Ties of a Friendship

Chapter 1

It's been a weeks since Jude told his Moms that he and Connor did something wrong, but he didn't tell them what he only told them that he and Connor did something that could be wrong leaving his parents with a lot of questions and no answers and he refused to tell them anything more. Jude couldn't believe he broke his promise to Connor, but if he was responsible for anything that happened to Connor then he knew he had to end his friendship.

Lena walks into his shared room with his brother Jesus she finds Jude reading a book she sat next to him he pulls the book up to his face trying not to look at his mom, "Jude honey look at me?" She pulls the book away from him, "Jude we're mad…a little disappointed that you couldn't trust us with the truth, but never angry you and Connor have something special and whatever it is…is between you and him, but whenever you ready tell us we'll listen to you, okay honey?"

"Can you get your job back?" Jude asked trying to change the subject.

"Well I'm in talks with the board of education and Miss Porter about getting my job back, honey listen it's not your fault I was rushing I wasn't in my mind I mean a lot of things happened with the lost of the baby I guess I just thought I lost control of everything and you're the youngest and I don't want to see anyone hurt you and I don't want you end your friendship with anyone Connor included if your friendship makes you happy then it makes me happy I love you and I'll never leave you," Lena explains to Jude getting teary eyed.

"I love you too and I'm sorry for everything," Jude hugged Lena she kiss him on the forehead and leaves him in his room by his self to think on his thoughts. He looks at his cell phone as he has missed three calls from Connor, but he didn't know what he should do he feels like everything is his fault he had to get out of the house with everything else happening around here he could use some quite time alone.

Jude gets up out of his bed and throws his book down he grabs his cell phone and puts in his pocket as he walks out of his room he walks down the stairs slowly he hears Lena and Stef talking about him and Connor.

"Did he tell you anything?" Stef asked Lena.

"No nothing whatever him and Connor did is between them and I'm not going to force him to tell us what they did it's not right and it won't do nothing I made up my decision even if he did tell us Connor's father is still a bully, I will work on getting my job back and I'll keep Jude safe even Connor if I have to!" Lena told Stef, but Stef wasn't so sure if this was really about Jude and Connor.

"Okay love you do what you need to do, but promise me you won't overact and let your personal feelings get in the way of your judgments okay?" Stef replied kissing her wife and leaving her in the kitchen to her own devices.

After Lena and Stef conversation Jude comes down the stairs and walks in the kitchen to see Lena prepping food for dinner, "Hey mom you mind if I go to the book store?" Jude asked Lena.

"Sure honey you have you're cell phone so I can call you?" Lena asked Jude.

"Yes I have my phone and I will be back before 6pm," Jude said walking towards the door, "I love you mom…" Jude looks back Lena with his brown eyes of sorrow regretting everything he's done.

"I love you too Jude!" Lena tells him as he walks out the door leaving Lena alone with her thoughts.

Jude finally gets to the bookstore he walks in a looks around for a book something that could help him books always help Jude when he's feeling a certain type a way it gives him the ability to lose his self for a bit and focus on the story. He picks up a book called The Chosen the book is about two fathers and two sons and the pressures on all of them to pursue the religion they share in the way that is best suited to each. And as the boys grow into young men, they discover in the other a lost spiritual brother and a link to an unexplored world that neither had ever considered before. In effect, they exchange places, and find the peace that neither will ever retreat from again. Jude finds a table and sits down and begins to read the book.

"The Chosen by Chaim Potok I never read the book before, but I heard good things about it," A stranger said as Jude looks up to see a boy standing there before holding the Fault in our Stars, "Sorry that's rude of me I just saw the book…well anyway I'm Trey you mind if I sit down with you?"

Jude wondered about the boy as if he was a stranger first of all and second he was weird just randomly talking to a person he never met before, "Sure you can." The stranger sits down on the opposite side of the table, "I'm Jude by the way."

"I see, but tell me what is the problem?" Trey asked Jude pulling Jude back as a surprise, "And please don't tell me nothing, I know that look I've had that look before if I were to guess problem with your best friend am I right?"

"Wait…how in the world could you have even guess that?" Jude wondered, "I mean I am having problems, but it's nothing for a stranger to know that!"

"Hey call it what you want, but I know I use to be in your shoes, but hey if you don't want my advice I can leave and you can wailed in the pain of losing your best friend or whatever going on find then!" Trey tells Jude as he gets up from the table, "If you ever change your mind I'll be here at the bookstore same time same place."

