A/N: I was suppose to post this like 2 days ago, but I wasn't completely done with it and then I kind of got into a certain part of the chapter and I couldn't stop. Ooops. ;D
But now it's done. Thankfully.
Anyway, I checked my email today and lo and behold there was an email about one of the communities I subscribed to on here and the story that was added. IT WAS MINE! It was so weird to see it. I thought "I didn't add it! What?!" But to whoever did, THANK YOU! I appreciate it! Especially after reading the charter and seeing the other stories that are there. I'm very thankful that people like this…even when I sometimes think it's mediocre.
So this is the make or break chapter for me. If you read the summary that is under the title of the story, it says "He's dangerous. And he knows it." Well this is where the dangerous part comes into play. Sort of.
This is the thing that I told charley07 I would be dedicating a later chapter to her for. This isn't the chapter, but this is the lead in to a storyline (that has been hinted at) that will continue into the rest of the story. I know it sounds cryptic, but bear with me.
I either get this right or totally make an ass out of it and ruin the story.
Let's just say this is where most of my Teach Me inspiration came from and if you know the book at all, you may understand what I'm talking about once you read this chapter.
So here it is.
I hope you like it. :D
Oh yeah, read the A/N at the bottom. I have a question for you.
Thanks to Carlz02 for your input and thoughts about the preview(s). :D I REALLY appreciate it!
THANKS:
miss massacre: LOL. Very true. I was glad too. I like mushiness, even if it makes me laugh. I'm glad you liked it. I guess you'll have to read this chapter to find out. ;D
LittleZurawski: Thank you! They make me smile too. Here's the next update.
Pip'235: LOL. Yes, it is (on both counts). AHAHA. I'm glad you loved it. His teachings are on the way. LOL!! Where do we sign up?! ;D I think so…I forget. Nevermind, I remembered. Yes, it's 6 chapters. ;D Monkeys eat steak? Wow…that's something new. And like I said, I'm not good in science…so I might have missed that whole talk. Is that why we like red meat? I mean humans…not monkeys. Oy vey. I'll stop. ;D But wait…WHIPPED CREAM to you FRUIT LOOPS? O.M.G. absolutely hilarious. ;D Thank you for being addicted.
hales03: LOL. I know how it is. I know this wasn't soon, but I'm trying. I KNOW! I didn't realize how long it felt, but then I remembered why. Thank you for reading this even though you probably tired later. ;D I really appreciate it!
101ISFAN: Thank you! It is something you have to do. Gotta take the risk sometime. LOL. The teasers weren't that mean, I don't think. But waiting you wait wasn't cause I was trying to be mean. It's cause I'm slow. ;D I do feel special and I will try to make this next update faster. I think I'm finally finding my rhythm again.
Alexzj18: I'm posting now! Yay! Thanks!
kikiofberlin: Aww…yay! That's what I like to hear. I had to, it wasn't the right time. Here's the next chapter!
scrubslover: LOL. I liked it so I'm glad you thought it was sweet. No where special. Promise. ;D I'm updating now!
HopelessRomantic984: I was too. It came and went as usual. Neither can I, which is why I just had to write it. I needed some kind of humor mixed in with all the mushiness. LOL. I know…there is a intro to that in this chapter…and it flows in to the next couple of chapters. It's most definitely going to affect their relationship. They have to be slightly comfortable with that. I thought it was a cute touch. Yes, it does and she can't, I think she'd be the one to realize that. It wasn't but I think Tom was/is perceptive enough to realize what a big deal it was, considering he is always to one to push the subject away. Thank you! Apparently so…the hospital may be making its own presence in a chapter soon. ;D
pwbhswriter2009: Thank you! Now you don't have to wait. Her performance debut isn't for a while and the hospital thing won't exactly be revealed in this chapter, but it will be hinted at. I'm glad the chapter was worth the wait. Here is more.
chocolateelephantz: LOL. Yes, they are. And the rollercoaster is not over yet. Sorry. AHAHA. I think that's how Victoria would be. I'm posting now. LOL. It's ANGIE. I guess you will have to read this to find out.
