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8. Whatever it Takes
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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Loving Jude 9. The One You Choose
I unwrap his fingers from around my hand and step away before turning to look at him. "Stop, Jude. We are history. And I have a boyfriend now."His blue eyes bore into me. "You having a boyfriend is not going to keep me away." He takes a step towards me, to which I respond by stepping back farther. He narrows his eyes. "We never broke up, you know."I gape at him. Is he serious?"So no, we are not history," he continues.I fold my arms around my middle and gaze up at him. "It's been three years—""It's been a misunderstanding," he interrupts me. "And it's solved now."I look away, chewing on my lip. I can't handle this right now. First, I need to get to work on time. Then, I need to think of a way to tell Eli about all this. Until then, I don't want to have this conversation with Jude. I reach for the car door and pull it open. "Let's go back.""I came here because of you," he says.That stops me in my tracks. I turn to look at him again, a frown forming on my face. "What?""You're th
Loving Jude 10. Tell Me
"Have you told him yet?"I startle, drawing my gaze from the pitch to Jude, who's suddenly sitting beside me. It's Saturday and we are at a football match.It's the last match of the season, after which comes a three-month break. But the football team won't be getting any break from school. For the coming twelve weeks of the long holiday, they'll spend ten in training, with a majority taking classes too."What are you doing here?" I ask, eyes flickering from the other players to him. He is supposed to be at the bench with the other substitute players."Talking to you, obviously. You're still good at avoiding people, I've realised."It's true, I've done my best to avoid him these past few days. I needed time to think about things without him trying to mess with my feelings more than he already has.I stare back at the pitch. "Go back to the bench.""Why have you not told him yet?""It's none of your business.""I know you haven't agreed to be his girlfriend yet."My eyes swing back to
Loving Jude 11. It's Jude
The next evening, at around eight o'clock, I stand outside Eli's dorm, feet nervously tapping the floor.Two hours ago, he sent me a message asking whether we could meet and talk in his room. He said Jude wasn't going to be around for the evening, which is why I agreed to his plan.Now, here I am. The truth is finally going to be revealed, and I'm unable to think past the nerves plaguing me right now. I've tried to think of ways to make the truth less harsh, but I cannot even think past the thought that I'm going to hurt his feelings, and I have no idea how to fix that.Taking a feel breath, I lift my hand and knock on the door.A few seconds later, the door opens, revealing Eli on the other side. His lips curl into a smile when he sees me. "Hey. You’re here."I nod, returning his smile and walking into the room when he steps aside. I remove my shoes while he closes the door, and then follow him into the living room.I take a seat on one end of the couch and grab a throw pillow, huggi
Loving Jude 12. Selfish
"I'll leave now," Eli says when we come to my apartment building. "Won't you come up for a while?" He shakes his head. "You go." "Oh, okay. Thanks for bringing me." He nods and lifts his hand in a small wave. "Goodnight." "Yeah, uh..." I lean forward and give him a peck on the lips. "Goodnight." He looks startled at my action, but quickly covers it with a small smile. All the progress we had made before Jude showed up seems to have evaporated. But I can only wait until he makes up his mind about us. Oh, how the tables have turned. A couple minutes later, I'm standing at my door when I realise I don't have my keys with me. I must have left them at Eli's! I groan, realising the bag I brought is not the one I keep my spare key in. I bring out my phone so I can call Eli and let him know I have to go back with him when the door opens. "Oh," I mumble when I see Tori. "You're back!" When I left to go see Eli, she hadn't gotten back yet. She stares at me, her gaze somewhat stran
Loving Jude 13. Telepathy
"Eli?" Isaac's voice floats into the room. "Eli?" Simon echoes him, giving me a bewildered look. There's no time to think, so I hurry over to the door. "Let's talk outside," I tell him, stepping up beside Isaac.Isaac gives me a worried look before retreating into the living room.Eli looks at me, his eyebrows drawing together. "I'm sorry. I had no idea she would do something like that."I shrug and cast a worried look over my shoulder. Thankfully, Jude is out of sight. If we leave now, everything will be fine. "It's fine. Let's talk outside," I repeat."Oh, ok..." he trails off, and I realise his gaze has shifted from me to somewhere behind me. My stomach twists. The look on his face is enough. I don't need to turn to see that he's looking at Jude. "What is he doing here?" Eli asks, his face morphing into a tense expression. Then his eyes come back to me, and the hurt I see in them is too much. "Are you here with him?"I shake my head instantly and wave my hands in denial. "No!"
Loving Jude 14. I'm Fine
'I'm sorry. I didn't know he would be at Simon's.'I send the text a few minutes into the ride, hoping to clear everything up before we get to Trey. I've sneaked a peek at Eli a couple of times in the rearview mirror, and the faraway look on his face unsettles me.A few seconds later, my phone beeps with a text notification.Eli ♥: It's fine. I believe you.This time, when I look in the rearview mirror, I find him looking back at me. He gives me a tight-lipped smile, and I reciprocate it. Still, it doesn't make me feel better because I'm worrying that he took Jude's words to heart.Also, I never would have expected him to lash out the way he did. For the two years I've known him, he has never fought with anyone or reacted violently. So, after what just happened, it's hard for that smile to be reassuring in any way.All my calls to Trey's phone go unanswered, but a few minutes before we can get to his school, Grace calls me on her phone.She lets me know that he's not at his dorm. Inst
Loving Jude 15. Late...?
