Chapter Five: Big Cities
Jude ran off the stage with the widest smile she had ever conjured. She had just finished her first ever concert in the United States and boy was she excited. The first thing to hit her was the warmth of arms wrapped around her slim frame. Her head bowed to rest on the man's shoulder.
"I'm so proud of you!"
"Thanks Spiedy!" Jude excited as she pulled back from him.
"The loaders are gonna take everything down, we can just chill in the bus if you want? We have to head out tonight to get to New York or else I'd say let's explore bean town." Spied rested an arm on Jude's shoulder as they walked towards the dressing rooms.
"Let me just change." Jude beamed as her hand met the doorknob, "Meet me on the bus with champagne!"
"Ah a little bubbly to celebrate. Tour is already bringing out the alcoholic in you." Spiederman joked as she playfully pushed him away so she could enter the door.
As the door shut on his face she called out, "Fuck you Vincent."
He laughed to himself before walking away to find Liam and get his hands on a bottle for Jude. Back in the dressing room just dropped her dress immediately wanting to be in something more comfortable. She was slightly disappointed that the first after party was on the bus, but she knew New York would be a different story. She knew that they had already rented a section of a club out and Jude had to admit she was very excited. Touring was a once in a lifetime opportunity and it's meant to be crazy and she was desperately ready for crazy. Jude eagerly pulled out her phone after retiring into a pair of skinny grey sweats and her Elvis crop top. She left her hair in its curls because there was no way of relaxing it without the help of her hair stylist, Melanie.
The ringing to her ears was causing her heart to beat fast. It was their first night apart and she was unsure of how he was to answer. When she parted from him they were perfect, but she knows how quickly Tom's mood changes and how ready his friends were to take him out. The phone was picked up after a few rings and when she heard, "Baby girl," all of her worries fled her body.
"Hey babe!" She exclaimed into the phone, happy to hear his very calm and sober voice.
"So how was Boston? How was the show? You going out? Boston is nuts!" She started to giggle at his ramble of questions.
"It was amazing and this city is beautiful, but we have to head to New York right away." She stated into the phone as she made her way from backstage to the bus, "but tomorrow night Liam has a club rented out for the after party!"
She wasn't sure what to expect from the excitement to party she portrayed, "I'm sorry you don't get to experience Boston babe, but New York will certainly make up for that."
She was almost taken back by his kindness and genuine want for her to have fun. Jude knew this was his idea from the beginning, but there was always room to wonder if it was some master plan to see what she would do with freedom to later be thrown in her face. "Yeah so I've heard. I'm really excited. Tonight I'm just gonna be drinking a little champagne on the bus with the crew."
Jude heard another male voice coming from the other side of the phone, "Chaz says hey Jude." She heard an ow come from Tommy, "I was told to say it should be sang as if it were the Beatles. He says he knows how you love that." She heard the boys chuckling.
"Oh hi Chaz." Jude added wondering what the pair could possibly be up to.
"So I'm going to a club opening tonight." Tom spoke cautiously as if he too were scared to break free, "Chaz, Kwest, Portia, and practically all of G Major is going and no one wanted me to be moping around and staring at pictures of you so-"
She cut him off quickly with a gentle tone, "Tommy it's fine you don't need to explain. Have fun babe."
"I'll try girl." He cooed into the fun, "Alright I got to go. Have fun with the little bus party. I'll talk to you tomorrow if you aren't too busy. I love you Jude."
She was half taken back by his shortness but let it go. It was only the first night of tour and she'd have to get used to their lives being completely separate, "I love you too Tommy." She responded before hearing the click of his phone.
Jude fell on to the bus's leather couch as she sighed and blowing a piece of hair from her face. Her make-up artist, Saundra, sat besides her pushing a glass into her hand filled with the alcoholic beverage of their choice. "Relax superstar you rocked tonight and tomorrow is going to be absolutely insane!"
She took a sip of her drink facing Saundra as Spied took a seat across from with a beer, "I know, I wish we could've done something tonight." Jude admitted, wishing more now than before that she had found Tom was going out.
"Jude New York is going to knock you on your ass." Spied commented, "You should be thankful we ain't getting wild tonight."