mandy1485: Wow. Why thank you! LOL. It has a habit of doing that. They are. Thank you! Well, here is the chapter!
raylo94: Thank you for loving this! Yes, she is. Now you don't have to wait. LOL! Now that I think about it…yes, I could too. LOL. ;D
InStrFan: Thank you! It's understandable. LOL. I actually kind of like her parents. They are definitely interesting. AHAHA. She's reluctant cause she doesn't know how he's going to react. She doesn't know that he loves music just as much as she does. The conversation comes up soon…and its pretty interesting. LOL!! O.M.G. I so wasn't thinking that until you brought it up. ;D I liked that story too. Tom doesn't know the word: tact. Sadly. Yes, stupid boys. Thank you! The next one is here!
love4jommy: Thank you for still loving this. I can't wait either. ;D Thank you. Here's the next chapter.
snowriter: Thank you for being in love with this story! I'm continuing now.
Disclaimer:I don't own…FIT (fashion school in NYC) and NYU. Or Miller Lite. Or Toronto Memorial (I don't even know if there is a hospital named that...I never checked). Or Berklee. Or Blackberry. Or Honda. Or Ford (Mustang).
A/N: at the bottom. (It's another preview!) :D
R&R or R&L please.
THANKS MUCHO!!
"The Morning After"
She missed him. So damn much. And it hurt.
And he had only been gone for an hour.
This was harder than she thought it would be.
Don't Stand So Close To Me
Chapter 14
"Friendly Conversations"
She knew she shouldn't have come. She knew. But she had to.
She needed to. She wanted to.
She stood there, hands trembling, knees weak, too afraid to ring the doorbell or knock.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes tight, replaying the previous day in her head. The reason she was standing on his doorstep to begin with.
As he stood in front of her desk, in front of the other 33 students, he handed her a piece of paper. Like he had given the others. But this one was different.
She hadn't even seen it, yet she knew.
In the top right hand corner, small scribbles of his handwriting gave her the push she had needed.
The push to move forward with their relationship.
In the corner, he had written his address and his telephone number. And underneath that was Tomorrow. 4 pm. Let's start the winter break off right!
She smiled widely, knowing what it meant. Knowing though they had secretly been together for a week, she had finally been granted access into his life. One she hardly knew anything about.
She let out a sigh and shook the nervousness out through her hands.
Now she was just plain scared. And rightfully so. Any normal, sane person wouldn't do as she was doing.
It was then that a thought struck her. Months prior, she had been worried as to what would become of her if their relationship didn't work out. She figured she'd go insane without him.
Now as she stood on his doorstep, she realized she was already insane for even starting something with him.
Him being Tom Quincy. Her teacher.
A small smile formed on her face; she was going to be alright.
But that didn't diminish the large pool of doubt now filling her stomach. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. Maybe she should just go home. It wasn't as if she didn't have other things she should have been doing anyway.
She opened her eyes and gazed at her watch.
She shouldn't have come, but now, as the front door before her opened suddenly, she didn't have a choice. She couldn't back out now.
"You're late, Harrison."
- - - - - -
She anxiously threw her last cardigan into her bag, her mind racing as it checked off everything it needed for the week ahead of her.
Quickly zipping up her luggage, Kat sat down on her bed and stared at her feet.
They had less than an hour before they had to be at the airport. And she was nervous to say the least.
FIT was calling her name. Beside her lay a large black leather portfolio containing her life's work and all of her dreams. This was it. Her one chance to make her dreams come true.
Now all she had to do was get a hold of Jude.
- - - - - -
There was almost a feeling of déjà vu as she stared at Tom. But then the moment passed because she realized the circumstances were completely different.
She feigned a smile to which he noticed but didn't comment on and walked into his house. She abruptly stopped herself as she heard him close the door tightly behind her.
She was in his house. Her teacher's house.
This was a huge deal. They were moving past being acquaintances at school, pretending as if their presence didn't matter, to almost lovers. If they'd ever get there.
Her breath caught in her throat as she realized the magnitude of the situation.
