You never met a chick like me…
The line from "Give It Up" really expressed Caterina Valentine. She was, in the simplest terms, original. Not in a bad way or anything. She was just unique.
Cat loved many things. Such as parades, candy, and lines ("They're like long, single file parties!").
Jade West was the opposite of Cat. She hated nearly everything. Some examples being wet doorknobs, green soup, and ducks. Almost everyone feared her.
The two girls couldn't be any more different. Yet, here they stood, best friends. Jade would never admit this of course. She had to practically murder Cat so she wouldn't go around telling the whole school.
One thing both girls had in common was that they were both seriously misunderstood at school. Cat had a personality of her own. She was bubbly and sweet but still a bit ditzy. People tended to make fun of her for her strange comments that she said at the weirdest times. Once you got to truly know her though, you couldn't deny that there was anyone sweeter than her.
Jade was known for her horrible personality. She was mean, cruel, and confident in herself but had her own insecurities. People tried to avoid Jade as best they could. But she was a good person once you get to know her (as Cat claims).
Jade stood by her locker Tuesday afternoon. Cat had to go to her special therapy session every other week and Jade always drove her there. Jade found it strange that she hadn't seen her friend since earlier in the morning in their acting class. So, she simply stood there, sipping her coffee waiting for her redheaded friend. Jade leaned her head against the cold surface of her scissor impaled locker. As she looked up from her coffee she saw Cat walking around the corner holding a can of Wahoo Punch. Jade rolled her eyes and walked after the girl.
"Cat!" Jade yelled.
Cat paused and looked behind her. She smiled and batted her eyelashes, just to be silly.
"You ready to go?" Jade asked.
"Go where?" Cat asked.
"To therapy. Remember? You have one today."
Sometimes Jade wondered exactly what Cat talked about in her sessions. All she knew was that Cat often 'Therapist Hopped' as Cat's father called it. This basically meant that Cat was so screwed up that her therapists just gave up on her and Cat had to get a new one. Jade had been thinking about sneaking in to Cat's sessions and just listening to Cat talking all about her weird issues. Then Jade remembered that she didn't care.
"Oh, I can't go today." Cat said.
She shook her head and played with her yellow bangle bracelets. Jade raised her pierced eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh! Well, my therapist said she had too many patients to deal with and she couldn't help me anymore. So, when we asked the desk lady if she could find us a new one, she said all had already helped me before and couldn't help me. So now I don't have any therapist! He-he-he-he!"
Wow, this girl was even more screwed up then Jade thought.
Cat waved goodbye to Jade and walked out the school doors. Jade followed her outside to speak to her but Cat had already mounted her pink bike.
"Oh, hey Jade."
Jade jumped in fear. Wait, no she didn't. She um…reacted to the element of surprise. Jade turned around and saw Robbie Shapiro standing behind her. Jade brushed a hand through her hair.
"God dang it Robbie!" Jade yelled.
Robbie shrugged and watched Cat's bike roll away. Jade noticed Robbie holding something under his left arm. It was a large rectangular shaped box with pink wrapping and had a thin, sparkly purple bow tied around it.
"What's that?" Jade asked.
Robbie took the box out from under his arm and showed it to Jade.
"This? Oh, it's a present for Cat."
"For what?"
"For her birthday, of course!" Robbie said.
He suddenly paused and tucked the gift box under his arm once more. He looked at Jade and frowned. His mouth was slightly agape.
"Wait…did you seriously forget?" Robbie asked.
"So, what if I did?" Jade asked.
"Cat's been reminding us since the beginning of June! You know how much she loves holidays!"
"No. She loves presents! She doesn't care about holidays, only the ones where she gets anything out of it!" Jade screamed.
"Really? Then why did she decorate all those trees in the park on Arbor Day?"
"Because she thought it was Christmas!"
"True, b-but what about Valentine's Day? She came to school dressed up as Cupid, she passed out cards and everything. She even gave you one." Robbie pointed out.
"She gave me a Halloween Card." Jade said.
"Yeah, but did you like it?"
Jade quieted down. Robbie had a point. Cat knew how much Jade hated Valentine's day, so Cat had given Jade a completely non-Valentine's related card (and some licorice.)
"Look, Cat's turning 18 today. Maybe you could show some sort of care for that? You are her best friend after all."
"I am not!" Jade yelled.
Robbie shrugged and walked away.
"W-wait, you have to help me find a present for her!" Jade said.
Robbie shook his head. He walked into the parking lot to where his 'Car' was parked.
"What are you getting her anyway?" Jade yelled at him.
