Trigger warning - Drink spiking
Cat barely contained her excitement as her chaffure pulled up to the exclusive mansion. The sprawling property looked straight out of a movie, with high gates, manicured gardens, and a line of sleek cars parked out front. Her PR team had sprang this on her, her first celebrity party. That's not quite what they called it but its basically what it was- an invitation only exclusive event for well-known musicians to gather away from the public eye. It was so secretive that she couldn't just take a normal taxi- Radius had to get her a trusted driver- how fancy. And she could hardly believe she was here. She reached the gate, the driver rolling down his window to give the security guard the code she'd received. He nodded, letting the car through with a wave, and as they drove up the winding driveway, Cat's pulse raced. Tonight, she was stepping into a whole new world.
Inside, the mansion was buzzing with the energy of young stars and industry insiders—faces she recognised from magazine covers, social media, and music videos. It felt surreal to see them all casually mingling, laughing, and lounging on the extravagant furniture like it was nothing. A couple of people even nodded in recognition at her, and she felt a mix of pride and disbelief. She hadn't realised that she'd reached a point where people might actually recognise her at a party like this.
Within minutes, she was handed a drink by a guy in a designer suit who must've noticed her empty hands. She hesitated, glancing at the clear liquid with a lime wedge floating in it. "Oh, I'm under 21," she stammered, unsure how the rules worked here.
The guy just laughed. "Doesn't matter here," he said with a shrug. "Trust me police won't just be stumbling in here to catch you."
Nervously, she took a sip, the familar feeling the heat of the alcohol spreading through her system. After all, it was a party. Would she ever get another night at a place like this?
Hours seemed to blur by in a haze of laughter, new introductions, and endless music. The faces and names all started to blend together as she was handed another drink, then another. Cat felt a dizzy euphoria settle in as she chatted with people she'd only dreamed of meeting, but something was starting to feel…off. Her vision was a little fuzzy, her limbs heavy. She didn't remember drinking that much, and she knew she could usually handle herself, but this was different. She could barely string her thoughts together.
"Hey, you okay?" came a voice from her side. She looked up to see Jaxson Bayer—yes, the Jaxson Bayer—standing there with a concerned look on his face. She blinked, struggling to focus.
"Yeah," she mumbled, trying to sound coherent. But even she could hear how slurred her words sounded. "Just… maybe drank too much…"
Jaxson gave her a long look, and after a beat, he nodded. "Let's get you somewhere quieter," he said, guiding her gently away from the main room. She was barely able to keep her balance, and her head felt like it was spinning in a hundred directions at once.
He brought her out the front of the house, sitting her against on one of the crafted stone blocks outside, letting the coldness of it cool her down and sitting beside her to steady her further.
"Who can I call for you?" Jaxson asked, holding her up as she leaned into him.
"J-Jade," she managed, the word feeling heavy on her tongue.
He fished out her phone, found Jade's contact number, and after a few rings, Jade picked up.
"Hello? Cat?" Jade's voice was filled with concern, and Jaxson immediately spoke up.
"Hi, Jade, it's Jaxson Bayer. I'm here with Cat, and she… well, she's had a bit too much. I'll send you the address and the code for the gate. Just… come get her as soon as you can." He explained quickly, unable to say more before Jade had promptly hung up on the other end- clearly half out the door before he'd even finished speaking.
Jade pulled up to the mansion so quickly that she'd definitely breaking all sorts of speed limits to get there; and barked the code at the security. After tearing it down the driveway, she reached the sight of Jaxson supporting Cat's nearly limp body. Her heart jumped and her blood boiled all at once. She leapt out of the car, hands already clenched in tight fists.
"What the hell happened to her?" she snapped, storming toward him. Her eyes were wild, searching his face for answers, for blame. She barely saw him as a celebrity right now—just the guy with her girlfriend while she had her eyes barely open.
Jaxson raised his hands, keeping his tone calm but firm. "Hey, chill. I'm the one who called you, alright?" He gestured to Cat, who mumbled incoherently against his shoulder. "I saw her acting off and figured something was wrong. Listen, she needs to be careful at parties like this. People won't care that she's underage, but if she's not prepared to handle the scene, things can go south fast."
