The next day, Jade sat beside Cat in the car, her eyes occasionally flicking toward her girlfriend as they headed to the studio. Cat seemed more or less back to her usual self, chatting casually about the project and humming little melodies. But Jade could still feel the slight tension from two nights ago lingering in her chest. She'd insisted on coming along to Radius today—not just to keep an eye on Cat, but also because, honestly, she was curious. This studio was the place Cat practically lived in now, the place that took so much of her time and energy. Jade wanted to see it, to understand it better.
As they walked through the halls and entered her desingated studio, Cat was buzzing, quickly introducing Jade to Sam. "Sam, this is Jade," she said with a smile that was almost proud, "my girlfriend."
Jade relaxed a little, her shoulders easing as she caught the confident tone in Cat's voice. She'd been a bit worried Cat might avoid mentioning her openly in this new professional world, but hearing it so simply said put her at ease.
"Ah, so this is the famous Jade," Sam said, shaking her hand warmly. "Good to finally meet you. Cat's been talking about you nonstop."
Jade raised her eyebrows in slight surprise. "Nonstop?" She couldn't help but glance at Cat, a touch of insecurity creeping in despite her efforts. It was strange to realise how much of Cat's world she didn't see, even if Cat did talk about her.
Cat's cheeks went pink, a sheepish grin appearing. "I mean… you come up. You're important to me," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Sam grinned knowingly, nodding toward the recording booth. "She does more than that. She actually told me she wrote a few of these songs with you in mind."
Jade's chest warmed a little at the thought. She gave Cat's hand a small, reassuring squeeze as they settled down on the couch to watch Cat finish recording some last additions to another of her tracks. Andre was being used elsewhere today so it would just be Sam. He had clearly arranged everything to perfection: the lighting was low, the soundproofing panels were impeccable, and the mixing desk was an impressive display of dials and screens. Jade felt a bit like she was stepping into a foreign world, one she'd only seen glimpses of before at HA.
Cat adjusted her headphones in the booth, then turned to look at Sam and Jade, giving them a small thumbs-up. As the music began. The session was a series of small, meticulous adjustments, like watching an artist layer paint onto a canvas, each stroke refining and adding depth. Cat stood in the recording booth, headphones on, completely in her element. She'd sing a few bars, then stop, and Sam would nod, listening intently.
"Okay, stop—pace it back about three bars," Cat directed, her voice crackling through the booth speaker.
Sam rewound the track and hit play. Cat closed her eyes, listening to her own voice float through the speakers, then opened them with a spark of inspiration. "Let's add a 'hmm hmm!' in there. Right before the chorus hits. Just a little bit of lift."
"Got it." Sam tapped a few buttons on the console, setting up the track for her vocal layer. "Try it with more emphasis, like you're breathing into it. You want it to carry that little kick."
"Exactly!" Cat's eyes shone as she took a deep breath, ready to try again.
Jade watched, mesmerised by the ease of their back-and-forth. Sam seemed to know exactly what Cat wanted, it was incredible to see, like they had their own language. Sam understood her cryptic directions, her subtle gestures, even the half-formed phrases she used. And each time Cat added something—a hum, a pause, a slight vocal riff—it was as if the song was coming to life, gaining dimension she hadn't even noticed was missing before.
They repeated the same line with slight variations, Cat experimenting with how she wanted each note to fall. "Let's double that last line," she said at one point, and Sam worked quickly, layering her voice to create a lush, fuller sound.
"Perfect. Now hit the bridge, but let it breathe a bit more," Sam suggested.
"Like…more space between the lines?" Cat asked, tilting her head thoughtfully.
"Exactly, let it linger. And keep it light—almost like you're pulling back," Sam said, nodding encouragingly.
Cat's gaze sharpened with focus, and she sang the lines again with a breathy softness, her voice trailing off like a whisper on the last note. Jade could feel the air in the room shift, the entire atmosphere becoming electric as the bridge took on a new level of depth.
"Damn," Jade whispered, realising how much those little changes impacted the feel of the song. Each adjustment seemed tiny, almost imperceptible on its own, but collectively, they added richness and personality to the track that she hadn't realised was missing. It was like Cat could hear the final, polished song in her head, and she was just shaping it bit by bit, bringing it into reality.
