Hello!
This is a little fic about Cat and Jade and how I could imagine them becoming friends. Both chapters are exactly about the same situations but the first chapter is out of Cat's perspective while the second one is out of Jade's. You can choose which one you want to read first or if you only want to read one or whatever as I put them up at the same time.I would love getting some feedback but mainly just want you to enjoy the read. :)

It's their third day at Hollywood Arts and it's finally time for their first singing class. Cat is super excited. She likes all kind of art but singing is her very favorite. She can't wait to meet her teacher, to show them what she can do and to improve her voice and her technique with their help.

But the teacher isn't there yet while most students already sit in the room.

Cat bounces up and down in her seat, impatient and excited for their teacher to finally come and the lesson to begin.

A harsh voice pulls her out of her thoughts: "Stop bouncing!"

She turns around to see a girl sitting next to her, looking annoyed. She has seen her before. They share other classes as well. She wears much black which Cat doesn't really like. She herself wears colors as bright as possible because life is beautiful and bright colors make everyone happy and she wants to make everyone happy.

The girl continues: "You look like an idiot."

Cat doesn't understand. Why does she look like an idiot? And why should she stop bouncing? Why isn't everyone bouncing?

"I'm just so excited and happy," she declares. "Aren't you happy to be here?"

Maybe she isn't or otherwise she also would dress happier. On the other hand... She wouldn't attend this school if she wouldn't love performance arts, would she?

"That's no reason to be like that," the other girl says and that means that she is happy and excited, right? "Stop it. It's going on my nerves."

She doesn't want to go on anyone's nerves. She also hasn't known she did that. But what is she supposed to do when she feels like she'll burst out of excitement?

The other girl suddenly looks past her as she says: "And you are even bigger idiots. Stop laughing!"

Cat fleetingly looks at the others too who have been laughing at her behind her back. That has happened in her former schools as well. Some people have just always made fun of her. She has thought Hollywood Arts would be different. She doesn't understand why it isn't. It's only her third day and for some reason they are laughing again.

Now, with the other girl glaring at them, they stop and hastily look away.

Cat looks back at her. She also always has had people that were fine with her but nobody ever defended her in any way. She has thought that that was the case because nobody was her friend but this girl isn't her friend as well and still told the others to stop laughing. Maybe, she just did it because their laughing annoys her as much as Cat's bouncing. But Cat looks in her eyes and is sure that isn't it. It isn't just about the laughing, about the sound of it. It's about them laughing about someone, making fun of someone.

"What's your name?" she asks.

The girl looks back to her as well with narrowed eyes. "Why?" As if Cat could do something bad with the information of her name.

Cat shrugs. "Because we're obviously classmates and I'd like to know."

The other girl doesn't say anything and well... Cat can also introduce herself first. "I'm Cat."

It takes another few seconds before the other girl finally says: "Jade."

Cat almost claps excitedly. "That's a beautiful name!"

She knows all about jade stones. She knows a lot of random things. Those stones are believed to promote wisdom and balance. They are about stability and are supposed to protect people from negative influences. Well, and this human Jade has just protected her from something negative, from people laughing at her. The name seems to fit, doesn't it?

But anyway. She says: "My actual name is Caterina but my parents already called me Cat when I was little because..."

She gets cut off: "I really don't care."

Cat feels extremely offended but at the same time curious. Nobody has ever told her they don't care like that. She knows that a lot of people don't really care about her stories. She can't help but tell them anyway. And then, they have laughed about her behind her back or have just sat there and nodded as if they listened though they haven't.

This is new. And she has to say she rather likes it. Even if this Jade seems a little mean... at least she is honest. Cat doesn't know many honest people. Even her parents lie constantly to her. Mostly about her brother. They like to say everything is fine with him though she knows it's not. They have said everything would be okay after he got stabbed. He never really has been the same again – though he also has't been what you would call normal and healthy before.

Cat has wished more than once that someone would just tell her the truth about him though she loves him either way. But nobody ever does while her brother, who's the one to always be honest to her, can't really tell her about his condition as he also doesn't know or at least doesn't understand.

Cat likes honesty. It makes her feel at ease to know what's actually going on. So, she rather likes Jade.

The teacher comes though before she can comment on it and she forgets to even say good-bye to Jade at the end of class as she's still fully engulfed by the lesson they had.

She does wish her a good day though when they pass each other at the end of the school day in the hallway. Jade doesn't even seem to have heard.

.

.

