The next few weeks felt like an absolute whirlwind. Ever since her contract was signed, things hadn't stopped. Photoshoot after photoshoot, recording session after recording session, teasings of her new songs, social media interactions with her newly growing following, and tomorrow she would start singing in public. This was the hard part for Cat- actually performing it all. For now it had been all fun and games- all singing within the studio or to a camera- but tomorrow had her first event- singing on a stage as an act for this tiny local festival. It would be mostly covers with her original song 'You'll Never Know' thrown in there as a teaser. She'd been stressed about it ever since her one of her PR Agents had told her it was happening.

But the best part of it all was seeing the excitement on Andre's face every time she ran into him within the Radius Record's building. He'd handed over the song rights in exchange for an internship within the company. He was basically just making teas and coffees right now but he was absolutely buzzing about it all anyway. He was often hanging around in her studio sessions, trying to shadow off of Sam and the other producers. Jade had made it clear how stupid she thought he was for taking that deal as he "could've made way more in royalties from the songs", but he didn't care bout money. He cared about the internship.

But right now, Cat was sat with Jade in her car, parked overlooking LA in that spot just under the Hollywood sign. Cat had driven them there- it was the furthest she'd driven so far and she was absolutely ecstatic about it. Seemingly every time she had to do something scary with singing, she tried to match the fear again with a new step up in driving. It was a weird system but it worked. Cat sat in the drivers seat, her gaze lost in the cityscape, fingers fidgeting against her jeans. The car was filled with a thick, quiet tension—her nerves pressing down on her chest as tightly as the silence in the air.

Beside her, Jade leaned back, not looking outwards but instead her eyes were focused on Cat's face, reading the worry there. They hadn't planned to drive here, it was all up to Cat following the roads up here, and she hadn't said anything for the last 10 minutes. Finally, Jade broke the silence. "You're in your head. What's going on?"

Cat looked down at her lap, releasing a deep breath that came out shaky. "I don't know… I mean, I'm just… so nervous."

Jade raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on her lips. "Cat, you're always nervous before a perfomance."

"I know, I know, but this is different," Cat said, waving her hands as if that would explain it all. "This isn't karaoke night or even like the Big Showcase. This is… my first actual performance. Like, with strangers who are there to see me. And it's just this tiny festival, but there are real people with real expectations, and—"

"—and some follow you now," Jade finished, watching her carefully. "They'll be there because they like your voice."

"Yeah!" Cat's eyes widened. "I mean, a month ago, I had maybe two hundred followers, and most of those were my friends or family. Now I have thirty thousand followers who… I don't even know. And they're there, waiting to see what I'll do. It's terrifying!"

Jade reached over, resting a calming hand on her shoulder. "Thirty thousand people didn't follow you for no reason at all. They followed you because of you, Cat. The same you that everyone at school loved, that your friends love, that I love. They're already your fans."

Cat's expression softened as she looked at Jade, her nerves easing just slightly. "I know… I just feel so much pressure now. And everything's happening so fast. The followers, the whole social media thing, the contract, the performance—none of this was even on my radar a few months ago. It's like… I don't even know how I got here."

Jade shrugged. "Maybe you were always meant to be here, and now you're just finally catching up." She gave her a teasing grin. "Plus, you're singing. That's not new. You've been singing since the day I met you."

"Yeah, but I was never singing for this 30 thousand before!" Cat said, her voice raising slightly with the words. She sighed again, pressing her face into her hands. "And what if I'm not good enough live? What if I mess up?"

Jade turned her body toward her, dropping her usual teasing look for something more serious. "Listen to me," she said gently. "They're not all going to be there Cat, it's a tiny festival on a small stage. But even if they were there- you are good enough. More than good enough. I know how much work you put into this, and all that training you've been doing to bring your already amazing voice up that extra step. And you have all these people who can see it too. Sure, maybe not everyone will love it, but I know you'll leave a mark. People aren't just there for the perfect performances, Cat. They're there because they want to see you."

Cat felt a wave of emotion rise up in her throat, but she managed to keep it down, instead giving Jade a small, shaky smile. "Thank you," she whispered. "You're the only one who seems to be able to actually calm me down."

"Hey, it's what I'm here for," Jade replied, smiling back softly. "You just gotta remember that when you're up there, singing, you're not alone. You've got me rooting for you."

The words started to sink in, easing some of the tension in her shoulders. Cat leaned her head against Jade's shoulder, feeling a rush of gratitude, mixed with that familiar, steadying comfort Jade always gave her. "Thank you." She whispered again.

For a few moments, they sat quietly, watching the city below them. The stars above were dimmed by the light pollution, but the Hollywood sign glowed faintly on the hillside behind them. It was a sight Cat had stared at so many times, but it felt different now—like it was somehow within reach. She wasn't sure if that excited her or terrified her, but she let the feeling sink in, steadying her heartbeat.

She lifted her head, giving Jade a small, determined nod. "Okay. I think… I think I'm ready to drive home now.

Jade grinned, sitting back in her seat. "Good. Because, no offence, I really didn't want to give you another pep talk about driving too."

Cat burst out laughing, the sound freeing, filling the quiet of the car. It was the first time she'd felt truly light all evening, and she could see Jade smiling with her, their shared laughter cutting through the last of her doubts. Cat took a deep breath, the anxiety still there but somehow smaller, quieter; and started the engine up.