Like Tom had when they had gone to her loft.
Their lives were merging together forming something independent of its own.
He instantly knew something was wrong as she passed by him without a word, just a fake smile.
He had wondered if it was just him; that he had done something wrong and didn't know it.
But as he watched her from behind, he knew that wasn't it. It was more than that.
He lightly placed his hands on her shoulders making her jump instantly. He abruptly took his hands off of her as she sheepishly turned around.
"You scared me. Sorry," she admitted, a small genuine smile forming on her face.
He smiled back, his eyes lighting up as he saw her beautiful face. "Why so jumpy?"
"No reason," she lied, shaking her head slightly.
He nodded wordlessly, wondering what the cause of her anxiousness was. She turned around, leaving him with the view of her back again.
He walked past her to his living room, leaving her in the foyer alone. Despite her worry and being scared, she followed him.
As she passed the leather couch, the door bell rang.
He turned around and sighed, wondering who was at the door.
Wordlessly, he left Jude in the living room and went to the front door. He didn't bother to look through the peep hole or ask who was there.
And maybe if he had, he would have done extreme-damage control on the hour that was to come.
With the door wide open, a man stared at Tom and smiled widely.
Tom's eyebrows furrowed taking in the sight in front of him.
"Um, hey," he voiced.
"Hey T," Kwest responded, nodding to his best friend.
Although his mind was saying no, his body wasn't listening and Tom motioned for Kwest to enter his house.
"Just wanted to stop by and say hello before going to work."
- - - - - -
Bopping her head to the music filtering through her Honda, Kat stopped at a stoplight.
Her nervousness was growing by the second. She was going to visit Jamie before she went over to Jude's so they could go to the airport. She really didn't want to spend the first day of her winter vacation in an airport, but if it meant one more step closer towards her dream future, then she didn't care. The light changed to green and Kat drove on.
Two more minutes and she'd have some semblance of comfort that would get her mind off of the incredible trip she was about to embark on.
- - - - - -
Jude was sitting on the couch, listening to Tom talk to someone. She heard shuffling of feet against the hard wood floor in the foyer and then silence as the pair made their way to the living room.
Out the corner of her eye, Jude noticed another man next Tom as they stood next to her. She jumped up off the couch and smiled at the pair.
"Jude, this is my best friend, Kwest," Tom introduced the man standing next to him, a small smile on his lips. Jude slightly smirked. She could tell he wasn't all that thrilled that his best friend had shown up.
"Hi, it's nice to meet you," Jude said as she extended her hand out to Kwest.
Kwest smiled widely, never taking her hand. This is Jude? Kwest thought. "Well, aren't you the sweetest little thing to come off the playground today."
Jude withdrew her hand and placed it on her hip. She scoffed, glancing at Tom for a second before turning her attention back on Kwest. Tom glared at his best friend, clenching his jaw but never speaking up. Maybe it was because he knew Jude could handle herself. Or maybe it was because he was a coward. Only one could guess.
"Huh, I knew someone was watching me on the swings. Well, now I know what to tell the police when they call for a description," she spat.
Kwest smirked. "Cute." Yeah, this is Jude, he thought to himself.
"So I've been told," she stated, smirking back.
Tom rolled his eyes. He cleared his throat and brought the attention back to him as the pair glanced back at him. "Okay, children." Jude rolled her eyes. He was not off the hook. He couldn't throw out the age thing anymore. But she wasn't going to fight with him about it in front of someone she considered a complete stranger. "Can I get the two of you anything to drink?"
Jude put on her cheesiest smiled and responded. "Water, please."
"Miller Lite," Kwest muttered.
And Tom was off, leaving his best friend and his girlfriend, both of whom didn't know each other, to battle it out on their own.
Kwest plopped down on one side of the couch and Jude took the other, the leather soft underneath her hands. "So, how long has it been since you've been hanging on my best friend's every word?"
Jude glanced at Kwest from the corner of her eye then focused on the Bose speakers in front of her. He doesn't waste any time, she thought. "A week."
