My bad, I should really work on my other stories but I just couldn't help myself. I'm pretty sure this satisfies my goal of the story and is the last installment of I Have Dreamed.
Part Three: Deeper
If we don't talk, that's okay
Cause I hear everything that you say
You got my heart to mend to you
A hole that hurts inside
It shows and you can't hide
But if we open up we'll break through
Tom stood in front of his pool house mirror for the first time in two years. He hadn't returned, even on holidays, to Canada since that summer. His new career as an assistant audio engineer was blossoming at G Major Records in Los Angeles, California. The job was demanding and most of the time degrading, because he was practically being used as an intern except with pay, but it was rewarding none the less. He was proudly working his way up; he would be a producer. So between finishing college and selling his soul to the CEO of his record label, Darius Mills, there was no time to visit home. And there was certainly no time to miss Jude Harrison; he wouldn't even let himself think of her. The only time his mind went wild was while he slept and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't stop the dreaming.
So why now, after all this time, has Tom returned to his hometown? Tristan Quincy was graduating.
"She's graduating tonight too, ya know." A voice called out from behind him unexpectedly.
Tom's head whipped back breaking his concentration from the mirror. He knew exactly who she was, "Tristan it's been two years."
Tristan placed his hands into the pockets of his dress pants and strode closer to his brother, "And? I know you still love her and she still loves you."
"I'm not hearing-" Tom froze mid-sentence at the sudden realization of what he was just told, "She still loves me?"
Tristan grinned knowing this would get Tom's attention, "We walk together for graduation, go figure. So we were kinda forced to put aside our differences and talked."
"About me?" Tom asked with hope hanging on his voice.
"Funny right? Talking to my ex about how she can't get over my brother." Tristan laughed to himself, " She actually brought you up, I was gonna leave it be. But she insisted on knowing how your life was going. "
"Has she, ya know, been with other people?" Tom asked almost afraid of the answer. Sure he had his fill of other women, but he still felt ownership over Jude. He claimed her innocence.
Tristan chuckled shrugging his shoulders, "She dated some guy in her band, but I don't know the details."
Tom turned to his mirror fixing the buttons on his dress shirt, "So she's doing good then?"
"Yeah actually, she got accepted into Berklee." Tom eye's widened but he wouldn't turn around. There were only two Berklee College of Music locations, one being a short trip from LA. "In California," Tristan added beaming.
Tom turned around trying to remain calm. He didn't want hope to coarse through his veins, but he couldn't help it. Trying to act unaffected he spoke lightly, "Good for her."
Tom spent the past two years trying to let her go. He spent all this time trying to rip apart the memories etched into his brain and now she would be twenty minutes away from him every day for the next four years starting in August. Suddenly his heartstrings tightened in his chest cavity and his eyes glazed over when she walked across stage waving and smiling. Her hair was cut short and her face was more defined; she had lost weight and matured. Hearing her name being called plastered a grin to his face. He was seated third row from the stage sitting as straight as possible hoping their eyes would meet. She stepped to the podium to shake her principle's hand. At that very moment Jude peered into the audience searching for her family and friends and that's when her sight fell upon him. Naturally her face lit up bright red and he noticed her reaction almost immediately. They shared a concentrated smile before she parted her ways from the stage. Two years and he still had the same blood rushing affect on her; two years and he was still in love with her unconditionally.
Beside him a woman whispered into his ear, "Tristan says she's performing after all the diplomas are handed out." Tom's head shot to the side with wide-eyed confusion. Did his mom really just talk to him about Jude? She watched his eyes twinkle as soon as her name was called. Mrs. Quincy knew all along, she had just never spoken out about it until now. "I know Thomas. It's okay."
I know answered every question running through Tom's mind. I know meant his feelings were welcomed and understood. He eagerly readjusted himself in his chair impatiently waiting for Jude to sing. Time progressed and eventually she graced the stage and a dirty blonde hair boy accompanied her on piano. Jude had looked stunning in her white sleeveless cocktail dress with a pleated layered skirt proportion and a modest neckline. Her golden wavy locks were glowing and noticeable now that her cap had been long gone.