The next morning, Cat starts out by searching for Jade's locker. She wants to know more about that girl and therefore wants to talk to her a little bit more. She's sure to have seen her around certain lockers and goes there. She promptly finds one she knows is Jade's.

Cat has decorated her own locker on her second day here. Apparently, Jade has also had fast ideas. At least, there is a locker here which is decorated with some scissors. It's not much but Cat can imagine she wants to put more and more on the locker as times goes by. This absolutely has to be Jade's locker. Cat isn't even sure how she knows as she barely knows the girl but still...

It's this thing she has. This thing that she just knows about people sometimes. She has this understanding for people that she can't really describe. But because of that she always knows when someone actually isn't listening to her or doesn't like her, even if they pretend otherwise. And it makes her know that this is Jade's locker.

She waits next to it and finally, Jade truly comes.

"Good morning, Jade," she says happily and the other girl draws her eyebrows together as she stops in front of her locker.

"What do you want?"

Cat tilts her head. Well, she wants to know more about her. She wants to talk to her. And she wants her to have a good morning, to be happy. She isn't sure what of those things to say first or to say at all but she settles on: "I just wanted to say that."

"Then leave now," Jade says and if Jade wants her to, why not?

Therefore she says "key, key" before she does leave.

.

.

It doesn't stop her to wish her a good morning at her locker every day though for the next week and Jade does give her a "yeah, hi" back every now and then.

But it doesn't bring her any closer to Jade. They don't actually talk. It doesn't make her know Jade any better.

She also tries sitting next to her in every class they have together to possibly talk to her there but it rarely works as either she is too late and can't take the seat next to her as it's already taken, or Jade doesn't take the one next to her, or the teacher comes shortly after both of them sit anyway. And sometimes, Cat is also too distracted by other things, by her own thoughts to remember about wanting to get to know Jade better. (She especially forgets at lunch, though sometimes Jade also is nowhere to be seen or Cat herself uses the time to call home when her brother has a bad day.)

At other times, she watches the other girl though, gets to know that she doesn't talk much to anyone, never initiates contact with anyone herself. She pretends to not be very attentive in class but Cat is sure she is. She does make notes. However, she also always draws little pictures on the same papers while she listens to the teacher. Cat is able to look at one of the pictures once and quickly draws back. She is sure, Jade has drawn a beheading in a comical style as they talked about the French Revolution.

But she wants to know more than that and so she gets her things for the day out of her locker first before she waits at Jade's for the other girl one day. And after she said her morning greeting, she stays there.

Jade puts a book in her locker as if she doesn't notice Cat still standing next to her but then she says without looking at her: "Leave."

"But we have the same class for first period," she says truthfully. "We can go there together."

"No," Jade says, still not looking at her.

"Why not?" Cat asks confused. They would both go alone otherwise. They can also go together, even if Jade possibly doesn't want to get to know her.

Now, Jade finally turns to her. "Because I want to be alone," she says, almost angrily.

"Nobody wants to be alone," Cat says because nobody does. Yes, maybe at times, some people do. She knows her brother sometimes needs to be alone. Even she wants to be alone sometimes – though she guesses that also has a lot to do with the fact that she hasn't got anyone to truly talk to. Maybe, that's also the case for Jade.

"I do," Jade says though but she is alone in school all the time, just like Cat. She can't really want that.

And Cat looks in her eyes and knows that Jade thinks that what she says is true. Because Jade truly is an honest person. But while she may think that, it doesn't have to be the case. Cat has this feeling inside of her that it isn't. Jade doesn't want to be alone.

"I don't think you do," she therefore says and Jade promptly slams her locker shut with a loud sound, glaring at her: "Leave or I will use one of my scissors on you."

Cat runs away with a terrified noise.

.

.

She doesn't think Jade would actually hurt her though, as she thinks about it over the day. Jade may have seemed like she meant it – and may have believed it herself at the time – but Cat is sure it has been an empty threat.

Well, and Cat understands why she has made it. Cat never likes it when her therapist just tells her what her feelings are about. It's her feelings after all and it always feels like the therapist wants to tell her she knows more about her than she herself does. Yes, it also helps sometimes but she still doesn't like it. So, she is still sure she's right about Jade not wanting to be alone but it's okay that Jade got angry about it.

Therefore, she again waits next to her locker the next morning but she doesn't even get to say her morning greeting when Jade already says: "I still have my scissors."

"I don't think you will hurt me just like that," Cat says honestly and for a moment, they just look at each other, then Jade says: "Leave me alone."

But Cat doesn't want to, so she says: "No."

Jade glares at her again. "Leave me the fuck alone. I don't know what you want from me. But I don't want to be around a freak like you!"