"What ever are you implying Spiedy?" Jude asked as she gulped down her drink, "That I couldn't keep up?"
"From what I know you ain't much of a drinker Harrison." Spied joked and Saundra started to laugh.
"Jude, don't listen to the little boy." She added nudging Jude's shoulder, "I've been on a few tours and New York may be a lot to handle, but you're a real spitfire. We are about to have a blast!"
"I can't wait!" Jude explained looking between the pair, "And I will certainly be able to handle it!"
Fast forward to midnight in New York, Saundra dancing on the V.I.P. bar in the back of the club accompanied by Jude. People behind the velvet ropes and security guards are chanting Jude. Although she was only eighteen that never stopped a celebrity from getting drunk at a club and luckily this place was discreet and there were strict policies about coming in if you expected to be hanging around such fame. This was a well-established New York celeb hang. Paparazzi killed to know what happened behind these doors, although stories always surfaced there was never any proof. Something Jude should be very thankful for right now. Jude and Saundra pulled up Melanie to join them as they clinked glasses and continued to get down. Spied stood in the corner resting against a circular table shaking his head with laughter. He had never seen Jude so completely belligerent in his life and he also noted never seeing her having this much fun before. Spiederman felt a vibrating in his pocket and he pulled out his phone. He almost choked on his hard drink when he saw Tom's face plastered to the screen, why was he calling him? Spied rushed to the bathroom, which wasn't the least bit quiet, but a lot less loud than being directly in the club.
Cautiously he answered, "Uh hey dude."
"Don't tell Jude I called." Tom sighed with a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Sure thing, so what's up?" Spied asked with curiosity racking his brain.
"I didn't want to call Jude. I know she had this big after party tonight. I just want to make sure she's being safe you know. I didn't want to be bothersome." Tom spoke truthfully trying not come off as over protective.
"Jude's pretty drunk, but her only dancing partners are women I can assure you." Both men chuckled over the phone, "But shoot her a text or something man she isn't gonna think you are bothering her."
"I don't know maybe I will." Just before continuing his talking he heard a girl's voice echo through the phone.
"Spiedy this is the girl's bathroom." He heard a slurred loud voice and instantly knew it was Jude.
"Dude, I mean Jude, I'm on the phone." Spied retorted while Tom listened amused.
"Oh who is it? A girl!" Jude yelled, "Hi Spiedy's girlfriend!" She screeched into the phone, which caused Tom to fill with laughter.
"Jude I don't have a girlfriend." He laughed, "It's actually a certain star's boyfriend I know."
Jude's eyes widened and she ripped the phone from her hand, "Tommy! Tommy is that you?"
Tom laughed and smiled against the phone, "yeah Jude you caught me."
"Oh Tommy it's so great to hear from you." Her words were slurred and her drunkenness was overly apparent, "I meant to call but the drinks they just wouldn't stop coming!"
"It's okay girl, I didn't want to damper your night I just wanted to make sure you weren't dead or anything." He chuckled finding her current inebriation to be comical.
"Why does no one think I can drink?" Jude complained, "I can drink a lot and be fine!"
"I'm sure you can rock star, but I'm gonna let you go babe."
"Okay Tommy, but remember I love you so much. Like do you know how much?" Jude hiccupped into the phone, "So much that I think if my love were to be like an actual real thing you know that you can touch, well I'd think it'd be it's own galaxy with like planets and solar systems and things."
Tom couldn't help but laugh and feel so loved all at once, "I love you just as much Harrison. Now go have fun baby girl."
"Bye Quincy bear!" The phone hung up and he was left chuckling wondering where the new name had come from. He turned around on his chair to face Kwest at the studio, "She's definitely having a great time."
Kwest nodded his head smiling, "See man I told you, should've called her cell to begin with."
Tom shrugged his shoulders placing the phone in his pocket, "I know." He felt a sense of relief wash over his body knowing that he was still on Jude's mind even when she was so far away, "I think this is gonna be easier than I assumed. I was worried the alcohol would make her forget me, but it seems it only makes her love me more."
Kwest laughed, "You got nothing to worry about. Aren't you planning on stopping in at one of her shows in a few weeks anyway?"