"She can handle her drink," Jade insisted, her voice wavering slightly. "I've never seen her like this."
Jaxson paused, then realisation flickered across his face. "Wait… if this isn't normal for her, then someone might've slipped something into her drink."
"Slipped something?" Jade's anger flared up hotter. "And you just—what? Let it happen?" Her voice was practically a growl. She took a step toward the mansion, rage sparking in her eyes. "Let me in. I'll find whoever did this and—"
Jaxson stood up, making sure Cat didn't fall, and held his hand out to stop Jade "Look, I get it. You're pissed. But you don't want to go in there." His voice was level, but his expression showed he understood her anger too well. "There's more security in there than the White House. You're not gonna get far."
Jade glared at him, breathing hard, but his words sunk in. She knew he was right, but she didn't want to back down. "You're telling me she was drugged, and I'm supposed to just… leave it? This crowd… this industry… isn't anyone looking out for her?"
Jaxson's face softened slightly, a flicker of understanding in his gaze. "You're looking at him. That's why I called you, okay?" He glanced back at Cat, who was slumped against the stone, still half-unconscious. "I've been here, Jade. Too many times. I got into this scene even younger than her, and I know what happens to new people who don't know the ropes. I try to watch out for the ones just coming up… because no one was there to do it for me."
Jade's fury faltered, a flicker of guilt tugging at her. She took a shaky breath and looked at Cat's face—eyes glazed, cheeks flushed, murmuring things that made no sense. She clenched her jaw, swallowing hard, trying to contain the storm of rage and worry churning in her stomach.
Jaxson took a step back, giving her some space. "I tried to keep an eye on her, I knew it was her first one of these, but… you know how things are. They make it impossible to stay in one place, especially if you're new and everyone's trying to talk to you."
Jade felt her chest tighten as she realised how young and out of place Cat must've felt here. The excitement, the nerves, the pressure… it was overwhelming for anyone, let alone an eighteen-year-old who'd barely started in the industry. Jade shot Jaxson a sharper look, still seething. "You should've kept a closer eye on her."
He didn't argue back. Instead, he just nodded, his expression weary. "You're right. And I would have if I could, but I was across the room when I noticed the change. I got to her as fast as I could."
Her fury started to ebb as she took in his exhaustion, the way he'd sat with Cat. "I'm sorry," she muttered, feeling a pang of shame for coming at him so hard. "It's just… seeing her like this… I can't stand it."
"She's lucky to have you." Jaxson's tone was gentle. "I've seen a lot of people come through here without anyone to get them home." He gave Cat a soft, sympathetic look before continuing. "Just be careful with her, alright? Not everyone's going to look out for her. And if she's going to be around this scene, she'll need to learn to look after herself. Not everyone here cares if she's underage or barely knows anyone."
Jade took a shaky breath, steadying herself. She glanced back at the mansion, at the shadows moving inside the grand windows, and shot one last dark look at the place. "She can handle herself," Jade replied, her voice tight. "This… this isn't her. She doesn't get like this. She knows her limits."
Jaxson's face tightened, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Then she was probably spiked. And Jade," he said, catching her gaze with a fierce seriousness, "don't go in there looking for answers. The people in there won't care. They'll deny everything, and you don't want them on your back. Just take her home, keep her safe."
Jade finally nodded, letting the last of her anger melt into something softer, something scared and protective. She gave him a tense, reluctant look. "Thanks for calling me, Jaxson."
He nodded back, and then gently helped her guide Cat into the car. Cat blinked blearily, mumbling something that sounded like "Jade," and Jade reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
As Jaxson closed the door, he gave Jade one last look. "Take care of her," he said, his tone grave. "She'll be okay if she has you."
With one last nod, Jade got in the car and drove off, leaving the mansion—and the dangers lurking within it—behind. But as she drove, her mind raced. She couldn't shake the thought of the people inside that place, people who thought nothing of drugging a young girl at her first party.
This industry, she realised with a chill, was more dangerous than she'd imagined.