Kwest smirked. "Child's play."
Jude sighed. She was not going to take the bait. She was going to be strong. "Well," she started, turning her face towards Kwest. "This child – " she said, pointing to herself, "is getting her play." She shrugged as she faced forward again. "So the name seems to fit."
Kwest shook his head roughly. She had that spark. The one Quincy loved. This was not good. He should have known. Tom had mentioned her before, but he didn't think anything of it. But his friend had been MIA for the past few weeks and he should have known. But he had been busy with his own life, with his budding music career, and he hadn't had much time for his best friend.
Kwest breathed deep, thinking about the past he had shared with his friend. One neither of them could or should have forgotten, but the way it seemed to him was one of them was trying. Very hard. And his name was Tom.
He glanced out of the corner of his eye, watching Jude as she sat next to him on the couch. She didn't look like the usual girls Tom went for, but he pegged her personality for making up all that her beauty lacked. And that's what scared him most. The pretty girls – thereally pretty girls – they didn't last on their own. But it was the ones that had the personality to back up their beauty that kept their foot in the door. The ones like Angie. And that's why she had been so hard to let go of.
Even to this day.
Kwest cleared his throat suddenly as he realized he had to do his job. He had to play the role of the best friend. And he knew that despite whatever bullshit Tom would come up with, he was doing the right thing. For everyone.
Jude sat on the couch next to her boyfriend's best friend whom she had only met seconds before wondering how long it took someone to get a bottle of water and a beer. Honestly?!
Was he trying to give her a heart attack? Cause it was working. Really well.
He turned and faced Jude, breathing deeply before he continued.
"You really wanna be with Tom?" Kwest asked.
Jude turned and faced him, her eyes full of astonishment. What in the world? she thought. Who actually asks that kind of a question?
It was then that the faces of Kat and Jamie entered her mind. Her best friends. And it was then that she realized he was just doing his job because she knew if Jamie or Kat were with someone she wasn't really approving of, she'd wonder herself. So she let it slide. And then she thought about what he was saying. And as confidently as she could possibly muster, she said, "Yes."
She was a little rattled, but she thought she could hold her own. Kwest eyed her, realizing that she had caught on slightly. But he knew they were talking about different things. He looked away to the coffee table in front of him as if it was giving him the courage to continue, to do what he knew was right, and then glanced back at Jude. She eyed him wearily. "There are things you don't know about Tom. Things he would never dare tell anyone."
Jude's eyes widened slightly, but barely registered as noticeable. But Kwest noticed. He had known Tom long enough to pick up some of his habits. The female face was known to a T, from the first second of introduction.
Jude sat and gazed at Kwest for a second, trying to think up a plausible answer for his statement. What was she suppose to say? Everything he was saying was coming out of left field and Jude had never been a stellar baseball player.
And even thought she was trying not to, she couldn't help but wonder what those things were, yet at the same time, wondered how he knew them, if his best friend wouldn't say anything. Because, although she would never admit it, he had piqued her interest.
Kwest answered her very thought. "You wonder how I know, huh?"
She nodded silently.
"Because I was there. I saw it all."
And then she wondered what all was. What was it that Tom had done, had said, had been, that was so mysterious? But also so frightening that he couldn't say anything?
She turned her head away from Kwest, thinking about Tom. Wishing he'd enter the room at that very second. So that she could think less about what she was thinking about and more on the amazing person he had been.
Cause the past is always the past, but it's how you let it affect your present that messes up your future.
- - - - - -
She sat comfortably on the couch in the living room at Jamie's house as she continued to glance at the clock on the wall.
She had gotten to his house quickly and immediately sat down on his couch, never speaking to him. And he must have noticed because he eyed her curiously, but he knew Kat well enough not to push her.
But he couldn't stand the silence.
"Nervous?" Jamie asked.
Kat smiled wearily at him. "Slightly."
"You'll be fine," he stated, trying to comfort her. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
She leaned into him before speaking. "I hope so, but –" she started.
"But what?" he asked. He knew Kat was going to be fine. She had practiced her interview plenty of times; too many if he had to be truthful.
