin at her sides. Jude shivered at his touch, but craved the contact like an addiction that needed satisfying. The shirt was lifted over her outstretched arms and tossed onto the floor behind him. His eyes drifted down toward the ripe mounds of flesh that were bound by her coral demi bra.
She didn't give him much time to admire the beauty before him. Her lips pressed hard against his as she began fumbling with his shirt. They broke apart so that Jude could pull the unwanted fabric over his head. She tugged with a little more ferocity than Tommy predicted, which forced his hands to waver from their position on the bed, and soon enough, he fell clumsily on top of her. Tommy felt his cheeks start to flush. He couldn't believe how many times he had killed the mood already tonight, and this little stunt had won the gold medal for embarrassing moments in bed. Tommy tried to hoist himself off of Jude and began thinking of numerous ways to apologize for his 'smooth' moves, but he instantly felt a pair of strong legs trap him in the horizontal position he was in.
"And just where do you think you're going, Quincy?" Her soft, velvety voice was like music to his ears.
"Obviously, nowhere." Tommy smiled and focused his attention on her angelic features. A few strands of hair were haphazardly swept across her forehead. He brought his hand up to her face, and then delicately tucked the blonde locks behind her ear.
Jude could tell what was on Tommy's mind. "I don't expect everything to go perfect. That's the beauty of life. Things aren't the way they're depicted in movies and romance novels."
She grabbed the hand that was resting on her cheek and inspected it thoughtful before gently kissing his callused fingertips. She made her way down to the palm of his hand and lightly sucked on the smooth skin. She then looked back up at Tommy and recognized the lust in his eyes. "It already feels perfect because I get to be with you." Jude immediately averted her gaze when she realized what she said. "God, that sounded a lot cheesier than I thought it…"
Tommy closed any space that was left between them and muffled her words with his lips. Nothing else needed to be said at that moment. Jude grabbed on to Tommy, attempting to pull him closer—though at this point, it seemed physically impossible. Her hands roamed all over his back, wanting desperately to satisfy her hunger. His tongue playfully danced insider her mouth, and Jude felt herself losing control as she let out an unmistakable moan. Tommy lifted his head and stared at Jude with a cocky grin.
"What?" Jude uttered breathlessly.
"Nothing," Tommy began as he struggled to contain his laughter, "that was just really cute."
Jude stared up at him in disbelief. "Oh my god, you are a loser. What, are you intentionally trying to ruin the moment now?"
Tommy hoped he hadn't made her lose interest just yet. "No, I was just saying that I…"
In an effort to swop places with Tommy—a maneuver that should only be attempted by professionals—Jude managed to flip Tommy over and straddle his hips as he laid—shirtless—across the bed. "Enough chit-chit, pal. I'm horny as hell, and neither of us are leaving this bed until my needs are satisfied."
Jude didn't even give him a chance to get another word in. She kissed him savagely and started to unbuckle his jeans. This was the pace Tommy was used to, so he didn't complain. Once the zipper was pulled all the way down, Tommy lifted his hips high enough so Jude could remove his pants. Now Tommy was exposed in front of Jude, save a pair of navy blue boxer briefs.
Jude leaned down to give Tommy a kiss, but left him hanging as she pulled herself onto her feet and stood on the bed. She seductively popped open the button on her jeans and slowly tugged on the zipper. She then pushed the jeans down her hips—exposing her silky, black underwear in the process—and shimmied out of the restrictive clothing.
She went to her previous position, straddling Tommy, and let her hands feel every inch of his chest and well-toned abs. Tommy did some wandering as well, starting his journey at Jude's thighs. He painfully made his way up her legs toward her hips. He then traveled to her stomach, where he traced circles around her belly button. The light touches made her stomach muscles clench.
Soon enough, Tommy's hands roamed further up until they were cupping her well-formed breasts. Jude leaned her head back as Tommy began massaging her breasts through the coral material. Tommy abruptly stopped, which caused Jude to jerk her head back up. She looked at him with pleading eyes.