Cat was locked in, her whole body moving to the rhythm, her face intense with concentration. She made more tweaks, humming new phrases under her breath, and throwing out quick directions. Sam followed her every cue, matching her tempo and pacing without a second thought.
"Okay, Sam, let's add a step harmony to that last chorus line," Cat said, pointing to the monitor.
"Got it, let's layer it in," Sam replied, already preparing the track.
Cat was so tuned into this process, so confident and skilled, her passion flooding the room like sunlight. It was obvious this was her world, her art—and she was dazzling at it. By the time they finished, the song had transformed from a nearly finished piece into something complete and radiant, every part exactly where it belonged.
As Cat stepped out of the booth, Sam met her with a grin, offering her a fist bump. "You nailed it."
Cat grinned back, flushed and happy. She turned to Jade, her face alight with excitement. "What do you think?"
Jade just shook her head, feeling a surge of pride and admiration. "It's perfect. You're…you're amazing, Cat."
"Thank yo-"
Suddenly, the door swung open and a sharp-dressed man strode in, radiating an unmistakable air of authority. He glanced briefly at Sam and Cat, then at Jade, his gaze lingering a moment too long.
"Big news, everyone," he announced, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Big Shay just recorded a rap verse for your track 'Right There.' That's going to be the third single off the album."
Cat's mouth dropped open. "Wait—Big Shay? Like the Big Shay?" she stammered, her eyes wide with shock and thrill.
"Yep. It's being sent over right now," the higher-up replied with a self-satisfied grin. He turned his attention to Jade, sizing her up with a calculating expression. "And who might you be?"
Jade, unsure what to say, looked to Sam, who quickly filled in, "This is Cat's friend. She's just visiting."
The man nodded, though his eyes stayed on Jade a beat too long. "Well, friend, you didn't hear anything about this yet, right?" he said with a thin smile, the tone barely masked with threat.
Jade just gave a polite, tight-lipped smile, but as the higher-up left, she muttered under her breath, "Not like Cat wouldn't have told me anyway."
Once the door closed behind him, Sam let out a sigh and glanced at Jade with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for that, and... for saying you're just a friend," he said quietly. "But he's the last person who needs to know about you two."
Cat frowned a little, glancing at Jade, who just shrugged, though there was a flicker of frustration in her eyes. "It's fine," Jade said, though there was an edge to her voice. "Guess it's just part of the 'image,' right?"
The three of them shared a brief, uncomfortable silence before Sam shook it off, reaching over to his computer. "Hey, let's lift the mood. Wanna hear the demo?"
Cat's face lit up, her annoyance melting away as Sam pulled up the file. The room filled with the pulse of the beat, her vocals floating smoothly over it—then came Big Shay's unmistakable, confident voice, weaving the first rap verse that elevated the song with an unexpected edge.
"Oh my god!" Cat practically squealed, bouncing on her toes. She could hardly believe it. This was Big Shay and now he was part of her own album.
Sam laughed, watching her excitement. "Sounds like a hit to me."
"My third single…" she repeated, her voice full of wonder. With each track coming together, her dream was becoming more and more real. The album was so close to being complete, each song polished and filled with her vision. And now, with Big Shay on board, it was reaching another level entirely.
Jade looked over, catching Cat's eye. Her girlfriend's excitement was infectious, even if there was still that lingering sense of frustration. Another rapper in her song about love- boy the tabloids would eat this up.
Sam skipped ahead and played the second verse, letting Cat soak up every note and rhyme. Shay's words added a fire she hadn't known the song needed until now. The way his voice slid over the beat, echoing her lyrics with his own style—it made the song feel complete. "This is my third single. Third single!" she repeated, her energy filling the room.
Cat glanced over at Jade, still grinning. "Can you believe this? First Myles, now Big Shay? I feel like my brain's going to explode," she said with a laugh.
Jade rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide her smile. "Don't let it go to your head now," she teased.
Cat laughed, nudging her playfully, but inside she knew how much Jade was supporting her, grounding her in moments when it felt too much. She felt the comfort of knowing that Jade was by her side—even if she had to be 'just a friend' in the eyes of the public.