He leaves Jude alone to his thoughts as Jude couldn't believe a total stranger knew what he was thinking and the problems he was going through with Connor, but what did he know anyway? Jude had so many questions and little answers and to make it worst Connor was still trying to communicate with him. He ignores the messages Connor tries to send him, he finally gets up from the table and buts the book up and walks out of the store on his way home he walks in the loneliness and silence of his thoughts still feeling as if he was to blame like everything else he walks towards his home that he can see in the distance the closer he gets notices someone in the distance standing there. It was Connor he saw his best friend waiting for him to get home.

"Connor what are you doing here?" Jude asked him.

"Really Jude do you really have to ask me why I'm here you've been ignoring me lately!" Connor said snapping at Jude, "You're shutting me out again!"

"And why not Connor you're father doesn't want us to be friends and I'm not going to be your secret no matter who it is!" Jude told him.

Connor touches the left side of his face where bruise in his face was placed on his face the last time he and Jude saw each other, "So you decided that our friendship isn't worth fighting for?!"

Jude couldn't look at Connor he turns away from him, "No it's not like that and Connor you of all people should know that I want to hold on to our friendship, but because of me Lena quit her job cause she wanted to protect me from your father and lastly you your father is beating you because of it and plus if people at school knew what we did you'll made fun of I can't let that happen I won't let the people I care about be hurt because of my actions!"

"Wait…Jude you think…" Connor was caught off guard by everything that Jude said.

"Don't lie to me! I know Connor I know you're being hurt by your father because of me and I should've done this before…I'm sorry Connor we're done I don't want to be your friend anymore!" Jude tells Connor he brushes pass him and walks in to the door of his house before entering his home, "…by the way I told Moms that we did something in the tent, but I didn't tell them what, I kept that part of promise to you now leave me alone!" Jude walks in the door shutting it behind him leaving Connor to ponder alone.

"Jude if only you understood what I have to go through as well…" Connor thought to his self, he turns around to walk away, but before he takes a step he looks at the door of the Fosters just one more time and finally walks away leaving Jude alone.

Jude closes the door trying not to get upset at what he did, but he knew he had to protect Connor and now he had to help get Lena's job back his heart was racing from his argument with Connor.

"Jude sweetheart is that you?" Lena asked from upstairs.

"Yeah I'm home!" Jude told her.

"Good wash up from dinner!" Lena told him, "Your brothers and sisters are coming back home soon so I want you to be clean up and place the table for dinner okay?"

"Yes Mom!" Jude said as he ran upstairs and went up to his bathroom he walks into the bathroom and looks at the bathroom mirror it was as if he couldn't stand to look at his self he turns the cold water on and splashes the water in his face trying to snap out of his deep thoughts. He quickly cleans up and goes down the stairs he walks in the kitchen, he reach up in the cabinets and grabs the dinner plates and place them from the family as well glasses soon Lena walks down the stairs and see Jude finishing placing the table.

"Hey honey did you find what you needed at the bookstore?" Lena asked Jude, but he was too preoccupied in his own thoughts to even hear Lena, she walks over to him while he was placing his the forks on the side of plates, "Jude honey… did you hear me?"

Jude was caught off guard by Lena he had forgot she was there, "Oh I'm sorry…yeah I saw a book, but I didn't buy it I just read it for a bit I might go back tomorrow."

"That's nice sweetheart…um Connor called he said you didn't answer your cell phone so he called here he asked could you call him back when you get a chance?" Lena tells him.

"Oh yeah I saw he called, but I was busy reading you know how that goes!" Jude giggles as Lena smiles hugging her son, "I wonder when everybody going to get home I mean I know it's a Saturday and everyone has plans, but I would think they'll be home by now?"

"They'll be home soon you there all teenagers after all," Lena reminded him, "And it's a Saturday of course be patient, maybe you can call Connor since he did call a few minutes before you got home."

Jude sighed he wasn't for sure if he should call Connor I mean just before he got home he told Connor that he was done, but Lena couldn't know she been fighting Connor's father to protect their friendship and now he just shattered it, but was it for the best?

Connor walks home in the dark he finally arrived home he sighed he opens the door he sees his father and his mother sitting in the living room. "Connor, can you please come here?" Connor's mother asked him. Connor obeyed walking into the living room, "Please sit down son…" He sits next to mother she turns to him and grab his hand, "Connor I love you…you know that right?"

Of course Connor knew that, he knew something was going on why else would she asked that she knew that Connor knows that she love her, but his father on the other hand, "Yes of course…I know that."

"Okay honey your father brought to my attention that this Jude kid isn't good for you I know that he's your friend, but honey if your father feels like he's a distraction and I don't want you falling behind in school so please…" Connor's mom begs her son.