He removed one of his hands from her breasts and reached around her back for the clasp on her bra. Jude soon understood his intentions but chose to let him do all the dirty work. After ten seconds of fumbling, Tommy had finally managed to undo the metal hooks. He then placed both hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms, bringing the straps of her bra with him.
The now-removed undergarment rested on top of Tommy's abdomen. He ravished her perfect body with his eyes. She was mesmerizing this way. Tommy glanced up at her face and saw the slight glint of insecurity in her eyes.
"Is everything okay, Jude? I thought you said you've done this before."
Jude let her eyes wander around the room, anything to avoid looking at Tommy. "Oh, I have. I just…" She debated whether or not she should tell him the truth. But after everything they had been through tonight, there was no reason to lie. "I just don't want to disappoint you."
Tommy sat up, his bare chest making contact with hers. "Hey." He forced Jude to look him in the eye. "Nothing you could do would ever disappoint me." He leaned down and kissed her neck tenderly before looking back up at her again. "And you have never looked more beautiful to me than you do right now."
The full-infused passion was back with those simple words, and Tommy and Jude had never wanted each other more than they did in that moment. Their heated kissing had them lost in bliss, and before either had realized it, they were both 'au natural' and comfortably intertwined underneath the silk sheets.
She was ready for him. Ready, in vain, to take him all for herself. He was on the edge. Losing his balance with every touch of her soft, ivory skin. She wrapped her legs around his, giving her consent to continue.
This was it. This was the moment they had both agonizingly wanted for what seemed like an eternity. They gazed into each other's eyes, and Jude felt her breath grow shallow in anticipation. She bit her lip roughly as his engorged member entered her swiftly. She gasped at the sheer sensation of his throbbing penis inside of her. He hadn't even began thrusting yet, and she could feel herself on the verge of a release. She compelled herself to hold out long enough to feel Tommy completely.
Tommy started to make slow, rhythmic movements with his hips. He was a perfect fit for her. It was as if their bodies were designed to connect, like a puzzle piece finding its only match. Tommy bent his head lower so that he could make a trail of kisses from her collar bone to her neck. The combination of his lips on her skin and his erection massaging her core, made Jude moan continuously.
Jude's moans caused vibrations that tingled Tommy's senses as he continued to suck on her neck. His thrusts became erratic, but he wasn't done yet. He now moved into her with more force, and the hand that wasn't supporting his body weight grazed across her body until it found the lower part of her stomach. His hand pressed down gently, while his hips accelerated their pace.
A white, hot heat surged through Jude's body. "Oh my god…" she exclaimed, digging her nails into his shoulders for support. She began bucking her hips upward, needing him more and more every second. Whatever he was doing to her stomach was making her crazy. Her thoughts were clouded and her self-control seemed to have the night off. Tommy was dominating her mind, body, and soul.
Panting grew heavy. Sweat dripped from their slick, naked bodies. Hands were roaming and grabbing at everything they could. With every second, Jude's moans became louder and almost incoherent. Their interlocked forms were close to reaching an exhilarating new height. One final, deep penetration was all it took for Jude to fall into oblivion, and piercingly cry out in ecstasy. The tightening of Jude's inner walls did Tommy in as well.
The next few minutes were spent recovering, trying to find a steady rhythm for their heavy breathing. Tommy eventually pulled himself off of Jude and lay at her side with an arm draped across her flat torso. He smiled widely and slowly shut his eyes to relive the moments that they had just recently shared together.
Tommy felt Jude's stomach suddenly lurch underneath the weight of his arm. The movements were sporadic and unsettling. He opened his eyes and lifted his head off of the pillow to look at Jude's face. Her lips were pouted slightly and her eyes were glazed over with unshed tears. Jude was trying so desperately to hold it in. In an attempt to remedy the situation, Tommy placed a hand on her delicate shoulder.
"Jude, honey, what's wrong?"
Her reserve was weakening. "Nothing." Fresh tears began to slowly ascend down her unblemished cheeks. Tommy was starting to worry.