"He needs to get into surgery right away, but the substances he took might interfere with anaesthesia, so we have to carry out some tests to find out what he took first. While we wait for that, we'll try to stabilise him from the drug effect and take measures against infection and further blood loss. It might be a while before we are done with him. But don't worry, his outlook is good."I nod, relieved to hear that. "Okay.""Just hang around the waiting area, and I'll come to you when we are ready to proceed," the doctor instructs."Okay, thank you," I say as he walks away.With a deep inhale, I walk back to the others. They all gather around me."What did he say?" Eli asks."They need to carry out some tests to find out what he took before they can operate on him. But he said he's going to be okay.""That's good," Simon mumbles.We all settle around the waiting room, waiting. It's crazy how this night has turned out. It feels like so long ago when my biggest worry was Eli and Jude fi
Loving Jude 16. Sister
It's half-past two when we are finally able to see Trey. He came out of surgery a while back, but they kept him in the recovery room for about half an hour. The doctor lets me know that he can leave later in the day if he remains stable.I go in to see him first while the others wait outside."You didn't tell Mum, right?" is the first thing he asks when I walk into the room.I scoff. "If this happens again, you'll have no energy to worry about Mum once I'm done with you."He rolls his eyes and sighs. "I guess that's a no."I'm glad he has enough energy to roll his eyes. I go to his side and feel his forehead. "Your fever is gone," I note."Yeah.""Are you sober now?""Yeah.""Are you in pain?"He lifts his arm, where an IV line is stuck. "Painkillers.""Oh."I jerk my thumb towards the door. "Can I let the others in now? Doc said we have to let you rest up, so they have to go soon.""Wait, I..." His eyes become downcast as he stares at the bedcover. "I'm sorry.""It's fine. We can tal
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Loving Jude Details on Book 3
To my lovely readers, We made it from a sad ending to a bittersweet one. Up next: the happy ending we all deserve. Loving Jude was going to be the final book. Initially, I intended to have an epilogue after Chapter 45 showing when Jo and Jude resumed the relationship. But that didn't feel right. After everything they have been through, I didn't feel good about wrapping up their story in a short epilogue. So I decided to make a third book. The title will be Forever Jude. It will be more about them actually being together, unlike the first two where they were working towards getting together. They'll also no longer be students, so you can expect a different kind of adventure. One that might end at the altar or with babies or dogs...who knows ;). Before I bring you the third book, however, I need to write a spin-off for Isaac and Ben (who saw that pairing coming? :) ). This is because their story happens before Forever Jude. Isaac's story will be titled "Fixing my Bad Boy Problem" and
Loving Jude 45. It'll Be Okay
I'm rinsing the glass when I feel his presence behind me. Before I can turn to look at him, his arms come around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder. My body relaxes into his embrace instantly, my fingers releasing the glass. He turns his head and presses a gentle kiss to my ear. "I'll miss you so bad," he whispers, his voice rough. Him holding me like this and his voice in my ear does things to me. That pang in my chest spreads, turning into an ache I cannot suppress. "I'll try harder to get better," he tells me. "I'll do whatever my therapist asks if it means I get to be with you again quickly. So wait for me, okay?" I blink, fighting tears. "I'll be here," I assure him. It's not like I have anywhere else to go. Or anywhere that I want to go. I just want to be back in his arms as soon as possible. But however long it takes to be able to do that, I'll be here, waiting. "It'll be okay," he says, now kissing my temple. "It'll be hard loving you from a distance, but it'll all
Loving Jude 44. A Step Back
The first thing I notice when I open the passenger side door is the candy littered on the seat.Jude, who has already settled in the driver's seat, notices my hesitance to sit down. "Oh," he mutters, then scoops the candy from the seat and puts them in the glove compartment.I get inside and close the door. "I didn't know you still had a thing for candy.""I don't. I didn't. It's been a while.""Can I have one?""Now? So you can yell at me tomorrow when you get a sore throat?"I laugh. "You remember that?""I remember everything about you." He reopens the glove compartment and retrieves one that's wrapped in a green wrapper. He hands it to me. "You can have this. It has mint and whatnot. It's the kind used to relieve sore throats, not cause them."I take it, lifting an eyebrow. "You were all about cherry back then."He chuckles. "Well, the dentist said I need to rethink my sweet tooth.""Bad, bad dentist," I joke, to which he laughs as he starts the engine. The sound of his laugh is s
Loving Jude 43. I Love Her
The ride to the cliff seems like the longest I’ve ever taken, even though Ben’s motorcycle is super fast. It doesn’t help that I get the directions jumbled and we waste a few minutes going down the wrong road before I realise I directed him down the wrong turn.By the time we get to the cliff, my heart is beating painfully in my chest from the fear that has gripped me. The first thing I notice through the helmet’s visor is Jude’s blue car, parked near the cliff, like back then.Ben brings the motorcycle to a stop and I start fumbling with my strap. It gets undone and I pull it off just as he removes his.Before either of us can say anything, someone appears in the headlights of the motorcycle. Jude.My heart crashes in my chest. This time, in relief.He lifts his arm to his eyes, shielding them from the bright light. Ben mutes the lights.“Looks like your boy is okay,” he says.I can’t tell how I get off the motorcycle and across the distance between us.All I know is that I’m finally
Loving Jude 42. Can I Get a Name?
