With another few days of school been and gone, along with the weekend, things were nice between the two girls. They kept acting as normal around school, abide a few more glances and smiles to one another. But mainly just as normal. Outside of Hollywood Arts they'd messaged nearly every minute, it was mental how much they had to talk about without conversation drying up. During on of their many texting sessions, Cat suggested they go on a date. That's what they decided they were: 'dating'. Not in a relationship, not girlfriends, just going on dates. They clearly liked each other enough to be more, but taking it slow would be best for them.

Jade turned off the car and sat for a moment, hands on the wheel, stealing a glance at Cat beside her. Cat was humming softly to herself, a habit Jade had grown used to over time. She looked especially bright tonight, wearing a soft pink dress, her red hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. She seemed more put together than usual, but there was still that hint of childish excitement flickering in her eyes.

"You ready?" Cat asked, her voice filled with a light energy, her fingers playing with the hem of her dress.

Jade smirked. "It's just dinner, Cat. I think I can manage."

Cat giggled, giving Jade a little nudge with her elbow. "I know! But it's our first date, like, just us! I mean, this is, you know, special."

Jade rolled her eyes, but there was no real edge to it. "It's just dinner," she repeated, though she could feel that same subtle flutter in her chest. "Let's just get this over with."

They stepped out of the car and headed toward the entrance, the string lights twinkling overhead. The restaurant had a warm, inviting atmosphere, the kind that immediately felt comfortable and slightly out of place for Jade. The hostess greeted them and led them to a booth near the window. Jade slid into her seat first, and Cat followed, sitting across from her, practically bouncing in her chair.

"This place is so cute!" Cat exclaimed, her eyes wide as she took in the surroundings. "The lights are like little faries! And it smells so good in here."

Jade smirked, shaking her head. "Faries, sure. Just don't start naming them or something."

Cat giggled again, her fingers still fiddling with the edge of the napkin. "Okay, but if they did have names, they'd be something cute like Twinkle or... I don't know... Sparky!"

Jade snorted, despite herself. "Sparky, really?"

"Yeah, Sparky!" Cat's face lit up with her usual bright energy, but then she paused, her smile softening just a little. "You're not mad, right? About the whole... first date thing?"

Jade raised an eyebrow. "Why would I be mad?"

Cat shrugged, her eyes flicking to the menu for a second. "I don't know. You're always kind of... grumbly about stuff like this. I didn't want you to feel like I was forcing you or anything."

Jade leaned back in her seat, studying Cat for a moment. She wasn't used to Cat being this reflective, and it caught her off guard. "You didn't force me into anything. I'm here because I want to be."

Cat blinked, her eyes widening for a second before her grin returned in full force. "Okay! Just checking."

They placed their order, pasta for Jade and pizza for Cat, and as they waited, a comfortable silence settled between them. Cat was still full of her usual energy, but there was a steadiness beneath it, something Jade had started to notice more lately. Cat wasn't just all bubbles and chaos; she had layers, and it intrigued Jade more than she cared to admit.

"So," Cat said, tapping her fingers lightly on the table. "Did you think we'd ever be doing this? Like, a real date? I kinda didn't. But then I also did, because you know how sometimes you just know something, but you don't know how it's gonna happen?"

Jade smirked. "You're losing me, Cat."

Cat laughed, shaking her head. "Okay, okay, I'll stop rambling. But seriously, it's nice, right? Being here, just us."

Jade paused for a moment, "Yeah," she said, her voice softer than usual. "It's nice."

Cat beamed, her feet swinging under the table. "I knew you'd like it! See, I told you this place was perfect."

Jade raised an eyebrow. "You never said anything about this place being perfect."

"Well, not out loud," Cat admitted with a mischievous grin. "But in my head, I did. And I was right."

Their food arrived shortly after, and they both dug in—Cat devouring her pizza with the enthusiasm of someone who hadn't eaten in days, while Jade ate her pasta with a little more restraint. Despite her reservations, Jade couldn't help but enjoy the moment. The food was good, the atmosphere was relaxed, and Cat, despite all her quirks, was making this evening something Jade hadn't expected.

As they ate, Cat launched into a story about something ridiculous that had happened at school earlier that day, complete with wild hand gestures and dramatic reenactments. Jade found herself laughing more than she thought she would, and it wasn't the forced and sarcastic kind of laugh she usually gave.

When the meal was done, and the waiter had cleared their plates, they lingered at the table, neither of them in a hurry to leave.

"You know," Cat said, her voice quieter now, "I'm really glad we did this. I mean, I know I can be a lot sometimes, but... I like being around you, Jade. A lot."

Jade felt a warmth rise in her chest, and for a moment, she wasn't sure how to respond. Vulnerability wasn't exactly her thing, but there was something about Cat's sincerity that made it feel safe to let her guard down—just a little. "I like being around you, too," Jade said, her voice low but steady. "Even when you are a lot."

Cat's face lit up, her smile genuine and wide, but this time, she didn't explode with her usual excitement. Instead, she reached across the table, taking Jade's hand in hers. It was a small gesture, but it meant so much. Jade didn't pull away. Instead, she let the moment linger, the warmth of Cat's hand a quiet reminder that sometimes, letting someone in wasn't as terrifying as she thought.

After dinner, they wandered out into the street again, full and content. The night had grown cooler, but Cat snuggled closer to Jade, wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked back towards her car. The date wasn't Jade's usual idea of a date, her and Beck never did anything like this when they were together. But Cat wasn't Beck. Tonight, letting Cat drag her into a weird, cheesy romantic adventure wasn't the worst thing in the world after all. She'd be very happy to have a few more dates with Cat. And maybe soon she'd be comfortable with acting more together outside of their dates too.