"Oh, Jude. Please don't cry." His body leaned in closer to hers in a consoling gesture. "Did I say or do something that made you…"
"No, Tommy," she interrupted quickly. "Trust me. You didn't do anything wrong. And the sex was…well, the sex was mind-blowing, in all truthfulness." Jude wiped at her damp cheeks ungracefully. "I just…ugh…let's just say that I've kept a lot of emotions pent up over the years."
Tommy could understand where this was going. "And you've finally found you're release?"
"If you want to put it that way." Jude sighed dramatically. "God, you know I can't honestly remember the last time I cried." Tears were still streaming at an alarming rate. "Possibly when I was 10, and Sadie made me watch Bambi for the first time. That has to be one of the most depressing movies of all-time. I mean, who truly enjoys films where the main character's mother gets killed? Well, unless the mother is evil…which does happen on occasion."
Tommy chuckled. This was what he loved about Jude. She had the ability to make any situation comical. "I think you're trying to avoid the real issue here. You obviously need a good cry so just let it out. Before you know it, it'll be over with."
"Grrr. Whatever." She got out of Tommy's bed and threw on the articles of clothing closest to her—her silk panties and Tommy's faded t-shirt. "If you're making me have this little 'cry fest' then I'm not gonna do it in front of you."
"As you wish." Tommy plopped back down on his pillow and closed his eyes as Jude started to walk out of the room. "Too bad I don't have any Air Supply, 'cause I'm sure that would be great mood music for your 'alone time'."
Tommy faintly heard Jude's voice echo from the other room, "Ooh, that's a good one. You should definitely be a comedian…douche bag." The unquestionable sarcasm just made Tommy laugh. He always felt proud of himself when he was able to push Jude's buttons so easily.
Jude went into the bathroom, finding the confined space comforting. It wasn't too difficult to let the waterworks flow to their full extent. She didn't necessarily feel sad; she just felt like everything inside of her needed to rush out of her body in a gigantic, crashing wave. Her body convulsed and her mind fluttered with memories, memories that were purposely placed in the back of her brain, so that it would be difficult for them to rear their ugly heads. This anxiety-filled, emotional outburst was not an enjoyable experience for Jude, but it was necessary because she knew she'd feel much happier once it was all out in the open.
Jude eventually began settling down a quarter of an hour later. Her heart wasn't racing and her thoughts were uncluttered. She forced herself to smile. Everything was coming together now. She was with Tommy, she was being honest, she just had the best sex of her life, and she felt happier than she had in a while.
Unbeknownst to Jude, a shadow of a doubt lingered in her head. This doubt began to appear in the form of questions. How long will this happiness last? What if Tommy has to leave me again?
She didn't want to be thinking these things, but in truth, they were logical questions to consider. Happiness isn't a sure thing if it depends on a single person. Jude stayed in that tiny bathroom for another hour, contemplating the new dilemma before her.
When she felt more confident about her frame of mind, she quietly opened the door and tip-toed out of the bathroom, making her way back to where Tommy was. She found him fast asleep on the bed. He looked peaceful; she wouldn't disturb him now.
She gathered her clothes from last night and began putting them on, careful not to wake Tommy from his slumber. Jude then wrote him a note with the computer paper she found on his desk and placed the note somewhere Tommy would obviously see when he woke up later that morning.
After glancing once more at Tommy's sleeping form, Jude turned around and left his apartment.
Tommy awoke that morning at a sluggish pace. He wasn't a morning person, so this shouldn't be an exception. But then he remembered the events of the previous night, and grinned like a little kid. He rolled over to place an arm over Jude possessively, only to feel the plush mattress beneath him. His eyes fluttered open, and Jude wasn't there.
Tommy sat up and looked around the room, peering out the door to see if Jude might have been somewhere else in his apartment. He couldn't make out any moving shapes, and the whole place was silent. He was fairly confident she had left, but didn't understand why.
He looked back at the spot on his bed that Jude had previously occupied, and that's when he noticed the white sheet of paper. It laid effortlessly still on the pillow adjacent to his. He picked it up to confirm his suspicions. Notes like these only have one thing to say:
Hope you slept well.
Meet me at the playground near
St. Augustine Elementary after 3pm.
We need to talk.
Jude