The sky was lightening slowly outside of the smeared windows. The bus rattled as it crossed the bridge.
Almost there, this was the only thought running over over in the head of the girl sat pressed so close to the glass of the bus windows. She glanced at the digital clock close to the ceiling. It glared the time at her in green digits, 5:00. The journey seemed to take forever because all she really wanted was to be back. Back to her home, her life and back to him.
5:16 the minutes had crawled by. Jude stood up and then sat back down and continued to stare at the clock. She was not the most patient of people at the best of times.
"Dude" A tall scruffy but cute looking guy slumped down next to Jude. "Home ward bound. So, glad to be back to reality?"
"I can't wait to sleep in my own bed." She laughed quietly back. "Now I love touring as much as the next girl but a month and a half of you that's enough to put any one off." She patted him patronisingly on the head.
" We all know the real reason you're so glad to be home…Lord Squinty Frown himself!" he threw back at her.
Jude glared at him but refrained from further arguing mostly because she was tired and had already had this conversation many times over the weeks. But in the pit of her stomach she new she didn't want to deny it.
Jude's life had changed a lot in the last year. She had gone from an ordinary well ish girl to rock star almost over night. She wouldn't change any of it for the world but sometimes the dream life was harder than it looked. She flipped red hair out of her face as the bus stopped. This was it. The moment she wanted so desperately to arrive was here and all of sudden nerves swept threw her.
Out on the street Tommy smiled as he saw the bus pull up. He had been stood leaning on his car door for quite a while, not that he would tell Jude this, just waiting. The bus door clicked and swung open automatically and there she was.
Jude stepped out careful not to trip, clumsy as she was. She stretched her arms and breathed in deeply. Three guys hopped of the bus after her chasing each other and shouting. She turned towards their cries and spotted him, over the far side of the parking lot. She really had missed him.
He watched as she stepped out. A cascade of red hair fell down past her shoulders. It was longer than he'd remembered and curled beautifully down her back. She stretched gracefully, not aware of the effect this had on him.
He caught her eye as she looked across to him and smiled. She was grinning as she walked over to him.
"Well girl" he said softly though she heard him perfectly. "Glad to back?" at this Jude hugged him fiercely. " I'll take that as a yes" he said breathlessly.
" Mr Quincy" she faked a posh accent. "It's been a while"
"Too long girl" he laughed. With that they walked back to the bus to collect luggage and stashed it in the trunk. Jude hugged the three guys at their car and followed Tommy to his. She got in and they took off, with Jude excitedly explaining her summer the whole journey.
The blue viper pulled up to the Harrison house and Jude undid her seat belt.
" I'm glad you came to get me, it's not been the same with you hounding me constantly about work" Jude said punching him playfully on the arm. "I suppose I should go in. mom's cooking pancakes as a welcome home, mmm real food."
Tommy laughed at her. "Pancakes hey? Well have fun I know they have missed you. I'll see you tomorrow. We have a lot to sort out down at G major there have been a few changes while you were gone. Don't worry!" he said at the look on her face, " it's not that bad. Go. Sleep. See you in the morning nine o'clock" he reminded her again as he knew she was always late.
Jude slid out of the car "you bet ya". She retrieved her bags and headed to the door. Before she had turned around to wave Tommy smiled to him self. He was glad she was back.