Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star. The song 'Criminal' is by Alexz Johnson, who plays Jude Harrison on Instant Star.
Author's Note: Actually, the song was on her 1st album on the show, but she never performed it. Google the song "Criminal" by Alexz Johnson. It is amazing!
Also, remember to look out for my new Instant Star story. I still don't have a title yet. And I hope you readers like One Tree Hill, because I am writing a story for that show, so be on the lookout for that too.
Chapter 11
1 week later
"Okay Jude, let's take it from the top, and that note is supposed to be higher at "rain on my window pane". Tommy instructed.
It had been a week since Jude was released from the hospital. Darius gave her some time off to get better, but with all that had been happening with David, Jude couldn't stand being home alone. She figured she would be safer at the studio.
She started to rethink her decision because Tommy was making her sing the same verse for the 11th time.
Jude sighed into the microphone. "Tommy, it's not going to get any better than that. This is the 11th damn time I sang that part!" Jude said, already frustrated.
"You're not even trying and you're voice is weak! We have to have a song done before Friday Jude, Friday!"
"Actually, I can finish the song anytime I want and don't act like I'm the only one fucking up! If you hadn't messed up the start of the chorus with the re-recorded material, we probably would have been done by now. I mean who the fuck records over the previously recorded chorus!"
"Don't blame me! Kwest re-labeled the sound board when I was gone!" Tommy yelled back at her.
"Same old Lil Tommy Q. Never taking responsibility, and putting the blame on someone else for your screw-ups. If you hadn't left in the first place, maybe Kwest wouldn't have re-labeled the sound board. Actually, if Kwest was still my producer, this would already be finished!" she yelled from the sound booth.
Tommy took his headphones off, so he wouldn't be able to hear her. He was too mad for words. She just called him by his most hated nickname, she was still mad at him for leaving, and she thought Kwest was a better producer. He was starting to think the little kiss he gave her at the hospital was a mistake. Tommy looked at his watch; it read 9:47 pm.
He and Jude had been recording since early that morning. At 5:00 pm, everyone left, but Jude insisted on not leaving until she had a song done, so Tommy agreed to stay. Here it is, almost five hours later, and they were having one of their infamous shouting matches.
Tommy put his headphones back on and pushed the talk back button. "Jude just get the song right and we can leave." he said, with an attitude.
"You know what? I'm done for the night. Goodbye!" Jude gathered her things. She couldn't take being in the studio with him another moment. She walked out of G-Major without looking back. She threw her guitar in the car and drove away.
Tommy took the headphones off again and slammed them down on the sound board. "Fuck it! I guess we're finished for the night." he said sarcastically to himself. He locked up G-Major, and got into his Viper. He sighed, thinking that wasn't the way he expected their recording session to go. He expected for them to argue. I mean come on, they wouldn't be Jude and Tommy if they didn't argue. But after arguing, they would make great music together. A lot of things had changed when Tommy left. Jude didn't make meaningful songs anymore. She began to settle for 'okay' songs. Tommy was trying to break her out of that habit. He knew something was wrong. Something was distracting her, but he didn't know what it could be. He ran his hand over his face, he was so tired. He started the car and drove to his apartment.
Jude, on the other hand, didn't go home. At 10:33pm, Jude was at a lounge, drinking. She didn't want to be bothered, so the owner gave her a private booth. She hadn't paid any attention on what was going on around her. She didn't sign autographs, she didn't take pictures, she just sat there and drank.
Her phone began to buzz. It was Sadie calling her again. Jude didn't want to talk, but she had ignored too many of Sadie's calls. She knew that if Sadie didn't hear from her, she would send a search party out to look for her. Ever since Jude told Sadie about David, Sadie wouldn't let her guard down. She called Jude every other hour to make sure she was okay. Sadie treated Jude like she was fragile, and at any moment she could break. That might be true, but Jude hated the sympathy and sorrowful looks she got. Hell, even Jamie would call or text on the hours that Sadie didn't use. Or he would just show up at the studio. She was happy that her sister and her best friend had her back, but she almost regret telling them.
The only one that didn't do all the extra stuff was Shay. Jude loved the fact that Shay knew when to check up on her and when to give her space. Shay was her saving grace.
Jude sent Sadie a text, telling her that she and Tommy were still at the studio recording, and Tommy was making her sing a verse over and over again, but she would be home in an hour or two, so she didn't have to wait up. Jude didn't completely lie, but she didn't tell the exact truth.
Meanwhile at the house...
Sadie and Kwest were so sleepy, but they stayed on the couch, with the TV volume low, waiting for Jude.
