Cat woke up with a dull headache, her mouth dry and sticky, as if she'd eaten a ball of yarn. The first thing she noticed was the bed beneath her and the soft, plush duvet. For a moment, she didn't remember where she was or what had happened the night before. Then it all hit her like a tidal wave.

She bolted upright in the bed, her heart racing. 'Oh no. What did I do?'

Her mind scrambled for any fragments of memory, but everything felt hazy, like her brain was struggling to piece the night back together. She rubbed her eyes; she was in Jade's room. She rubbed them again, trying to clear the fog, but the remnants of confusion clung to her. The first thing that became clear, though, was the burning feeling in the pit of her stomach—the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"Jade?" she whispered, her voice hoarse, as she turned to look at her girlfriend, who was still asleep beside her. Jade's face was soft, peaceful in sleep, but Cat noticed the tension in her posture—Jade had been holding herself rigid all night, as if afraid to touch her. Cat's heart dropped, and she knew something was up.

Jade stirred at the sound of her voice and blinked, her eyes groggy and clouded from sleep. When she finally registered that Cat was awake, she straightened up, sitting up on the edge of the bed. "Hey," Jade said quietly, a touch of concern in her voice. "How're you feeling?"

Cat rubbed her temples, trying to push away the pounding headache that wouldn't seem to ease. "I feel... terrible," she admitted, voice cracking a little. "I don't remember much of last night, but... I know it wasn't good."

Jade's gaze hardened slightly as she looked at her, though her voice stayed calm. "You don't remember?" she asked softly, but with an edge that Cat hadn't heard before.

"I remember parts, but it's all blurry... the party... I—" She stopped herself, her chest tightening. "Jade, what happened?"

Jade's eyes softened with a sadness Cat hadn't expected. "You were drunk, Cat. And, from what Jaxson Bayer told me, it looks like you were spiked. Someone gave you something, and that's why you were acting... off." She paused, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Jaxson helped me get you out of there before things got worse. He called me to pick you up."

Cat's heart sank at the realization. "Jaxson Bayer? He helped you? Oh God, Jade, I... I feel so stupid. How could I let this happen?"

Jade shook her head, her expression softening as she reached out to take Cat's hand. "It's not your fault, Cat. You didn't know. No one should ever have to go through something like that, especially at a party like that." She exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself. "But listen to me. This isn't about what you did or didn't do. You're okay now, that's all that matters."

"But I don't remember anything!" Cat said, her voice trembling with guilt and confusion. "I don't remember leaving the party... I just remember feeling so dizzy, and then... nothing. It's like a black hole in my mind."

Jade squeezed her hand tighter. "It's okay, you don't have to remember every detail. I'm just glad you got home." Her voice was steady, but the worry in her eyes was unmistakable. "I just... I need you to understand how serious this is, okay? It's not just some party thing. This is dangerous, and I don't ever want you in that position again."

Cat nodded slowly, a wave of guilt washing over her. "I didn't mean to put you through that," she whispered. "I didn't mean to be so careless."

Jade sat beside her on the bed, gently brushing her hair out of her face. "I know you didn't. And I'm not mad at you, Cat. I just... I don't like seeing you like this. I hate seeing you hurt."

"I know, I know," Cat whispered back, her eyes welling with tears as the weight of everything settled in her chest. "I'm sorry, Jade. I promise I didn't want to let it go that far. I didn't even know it could happen."

Jade sighed, pulling her into a gentle hug. "I know. Just... promise me you'll be extra careful if you go to any more of those parties, okay? No matter how cool they seem, no matter how much they say they're 'safe'. They're not."

Cat nodded against Jade's shoulder, letting herself relax into the warmth of her embrace. "I promise," she whispered, feeling the last remnants of her panic settle as Jade's arms tightened around her.

They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other in the quiet of the room. But Cat couldn't help the thoughts that kept creeping into her mind. The unease, the feeling of being out of control in that environment, the helplessness of being alone in a room full of people who didn't have her back—except for Jaxson. The realisation hit her again that this industry wasn't just about the music; it was about navigating an entirely different world. And, in that world, sometimes the danger wasn't just in what you saw—it was in what you didn't.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Cat whispered suddenly as her mind continued to pick itself up. Her hand instructively flew to her mouth, and before Jade could react, she was off the bed and scrambling to the bathroom. She barely made it before she bent over the toilet, her stomach heaving violently. Jade rushed to her side, holding her red hair back as Cat retched, the dizziness from earlier now mixing with the sickening burn in her throat.

"Shh, I've got you," Jade murmured, her voice soft but strained with concern. She held onto Cat gently, her fingers stroking her back in a calming rhythm as her girlfriend vomited.

Cat's body trembled from the force, but her stomach didn't stop its relentless protest. She hadn't even realised how bad she felt until her body started to expel everything. The room spun around her as she clung to the edge of the toilet, gasping for breath between the sickening waves.

