A.N. So here is a new chapter, finally. It took me forever to figure out how I wanted to move this story along. Many different versions of this chapter have flown through my head, but I think this is pretty much exactly how I wanted to write this conversation. So in the time that I have been gone, I've come up with two new story ideas, but I've promised myself not to post them until I finish the three I've already started. So I figure I'll probably put those up... never. I don't know why but I've been going through a very weird spell. My muse is most definitly on vacation or something. Okay enough rambling. Please don't forget to review! I love all your feedback!
Chapter Five
Jude pulled her coat tighter around her as the cool wind blew. She shivered, taking great satisfaction in the hot cup of coffee that she had in her gloved hands. Winter was well on its way, although it was only mid November. It was going to be a cold one.
The day had been beautiful, and much warmer then the last few days had been. Jude had decided to take advantage of the semi-good weather and go out for a walk. She stopped at a kiosk and picked up a paper sitting down on a bench to look through it a bit.
She sat down next to a man in a leather jacket and a baseball cap, reading through the billboard charts. The man shut the paper, preparing to stand up and leave.
"Professor Quincy?" Jude asked, astonished to see her teacher on a Saturday. He looked as shocked as she did.
"Jude? Hi, what are you doing out on this cold day?" Jude shrugged, sipping her coffee.
"From my window it seemed like it was going to be nicer today. I figured I might as well make the most out of it." He nodded. Jude laughed. Tom looked at her strangely.
"I'm sorry; it's just weird to see you outside of class or radio. Whenever I normally see you…, well do you normal dress like this?" Tom laughed, sensing her amusement.
"Yeah, well the school dress code doesn't exactly allow me to just show up in jeans and a band tee. We professors have to be more… what's the word?"
"Bad fashion sense?" Jude teased.
"Yeah, that sums it up."
"So, the music professor reads the Billboard Charts. Who would have thought, right?" Tom laughed along with her. "if you don't mind my asking, how is it that you are a professor? I'm sorry if that was being a little too nosy, it's just that you seem so… young." Jude asked, a little nervous of … well pissing him off. She didn't want to automatically fail his class or anything. Tom sighed.
"I'm overstepping aren't I?" Jude went to stand up and leave before she embarrassed herself any further. Tom stood up as well, blocking her.
"No, it's okay. I've never had a student ask me that. Then again, most of my female students become giggling high school girls whenever they talk to me." Jude nodded, still slightly embarrassed that she had asked such a personal question.
"Don't be embarrassed or anything. It's nothing personal or anything. You really want to know?" Jude nodded, afraid to open her mouth and say something she might regret.
"Why don't we go inside?" He pointed to a small café on the corner. Jude followed him inside.
"So what I'm going to tell you, nobody except maybe my closest friend knows. So could you possibly do me a favor and not gossip about my life to the entire student population?" Jude nodded.
"Well, alright. When I was in high school, the only thing that I wanted to be, the only thing that even interested me was music. Me and a few friends you know started a band in the garage and played small gigs. Nothing that millions of other teens haven't done. My father, he's a professor as well. At this university, actually. He's very high up on the school board. So you can imagine how much he liked the idea of his only son wanting to quit school to pursue a music career."
"I take it he wasn't a fan of music." Jude finally said. Tom rolled his eyes.
"That's an understatement. My father wanted me to go to school and make something out of my life. He wanted me to become a doctor or a lawyer. Something respectable. I wanted to quit school and move to L.A."
"Oh, I can see that going over well."
"Actually, my father was very disappointed, but he would have let me go. He would have cut me off, but I could have gone." Jude was confused.
"So why didn't you?" Tom sighed.
"My mother didn't want me to leave. She knew that the minute I left I would probably, seldom if ever, come back. She begged and pleaded with my father to find some other way. Of course my father talked to the school board and the dean of the university and they agreed that if I went to college, they would give me a job as a professor. I didn't really want to do it, but my mom made me feel really guilty, so I did it. For her."
"Wow, that's kind of sweet that you gave up your dream for your mother." Tom shrugged.
"Mom's are really good at guilt tripping." He leaned back and stared out the window, wistfully. "There isn't a minute that goes by that I wonder what might have happened if I had left."
"Wow. Thanks for sharing I guess." Tom shrugged.
"My father believes that having any kind of relationship with students outside of the classroom is unethical. Which is true, but I don't see why you can't be a teacher and a friend. In my opinion I feel you learn more from someone if you can trust them." Tom stood up.
"Well, thank you for listening to my drawn out story, Miss Harrison. I'll see you in class, or radio. Bye." Jude waved and watched him as he walked out of the café.
Jude could understand compromising your dream for someone you love. She left as well, realizing there was someone she needed to call.