"Jude."
Jamie eyed Kat as she stared up at him. "She'll do fine too."
Kat sighed and slightly moved away from Jamie, her voice full of worry. "But what if she does fine at Berklee?"
Jamie didn't know what to say. He had hope that Jude would get into NYU and the three of them could live out their college years together since he had already been accepted to NYU. But now that he was faced with the reality that their best friend might be a few states away from them, he didn't like it so much. But he put on a brave face for Kat. Because that's what best friends did. "Then we'll be happy for her and take weekend visits to see her."
Kat's eyes widened incredibly and Jamie got worried. He didn't know what he had said to make her freak out. "How can you be so calm? She's my best friend and I may not see her every day! That scares the shit out me!" she cried.
Jamie pulled Kat back towards him as she fit perfectly in the crook of his arm. He lightly rubbed her shoulder and Kat calmed down slightly. "It scares me too, but I know that she'll always be a part of our lives, even if we don't go to school in the same state."
Jamie knew that was the truth. They were best friends. But they also had dreams to live. And he wanted all of them to work out, even if they didn't happen in the same state.
"She will?" Kat asked, looking out into Jamie's living room.
Jamie nodded even though Kat couldn't see him. "Yes. We'll make sure of it."
- - - - - -
He glanced at his watch again. He was getting restless. Tom was taking his damn sweet time as usual. Well, he had places to be and people to see and if Tom didn't hurry his ass up, he wouldn't be seeing him for a while.
Kwest jumped up suddenly causing Jude to look up at him. He smiled sweetly and cocked his head to the side. "I'm gonna see what's up with T."
Jude nodded slightly, pursing her lips. She was gonna be alone. Again.
"Okay," she responded.
He walked right by her and didn't look back as he passed through the kitchen door.
Jude looked around the living room, thoughts of her conversation with Kwest flooding her mind. She didn't want to think about it. She had enough to deal with. Like her auditions.
Shit! she thought. What time is it?
Jude looked down at her watch and realized she was going to have to leave soon if she wanted to get to the airport on time.
Jude suddenly shot up off the couch as if the leather burned her, but she knew that wasn't it. It was just her being restless. She had way too much energy and she didn't know what to do with it.
And since she didn't know how displace it, she did what she thought was best. Since Quincy wasn't going to show his face around anytime soon, which meant she'd never get a tour of his house, she decided she'd have to make do and show herself around. She was THE tour guide, right?
Kwest let the door swing back silently as he saw his best friend leaning against the granite counter top across from the refrigerator.
He noticed the bottle of water and the beer that stood on the island in the middle of the kitchen, condensation running down both bottles.
"Some of us are dying of thirst here," Kwest announced. Tom jumped suddenly and turned around to face his friend.
"Sorry. I got caught up," he admitted.
"Yeah. That head of yours has a mean imagination."
"Yeah," Tom agreed. He pulled out the chair closest to him and collapsed, his head hitting the black wood. He knew that Kwest knew what he had been thinking about. But he didn't want to admit it.
It was all he ever thought about since that day.
Her birthday.
Jude.
He had been excited to see her when he opened the door, but the moment Kwest entered the picture and they began spewing jokes at each other, he couldn't take it.
It made him really think about what he was doing. If the two most important people in his life now couldn't get along, what the hell was he going to do?
Kwest shook his head as he eyed his friend. He walked toward the kitchen table and took a seat across from him.
He sighed heavily, knowing his friend cared about Jude no doubt, but he knew his decisions about women were not that best and he needed to remind him of that before anyone got hurt. For real.
Because he was just finishing his job as best friend.
"You can't be serious, T," Kwest said bluntly. He waited for a second, letting what he said sink in to Tom's head.
Tom peered up, over his arms and looked up at his friend curiously. "What are you talking about?" he asked. He knew though. He had to.
Kwest sighed. It was like Tom to feign ignorance. "She's in high school."
"And?"
Kwest rolled his eyes. "High school…as in the land of Friday night football games and SAT's," he explained.