And that's just mean. You can't call a person a freak. Cat hurries away, feeling like she's about to cry. She has gotten called a freak before. Her brother gets called that word constantly. It makes her sick.

But she doesn't believe Jade has meant what she has said. She thinks about the situation, tries to remember Jade's face, her expression. Cat realizes she hasn't told her why she waits at her locker every morning. Maybe Jade thinks it's creepy. Cat could understand that. And if something is creepy, you are afraid. And maybe, Jade lashes out when she is afraid. She looks like someone who could be like that. And Cat has again this feeling inside of her that that is how Jade works. And she remembers her expression, the look in her eyes and just knows that that's how it is.

.

.

The next morning, she is back at Jade's locker again and Jade's eyes aren't as cold as Cat has gotten to know them over the last days and weeks. It's more confusion.

"What are you doing here again?"

"Meeting you at your locker," Cat says. And finally wants to explain at least a little: "That's what friends do."

Well... Cat never has had a friend. There always were people who were nice to her and everything but with everything with her brother, she never was allowed to invite someone to her house – and she had barely time to visit anyone else. Her classmates have found that weird, next to so much else about her, and they may have still been nice but she wouldn't have called any of them her friends.

So, she isn't sure what friends actually do. But meeting up in the morning, wishing each other a good one... that's what friends do, right?

And she does want to be Jade's friend. She doesn't know what exactly it is about the other girl but she feels like she needs to know more about her. She feels like being Jade's friend would be an extremely precious thing to be.

Jade seems cold but somehow Cat knows she isn't. Somehow she knows that Jade can love very deeply and to be one of the very few people who she loves like that... Cat can't imagine anything better. With Jade being this honest and great girl, artistic and true to herself.

"We are not friends," Jade says however but they see each other every day and Jade does talk to her at least a little while she talks to noone else, so she claims: "We are."

"We are not," Jade says. "You do remember what I told you yesterday, right? Just leave me alone. We're not friends and we never will be."

Cat tries to figure out if Jade means it, if she really wants to be left alone. But she doesn't. Cat knows though she probably really doesn't feel like Cat is her friend. And well... Maybe they aren't really. But...

"You may not be my friend but I'm definitely yours."

Jade draws her eyebrows together. "You can't just decide that."

"I can," Cat says. "Because I already did."

Jade looks at her for another few seconds before she turns around and leaves without even opening her locker once.

.

.

Cat waits for her again in the next morning and it's Jade who talks first: "Okay, why?"

"Why what?" Cat asks confused.

"Why do you want to be my friend?"

Cat looks at the other girl and she has usually endless words in every situation but she barely can describe these feelings she has about other people, these impressions she has from time to time about other people that are somehow always true.

She shrugs and finally decides on: "Because you're honest and I like that."

Jade slightly shakes her head before she opens her locker. "You're an idiot," she says but somehow it doesn't sound mean at all.

"See you later," Cat says with a bright smile before she leaves.

.

.

The next morning, Cat runs late and only arrives at Jade's locker when she's already there.

"Good morning, Jade," she says and Jade turns around and Cat is sure to almost see relief in her eyes.

She smiles brightly as she promptly tells the story of why she's late and Jade actually listens to her, stays at her locker even when she's finished putting things in and out of it, until the bell rings for the first lesson and Cat has to hurry to her own locker to be on time for class.

From then on, Cat tells her more and more about all the random things on her mind. She mainly talks to her in the morning in front of her locker but also before some of the classes every now and then. Jade still doesn't take the seat next to Cat in the classes they share if the seat is available but Cat always tries for them to sit together, for lunch as well. And Jade does listen to her. Even if she looks away and looks desinterested, Cat knows she listens. And sometimes she still tells her suddenly to stop talking and sometimes it hurts Cat but at least Jade does say as soon as it's enough for her. So, she always stops when Jade wants her to.

Cat never has had anyone like Jade in her life and it somehow makes her extremely happy.

Not everyone is like Jade though. And there still are those classmates who have already laughed at her on her third day. She has heard them every now and then in the hallways as well or in different classrooms. One of them has an older brother who has long joined them. It's something about Cat that seem to be easy to make fun off and which apparently makes him more popular with his friends.

Cat doesn't care much though she doesn't like it t all. But she also hasn't have to talk to those people, so...

But the older boy has started actually talking to her instead of just about her and it's unsettling. Cat is a little afraid when he now suddenly is with her.

"Hey, ditzy. Where are you going? Too ditzy to remember where your classroom is?"