He turned away from his vehicle and stared at Jade who was still standing on the sidewalk.
"A stuffed unicorn I ordered from ."
Jade rolled her eyes. No big deal, Jade could do better. Cat did love that website though. She had maxed out two of her credit cards ordering from there. Jade wondered why she even cared, it's not like-like Cat did anything for her.
Although Cat did throw Jade a birthday party one time. Jade wasn't one to enjoy festivities, so Cat just came over to Jade's house with Mochi ice cream and they watched TV for the rest of the day.
Ok, yeah. Jade admitted it, Cat did a lot of things for her. So, for once Jade decided to be a... a good friend. Not that they were friendsor anything. Jade rolled her eyes and walked over to her own car. She figured she'd check over at the Northridge Mall or something, maybe she could find something for Cat there.
Jade was walking through The Puzzle Zoo. She knew Cat loved petting the stuffed animals here, so maybe there was something she could-
Crap.
Cat was in the store. She walked around and greeted the cashier with a smile. Cat went to the back of the store where the stuffed animal section was and began to pet a large selection of unicorns. Jade moved away from Cat so she wouldn't see her. Cat's phone suddenly rang. Cat fished inside her purse and pulled out her pink Pear Phone. She clicked the answer button and held the phone to her ear.
"Oh, hey Tori!" Cat said.
Cat laughed at something Tori said.
"Aww, thanks! But you didn't need to wish me- "
"He-he-he-he! Yeah, eight thirty, same time!"
Cat quieted down and listened to Tori talk.
"Yaaaayy! See you at my house then! Mmmm? Oh, I'm not- "
"'Kay-kay! Byyyyeeee!"
Cat canceled the phone call and skipped out the door. Okay, so maybe The Puzzle Zoo wasn't the right place to find the best gift ever. But there were so many places…that Jade would never be caught dead in.
Two hours later Jade was still stuck at the Northridge Mall looking for a present for Cat. The intercom suddenly beeped and the announcer announced that the mall would be closing in ten minutes.
Great.
Desperate more than ever, Jade ran into Papyrus, where they sold expensive greeting cards. Jade walked around the store until she found a card with a baby unicorn with googly eyes. Jade grabbed it and headed to the counter. A cashier was putting on her jacket and getting ready to leave. Jade cleared her throat. The employee jumped and turned around. Jade set the card on the counter.
"Sorry, we can't ring that up for you. I'm afraid we're closed."
"Really? Then why isn't the gate pulled down?"
"I was just about to- "
"Just about to? Hmm…so you aren't closed."
"Please ma'am, I just want to go home. The mall is almost closed!"
"Almost. So, it's not closed?"
"Please?"
"Behh-"
"Ma'am-"
"Behhh."
"Fine!" The employee yelled, "give me the card!"
Jade picked the card up off the counter and handed it to the employee. She rang it up and handed it to Jade.
"That'll be $70 please."
"What? You've got to be kidding me. Who would pay- "
The employee tapped her cat like nails against the surface of the counter. Jade rolled her eyes and grabbed her wallet out of her purse.
Jade thrusted the money into the woman's hand and Jade left the mall. Jade checked the time, it was 9:00. Cat's party had ended.
Ugh!
Jade ran to her car and drove recklessly over to Cat's house. When she got there, Cat was sitting inside looking unhappily out the window. Jade parked her car in the driveway and turned it off. Jade knocked on the door. Cat didn't notice Jade pulling in, so she assumed someone had forgotten something. Cat smiled wildly when she saw Jade standing in her doorway.
"Jade!"
Cat jumped on top of Jade and squeezed her tight. Jade allowed the girl to hug her for five more seconds before she forced the girl off.
"What are you doing here?" Cat asked, sounding hopeful.
"Well, it's your birthday…"
"You remembered?!"
Cat hopped up and down in pure joy.
"You thought I forgot?"
"Yes." Cat said flatly.
Jade handed Cat the card. She took it from Jade and ripped at the envelope.
"He-he-he-he-he!" Cat giggled.
She was laughing at the googly-eyed unicorn.
She opened the card and read the inside. Cat teared up at the message Jade had written at the bottom.
Dear Cat,
I don't hate you. Happy birthday.
Signed, your friend, Jade.
Cat smiled and looked up at Jade.
"Jade?"
Jade opened her arms and let the little redheaded girl hug her. Jade smiled and rubbed her friend's back.
"Jade….?" Cat whispered.
"Mm?"
"You're my best friend."
Jade nodded and continued to rub Cat's back.
This time, Jade didn't try to deny it. Cat was her best friend, and had been for a long, long time.
The End.