Tom sat up straight, shrugging. "I still don't see your point. She's legal."
Kwest scoffed, looking away for second before looking at his best friend again. "Yeah, she turned 18," Kwest stated. "A week ago."
Tom shook his head and corrected him. "19."
Like a year makes a difference, Kwest thought. Kwest rolled his eyes at his best friend, but didn't comment.
"So? That was a week ago. The past," Tom said. "I'm talking about today. The present."
"A week ago, you thought she was a min-" Kwest started. His eyes widened with clarity and his jaw dropped. "Oh my God! I should have seen it."
Tom's eyebrows furrowed. "What?!"
Kwest looked down at the table, thinking as the newly acquired idea formed in his head. "I can't believe it," he said, shaking his head. Kwest glanced to the other side of the table as he spoke to himself. "No, Kwest, you can. It's Tom."
Tom smacked the table in front of him causing Kwest to suddenly look up. "Hey, will you cut the psychobabble and tell me what you're ranting about?" he asked.
Kwest clenched his jaw. "You think you're being sneaky, but you're not," he said angrily, pointing at his best friend.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Tom asked, lowly.
Kwest rolled his eyes. "You're sleeping with her already," he said calmly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Wait. What?!" Tom exclaimed. "Why would you think that?"
Kwest scoffed. "Do I need to remind you? How about Pre-Angie? Hell, try even Post-Ang!" Kwest cried, throwing his hands up in the air.
"I am not that guy," Tom defied, pointing to himself.
Kwest shook his head adamantly. "Not right now, you're not. But wait a couple months," he spat.
"Kwest," Tom said, his anger beginning to rise. He was his best friend. What kind of shit was this?
Kwest smiled widely and Tom grew anxious. He knew what his friend was thinking. It was the same thing every time. "I think that chair at Toronto Memorial," Kwest started. "With the little gold plaque on the back that says 'Kwest's Chair' is getting a little tarnished," he continued while making a small square in the air with his fingers. "Don't you?" he asked. Tom clenched his jaw tightly. He didn't want to get into this now. Not ever. "Are we gonna make any more routine trips to the hospital any time soon?" he wondered, cocking his head to the side, looking at Tom.
"Man-" Tom started, shaking his head angrily.
"Cause I'm gonna need dates. I have to pencil you in now. I'm pretty busy at work, you know," Kwest said, pulling out his Blackberry as if he was getting ready to take notes.
"I'm trying," Tom pleaded.
"Try harder," Kwest seethed. He knew his best friend didn't completely understand the severity of everything that could or had happened. But he had to try.
"I am," Tom responded as he nodded.
"Does anyone know?" Kwest asked.
Quincy roughly shook his head. He knew who he was talking about. Jude. She couldn't. Not for a long time. "Hell no, I'm notthat stupid."
Kwest raised his eyebrows. "Really?"
Tom shook his head. He didn't need his friend's low blows right now. "Kwest," he muttered.
"I heard Angie made a surprise visit," Kwest said, feeling he just needed to add more fuel to the fire. He might as well get everything out now than wait until it was too late, right?
"You've been talking to my mom too?" Tom asked, lightly chuckling.
"What can I say? Me and Cece are tight," Kwest said, shrugging.
"Apparently everyone is," Tom muttered.
"Except Jude," Kwest added.
Tom eyed his best friend. "Will you lay off her?"
Kwest raised one eyebrow. "I'm trying to do the right thing here," he said, pointing to himself.
"The right thing?" Tom asked, his eyebrows furrowing.
"She's a kid," Kwest said.
"She's an adult," Tom countered.
Kwest shook his head and scoffed. He crossed his arms against his chest before he continued. "You know that shit only comforts you at night so you don't feel like an ass when you think about her. But she's still your student."
Tom glared at Kwest. He already knew that. He had to continually fight himself about that fact every day. Couldn't a man get a break? Obviously not. "I know," he said through clenched teeth.
Kwest breathed heavily. "You're gonna do this, man?" he asked Tom honestly, looking him in the eyes.