"Yeah, I can't believe how much I already miss her." Tom admitted with a slight groan, "I thought I'd at least make it a week but as soon as that plane departed a piece of me went with her. I feel that piece gone so strongly and it's weird."
"It's called being in love Tom." Kwest chuckled patting his back.
"Yeah yeah yeah." Tom settled further into his chair, "I just can't wait until that girl is my wife."
Kwest smiled warmly at Tom shaking his head, "Soon enough T, soon enough."
Back at the club Jude was rested against the stall in the bathroom feeling very emotional; a side affect of her alcohol consumption. Her heart was heavy after hearing Tom's voice and it made her want to become sober again desperately. She actually wished the conversation would have continued and she could feel the battle in her head between a sober self and an intoxicated self. She knew that alcohol had its way of creeping through one's thought process and washing up emotions that linger. It wasn't until she heard Tom's voice tonight that she realized a piece of her had been missing. It wasn't until it dawned on her he was genuinely being an amazing and accepting boyfriend that she missed him so much already. Her drunken figure melted to the ground and the thought of being on a dirty bathroom floor didn't bother her the slightest. Spied sighed as he watched Jude's mood turn entirely and against his better judgment he sat beside her.
"You ok dude?"
Jude shook her head and feeling overwhelmed with emotions began to cry, "I know it's the alcohol making me feel worse, but it's been two days and I miss him."
Spied just started to laugh lightly to himself, "Lord Squinty Frown misses you too Jude. He called me so he wouldn't have to hassle you and he doesn't seem mad at all. There's no need to cry my lady, he'll be waiting for your return."
Jude sighed as she tried to keep the tears back, "I know. I just didn't think it'd be this hard ya know. We've been apart for more than two days, but I think the pain lies in the fact that I can't just see him or kiss him even if my life depended on it. When we wouldn't see each other at home it was comforting knowing how close he was to me, it was okay not to see him because I knew if I really wanted to I could." She rested her head on her companion's shoulder, "But if I really wanted to see him right now I couldn't. And even if he tried really hard to visit it would still take a few days of planning and there would be no immediate satisfaction." Jude lifted her head up and shook it lightly, "I think I'm sobering myself." She giggled as she sucked up her sobs and wiped her eyes, "I think I'm also overly obsessed with my fiancé."
Spied heard the words and almost didn't believe it and it took Jude a few seconds to realize the name she addressed Tom as. Her hands flew to her mouth and Spied looked to her with wild confusion, "Fiancé?"
"Fuck." She hushed under her breath, "I'm not very good at keeping secrets."
'Wow, just wow." Spied looked in front of him in shock, "You're eighteen and touring and you have a fiancé? That's heavy dude."
Jude bobbed her head also staring directly in front of her, "Do you think I'm absolutely looney?"
Spied chuckled putting his arm around Jude's shoulders, "I think both of you are a little over the deep end but," he paused to face Jude with a reassuring smile, "that's what love does to you. It's irrational and completely chaotic and people may not understand, but the only ones who really need to are you two."
Jude smiled biting her lip as she once again rested her head on Vincent, "When did you become so smart?"
"Alcohol my lady, alcohol. Some of us get wise while some of us," he nudged at her, "become giant babies."
Jude playfully punched Spied and then looked around, "let's get out of here."
Spied nodded his head standing up. He dropped his hand to help pull Jude off the floor, "Tour bus my lady?"
"Yes Spiedy, tour bus." Jude yawned as they made their way out of the bathroom.
Leaving the club Jude was completely satisfied with her night and her life. She made it through her first tour party with out fighting with Tom and not puking, both of which were a total surprise. As she stepped on to the tour bus she looked at her phone and realized it had already reached 3am. She forced herself to change and crawled into her bottom bunk. Her eyes stared at her phone as she swiped through pictures of her and Tom; she even found the one they both first took together. It was the picture of Jude cheesing and Tommy just staring at her, he was giving her her look. A smile placed across her lips and she attached the image to a text that said 'I love you Tommy Q, and I miss you. Goodnight baby. Xoxoxo.'
She applied the phone to her charger and rolled over knowing that when she awoke she'd be in Philadelphia ready for another night of drinking and missing her one and only love.