"I get it mom…" Connor gets up from the couch, "…and dad don't worry Jude stop talking to me, so you don't have to worry about it anymore…" He leaves them in the living room and runs up to his room.

"Adam you sure this was the right thing?" She asked him.

"Yes Jude is distracting Connor and I don't know what about this boy or why, but I can't let our son go on down this path!" Adam told his ex-wife.

"But I don't see it Adam Jude is a nice kid and using me to end their friendship is wrong!" She told him, "What is your problem with Jude anyway? Beside his moms are gay and I have no problem with it so why do you?"

"I don't have a problem with Jude or his Moms being gay!" Adam replied.

Adam's ex-wife couldn't understand she lean into herself not understanding anything, "Adam obviously you have a problem with it! Plus I heard that Jude not even gay Connor told me!

"That means nothing! And you do best to remember that!" Adam argued with her.

"Yes because giving Connor a bruise in face!" She replied as if this was brand new news to Adam, "So you want to explain that?! This is why I left you in the first place you always trying to control things with that angry of yours I finally got away from you, but you will not take our son with you to hell!"

"He's my son and I will discipline him as I see fit!" Adam told her, she gets up and walks out of the living room opening the front of her door.

"And he's mine and if he comes back with another bruise you will be in trouble!" She warned him, "Now get out of my house!" He gets up out of lounge chair and grabs his coat he puts on and walks towards the door.

"We're not finish with this discussion!" He whispers to her before walking out of the house as she slams the door behind him. She turns around and sit down at the kitchen table she begins to shakes holding her hand over mouth as she begins to cry.

Connor wasn't a fool he pretended he didn't hear his parents arguing. The nerve of his father using his mother against him, he won't let his mother know what his father really is he pulls off his shirt slowly and tosses it on the floor he walks into his bathroom and look at his self in the mirror he turns around so he can see his back near his shoulder blade it was a large bruise cut the same one on his face. Connor just sighed at the disgust, but he won't let his mother know anything he had to protect his mom and maybe Jude was on to something maybe ending their friendship is the best thing Connor can protect his mom from his Dad protect Jude from being hurt and maybe help Lena get her job back.

Suddenly Connor's phone rang and he saw it was Jude calling, Connor wondered why now…why would Jude call him? Didn't he want to end the friendship now he's calling him, he slowly picks up his phone and look at the options of answering or ignore he answers the phone before he could say anything Jude cuts in.

"Don't say anything let me talk," Jude tells him, "Connor right now I don't even know what's going with us, but for now we can't…I'm sorry." Jude hangs up the phone Connor puts his phone down not to make anything of it was this really it could he really lost his best friend forever there was too much to think about.

Jude walks out of the bathroom and he tosses his phone on his bed and makes his way down stairs and see Lena finishing up dinner as the family arrives Stef kisses Lena on cheek and Jesus grabs something to drink in the refrigerator and sits down by Mariana who grabbing a spoon full of salad as she places it on her plate, Brandon places a steak on his plate and Callie grabs a bread, Jude feels like an outsider now, but Jude puts on a smile and come down the stairs he sits down next to Callie he continued on like as if anything didn't happen at all the night went on like nothing else.

Next day Jude woke up a little late he got a late start at the day Jesus decided to sleep in for the day beside he had a wrestling match tomorrow and needed all the rest he could get Mariana told Moms she was going on a date with Mat Tan today Brandon decided to go and meet up with Lou and Callie and Stef went to Girls United helping them get settle into their new home while Lena stayed at home cleaning the house.

Jude takes a showers and clean up brush his teeth he gets dress and grabs his phone and places it in pocket and walks down the stairs he see Lena cleaning up the living room.

"Hey Jude honey you heading out do you need a lift?" Lena asked scrubbing the floor she gets up and dust herself off.

"No I'm going to bookstore again…unless you need help I can stay and help you clean up," Jude replied to her grabbing an apple out of the fruit bowl.

"No I'm good honey you go to the bookstore beside I enjoy the quietness of the home go on and enjoy yourself," She said giving Jude a kiss on the forehead.

"Okay then see ya later," Jude replied rushing out the door.

He arrived a few minutes at the bookstore and goes to the same place that went to yesterday he grabs a book and sit down at the table, "I see you've returned I knew you would…and not because of this is a bookstore either." Jude turns around and see a familiar face it was Trey again still reading The Fault in Our Stars from yesterday.

"Heh, are you always so smug Trey?" Jude asked him, "Or is that part of your charm?"