She took a deep breath looking out onto the crowd before narrowing her focus on him. Neither would have none, but both their hearts starting racing. "I was asked to perform today after my acceptance into Berklee College out in California." Tom beamed as he heard, what he suspected her family, whistling and shouting excitedly. "I wrote and compose this piece about a year ago when I was trying to let go," her hand grasped firmly around the microphone as her face sank and her eyes dared to burn. "With so much passion and inspiration I put into this I just knew it was perfect for my audition." Tom's palms were sweaty as he heard the aching in her tone, "When I got accepted I knew I had to share this song with everyone, with you." She added to the end gazing as Tom's blue eyes latched to hers desperately. No one in the audience was sure whom she was talking about except for Tom, Tristan, and of course Mrs. Quincy. Tommy felt his hand being squeezed tightly and he peered beside him noticing tears coming from his mother's eyes. Some had been from Tristan's growing up while some had been shed for the love she knew existed inside her once cold son Thomas. "So here's goes nothing." Jude spoke meekly just before the piano chords began to fill the open air.
"I tried to change
Tried everything
Like headlights in the rain
Drifting back again
Somewhere out there gathered in the dust
Sometimes I can't remember that was us."
Jude's voice had changed, but for the better. Her range had grown and her tone had history and strength behind it. The words practically shook his core; he knew exactly what she had meant. Both had tried so hard to change, they tried so hard to fight off their fate and sometimes they fought so strongly the memories seemed to just be distant dreams.
"The stars divide
Our worlds collide
Surrounded like the air
You were with my everywhere
Somewhere out there lying in the dust
Sometimes I can't remember that was us"
Tom had seen Jude every single day of that summer. She would spend all night in his arms, entangled in his body under the sheets. Thinking back to nights spent on the roof with him had started to feel more like a movie she watched in her head than a memory. Their chemistry was so strong it seemed almost unreal and unobtainable.
"There was a time for reason
A place for every season
Times I couldn't run away from you
I can't believe it's mourning
I can't believe it's pouring
Should I leave you here and walk away?"
That morning when it was time for good-bye the sun had come too soon. Neither wanted it to end, but neither could run away from their feelings. They had to break down their beings just to let go. The pouring of their hearts and tears would never be forgotten.
"I want to change
Try everything
I wanted you so bad
It nearly drove me mad
Somewhere out there gathered in the dust
Sometimes I can't remember that was us
Better now than never
Better late than forever
I never meant to waste your time
It doesn't seem to matter
Maybe nothing every really matters
Long enough to break it all away"
Tom knew Jude had her reservations about them. He knew all her insecurities and how she struggled with never feeling worthy of his company let alone his love. Most of her internal battles came from the fact of feeling awful for how they had met. She broke someone's heart just for her own demons, her own desires. But now both knew that didn't matter; silently they knew nothing mattered, except for what was right in front of them.
"Somewhere out there gathered in the dust
Sometimes I can't remember
Sometimes I can't remember
I can't remember that was us"
Their souls aligned so abruptly that it was violent and beautiful and most of the time just didn't feel fathomable. But no matter how hard either tried to forget, no matter how many times the memories felt more like a fable, they could not deny their souls' inner needs any longer. As everyone cleared out to meet his or her families and friends Tom casually walked towards the stage. He didn't have to be told or even ask; he just knew she'd come for him. His elbows propped against the stage as he watched the retreating bodies. Behind him the sound of heels clicked and his breathing fastened and his heart pounded; this was it. A pair of legs dropped down next to him and it felt magnetic when a delicate hand was placed on his shoulder. Taking a deep breath he turned to face her and instantly, without words, his arms wrapped around her and she fell into their hug. Her legs tangled his hips as he spun her around when their lips met instinctively.
Breaking the kiss, but still holding her Tom rested his forehead to hers. "I still love you Jude Harrison."
Jude smiled and her cheeks blushed, "I've loved you every day since you left Quincy and I'll love you every day from here on out." Their lips met briefly again before he placed her on the ground to stand in front of him.
"What happened to us never working?" He mocked while caressing her cheek, "You were so set our time would never come."
"I never expected our one day to come around, but when Berklee reached out to me it was basically fate slapping me in my face. And then Tristan was my walking partner and he told me where you were in Cali and all these things about how you've been. I just knew that if my feelings were still strong, yours had to be too. So I knew that I had to sing our song tonight. I had to let you know I tried letting go, but it just never worked out." Jude explained intently while never breaking their loving eye contact. "Tristan reassured me every day the past week you still loved me so there was no backing out."
Tom's hand gracefully grasped her curls, "Tristan told you I'd be here?"
Jude nodded her head into his hand, "We don't have to hide anymore."
They didn't need communication for two years to stay so heavily connected. No phone calls of desperation were ever needed or even a secret rendezvous to each other. They just knew that one another was only emotionally available for each other. Their connection had always been deeper than physical and emotional desires. It was a soul bond since day one and it would always be. "Not ever again babe." He whispered as their lips connected again; this time not so brief.