It felt like it was all coming out of her—everything. The guilt, the confusion, the shame. It wasn't just the alcohol that had taken her down, it was the frustration that she'd let herself get to this point, the disorientation of being around people she didn't know, and the helplessness of not remembering what had happened after.

When her stomach finally settled, she slumped against the side of the bathroom, her face pale and drawn. She let Jade help her back to the bed, her movements slow and heavy, as if the weight of the night had caught up with her.

Jade tucked her under the covers, her face softening with a mixture of concern and protectiveness. "You're okay now," she whispered, wiping Cat's face with a cool washcloth. "Just rest. We'll talk about it later, when you feel better."

Cat closed her eyes, the exhaustion of the night before weighing on her. It felt like everything around her was a haze. The memories of the party were still blurry, like the night had been a dream she couldn't wake up from.

"Jade," Cat mumbled, her voice hoarse. "I don't want to go back to those parties. I don't want that life. I don't care about all the fame or the people. I just want to be with you."

Jade's heart ached at her words. She knelt beside the bed, brushing a stray lock of hair from Cat's forehead. "I know, babe. We'll figure it out, okay? You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

Cat's eyes fluttered closed, her body exhausted from everything that had happened. She knew Jade was right, but the turmoil inside her remained.

As Cat slept, her breathing finally even and calm, Jade found herself unable to stay in the room. She slipped out quietly, tiptoeing down to the kitchen in the hopes that something as simple as making toast might settle her nerves. But as she reached for the bread, her hand trembled, and the pain and anger from last night surged back. Before she knew it, tears were spilling down her face, frustration and worry tangled together in her mind. She hadn't even heard her dad come into the room.

"Jade?" His voice was soft but surprised, like he wasn't expecting to find her in tears. "Hey… what happened?"

Jade tried to brush him off, looking away and focusing on the toaster as if it held all the answers. "It's… nothing, Dad. Just… too much."

But he stepped closer, his expression full of concern. "If it's too much, then it's something," he said quietly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Jade resisted for a moment, then felt herself give in, the weight of it all finally too much to carry. Jason pulled her close, and she buried her face in his shoulder, the sobs coming freely now. She felt like she was unraveling.

"It's not fair," she managed between sobs. Cat's just… she's just trying do what her team want. And then… that happened." She clenched her fists, her anger mixing with a kind of helpless sorrow. "I don't even know if she's really okay. And I can't do anything about it."

As Jade's tears slowed, her dad leaned back, studying her with a look of quiet concern. "Jade, what's going on? What happened with Cat?"

Jade took a shaky breath, steadying herself as best as she could, the anger and worry bubbling up again. "Last night… she went to this party. Her first real celebrity thing. She was excited, you know? It was a huge deal. But then… then someone spiked her drink. She was practically unconscious when I got to her, Dad."

Jason's face changed, shock and a flicker of anger crossing his features. "What? Are you sure?"

"She was a mess," Jade choked out. "She was acting strange, barely able to stand up. Jaxson Banks—you know, the pop star guy—he carried her out. Said he'd seen it happen before with others."

Jason's eyes darkened, and his hands tightened into fists for a moment. "People are supposed to look out for each other at these things. It's inexcusable." He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself for Jade's sake. "Did you tell anyone? Report it?"

Jade shook her head. "Jaxson said there was too much security, and they wouldn't care anyway. He said I should just take her home and make sure she was okay." Her voice softened, the pain now mingled with helplessness. "I couldn't even protect her from this."

Jason's gaze softened, and he wrapped with arms around her again. "You're not supposed to handle everything by yourself, Jade," he said gently. "The way people can be in that world—especially at those kinds of parties—it's predatory. People see newcomers like Cat, these young talents just stepping into fame, and they'll try anything. They don't care about her, not the way you do." He sighed, a resigned but fierce determination in his eyes. "It's not fair, and it's not safe."

Jade took a deep breath, feeling her chest tighten with a new resolve. "I just… I need her to be okay, Dad. And I want her to be able to keep doing what she loves without all this… this ugliness."

Jason nodded, thinking. "Then let's make sure she has the right people around her. If she's going to keep moving forward in this career, she'll need a strong foundation—real support. People like Jaxson are out there, but she also needs someone she can go to who will help her process all this, keep her grounded." He looked at her with an understanding smile. "I'll find someone she can talk to—a therapist who knows the industry. Someone who's in her corner and can guide her better." He decided.

Jade nodded, feeling some of the tension ease. The thought of a therapist made sense, and she could see her dad was already thinking it through. As much as her and her dad hadn't always gotten along, he was really trying now. And not only for her, but for Cat too He was the only active parental figure in either of their lives, so he really was taking on a lot for them both. Especially with one girl on the brinks of fame - a time where having support was absolutely crucial.