A few weeks later was Halloween, and a yearly tradition for Cat & Jade- a horror movie marathon.
Growing up, Cat was always dropped off at Jade's house on the evening of the 30th, and wasn't picked up until the evening of November 1st. Not because either girl loved Halloween- well they did but -it was because of Matteo. A boy with a fear of people entering the house, mixed with a night where people constantly knocked on the door was never going to end well. Adding in that those people knocking were normally dressed up as monsters? The Valentines had long since decided it was best to take him to away for the day every year. They framed it to him as a special annual trip, where Casandra and Leo took him to a cabin retreat in the San Bernardino mountains, away from trick-or-treaters. They'd become friends with the Air BnB's owners who made sure the place was Matty-proof for their yearly visit. Because of this, they always dropped Cat off with Jade's parents, and after the passing of Elizabeth West, just Jade's father.
Now that Cat was old enough to fend for herself alone in the house, the girls still didn't give up the tradition. Jade didn't want to admit it but she enjoyed Cat's company in the house- and any excuse to watch horror movies was a bonus. The only other people to visit West household anymore were her father's business partners, who sometimes used the dining room as a conference room or the garden to host events. It was a rather large house, as that comes with a wealthy lifestyle, but it was much too large for just Jade and her dad.
While her mother was alive, the house was constantly full of chatter, more than just the business talk. Full of laughs and enjoyable company. Her mother was quite the hostess, and a huge lover of filling the space. Each Christmas would feature a 10ft tree in the entry way, each Easter would host a Egg Hunt for all the children in the street, each Halloween she would turn the living area into a haunted house for young Jade & Cat to really get immersed in their movies. But when she died when Jade was 12, it all changed. Jade hadn't been a particularly warm child, a trait she inherited from her father, but she became ever colder after that. Something that she never managed to get back. Jade's father did the same, he put more and more into the business, which was now one of the most successful law firms in the country, and less and less time into time with his daughter. He still loved her deeply, she was all that he had left of his dear Elizabeth, he still tried to give her some of his time, but when you're leading a company that large, while trying to be both mom and dad, things slip through the cracks often.
"Hi there Cat." Jason West smiled as he opened the front door for his daughter's redheaded friend. "Let me guess," he paused, allowing Cat to show off her halloween costume a little more. While Jade preferred the horrors of the day, Cat's love was all in the costumes. She'd spend most of October each year making hers in her costume design class. This year she was rocking a long dark teal medieval gown with gold accents on the sleeves and neckline. Her hair was huge and curled, and a makeshift archery bow was hung on her leather belt. "Oh goodness I don't know." He admitted, he always had a soft spot for the girl. Despite him being a naturally more reserved man, Cat somehow always brought a conversation out of anyone.
"I'm Meredith from Brave!" She said, twirling around, "We had to make a medieval costume in class so it was an easy choice, especially with my red hair." She beemed. "Don't make me do the accent though."
"They get better and better each year!" Jason told her, inviting her into the house. "Back in my time we'd take a set of old clothes that was only good for rags and-
"-make it even more ragged and dirty" Jade finished, walking up to the two of them as they entered the house. Repeating the same line he said every year and then forget and say it again the next year.
"You're Wednesday Addams!" Cat squealed, noting Jade's black and white costume, with the two hanging braided pigtails in her hair. Jade rarely put quite as much effort in as Cat, but as long as she was wearing something resembling as costume Cat was very happy.
"Are you a frizzy Weasley?" Jade asked, giving Cat an up-and-down with her eyes. There was normally a wig of some sorts in her costume if she wasnt trying to include her red locks.
"No silly, I'm from the new Disney Pixar movie-"
"Oh, Brave, got it!" Jade nodded as the two girls walked into the lounge area, Cat waving bye to Jason. "Think you'll be brave enough to actually make it through the movies this year?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey!" Cat defended. "I sometimes do!" She continued as Jade shook her head, sitting on the couch she'd prepared for the two of them.
It was certainly no decked out haunted house decor, but Jade always tried to make some sort of effort. The coffee table was full of chocolates, popcorn and soda, every child's halloween dream. There were fake spiders scattered around, with a light-up jackolantern on the floor on one side. The two blankets on the couch were the ones they had every year: grey with bats for Jade and orange with pumpkins for Cat. Jade sat on the left side as always and Cat on the right.
"Did you get your dad's whiskey?" Cat whispered.
"Yes." Jade rolled her eyes, pulling the bottle from behind the cushion between them. "You have a problem you know." She added.
"I do not!" Cat hissed, knowing her friend wasn't at all serious.
