As January came around, so did Cat's tour for her album. The tour was nothing huge, just 15 venues around the US and Canada, but it was still the most exhausting but exciting thing she had ever been apart of. Each performance brought a new city, a new crowd, and a fresh wave of anticipation. She'd been working toward this —but stepping onto the stage each night in a different city was a dream she'd barely allowed herself to imagine. She loved the rush of it, the way her heart hammered as the house lights dimmed, the moment when she first stepped on stage and felt the collective breath of thousands waiting to hear her sing. But it was also daunting, carrying the weight of so many expectations—her team's, her fan's, and her own. Between the long hours, endless sound checks, and the constant travel, Cat often felt like she was running on adrenaline and sheer determination. Yet, the minute the music began, it all fell away. When she was singing, nothing else mattered; she could lose herself in the melodies, in the connection with her audience. Each performance felt like a chance to pour her heart out, and she loved every second of it, even on the hard days.
She was 2 weeks in when her LA date came around and Cat could finally stay the night in her own bed. She hadn't seen her girlfriend since tour began- not yet far enough into her career to have a glamorously large tourbus that could house an entourage, and besides Jade had College to attend anyway. So it was all the more sweet to see her again, abide only briefly before they had to leave for the pre-show preparations.
The venue was decently sized, an open cavern of dark seats that seemed to seat more people than Jade was sure she'd ever met in her life. She stood in the center aisle, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her leather jacket, staring up at the stage. The crew bustled around, adjusting cables, rolling amps, and checking lights. The quiet hum of anticipation buzzed through the air, even in the absence of an audience.
Jade whistled low, craning her neck to take it all in. The place could hold at least 3,000 people, she figured. Maybe more. She wasn't great at guessing, but it was way bigger than she expected for Cat's first tour. She'd seen photos of Cat's earlier tour dates in the previous venues - but it was all the more to see in person.
Correction—Caterina's tour.
Jade's lips quirked at the thought. She didn't call herself that at home, obviously, but something shifted when Cat stepped onto a stage. She wasn't just the sweet, bubbly girl who tried to make Christmas perfect. She was a pop-star.
From her spot in the empty audience, Jade watched Cat stand centre stage with her band, gesturing animatedly to the sound engineer in the booth. Her red hair was pulled back, and she wore a casual hoodie and jeans, looking nothing like the glamorous singer who graced her promotional posters. But even in her relaxed clothes, she radiated a quiet confidence that filled the enormous space.
She sang to the empty venue, her band playing behind her as she did, with a light track behind them too. Between songs, Jade listened, trying to make sense of the technical jargon flying back and forth. Cat held a mic in one hand while gesturing to her in-ear monitors.
"Can I have my vocal up like 4 dB please?" Cat called toward the booth.
"Copy that," came the reply, and Jade watched as Cat thanked him, the band running the past section one more time.
"Yeah, that's better. And maybe we bring up the toms and overheads a little? They're getting lost."
Jade blinked. She knew Cat was passionate about her music—she'd seen the hours of rehearsing and the piles of notebooks filled with lyrics. But this? This was a different level. Cat's voice carried with authority, her tone clear and professional, as if she'd been doing this her whole life.
One of the drummers gave a few test beats, and Cat nodded. "Yeah, like that. Can we also smooth out the high end on the lead guitar? It's a little sharp in my ears."
Jade raised an eyebrow. Smooth out the high end? She had no idea what that meant. But the way Cat said it, like it was the most natural thing in the world, made Jade's chest swell with pride.
As Cat turned to her bandmates, Jade couldn't help but notice how they deferred to her, following her lead as if it were second nature. The bass player adjusted his tone; the guitarist leaned into a riff, testing the sound; the drummer loosened a cymbal. Cat, ran through some notes with them, nodding when something clicked and giving a thumbs-up when it sounded right.
She was a perfectionist, sure, but here, it made sense. She wasn't nitpicking. She was shaping the show, building something that could fill this massive room and leave every person in it in awe.
"Alright," Cat said into the mic. "Can we run 'Daydreaming' from the top please?"
Jade perked up. She loved that song. The stage lights dimmed slightly as the band prepared. A soft, haunting piano melody floated through the speakers, echoing through the empty venue. Then Cat's voice cut through, pure and powerful, filling the space like it was made for her.
Jade leaned against one of the seats, letting the sound wash over her. She'd heard Cat sing a million times—at home, in the shower, throughout their time at school, while she cooked—but this was different. Here, Cat wasn't just singing. She was commanding. Her voice soared, shifting effortlessly between notes, wrapping itself around the melody like it was hers alone.
When the song ended, Jade let out a low whistle, clapping even though the room was mostly empty. Cat glanced down from the stage and spotted her, a wide grin breaking across her face.
"What'd you think?" Cat called, her voice still amplified through the mic.
Jade smirked, crossing her arms. "Not bad. You might actually be pretty good at this music thing."
Cat laughed, handing off her mic to one of the crew before hopping off the stage and jogging down the aisle toward Jade. "Only pretty good? That's the best you've got?"
Jade shrugged, her smirk widening. "Guess I'll need to see the full show to decide."
Cat rolled her eyes but smiled. "I'm glad you're here. It's... kind of intimidating, you know?"
Jade squeezed her hand, her voice softening. "You don't look intimidated. You look like you've been doing this forever."
Cat's smile turned shy. "Really?"
"Really," Jade said firmly. "You're amazing, Caterina."
The way Cat's cheeks flushed at her stage name made Jade's heart ache in the best way. This wasn't just her girlfriend being air headed and silly—this was Cat stepping into her dreams, and Jade had never been prouder.
As the show began and Cat took the stage, the energy in the room was palpable. The crowd roared in approval, clapping and chanting her name, and Cat stood there for a brief moment, taking it all in. Her smile was genuine but soft, almost like she couldn't quite believe it herself. No matter how many shows she did, she was sure she'd never get used to it.
Jade, stood at the front of the crowd with Tori and Andre, felt her chest tighten as she watched Cat. It was an overwhelming sense of pride—more than just for how incredible Cat sounded on stage, but for how she had gotten here. Months ago, Cat had been certain she would go to College to study fashion design, scared to sing at the Hollywood Arts Showcase. And yet, here she was, confidently owning this stage, the lights illuminating her in a way Jade had always known was meant for her.
Jade's gaze followed every movement of Cat's on stage, from the way she danced and way her voice filled the room. She had such a fun energy onstage- laughing constantly and interacting with the audience at every opportunity. It was clear that Cat had found something she was meant to do. And as Jade watched her perform, the thought struck her with a quiet certainty: this was what Cat was meant for all along.
Tori, beside her, was grinning ear to ear, clapping with the crowd, but Jade couldn't tear her eyes away from Cat. The whole moment felt surreal- she was just 18 years old commanding such a space. And Jade had been there from the start. It wasn't just that Cat was her girlfriend—it was knowing that she was part of something bigger now.
As the final song ended, and the crowd's applause was deafening. Cat gave a quick wave and thank you before heading offstage, and the moment she disappeared, Jade, Tori and Andre were already moving toward the backstage entrance.
When Cat emerged, still riding the adrenaline, Jade caught her eye from across the room. Without a word, she pulled her into a hug, the two of them momentarily wrapped in the quiet intimacy of it all.
"You were amazing," Jade said, her voice low, but her smile said everything. There was no need for over-the-top words. They both knew what this meant.
Cat grinned, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Thanks. It feels… crazy, you know?"
Jade nodded, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I can't believe you did that." Her words carried a weight that Cat didn't need to explain. They both knew how far they'd come, how much had changed in such a short time.