"Well if it isn't the Little Tommy Q now?" Jude says crossing her arms over her chest and blocking the entrance to Tommy's old office.
"Jude. I wouldn't let you get away with calling me that when you were a 15 year old punk rocker with and attitude problem. What makes you think I'll let you get away with it now at 17 years old?"
"Because Tommy I'm a 17 year old girl with a broken heart, a heart that you had no trouble breaking three months ago!" Jude shouts slamming the door in Tommy's face. Picking up the notebook she had stepped on Jude walks back to Tom's desk. Hearing the door open behind her Jude turns around and quickly throws the notebook at Tommy, who has to duck to keep it from hitting his head. "Not another step closer Quincy. Or I might throw something breakable next time." Jude says sitting down on top of Tommy's desk.
"Jude, please don't be this way." Tommy says walking into the room, not caring about what else she throws, because she would throw it whether or not he left anyways. Because that was Jude, she was temper-mental. She needed to blow of steam, whether it was writing a song or breaking a bunch of stuff.
"Don't be what way Tommy? Hurt? Heartbroken? Betrayed? Because right about now that's all I can feel. Right now all the pain and hurt and anger that I've been bottling up and ignoring has busted loose. And it's all you fault! Everything that has happened to me! It's because of you." Jude says standing up and running to Tommy. Not quite sure what she was going to do Tommy takes a step back, but that doesn't do anything. Jude runs up to him and she starts hitting him, not very hard, but enough to make herself feel better. "It's always been you. You! You! You." Jude finally stops hitting Tommy, but that's only because she is trying to wipe the tears falling down her cheeks. "Because of you I've lost who I am!" Jude says falling slowly to the ground and starts to cry a little harder.
Bending down next to her Tommy pulls her into his arms. And for awhile neither one say anything. They just sit there. Finally Tommy looks down at Jude "Jude you haven't lost anything. You're still the same stubborn and beautiful girl I met three years ago."
Wiping her eyes Jude gives Tommy a skeptical look and pulls away from him. "How would you know Tommy? You haven't been here in three months."
"Because Jude. I know you."
Standing up Jude fixes her costume making sure she's presentable. "You don't know anything Tommy. You just think you do." Jude says turning to leave. She's done with Tom Quincy. He had broken her heart enough times. She wasn't going to get fooled again.
"I know that I love you! And I also know that you love me too." Tommy shouts after Jude, which gets her to stop. For what seems like an eternity neither one say anything before finally Jude turns around to look at Tommy.
"Loved, past tense Tommy. I loved you." Starting to turn Jude quickly stops. "And you, loving me? Psh! That's just your mind playing tricks on you." Jude says looking Tommy square in the eye, but quickly looks away when she sees the deep hurt and regret that's clouding his usually crystal blue eyes.
"I do love you Jude. I know that and I know you know that I love you." Tommy says taking a tentative step closer to her, making sure she won't run away again. "Just like I know you still love me."
"You know what. Maybe you're right. Maybe I do still love you. And maybe you do love me. But none of that matters. Because I can't trust you, I probably never could."
"So that's it! You're just going to walk away from whatever this is between us?"
Looking into Tommy's eyes Jude thinks back to their past. "Not wanting to repeat history or anything, but I'll steal one of your lines. There is no us Tommy and maybe there never was." Jude says turning around and opening the door and walking out. Leaving a very hurt and shocked Tommy standing in the middle of the office.
Walking on back on stage Jude sees a much emptier and quieter G-Major. Hearing her name being called Jude turns to see Sadie and Kwest coming towards her. "Jude! Where've you been? I've been worried about you." Sadie says pulling he into a hug.
"After I saw Tommy I ran and some press was following me so I locked myself in his old office. So where is everyone?"
"Darius and Liam are in the conference with a group of reporters making a statement about Tom. Last time I saw SME, Jamie, or Patsy they were taking care of the overzealous reporters. And pretty much everyone else went home." Kwest says sitting down on the edge of the stage, Sadie and Jude following him.
"Wow. It's not even midnight. Do Tommy and I know how to wreck a party or what?" Jude says. For awhile nobody says anything.
"So. Have you talked to Tommy?" Sadie finally asks, not being able to stand the suspense any longer.
"Talked…yelled. It's all pretty much the same thing, right?" Jude asks giving a weak smile and then looking back at the ground. "It doesn't matter. We're done. We've been done since he left me standing in the middle of the street."
"Jude…" Sadie says putting her arm over Jude's shoulder and pulling her closer. "I know what Tommy did was horrible and he should've told you why he left. But you can't hate him forever. It's Tommy. You love him."
Pulling away Jude looks over at Sadie. "You've got to be kidding me. You two have been telling me since he left that I needed to move on. I'm only 17. I'm still young and have my whole life ahead of me. That he's not worth it. And now. When I'm agreeing with you guys. And I say that I don't need Tommy and I'm better off without him and he's out of my life. You guys tell me I'm wrong. That I need to forgive him." Jude says waiting for them to say something. But they both stay silent. "I can't believe it. I can't win with you guys. I'm always going to be the wrong one aren't I?"