Sadie's phone buzzed. She read the text. She lightly rubbed Kwest head in her lap. "Baby, Jude is still with Mr. Perfectionist at the studio. She said she should be here in about an hour or two, so we can go to bed."
Kwest was silent.
"Kwest, did you hear me?" she asked, shaking him a little bit.
"Yeah." he simply said.
"What did I say then?" she asked.
Kwest yawned, and in a sleepy voice he said, "Jude, studio, perfect, bed."
Sadie laughed. She wanted to go upstairs, but she couldn't make Kwest get up. She thought of something. She smiled and whispered in his ear, "Jude's gone, we're alone, perfect bed upstairs, pillows, blankets. As she whispered, his eyes were still closed, but the smile on his face got wider. "Me naked, mouth open..." Jackpot! Kwest opened his eyes. He turned the TV off, checked the locks on the doors, picked up Sadie, and flew up the stairs.
Back at the lounge...
Jude was putting her cell phone back into her purse, when a cold, dark shadow appeared in front of her.
"Is this seat taken?" a voice asked.
Jude looked up and there David was, again. She wasn't in the mood for him right now, so she sat her drink down, grabbed her purse and got up from the sofa-like chair. In an instant, David grabbed Jude's arm to force her to sit back down.
"What do you want David?" she asked with an attitude.
David smirked at her. "I just want to talk to you." he said, taking a sip of his drink.
Seeing no way out, Jude figured she could let him say what he wanted to say, then he would leave and then she could leave.
"Okay, talk." she said sharply.
"I always loved your feistiness." he said, as he rubbed his hand against her jaw.
Jude removed his hand from her face. "You're not saying what you want to say."
"Jude baby, I'm sorry for what happened. I was out of line for what I did at the hospital. I love you." he took another sip of his drink.
Jude thought in her head You're only sorry for what you did at the hospital? What about all the other times you beat my ass?
"I need you Jude. I need you to come back to Miami with me. Please baby." he had a sad look on his face as he took another sip of his drink.
Jude cradled his face in her hands and looked him in his eyes to see if he was serious. She almost got sucked into the intensity of his eyes, but she looked away.
"David, no. I'm not going back to Miami with you. My job is here. My family is here."
"You can sing anywhere and you're wrong. Your family is in Miami." he said, referring to him and their dead son, whom is buried at a cemetery in Miami.
This time, he took a large swig of his drink and waited for her reply.
Jude put her face in her hands. She was feeling a headache coming. She knew David wasn't leaving anytime soon, so she got up. David grabbed her arm again. "Where are you going?" he asked in a mean tone.
"To the restroom, so can you let go of my arm?" she asked.
David gave her a strange look, then he let go.
Jude grabbed her purse and headed toward the restroom area. She looked back and David was eyeing her.
She went into the restroom. She was a little drunk, so she washed her face, trying to wash it away.
"How can I get out of here, without him seeing me?" she asked herself. Jude thought about going out of the window, but she decided against it.
"He's drunk, so he might not see me." she said to herself.
Just then, the door opened. Jude jumped and turned around. It was just someone coming to use the restroom.
"Gosh! I have to pee!" a drunk woman said as she tried to get the bathroom stall door opened. Jude noticed that the door was stuck, so she offered the woman the stall that she was leaning against.
"Thank you. You are a life saver." she said. Before she entered, she noticed who she was talking to. "Oh my god! You're Jude Harrison!" the woman shouted.
"Yup. That's me." Jude replied.
"I love your music! I drift away to a place. Another kind of life. Take away the pain, I create my paradise. Ooooh! He's under my skin! Another little white lieeeeeee!" the drunken woman started to sing Jude's hit song "Skin".
"Wow" Jude said. "I'm honored that you listen to my music." she said. Although, she was thinking that this woman sounded worse than Sadie singing karaoke.
"Can I have your autograph?" the woman asked.
"Sure. Anything for a fan." Jude said.
The fan pulled out a marker and handed it to Jude. Jude was waiting for her to pull out a piece of paper, but the fan started un-buttoning her shirt.
"Ummm..." Jude said, not sure of what the lady was doing.
"Sign right here." the lady said as she pointed to her chest.
Jude quickly signed her name on the lady's chest.
"Thank you. Have a good night." the lady said, as she hurried into the stall.
"You too." Jude said. She went to the door and peeked out. She didn't see David anywhere, so Jude took this as an opportunity to slip out the back exit. When she opened the door, it lead to an alley. As soon as she stepped out, David grabbed her neck and her arm and slammed her body against the building.
"Jude, if you stop being so damn hard-headed, maybe we wouldn't always find ourselves in these situations." he spoke deeply in an alcohol drenched tone.
"David let me go." Jude said, as she struggled to breath.