It’s ten o’clock at night, Jude isn’t back yet, and my nerves are eating me alive.I peek at my phone. There’s no new message. Not that I would have missed it with the frequency I’ve been checking.I tried to call him, twice.First when he had been gone for about four hours and I was beginning to get worried. My call didn’t go through. I tried again about half an hour ago. His phone was still unreachable.Maybe he needs time, I try to convince myself, biting on my nail. I get it. I tried to break up with him. He must be mad. He’s just pissed off and that’s why he turned off his phone.But despite telling myself that, I can’t calm down. Ugly scenarios keep jumping into my mind, and I can’t help it. Not after what Robbie told me…I dial his number again, praying fervently that it goes through.My heart jumps in my chest when his ringback tone sounds in my ear. I press my hand to my chest as it rings on and on. But then it stops. Cursing, I dial him again.I just want him to pick up so I
Loving Jude 41. The Truth
I meet Robbie on Tuesday afternoon in the lobby of the hotel she’s staying at. I’m supposed to be working, but I left early. She’s waiting when I get there, sipping some drink. Before she can see me, I come to a halt and study her. Her curly hair, her 5’2-ish height, the freckles on her cheeks. The pretty sundress she’s wearing. Looking at her, you wouldn’t think she has it in her to barge into someone’s house and attack them. She looks up and notices me. She waves her hand as if to catch my attention. I sigh and head over. “Jude said that you went back home,” I say as I take the seat opposite her and place my bag on the one next to mine. She shrugs. “That’s what he thinks.” Her lips press into a thin line, her eyes seeking mine. “I’m so, so sorry about yesterday. I thought—” I wave my hand, silencing her. “I know what you thought.” She nods slowly. “Will you have something to drink?” I shake my head. “No, I’m not planning to stay long. What did you want to tell me about Jude
Loving Jude 40. Something You Must Know
Two Weeks Later“Jude, we have to wake up at some point,” I mumble, lifting my face to look at him.His eyes flicker shut as he shakes his head. “Just a few more minutes,” he says. “Don’t worry, we won’t be late.”“It’s already eight and we haven’t even showered.”He nods, humming. “An hour is a lot of time.”“We also have to eat breakfast…”His blue eyes open and meet my gaze. My heart flutters in my chest as I look back at him. He looks especially adorable like this, early in the morning, with his hair tousled, a few strands brushing against his forehead. Soon, they’ll be long enough to reach his eyes.He groans. “Can we skip? I just want to lie here with that you, all day.”“Eager to get into coach’s bad book so soon?” I poke his arm. “You can’t miss today’s team meeting, it’ll be important.”We got back from camp on Saturday and it’s now Monday, the start of the last two weeks of training before we take a two-week break. The past two weeks have been magical. I managed to sneak into
Loving Jude 39. All Of You
Heat crawls up my neck and onto my face. He smirks and pushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear.“Still want to finish what we started in the bus?” he asks.I push my embarrassment aside and nod. My breath is already going askew in anticipation as his fingers trail lightly behind my ear and onto my neck.He releases my chin and takes my hand in his, then brings me around the side of the bed.My heart’s thudding violently in my chest. When I walked in a few minutes ago and kissed him, there were no nerves at all. Back then, I was operating on pure hormones. But that’s no longer the case. My arousal is not the only thing at work here—so is my brain.Jude sits on the edge of the bed and pulls me onto his lap, straddling him. His hand moves to the top of my bun and frees it, dropping my hair tie on the bedside cabin.Then, burying one hand in my hair, he brings me to him, his lips meeting mine. His kisses are soft, tender. His other hand drops to my waist, and he rests it on the small
Loving Jude 38. The Only One
I toss for the hundredth time, unable to fall asleep. I don't think that's going to be happening any time soon. My mind can't stop thinking about what happened on the bus. And my body doesn't want to let it go either. It's been at least four hours since that moment on the bus. We got to the hotel we'll be staying at, settled in our rooms, and had dinner. And through all that, all I wanted was to grab Jude, pull him somewhere private, and have him finish what he started. God knows when we'll get that chance. The thought that I might have to wait until we get back isn't a welcome one. Maybe when I wake up tomorrow, this horniness will be gone. All I need to do is fall asleep... I groan, pressing my face into my pillow so I don't wake Melissa, the massage therapist who's going to be my roommate for the next two weeks. What's this boy doing to me? My inner turmoil is interrupted by the sound of my phone buzzing. I reach for it quickly and check the text. Jude: I have some good new