It was ironic really, how Cat liked a little drink, especially with that being the root cause for Matty's problems. Of course, not everyone who drank became an alcoholic, but you can't become an alcoholic without drinking. It was weird how it all started, the girls were 14 and Jade had stolen her first of many bottles of drink during one of his corporate events, and tried it while Cat and Andre were both over. The redhead at first has been appalled, telling Jade off in as many ways as she knew. This disapproval only egged young Jade on more, who promptly downed as much as she could- much to the avail of her taste buds. Andre also took a solid swig and the two of them spent the next hour in a very giddy mood. After that, Cat gave in and joined them, starting with a single shot within her cola drink. It wasn't that bad. In moderation, drinking isn't that bad. She had concluded, having a little more. Drinking, for some, could be a slippery slope and lead to much worse, but for most, it was okay. Okay, always, in moderation. As the girls grew up they drank more and more. Never to a dangerous level, and only to a throwing-up level a few times. Mostly now, they did it to forget about their stresses for a little bit, to make fun evenings a little more fun. They were both aware of the consequences if they took it too far and Cat's parents would ground her for the rest of her life if they ever found out. But for now, it wasn't a problem and they hoped it never would be.
Jade checked over her shoulder for her father, not that he would care really, but the whiskey always tasted better when mixed with the idea of rebellion, and poured a little into two glasses followed by a healthy dose of Cola. "Cheers." They said as they took their first sips, followed by a handful of sweet popcorn for Cat. "I thought we'd start with the horror movie I made for class over the last month if that's okay?" Jade suggested. "It needs one more round of editing but I wanted to know what you thought, new set of eyes ya know."
"Oooh yay!" Cat said eagerly, snuggling herself into the couch, putting her drink down on the table as Jade played the rough-cut on the television.
Jade's artistic love would always be film-making, especially horror. She loved curating the perfect mis-en-scene , the perfect script, the perfect tension. The way each camera movement flowed into the other was all specifically chosen when she meticulously directed a piece. She knew the cameras better than the operators, knowing exactly what lens to use, what depth of field she wanted, what angle, what shot type. She knew how to use light to bring the audience's attention to just the right places, hiding what she didn't want them to see. The jump scares were well placed, not predictable and not cheesy, and the builds always brought the piece to the perfect climax. It just came to her naturally, even in this throw-away 'warm up for Senior Year' film. It was 5 minutes of fantastic work, despite the freshman actors she'd been forced to use by her filmmaking teacher. Cat never had a bad thing to say about anyones work, but especially not about Jade's. She was born to write and direct movies, there was no two ways about it.
"It was brilliant Jade!" Cat beamed, throwing herself across the couch to hug the older girl.
"I'm gonna count to 3-" She started, stiffening slightly as the redhead touched her.
"You don't scare me Jadey, I know you haven't got any scissors on you." Not that Jade had ever actually hurt Cat in any way, scissors or no scissors. "Just accept my hug."
"Fine." Jade grumbled, she didn't need much convincing to relax into it. Cat gave hugs like no one else, she put her whole body into it. Not that she had a lot of body to give, but damn did she try. A hug from Cat felt indefinite. Pure. Unselfish. Undemanding. Free. It was only Cat that hugged her anymore, since her and Beck had broken up. She rejected her Dad's affection, and everyone else was scared of her. As the redhead finally let go, Jade's hand involuntarily twitched and grabbed onto Cat's shoulder to keep her in. As quickly as it happened though, Jade realised and let go again. That was weird. "Lets, watch the first movie shall we?" Jade suggested, focusing her mind and flicking through the channels to find whatever ones were playing movies at the time.
"Yay!" Cat squealed, happily grabbing another handful of popcorn. She didn't really like horror movies, but Jade did. And if the older girl was willing to dress up for Cat's sake, Cat was willing to watch a few scary movies for Jade.
Half a bottle of whiskey later, the scary movies were certainly not as scary. Each jumpscare had the two girls half bent over in laughter. Mr West had long wished the two girls goodnight so they desperately tried to be quiet to no avail. It didn't help that Jade had thought it would be hilarious to prank call Tori on a 'no caller ID'. She put on a Jersey accent to try and trick the girl into thinking she was some broad accusing her of 'stealing her man'. It was promptly ruined by Cat's unmistakable laugh in the background. Still, it was funny as anything to them.
At about 2:30 in the morning the two stumbled up the stairs, barely with enough stable vision to take off their makeup. Cat smoothed out her big hair as much as she could while Jade undid her plaits, before they both got into Jades bed. Jade on the left side facing the wall, as always, and Cat on the right facing the window. Jade's house had a spare bedroom of course, two in fact, but Cat never once used either of them. It would have ruined a huge part of their sleepovers as a kid, and as they grew she refused to shift the tradition, besides it had never been a problem before.