Knowing Jude

"I give you the choice of getting anything, anything, and you ask for a cup of chocolate? I didn't even offer you any candy today!"

I laugh at Jude's rant, wrapping my hands around my hot mug of heaven.

His blue eyes stay stuck on me. "Seriously, Jo. You don't want some snack?"

"Chill, Jude. Maybe someday I'll take up your offer, not today," I say and glance out of the café's windows. It's getting late. "When I have the time to devour it all," I add with a wink.

He sighs and leans back in his seat. He has a bowl of ice cream in front of him... This guy and his sweet tooth. He drums his fingers on the table, then shifts his gaze to look around the establishment. I cast another gaze outside. I don't know what possessed me to allow him to take me out to town, away from school and further away from home, this late. He's rather convincing.

No, I think manipulative is the word.

"We should go," I say.

He looks back at me. "When you finish your drink."

Fair enough. I take another sip. He leans forward and scoops a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

Watching him, I feel a question bubble up. "Why are you doing this?" I ask because I'm still wondering.

He lifts a perfect eyebrow. "Doing what?"

"Spending time with me," I reply openly.

"Is it wrong?" He asks.

I shrug. "No, it's just..."

"I thought it's what friends do," he fills into my silence.

My eyes widen a little. "We are friends?"

He frowns, plucking on his eyebrow. "We are not?"

"Are we?"

He groans. "You're so annoying."

I laugh. "Okay."

My eyes flit from his piercing unnerving ones, and I look at the patrons behind him. A group of four girls is sitting at the front corner, and I recognise them from school. One of them is looking our way, then she turns towards her friends. In the next instant, they are all looking at us. I gaze away quickly and take a sip of my chocolate.

I can feel the girls' gazes on me, and I can almost hear their whispers.

Why is it so hard for people to mind their own businesses?

A ringtone suddenly breaks into the relative silence and Jude produces his phone. He looks at the screen, rolls his eyes, then receives the call and places his phone on the table so that he can still eat his ice cream comfortably while talking. "Have I ever mentioned your lack of patience?" he asks.

"Where the fuck are you?" Cole's voice fills the space between us.

"With Jo," he replies simply, taking another spoonful.

"What? Uh?" Cole's surprised voice comes through. Jude snorts.

"Seriously dude? Where are you?" Cole insists.

"At Ma Bea's."

"Eating ice cream? Of course. Jo?"

I perk up a little at the sound of my name. "Hey, Cole."

"Oh gawd, you're really hanging with him. No wonder I've been so ungraciously dumped."

Jude rolls his eyes and I laugh. "See you in half an hour," he tells him.

"Half...yeah right, keep wasting my time because that's what I pay you to do."

"Bye dude," Jude says and hangs up.

"Going somewhere?" I ask, arching an eyebrow.

He shrugs dismissively. "Nothing important."

I leave it at that and concentrate on my drink. Jude shifts to rapidly texting on his phone, which means we fall into silence. I drift my eyes back to the girls but thankfully they are no longer looking at us. The door into the café opens and a group of three guys comes in, and I find myself staring at them a little longer because they kind of draw attention. They are all in dark jeans and vests that expose their arms covered in tattoos, except for one of them who has a black leather jacket on. They stop just inside the door and look around. I don't look away fast enough and one of them catches my gaze.

I look away quickly and pretend my eyes weren't on them, or anywhere near them. They look like bad boys-seriously bad boys. I take two sips, then look up at Jude but he's still texting, a silly smirk on his face. My drink is almost done, we can now leave

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Walker himself."

I look up suddenly at the voice, to find the three boys standing beside our table. I swallow nervously and look back at Jude. He is now looking at them, a bored look on his face. "What now, Salve? Ran out of pussies to chase?" The boy in the leather jacket, Salve I guess, shrugs. His eyes shift to me, his upper lip lifts in a smirk, then he looks back at Jude. "I didn't know you took yours to nice places before eventually getting down and dirty."

I recoil at the words, but I don't let it show, instead I shoot him a dirty look, no longer hiding from his scrutiny. He has no right to come here and start talking trash, he doesn't know me and I don't know him and I don't think I would ever want to anyway. I can feel the anger rising, and my impulsive mouth is about to talk back when Jude beats me to it.

"I'm not going to sit here and let you insult her so I'm giving you the chance to walk away now, or else." Jude's eyes are stuck on me as he says that as if he is imploring me to stay calm.

"Or else? You're going to? Beat me? Come on, prick. Let's see you try," Salve says, his voice twisted in a sneer.

I look at him, at the two silent guys flanking him. One is looking at Jude, with clear hatred in his eyes. He's rubbing his hands together as if he can't wait to hit something. The other one has his eyes stuck on me, his slightly bloodshot eyes leering all over me and making me want to throw my mug at him.

Jude shoots up from his seat and faces up to Salve. "Bring it on."

This is getting serious...

And headed in the wrong direction.

I shoot up from my seat and try to catch Jude's attention. "Let's just leave, Jude."

"Let's just leave, Jude," Salve mocks, imitating my voice with a pretended girly voice. "Oh, she cares for the bad beast. I didn't know you went for her type too, Walker. Is she any good? Maybe you can-"

He doesn't get that one all the way out because Jude deals him a punch to his jaw, taking him by surprise. Jude then quickly grabs him by the shoulders and slams his knee into his stomach.

"Stop!" I yell.

