As June rolled into July, things continued to move rapidly. Cat was seemingly in the studio every waking minute, the album well underway. There had been a few more performances, nothing too big, but enough to get her used to it all. And her socials had entirely blown up over the last few days too, hitting the 100k followers mark now thanks to a particularly viral sound-bite of her upcoming song with Myles. They'd be releasing that soon officially, her first single. It was a huge deal- and hopefully would be received well. With rapper like Myles on it, it was bound to have a lot of interested, it was just if they'd also be interested in her.

Taking a break from it all, Jade and Cat were having one of their 'No people no phones' dates, where it was just them and Venice Beach boardwalk. It was one of those perfect Californian evenings where the air was warm but not stifling, and the world seemed to slow down just enough to let them enjoy it.

"I think it's cute how much you're into these," Cat said, pointing to the small glass jar in Jade's hands, full of tiny seashells and sand swirled together. She had just bought it from a booth selling handmade trinkets.

"It's not cute," Jade replied, but her smirk gave her away. "It's artistic. Minimalist."

Cat laughed, swinging her arm around Jade's waist. "Sure, sure. Minimalist beach souvenirs."

"You just don't get it," Jade teased, poking Cat in the side.

They wandered past street performers and food vendors, the atmosphere buzzing with music, laughter, and the smell of churros. Cat tugged Jade toward a vendor selling fresh churros, insisting they needed one. Jade rolled her eyes but followed, watching as Cat eagerly handed over a few bills and grinned like a kid when the vendor handed her 5 churros and a pot of chocolate sauce to dip them in.

They found a quieter spot by the edge of the boardwalk to sit. Cat nestled against Jade, handing a churro off to her while they sat watching the waves lap at the shore.

"You know," Cat said, breaking the comfortable silence, "I think this is my favourite kind of date. Just… being here. No fancy stuff, just us."

Jade smiled softly, leaning her head against Cat's. "Yeah. It's nice."

For a moment, it was just the two of them and the soothing sound of the ocean. Then, a hesitant voice broke through.

"Um, excuse me… Are you Caterina?"

Cat looked up to see a teenage girl, maybe fourteen or fifteen, standing a few feet away. She had wide eyes and was clutching a phone, her expression a mix of excitement and nerves.

Cat blinked, her mind racing. "Oh! Uh, yeah. That's me."

The girl's face lit up. "I knew it! I follow you on TheSlap. You're amazing!"

"Oh, wow, thank you!" Cat said, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "That means a lot."

The girl hesitated, glancing at Jade before holding up her phone. "Would it be okay if I got a picture with you? If it's not too much trouble?"

Cat glanced at Jade, who gave her a small nod and a reassuring smile. Turning back to the girl, Cat stood and said, "Of course, yeah!"

The girl beamed, fumbling with her phone before handing it to Jade. "Would you mind taking it?"

Jade took the phone, eyebrow raised but following along with it anyway. "Sure." She lined up the shot as the girl stood next to Cat, practically vibrating with excitement. "Alright, smile."

After Jade snapped a few pictures, the girl took her phone back, gushing, "Thank you so much! I'm such a big fan. I can't wait to hear more of your music!"

Cat smiled shyly. "Thanks for listening. It really means a lot to me."

As the girl walked away, practically skipping with excitement, Cat sat back down beside Jade, her expression somewhere between bewildered and amused.

"So," Jade said, a hint of teasing in her voice, "how does it feel to be famous?"

Cat groaned, burying her face in her hands. "That was so weird. I didn't know what to say! Was I awkward? I feel like I was awkward."

"You were fine," Jade said, chuckling. "Though I have to admit, seeing someone fangirl over you was kind of adorable."

Cat peeked at her through her fingers, her cheeks still pink. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

Jade reached over, pulling Cat's hands away from her face and lacing their fingers together. "You'll be fine. Just keep being you. That's what people love."

Cat smiled, leaning into Jade's shoulder. "You always know what to say."

They stayed like that as the sky darkened, the stars beginning to peek out one by one. Cat felt a strange mix of excitement and nerves bubbling in her chest. The world was starting to notice her, and while it was scary, she couldn't deny that having Jade by her side made it a little less daunting.

"We need to talk about college." Jade started suddenly. Her expression was calm but serious, her voice steady. "About New York."

Cat hesitated before replying, turning to look Jade in the eyes. "What about it?"

Jade sighed, running a hand through her hair. "If you're serious about singing—if you're really doing this—then we can't go and live in New York, Cat. You're building something here, and moving across the country right now would ruin it."

The words hit Cat like a punch to the chest. "But we've been planning this for years," she said, her voice cracking. "FIT has been my dream forever, Jade. I've wanted this since I was thirteen." She remembered being in Middle School and hearing about Fashion School for the first time, imagining herself walking through the halls of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She and Jade had talked about a million times. They'd imagined their future together—living in a tiny Manhattan apartment, Jade at New York Film Academy, both balancing school with their creations.

"I know," Jade said softly. "I know how much it means to you. But things have changed. You're not the same person you were at thirteen, and your dreams aren't the same either."

Cat looked down at her hands. Her chest tightened as the reality of Jade's words sank in. Jade was right. She couldn't keep chasing the same dreams when her life was pulling her in a completely different direction.

"What does this mean?" Cat asked quietly. "Am I… supposed to move out of the house while you go to NYFA?"

Jade's eyes widened in surprise. "No! Of course not. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I've already figured something out."

Cat blinked at her. "What do you mean?"

Jade took a deep breath. "I called NYFA's Los Angeles campus. There's a spot open in their film program. It's not New York, but I can still study the same film course here. And they have a screenwriting minor, which is what I wanted anyway. It actually works out better for me."

Cat stared at her, struggling to process the news. "You'd… stay here? For me?"

Jade shrugged, but her voice was gentle. "I'm not doing this just for you. I wouldn't have called them if I wasn't okay with it. This way, we both get what we need. You can stay here and work on your music, and I can still go to film school."

Cat felt a lump rise in her throat, this all dounded good but there was still one problem. "But what about FIT? I can't just give it up, Jade. It's everything I've ever wanted."

Jade moved to sit beside her, taking her hand. "Its your choice Cat. But think about what you're building here, Cat. You're already living one of your dreams. You're making music, performing, growing an audience. FIT will still be there if you decide you want to go later. But right now… this is your chance. Don't let it slip away."

Cat's vision blurred with tears. "What if I regret it? What if I give up FIT and I'm terrible at this? What if I fail, Jade?"

Jade squeezed her hand, her voice steady. "Then you'll pick yourself up and try something else. But I don't think you're going to fail, Cat. You're too talented and too determined for that."

Cat leaned into Jade, resting her head on her shoulder. "I hate this. I hate having to choose."

"I know," Jade said softly, wrapping an arm around her.

For a long time, they sat in silence, the weight of the decision settling between them. Cat knew Jade was right. She couldn't have both, not right now. She'd have to let one dream go to chase another.

"Are you sure you're okay swapping to LA?" Cat asked quietly.

"100%." She replied, rubbing Cat's arm to comfort her. "I'm sure Tori will be happy to hear us staying in LA for a few more years."

"Oh no!" Cat gasped suddenly.

"Oh, not a fan of Tori suddenly?" Jade asked, raising an eyebrow "I mean I have always said that-"

"No I was thinking about Robbie. He'll be the only one moving away for college now, he's gonna feel left out again." She pouted.

"Don't you dare think about throwing away a music career cause you don't think Robbie can survive at Carnegie Mellon alone." Jade took her head. "If he's really that lonely he can bring Rex back to life."