Tom nodded once. "I am."
- - - - - -
Jude made her way farther down the corridor. She had just left the bathroom and it wasn't anything spectacular. White walls. Black towels. Glass shower, a toilet, and a sink. Nothing out of the ordinary.
She walked up to the door closest to the bathroom when her phone rang and she jumped.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket and flipped it open. "Hello?"
"Jude?"
Jude sighed. "Kat," she said. She knew why she was calling, but she really wanted to look around Tom's house some more. She grabbed the door handle in front of her and turned it, the door opening soundlessly.
"Where are you? You know we have to be at the airport in 15 minutes, right?" Kat asked as she plopped down next to Jamie on the Harrison's couch.
"Yes," Jude responded. She closed the door behind her and turned around. She was in his office. Boring.
Jude walked around the large oak desk and pulled out the leather chair from behind it and sat down.
"Well?" Kat asked.
"Well what?" Jude asked, slightly annoyed. She knew she shouldn't snap at Kat, but her call was interfering with her inspection. She swiveled the chair back and forth, trying to amuse herself. It wasn't working.
"Where are you?" Kat asked again. "I don't want to miss our flight. Its bad enough we have to spend the first day of our break-"
"I know. I know. I'll be there in 5," Jude conceded.
Kat smiled widely. "Fine. You never answered my question."
"What question?" Jude's eyebrows furrowed.
"Where. Are. You?"
Jude's eyes widened. She had bypassed Kat's question on purpose and she really didn't want to get into this now. Not ever. But she knew eventually she'd have to say something. She just didn't think today would be it. "Um, a house."
Kat rolled her eyes. "Way to be specific, Jude."
"I know," Jude said, shrugging.
"So you're not going to tell me?" Kat asked, slightly intrigued.
"Maybe."
Kat scoffed and Jude cringed. She hated making Kat freak out. Her dramatic tendencies were grating sometimes. "I'm your best friend. Why can't I know?"
"I just – I don't – I –" Jude started, her frustration rising. She sighed heavily. She didn't want to lie, but she didn't know what to say. "I'll tell you. Promise."
Jude closed her eyes tightly and shook her head roughly. She should have just lied. Now she had to tell her. She couldn't hide it anymore. But maybe it was better that some else knew besides her. It would lessen the worry and all the stress that came with having a relationship like hers, right? This would be a good thing. She'd make sure of it. And it wasn't like Kat would judge her. She'd be accepting. Maybe.
"I'm going to hold you to that, Harrison."
"I know," Jude muttered, her eyes opening. She looked at her watch and her eyes widened. "Look Kat, I'm gonna leave now so I can get home in time. I'll see you in a bit."
"Kay, bye."
- - - - - -
"Fine," Kwest said, shrugging his shoulders. "But maybe you should give Angie another look over before you start anything."
Kwest wasn't Angie's biggest fan, by far. But he knew that their relationship looked better to an outsider than Tom dating his student. And he knew he needed to keep things together. For all of them.
Because their past – their history – had consequences.
Tom's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Are you fucking out of your mind? She-" he yelled loudly. It was a wonder Jude didn't come barreling into the kitchen at his volume.
Kwest shushed Tom. He didn't Jude interrupting them. "I know. I was there," Kwest said through clenched teeth.
"Obviously it slipped your mind or you wouldn't be giving me this shit," Tom seethed.
"It hasn't, believe me. But do I have to remind you what you did to her?" Kwest asked, glaring at his best friend.
Tom clenched his jaw tightly and looked away. "She killed our child, man," he said lowly.
"And? It happens every day," Kwest said. He looked at his friend's profile and knew he had to press one last button for anything to register. "But how many go crazy over it?"
Tom had had enough. He jumped out of his chair, his eyes blazing. The chair fell over with a loud clang that resounded through the rest of the house. Tom leaned against the table in front of him, glaring at Kwest. Kwest got out of his chair and stood in front of Tom with his arms crossed against his chest, his blackberry in one hand.
"I'm trying," Tom hoarsely whispered.