The other two join the action, grabbing Jude. He manages to push one away and scuffles around with the other. Patrons scramble from their seats to watch or get away from the action.

"Jude, let's go!" I yell, then I look around frantically to see if anyone is going to help. But all I see are scared patrons, those girls from school taking a video, and a scared waitress watching from a distance, grasping onto a tray. I don't blame her; she looks my age and she wouldn't be able to do anything to stop the four boys. I see her rush off towards a door, however, and I hope she's getting help.

Salve has recovered from the first hits and he joins his friends, which means Jude is outnumbered, outmuscled, and losing. I take several steps from the table, grabbing mine and Jude's phones off the table instinctively. Seconds later, they crash into the table. I watch in agony and anger as Salve punches Jude over and over again, his two minions holding onto Jude's hands to make him incapacitated. He's trying though, kicking out and it looks as if he is wearing them out. Moments like this I find myself wishing I knew something cool like Kung Fu or taekwondo, then I could probably beat the shit out of the pricks but that will never happen so-

Jude's phone vibrates in my hand, then starts ringing. I look down at it.

Prick.

Who could possibly have his contact saved so lovingly?

As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.com is your destination for the complete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! I take my chances and receive the call.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Cole yells, almost blasting my ear.

I sigh happily. It's Cole, thank heavens.

"Cole? Jude got into a fight with some asshole called Salve?" I inform him hurriedly, maybe he can do something, maybe he is close by and he can come quick, maybe...

"What? Salve? Are you still at Ma Bea's?"

"Yeah, we are at the café," I reply.

"Cool, I'm on my way," he says, hanging up.

I hold the phone against my chest. There's now a woman, middle-aged and plump, coming toward the boys, a broomstick in her hand and an angry scowl on her face. Oh shit- "OUT OF MY SHOP, IDIOTS! OUT!"

That last 'out' is punctuated with a hit on one of the bad guys, and I cheer on the inside. She isn't going to hit Jude, is she?

The guy lets go of Jude and backs away. She swings the stick again, but this time around the other two bolt before it can catch any of them.

"NEVER SHOW YOUR PATHETIC FACES HERE EVER AGAIN, OR I'M GOIN' TA BEAT YOH UGLY ASSES AND MAKE THEM UGLIER!"

I'm caught between laughter and concern because Jude is leaning up again the table, making no move to escape the woman's wrath. He slides into his seat, his face contorted in pain. "You okay, son?"

It takes me a second to realise the soft voice belongs to her, but it does, and now she's leaning over Jude, looking him over in concern.

Uh...

"I'm fine, Ma Bea," he croaks but even a blind person can tell he isn't okay.

"You're bleeding," I say quietly, frowning at the red seeping out of his mouth.

Crap, how hurt is he?

"You need to clean up," Ma Bea says.

"I'm fine," he insists, even as his right eye swells with the second.

"You're not!" she says firmly, her voice full of authority. "Come to the back and clean up."

I look at her, then at Jude. He sighs, then goes to stand up. And flops right back to his seat. "Can't walk?" She asks and leans towards him.

Jude immediately cowers into the wall. "Don't you dare!" His voice is afraid but not harsh. "You think you are all grown up now and I can't carry you?"

"Shut up, you're embarrassing me," he moans, his half-shut eye flicking to me.

Ma Bea looks at me. "What's a girl like you doing with this troublemaker?"

"She's my friend, stop scaring her," Jude warns.

I smile at her. "I'm Jo."

"Jo. Okay." She turns to Jude. "You can lead him to the back, right?"

As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.com is your destination for the complete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! I nod. "Yeah."

Wait, can I? He can barely walk.

"Good," she says then turns to walk away. The rest of the patrons have settled back down, and she laughs a little with some of them on her way to the back.

I like her.

"Shit," I mutter as I look down at Jude.

"I look like shit?" He asks.

Well, yeah...

"No."

"No need to stroke my ego, Jo. They got me at a bad time."

"Where does it hurt most? Who are they? Why did you two fight?"

He gives a gabbled chuckle. "Which one do I answer first?"

"Choose."

"Jo? Jude? What the fuck?" Cole's voice precedes him as he runs into the café and comes over to us. "You're picking fights with Salve, now?" he asks, visibly annoyed. "Look at you!" "Don't be an ass now," Jude complains. "He started it."

"If you'd just...," Cole starts heatedly, runs a hand down his face, then reaches down for Jude, and his voice loses its harshness. "Come on. Is Ma Bea in?"

"Yeah," I answer.

He hauls Jude out of the seat, then starts to lead him towards the back.

"No," Jude says, digging his shoes in. "Take me home. Yours," he adds.

Cole sighs. "Okay."

I follow the two and we leave the café. There is a double cab parked beside Jude's car, and Cole stops there.

It's now dark, and the streetlights are on. I'm shocked my mother hasn't called yet, I bet I'm late for dinner.

"I'm sorry, Jo. Every time you hang out with me," Jude tells me, ending it with a shrug.

"It's cool," I reply, remembering the incident with his brother.

"It's not," he says, then turns to Cole. "Let's take her home first, okay?"

Cole shoots me a smile. "Of course." He pulls the back door open and shoves Jude in. "Lay down there or something. I'll come get your car later on."

Jude groans. "You don't have to be rough, you know."

Cole snickers then unlocks the front doors and I get into the passenger seat.

There's something I keep forgetting, and I don't know why.

Jude is a bad boy, and usually, that means trouble.