It's Complicated
Cat POV
I nervously paced outside Jade's door for what seem to be the hundredth time. Its past noon and she's still not up. She never stayed in bed this late. Last night, I knocked on her dressing room door for about 10 minutes until I gave up and just took a cab home, instead of riding with Jade like we usually did together. Later that night, I sat in my room and waited for her. I heard the door beep at 12, announcing her arrival home but she went into her room, slamming the door without coming to talk to me.
I reached into my left sweat-shorts pocket, feeling for the piece of paper that I've been waiting to call. I haven't gotten to know her much so Jessie gave me her cell phone number. We were pressed against the door trying to hear the conversation behind it.
"I can't hear anything. The door is too thick." Jessie said, pulling away from the door.
"Aw, poop!" I said, stomping my foot. Just then, the door opened and Beck walked out of it.
"Jess, let's go." His expression was hard to read, but he just wanted to get away from here.
"One second, I'll catch up with you." Jessie said.
"Hurry." He said walking off.
She held up a piece of white paper up to me. "This is my cell phone number. Call me if you or my mom wants to talk to me. Call after 3 or on a weekend because I have school. Bye!" she ran off the catch up with her dad.
I took a quick look at it and slipped it back into my pocket.
Jade's door opened with a WOOSH and startled me.
"Jade." I said.
"That's my name." she said, walking around the corner in our hotel suite.
"Come on, Cat! We don't have all day! We gotta be at that shoot early!" Jade yelled.
"Don't you want to eat?" I asked, skipping after her.
"No, they have food there. Let's move." She pulled my arm.
On the ride there, I stared out the window at the Los Angeles buildings. Every few minutes I would take a look at Jade to see if she would break. Every time I did she looked fine like last night never happened.
"Cat, stop looking at me every other second. I'm driving at 40 miles per hour. I'm not going anywhere." She said. I opened my mouth but closed it again.
After a few minutes, I said, "What happened last night?" I asked. Jade's lips became a tight line and she looked forward putting all her attention on the road.
"Jade?"
"Nothing happened, nothing will happen." She said, sharply pulling into the parking lot of the building we're shooting at.
"But-"
"He's gone. He left 10 years ago. Just because he suddenly shows up doesn't mean he's back." She snapped.
"He's not coming back." She said shakily, looking ahead like she was trying to convince myself more than she was trying to convince me.
"You guys have a daughter though."
"Beck has a daughter. I was just part of the reproduction process."
"Process?"
"We gotta go." She said getting out of the car.
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I smiled so the makeup artist could fix my makeup while the people rushed around us.
"Jade's almost done so we'll start shooting in about 10 minutes, Cat." The director said to me.
"Kaykay!" I chirped. Jade got into the pink Lamborghini with me and fixed the streaks in her hair.
"Hey." I said. Jade ignored me so I knew she was upset. I regretted ever bringing up the night before. I watch as two guys came and brought the green screen behind us closer and another sprayed more shiner on the convertible's hood.
"Stand by!" the director yelled. Jade and I sat up straighter.
"Rolling!... Action! Music!" The music started and we mouthed the words.
"Someday I'll let you in treat you right drive you outta your mind!" The music played. After the shoot in the car, we went to our dressing rooms before we had to leave to shoot outside in the phone booth.
As soon as I was alone, I dialed the memorized phone number on the slip of paper.
"Hello?" she picked up.
"Hiya!"
"Oh my god! Cat! What's going on with my mom?"
"I'm not sure because when I asked her about it, she denied and snapped at me. And she's been quiet all day."
"On the way home my dad just told me I talk to much then went to bed. Then this morning he left a note saying he had to get to work early but the weird thing is, he doesn't have work today." Jessie said.
"Maybe you can meet me somewhere." I suggested.
"Can't. Andre is baby-sitting and he's watch some game on TV."
"Okay. I'll text Andre and try to set something up. I have a shoot here until 9. Bye!" I hung up.
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I rung the doorbell and waited for it to open. Andre greeted me at the door.
"Little red!" he exclaimed giving me a hug and swinging me inside. I giggled.
"Cat!" Jessie ran towards me and gave me a hug.
"So you know the plan?" I asked.
"Yup! When is mom getting here?" she asked.
"I texted her the address and she said she'll be here in about 5 minutes. She had to do an extra shot. When's Beck coming?"
"Same."
A few minutes later the door rang. Andre ran to the door and opened it.
Jade's POV
"Jade! Hey what's up?" Andre greeted.
"Yeah whatever," I said letting myself in, "Where's Cat? I don't wanna be here?"
"She's peeing."
"Of course. Is he here?"
"I'm the only he here." He retorted.
"Is his daughter here?"
"Yes, your daughter is here." He said. I rolled my eyes.
"She's not mine. I don't know her and she doesn't know me."
"She wants to."
"Why would she want to do that?"
"Why don't you ask her? Jessie! Come over here!" he yelled.
"No! Ugh!" I said, turning around and trying to find somewhere to escape.
"Hi!" a little girl came out from a doorway.
"Jess, this is Jade, Jade Jess." Andre introduced
"Hey mom." She smiled. I stood there like an idiot with my mouth half open. Do something! I told myself you look like you've been smoking something!
I looked her over. Beck was right. She did kinda look like me. She was tall and pale but had Beck's brown eyes. Her hair was thick and brown like Beck's and curly up to her shoulders. She wore a black and purple striped shirt with dark-washed jeans and converse. I noticed something familiar hanging from her neck.
"Hey where'd you get that necklace?" I asked.
"This one?" she took it off, "My dad gave it to me when I was a baby. He said you and he had matching necklaces and this was his." She twirled the chain around her fingers.
My own fingers went inside my shirt and took my own that I could never find the bravery to take off.
"Is that yours?" she asked.
"Yeah it is." I smiled and took a step closer. Before I could open my mouth and say something else, the door opened.