"I say both mostly my charm, so are you ready to talk now Jude was it?" Trey asked as Jude sit down across from him.

"Why do you care so much?" Jude asked him.

"Actually I don't…" Trey told him with a puzzled look on Jude's face, "…I don't want you to end up like me trust me I know what it's like. So I'll ask again are you ready to talk this time?"

"Yeah I think I am," Jude softly responds, "But before anything why are you reading The Fault in Our Stars you know it's about kids with cancer?"

"Yes I do just like there's cancer in your friendship with…" Trey told Jude.

"…Connor is his name," Jude replied looking down with guilt.

"Ah…Connor his name he must be your best friend the problem that you have was the problem I use to have a while ago with my best friend okay so explain to me what is wrong," Trey tells Jude placing his book down giving Jude his full attention.

"Okay so I used to be a foster kid me and my sister…Callie and I've been abuse in the foster care and my sisters always been there for me, we soon found our way to the Fosters," Jude explain to Trey who was caught in her story.

"Ah I understand being in the foster care you and your sister are loners," Trey tells Jude, "I can see it in your eyes those are my eyes as me being an only child I completely understand where you're coming from."

"…yeah I go to Anchor Beach Charter School and when I got there I was very shy still am and I met Connor that's where are friendship started after he painted his fingernails blue for me," Jude continued remembering the day he sat alone at lunch after being made fun of from wearing blue finger nail polish the other day he pulls out his peanut butter and jelly sandwich then he noticed Connor who says nothing, but sit by him and smiles, to Jude it mean everything to see that Connor still wanted to be his friends and then he noticed Connor's fingers that were painted blue he was shocked to see this that someone would stay up for him.

Trey was shocked in the matter of what he just heard, "Oh my God get out of here he painted his nails blue for you? Wait hold on I like the color blue, but to paint your nails for someone wow now that's something interesting now that's a true friend!"

"Yeah he is…man he really is isn't he?" Jude remembered asking Trey.

"Yeah he is, but what could tear away you guys friendship I mean for me it was peer pressure so what could've started your problems with Connor?"

Jude sighed before giving Trey and respond, "…His father."

Connor was sitting in his mother car looking out of the window looking at the trees flying pass it seems as he as if he was in a trance he was going over his father's house spending the day with him not that Connor wants to go, but it's part of the co-parenting thing.

"Connor we're here," Connor's mom said touching him on his shoulder, "Be good honey I'll come and get you later tonight okay?"

Connor shakes himself out of his thoughts and turns to his mother giving her a fake smile, "Oh yeah…okay mom." She touches the left side of his bruised face, "it's okay mom it's nothing…"

"It's not honey, I'm so sorry about all of this, but if I found out he's been hurting you he will be sorry!" Connor's mom told Connor.

"Mom its fine trust me Jude is gone so Dad should be fine," Connor said grabbing his backpack, "I love you mom!"

Connor's mother watches her son get out of the car and run up to his father's home he turns to look at his mom for a time and then opens the door and closes it she looks away and begins to cry feeling like she couldn't do anything about Adam and Connor's heartbreak.

"Dad I'm here!" Connor said, but the home was quiet too quiet, "Dad…Dad? Are you here?" He puts his backpack down on the floor to the door he slowly walks upstairs he looks in the bathroom nobody was there, he looks in his room he has at his father's home and then he looks in father's room everything was clear, but that was strange so he must be in his bathroom Connor walks over to the bathroom and slowly opens it…

"…So his father is the problem," Trey said, "Hmmm that's going to be hard, but hey…" Trey's phone buzzes, "Excuse me Jude." Jude nods as Trey take his call he returns, "Sorry Jude I have to run, but we'll talk soon okay?"

"Wait! I don't have you're number to call you!" Jude told Trey, he smack his self on the head as a duh moment.

"Oh yeah I'm sorry here's my number I'll keep in touch try to sleep on it you and Connor has something special I don't think you guys shouldn't give up on each other like I said you guys have special bond don't let anyone or anything break it up!" Trey reminds Jude leaving Jude to his thoughts.

Jude took some of Trey's word to heart he looks at his phone and he scrolls for Connor's name he presses his name and calls him the phone rings at least 3 times before Connor picks up, but not in the voice Jude was expecting.

"Jude!" Connor yells, "Jude thank God you call I need you can you come over to my Dad's house please!"

"Wait Connor what's going?" Jude tries to get Connor to calm down.

"Dad! Dad…." Connor screams over the phone and the call was cut off.

"CONNOR!" Jude yelled back and there call went dead.