David applied more pressure to Jude's throat and he pushed her body with great force against the brick building. Jude's arm and hand began to bleed. Her throat felt like it was on fire from David's death grip. She felt like she was losing consciousness. She once again, looked into the eyes of the man she once loved. He had a pain/anger filled expression. Before Jude closed her eyes, the club door opened. A man came outside to pee because the line to the restroom was a mile long. David dropped his hands from Jude.
"Hey man! What are you doing?" the man slurred.
David recognized that he was drunk, so he turned his attention back to Jude, but Jude took off running.
"Okay Jude, we'll finish our talk later." David yelled after her.
Jude had been running for 20 minutes, without looking back. Her head and heart was hurting. She slowed down when she was a few miles away from her house.
She sat on a bench to rest. A tear fell from her face and a voice resonated in her head.
You're not even trying and your voice is weak!
She didn't know why, but Tommy's voice kept playing over and over again.
Jude began to think that Tommy was right. She wasn't giving her all when she sang and her voice had become very weak. She used to be the kind of girl that stood up for herself. But that changed, she had become very weak and she felt that it was nothing that she could physically or emotionally do to help her weakness. When she lost her son, all of her strength was gone. And when David started to abuse her, she just succumbed to it.
The cold night air blew over her, so Jude thought it was time to go home. She stood up from the bench and she looked around. She was at the same park that her and David had their first kiss. She remembered the talk they had as they walked the trail. She remembered him telling her about the way his father used to beat his mother, and his mother would just take it. How did they become his parents, when he swore to her that he would never hurt her or break her heart?
Jude began to cry again. The cold air made her tears sting her cheeks. She wanted to scream, but inside she was already breaking down. She wiped her face and began to walk the rest of the way home.
Jude opened the door and walked in. Her headache had become extremely worse and her vision became blurry, probably from the effect of the alcohol and other things. There were some aspirin in the bathroom cabinet, so Jude walked pass the kitchen to go get them. Kwest was at the kitchen counter, reading his emails, while he waited up for Jude.
"Hey rockstar. Did you and T make a hit tonight?" he asked her.
"We're still working on it." Jude said in a slightly shaky voice.
"Are you okay?" Kwest asked as he got up from the counter to meet her in the hall.
Jude quickly wiped the tears from her face before Kwest could see. Then she pulled her shirt sleeve down to cover her wrist.
"I'm fine. I'm just tired." she said as she faked a yawn.
"Are you sure?" he looked at her skeptically.
"Yes, I'm sure.
"Okay." he said. He didn't want to push the issue because Jude looked exhausted. He walked up to her and gave her a hug. Jude looked at him strange.
"What was that for?" she asked.
"You looked like you needed a hug, but ummm... Jude you smell like alcohol."
"Me and Tommy had a few drinks to get my creative juices flowing, that's all, no big deal." she lied.
"It is a big deal Jude, especially when you're not supposed to be drinking in the first place! And I can't believe Tommy let you drink. That guy has always been irresponsible!" Kwest said in a very upset tone.
"I'm sorry, please don't tell Sadie." Jude said in a small voice.
"Okay, just don't let it happen again." Kwest said. He gave her another hug, before heading upstairs.
Jude went into the bathroom and took two aspirins. As she washed the dried blood away from her wrist, she was strangely inspired to write a song. As the blood swirled into the drain, lyrics were forming in Jude's head. She ran into the living room and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen sitting on the table. She used her left hand to scribble the lyrics down before she forgot it. She began to hum a melody to the words. Before she went to sleep, Jude had her song finished and she wrote out the music also.
Jude walked into G-Major around noon. That was usually a late time, but since she was on break, and she left her car at the lounge, it was okay.
She went to the receptionist desk to check-in with Sadie. Next, she went into studio B to hang with Spied, Kyle, and Wally since she hadn't interacted with them since before she was in the hospital. Kyle agreed to get Jude's car from the lounge. Finally, she headed to Studio A.
"Are we going to get anything done today?" Tommy asked in an annoyed tone.
"Ummm...yeah. I kind of have a new song I want to record." Jude replied, not understanding why Tommy was so annoyed. It was a new day, she had gotten over their argument, why hadn't he?
"Okay, before we start, you want a drink?" he asked her.
Jude realized what he meant. She lied to Kwest about her drinking with Tommy.
"Okay, that was a misunderstanding and I'm sorry." she quickly apologized.
"So you went out for drinks last night?" he asked, while looking at her to see if she was okay. After Kwest yelled at him for 'allegedly' letting Jude drink, he also told him that she looked like something happened to her.