"Jude. It's not like that." Kwest says.
"Yeah. We…It's just you love Tommy, and he loves you. You guys are meant to be together. That's what we're saying."
"You guys are right. I do love Tommy. I will always love him. And you're right. He loves me too, he told me so."
"So why aren't you happy? Tommy has finally admitted that he loves you. Something you've been waiting for since you're 16th birthday." Kwest asks confused.
"Well you guys know the saying…Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me…?"
"Yeah." Kwest and Sadie say in unison.
"Well with me and Tommy this would be what? The sixth time? Seventh?"
"You can't look at it like that Jude. People make mistakes. And we're dealing with Tommy here. He is one of the biggest screw ups ever. He needs time to get things right."
"Well maybe I'm out of time. Maybe I need to stop waiting and live my life. Something I haven't done in a long time."
Sadie just nods her head. "I think you're scared Jude. And that's what's keeping you from trusting in Tommy again. You're afraid."
"And is it so wrong for me to be afraid? I mean I've trusted him before, we both have! And look where it's got us? Heart broken and angry. You of all people should be preaching Tommy's faults to me. So why are you trying to get me to forgive him?"
Jumping off the stage Sadie turns to look right at Jude. "I love you. You're my sister and no matter what, I'll back you up. But if you let Tommy leave, you'll be making one of the biggest mistakes of your life and you'll regret it for ever."
"I don't think so." Jude says shaking her head. "I think it might make things better."
"You need Tommy Jude. Just as much as he needs you. You guys are meant to be together. And if you let him leave you're going to be the heart broken girl you've been the last three months since he left." Sadie says turning to follow Kwest who had started walking back stage.
Looking at the ground, Jude hops of the stage. Walking around the make shift dance floor she hears the music still playing. Obviously Kwest never shut if off. Stopping and closing her eyes Jude listens as Time to be You 21 plays over the speakers. That song, like so many of her other songs, was all about Tommy.
You never lied to me not once
Its not your fault that I cant trust
Its in my past, its in my path and I can't go there
Making a mess out of this game
To see it all go up in flames
So tired of being ruthless and wreckless
Time to be your only one
To almost be you're way too young
Time to crash into the sun
Time to be your 21
Time to dream that love will last
Time to drive my car too fast
Time to walk before I run
Time to be
Ohh time to be your 21
Humming to herself she hears a person coming up from behind her. "You've hurt me so many times Tommy. You've lied and cheated. You've said one thing and the gone and done the complete opposite."
I don't believe in love and I
I pull it to the wall
I tasted sweetness there to laugh so hard as it falls
And I could push you there if you don't stop me
Push you there if you don't stop me
Please stop me
Turning around Jude looks Tommy right in the eye. "So tell me. After everything you've put me through. Why should I trust you now?"
Time to be your only one
To almost be you're way too young
Time to crash into the sun
Time to be your 21
Time to dream that love will last
Time to drive my car too fast
Time to walk before I run
Time to be
Ohh time to be your 21
"Jude. You've always been able to trust me." Tommy says walking closer to Jude. "I've never once wanted to hurt you. Even after your 16th birthday. I was just trying to protect you."
Its gut wrenching sometimes
Its life threatening sometimes
Seems like nothing can wash it all away
"Yeah well all of your "protecting" Tommy has hurt me more than helped me. It doesn't matter if you meant to hurt me or not. You still did. And who's to say you won't hurt me again?"
"No one Jude. No one can predict the future. All I can say is I love you and I don't ever want to hurt you like I did before." Tommy says walking so he's standing right in front of Jude.
Time to be your only one
To almost be you're way too young
Time to crash into the sun
Time to be your 21
"Trust me. Believe me. I need you Jude. I'm sorry for being an idiot. For everything I've done."
Time to dream that love will last
Time to drive my car too fast
Time to walk before I run
Time to be your 21
Time to be your 21
Taking a couple steps back, Jude shakes her head and wipes the tears from her eyes. She wants to believe Tommy so bad. To just jump in his arms and everything will be better. But that will never happen, because that's fairytale. And Jude knows that she lives in the real world and in the real world people get hurt, they lie, and do anything to get what they want. Doesn't matter if the didn't mean to or not. "I don't know Tommy. I don't know if I can. So much has happened."
"Jude what did I say to you that first night? After the Vinyl Palace when you wanted to quit?" Tommy asks Jude, who just shrugs her shoulders.
"You told me I was it. I was the real thing."
"Besides that." Tommy says shaking his head.
Looking into his eyes Jude knows exactly what he's talking about. "You told me that writing a song is like falling in love. It can be hard and painful. And sometimes you just gotta walk away…" Jude says and stops talking.
"…And sometimes you get something really great." Tommy finishes for her. "Jude. This…" Tommy says pointing to him and her "…This is that something great I was talking about." Tommy says putting his hand under her chin and lifting her face so they're looking into each others eyes. He sees Jude's eyes filling with water and tears are slowly falling down her cheeks.
Looking into Tommy's eyes Jude takes a deep breath. "Yeah Tommy. And maybe. This is one of those times where you gotta just walk away…"