Kwest shook his head and glanced at Tom. "Because she's different," he stated. "Or because you wanna believe she is?" he asked. Tom stayed silent, offering nothing to his best friend. Not a word. Not a sound. Not a scoff. Not a breath. "Cause the way I see it is it doesn't matter who the girl is. You're still Tom."
Kwest threw his hands up in the air and shook his head roughly. He turned around, leaving Tom in his wake. He walked through the kitchen door, just as Jude was entering.
Jude could feel the tension against her skin as she passed Kwest. It was thick and full of testosterone. Kwest glanced at her from the corner of his eye, but never said anything as he walked passed her.
He knew that even if his conversation with Tom didn't change anything, there would always be one thing to his undoing.
Jude.
He just had to find a way.
Because he was doing the right thing. For everyone.
Tom watched his best friend leave his kitchen and saw Jude enter it. The muscles in his shoulders loosened slightly as Jude's face entered his view.
He had almost forgotten she was there. Almost.
Jude breathed deeply, not knowing what to make of the situation. She didn't want to ask. She had problems of her own. Like how to tell her best friend she was dating her teacher.
"I have to go," she said lowly.
"Now?" Tom asked. He had finally gotten rid of Kwest and she had to go? This was not how today was supposed to go. By far.
"Yeah, family stuff," she said, slightly smiling.
"Okay," he conceded.
Her smile faded slightly as she realized he was just going to let her go. Without a fight. Because he was too drained from all the fighting he had already done that day. The fighting she couldn't know about.
"I'll walk you to your car," he said.
She nodded silently and waited for him to make his way towards her.
They walked through the kitchen door and out towards the foyer. Tom opened his front door and Jude walked out before him.
The wind picked up and sent a chill down her spine. She wrapped her arms around her body for warmth as Tom stood on his doorstep looking at her.
She smiled widely at him, trying not to think about anything that had happened in the little time she had been in his house.
He smiled weakly back at her and she stood on her tiptoes. She leaned forward to kiss him for the first and last time as just as she got close enough to see the stubble on his face, he turned away. She kissed his jaw slightly before backing up and frowning slightly.
She didn't understand his actions. They had been fine minutes before. Before Kwest came. Before she had come to his house. Before seeds of doubt had been planted into both of their heads.
He pulled her into a hug and held on tight. He placed his face next to her ear and whispered lowly. "You never know who is watching."
A shiver ran down Jude's body as he spoke. But she couldn't put a finger on what had caused it to occur. His words? The wind? His breath? His touch?
She nodded into his shoulder before letting go.
She smiled at him before turning around and walking down the steps towards her car. She didn't look back at him then or when she got into the Mustang and drove away.
Tom stood on his doorstep and watched her drive away.
He shook his head roughly as the words from his discussion with Kwest flooded his mind. Things Jude didn't know. Things he couldn't tell her. It would tear them apart.
He was doing the right thing. He loved her.
He watched the Mustang get smaller and smaller as she drove down his street.
He sighed heavily and walked back into his house, his heart a little heavier.
He's wrong. I'm not that guy, he thought.
He pulled the door closed tightly, sheltering him from the wind and all the horrible things that made their way back into his house, his mind, and his life.
A/N:Preview:
Chapter 15
"Boys Will Be Boys"
I haven't written the next chapter yet. Sorry. And I really want to get this out, so your preview is gonna be different. It's this:
Jude and Kat come back from their trip to find a full Harrison house…Jamie, Stuart, Victoria. And Stuart's work friends: Dave, Marie. And their son…Jonathan. What happens now that Sadie is back at University and isn't there to take Jude's "sloppy seconds"? And then someone knocks on the door because Jude has been ignoring him. Wanna take a guess? ;D
A/N 2: Here is my question: I need two songs. One from Jude's perspective and one from Tom's perspective. What song would you use to describe Tom and Jude's relationship? I need some outside perspective. I'll be using it for a future scene in a future chapter. ;D
A/N 3: Oh yeah, can I just say…it was funny that you all thought the preview was Angie. Man, you guys really don't like her! I love it!