Jude saw Tommy staring at her and it made her feel self-conscious. She wore long-sleeves to conceal her bandaged wrist. She tugged at the sleeve to make sure it wasn't visible. Tommy saw her pull her sleeve and he looked at her strange.
"Can we record now?" Jude asked.
"Yeah. Do you have the music?" Tommy asked.
Just then, Spied walked into the studio.
"Do you ever knock? This is a studio ya know!" Tommy said in an angry tone.
"Dude chill! I'm the instrumentals." Spied said. He walked into the booth with Jude. "I guess Squinty Frown hasn't had his coffee today." he joked, as he put the music sheet on the stand. He sat down on a stool.
Jude smiled a little. She missed the companionship of her boys in the studio with her. Tommy rolled his eyes. "Jude, are you ready?" he asked her, losing patience.
"Not yet." she told him. "I need you to play the beginning, so I can hear how it sounds." she told Spied. He began to strum the chords on his guitar. Jude listened attentively, but there was something missing. She left studio A, and when she came back, she brought Kyle with her. Tommy was a little impatient, but he enjoyed her readiness to complete a song, so he sat back in his chair and waited for her.
When Spied started to play the guitar again, Kyle joined in with the drums. The collaboration was perfect.
"Okay, Tommy I'm ready. It's called Criminal." she finally told him.
He started to count her down. Kwest came in, so he had to start over. He held up his and began to count her down. Spied and Kyle began to play and she began to sing.
I won't deny, I faked it
Don't wanna lie, I'm jaded
I wanna scream when inside I'm breaking down
I've left the stone I was under
I'm running home, you won't find her
She walks alone all through this broken town
[Chorus]
Goin' the wrong way down a one way street
Where the feeling is criminal
Nobody helps me out when I bleed
Just a look, look, looking for someone like me
Where the feeling is mutual
Can anybody see what I see
Cause I don't see me
Tommy stared at Jude as she was singing. He heard the pain in her voice. Spied and Kyle looked at her too, as they played. They exchanged looks that said they were going to cheer her up.
I blow away the ashes
I clear his face, to look at it
He stole my name, while I waited lost and found
(Jude tugged at her sleeve to keep it covering her bruised wrist.)
I found a place, where I'll keep you
Cause I won't live through you or beneath you
I walk this way, where these winds won't bring me down
[Chorus]
Goin' the wrong way down a one way street
Where the feeling is criminal
Nobody helps me out when I bleed
Just a look, look, looking for someone like me
Where the feeling is mutual
Can anybody see what I see
Cause I don't see me, Don't
-Jude had tears streaming down her face. Her cry made her voice sound authentic and full of raw emotion.
"Damn, man. There is no way you can tell me that something did not happen to her." Kwest said to Tommy. Tommy just nodded and kept his full attention on Jude.
Let me be
Save it all
Don't waste it on me
Cause if I take a chance
And if I hurt again
And if I let you in
You'll be my reckoning
Ooo, hey!
[Chorus]
Goin' the wrong way down a one way street
Where the feeling is criminal
Nobody helps me out when I bleed
Just a look, look, looking for someone like me
Where the feeling is mutual
Can anybody see what I see
Cause I don't see me
Jude sighed at the end of the song. Tommy stopped the record button and just looked at her. It was one of the most amazing recordings ever and he was happy to witness it.
"That was really good Jude!" Kwest said, as he pushed the finalize button.
"That was more than good. We got a hit!" Darius said. He and Sadie had walked in during the middle to the end of the song.
"Yeah! It was really good Jude." Sadie agreed.
Jude noticed that her family and friends were there.
"Thanks." Jude said simply. She wiped her face with her hands and put her headphones on the stand. Tommy wanted to give her a hug, but he couldn't just go in the booth and hug the girl he love, could he? He was about to go for it, but Spied beat him to it. He decided to hang back and wait until he and Jude were alone.
When everyone left the studio to get back to doing their jobs, Tommy decided to talk to Jude.
"That was amazing!" he told her.
"Thanks." she said. Her phone rang.
"Hey."
"Okay, thank you so much." she said to Wally. He brought her car back from the lounge. She was finished for the day, so she was going home.
"Jude, wait!" Tommy said.
When she turned around to face him, he crashed his lips to hers, giving her a sweet and passionate kiss.
Jude was trying to process what just happened. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to embrace the kiss or pretend that it never happened, like her previous kisses with Tommy. She was about to ask him, but he cut her off by saying, "I Love You Jude."
Thank you. Please Review.
Author's Note: Okay, so I'm tired of David assaulting Jude. I'm going to have to do something about that. And we are finally getting ready for some really good Jommy moments!
Remember to look out for my new Instant Star story and a One Tree Hill story.
*Next Chapter Coming Soon.