Cat only shortly glances at him as his two friends laugh and he grins like an idiot, as if he just has made a brilliant joke.

It is true that she just went by them for the third time. She has forgot something in her locker. It happens.

"Do you even hear us talk to you or are you too spaced out?" the boy asks as she tries to go on without saying a word and suddenly there is his foot in front of hers and she almost falls over it. She stumbles forward and the boy and his friends laugh.

"She is even too dumb to walk," he says and that's just awful, as if he hasn't made her trip.

She wants to defend herself when she suddenly sees a shadow passing by. The next second there is a loud noise, a thud and screams.

"What the...? My nose!"

Cat turns around to see the boy on the floor, his hands both covering a bloody nose, tears in his eyes. His friends kneel down next to him with shocked and worried looks in their eyes.

Jade stands next to her, her right hand still formed into a fist, glaring at the boy on the ground.

"Oh, he is even too dumb to stand upright," she snarls.

"You broke my nose!" the boy says and Jade raises one of her eyebrows: "Watch out or I will break more of your bones."

The boy's eyes widen and Cat grabs Jade's arm without noticing herself. Jade's body flinches ever so slightly but she doesn't give any other reaction. Instead, she still glares at the boy.

And then, Lane is with them.

"What's going on?" he asks as he tries to take in the situation.

"That girl punched me!" the boy says as his friends finally helps him up to his feet and someone is handing him a tissue. There already is blood everywhere.

Jade slowly looks to Lane while she says: "I did."

But she isn't about to say anything more about it and this isn't the whole story.

Cat quickly adds: "But only because he was mean to me! He tripped and insulted me!"

"I did not," the boy claims. "Why would I care about making fun of some dumb freshman I don't even know?"

Jade promptly takes a step closer to him and he takes one back, obviously terrified she will punch him again. Cat doesn't like violence. She never has. But she does have to smile a little about this.

"Okay, stop it, everyone," Lane says as he looks from one person to the next. "I want you two" – he points at the boy's friends – "to take him to the nurse. I will talk to all three of you later. And you two" – now she points at Jade and Cat – "will come with me."

Jade shrugs and Cat bites her lip a little scared as they both follow Lane who calls out: "And everyone else: Get to class."

Cat only now notices the many classmates standing around, watching the scene. Everyone makes room for them to pass by and look after Jade as they go.

They go to Lane's office and sit down there.

"So, tell me what happened," Lane prompts but Jade stays silent, crossing her arms in front of her.

So, Cat launches into the story, tells him about how that boy has made fun of her before and what he has said now and how Jade has come to her rescue.

"Is that true?" Lane finally asks Jade after Cat is done.

Jade only slowly looks to Cat first, then to Lane, before she says: "I guess so."

"You guess?" Lane asks. "That isn't an answer. Is is true or not?"

Jade looks annoyed. "It is."

Cat watches the two of them stare into each other's eyes for almost a minute before Lane says: "I could directly suspend you for this, Jade. Maybe I even should. But I do believe Cat's version as of now though I still have to speak to Rick and his friends. I think I can only make a final decision then and maybe after talking to the principal. But I do think you have a fair chance to not get suspended but only get detention for a long time. You will definitely have detention this afternoon and I'll call your parents either way. And we will talk again as soon as I've talked to everyone else."

Jade shrugs. "Fine."

Lane nods. "And remember that violence is never the solution. Cat, if anyone ever makes fun of you again, just come to me."

She nods as well though she isn't sure if she will. Most of the times, it's no use to tell anyone about it. She has tried that in her former schools.

"You can both go now," he finally says and Jade stands up without another word, grabs her bag and leaves.

Cat waves to Lane while she hurries to follow her.

She bites her lip as she goes next to Jade down the hallway. She's sure she should thank Jade. Nobody has ever done anything like that for her. And she knows that Jade wouldn't have done it for just anyone. She may be annoyed at people making fun of other people like that in any case but she just punched a guy and risked suspension or being the next target for that boy.

Before she can say anything however, Jade suddenly says, checking her watch: "Well, there's no use going to third period anymore. But we have the forth together, right? I don't have my book yet, so let's go to my locker."

And Cat can't help but giggle happily. She knows that for some reason, Jade has finally accepted her friendship. Jade is ready to open up to her. Jade is ready to let her in.

She never will be sure how Jade got there or why she does keep her close from then on. She never will understand how exactly she deserves Jade's friendship, her love that truly is so deep and caring. How she deserves her protection and the honesty that she needs so badly in her life. She just enjoys every second of it.