The irony of 'Problem' coming out days after the girls got back together was actually rather funny. It wasn't a song Cat had personally written, but Jade knew she would've gone mental if she'd heard it while in Arizona. A literally breakup celebration song? The timing would've been horrible. Not only that but, it was easily her most popular yet, debuting 3rd and selling over 400,000 copies in the first week. The song was everywhere, along with Cat's face. It was catchy, undeniable, and infectious—a song that seemed to live in everyone's heads from the moment it dropped.

Her social media exploded- fans declaring their love, covering her song, flooding her comments with admiration. Cat was already famous, but this was something else entirely. It wasn't just fame—it was ubiquity. Her face was on billboards, her voice in every commercial break, her name on everyone's lips.

She would scroll through her phone sometimes, her follower count climbing faster than she could comprehend. Each new milestone—2 million, 5 million, 7 million—felt surreal, almost detached from reality. The internet dubbed her a 'Teenage Sensation' the new 'It Girl,' phrases that made her laugh and cringe at the same time.

The pressure to maintain that momentum, though, was immense. Every decision she made now felt scrutinised—what she wore, what she said, even what she didn't say. The girl who used to pen songs with Andre in Hollywood Arts was now someone entirely different, or at least, that's how the world saw her. She no longer had to post covers to prove her singing, or promote her songs before they dropped. People knew what she could do- they were officially hooked. They loved her authentic moments, her personality in her captured moments, how she interacted with her fans. She was a joy on talk-shows, happily joining in with the crazy sketches they got her to do, Sikowitz' training shining through in every single one. Stories started getting out from crews she worked with about how - yes she really was that bubbly in person, like her smile never dropped. How she was polite to the lighting operators, and sound engineers, hotel concierges, interviewers, everyone who helped her in any way. And that made people love her all the more.

And then suddenly, there she was performing it on national tv at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. She in the centre of the stage, the opening beats reverberating through the venue. The crowd roared as the lights burst to life, and Cat stepped forward, surrounded by a team of dancers who moved in perfect sync with her.

From the first note, she commanded the stage. Her choreography was sharp and dynamic, her movements fluid yet fierce, her untameable energy infectious. She twirled, jumped, and danced her way across the stage, laughing as she reached out to high-five fans in the front row, never missing a beat. Her voice cut through the chaos with power and precision, each note resonating with the same fiery confidence as her presence.

The crowd was enraptured, their energy feeding hers as she played off their reactions, smiling and interacting between verses. It wasn't just a performance—it was an experience. Cat wasn't just singing; she was owning the stage, weaving her charisma and talent into every moment. She belted out the high notes with ease, but was still down-to-Earth in her persona.

Backstage, Jade stood just off to the side, looking past various members of Cat's crew to get a glimpse of the stage, arms crossed and a bold smile on her face. She couldn't help but feel a surge of pride watching Cat in her element.

She hadn't been able to be backstage at many of Cat's big events in the past— it was too risky, Cat's team had always insisted—but things were starting to change. Cat had begun pushing back against the constraints, carving out room for Jade in her world. Cat's team spent every waking minute reminding Jade to not 'act out' again, and about 'how many fires [they] had to put out after the punched the photographer.' Not that she cared one bit of course. It wasn't perfect—they still had to be careful, to avoid drawing too much attention—but it was something. A step forward.

As Cat hit the final chorus, spinning into the centre of the stage surrounded by her dancers, Jade found herself completely swept up in the moment. When the song ended with a burst of lights and the crowd erupted, their cheers deafening. Cat stood there, arms outstretched, her grin wide and unfiltered as she soaked in the applause. Anyone and everyone in the music industry was there - many that Cat had been lucky enough to meet in person, but to perform in front of them was a whole new honour.

She then skipped off the stage, still buzzing with the energy of the performance. The crowd's cheers echoed in her ears, and her heart raced with exhilaration. As she made her way toward the backstage area, her eyes immediately sought Jade, grin widened when she spotted her. She made a beeline for her, but before she could get close, a flurry of crew members swarmed in.

"Cat, this way!" one of them urged, gently redirecting her down a narrow corridor.

She glanced back over her shoulder toward Jade, but another staff member stepped in her path, speaking quickly about the next act needing the space. Cat barely managed a small shrug and a mouthing 'sorry' before she was swept away, leaving Jade behind with an amused shake of her head.

It wasn't until Cat was back in her dressing room, perched on the couch with a bottle of water and a towel slung around her neck, that Jade finally slipped in. The moment their eyes met, Cat lit up again, the exhaustion from the performance momentarily forgotten.

"You saw that, right?" Cat asked, bouncing slightly on the cushions, her excitement bubbling over. "Tell me you saw it!"

Jade leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed again but with a softer expression this time. "Saw it? I couldn't miss it if I tried. You killed it out there."

Cat beamed, tilting her head playfully. "Did I look cool?"

"You looked incredible," Jade admitted, pushing off the doorframe to walk closer. "Like, annoyingly incredible. You know, just to make everyone else feel bad about themselves."

Cat laughed, tossing her towel at Jade, who dodged it easily. "You're biased."

"Maybe," Jade said, smirking again as she sat beside her. "But that crowd? Definitely not. You had them in the palm of your hand."

Cat's expression softened, the adrenaline settling into something calmer. "It felt good. Like… really good."

Jade reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Cat's face. "You've always been really good Cat."

Cat leaned into Jade's touch for a moment, the noise of the night fading into the background. It wasn't perfect—not yet—but for now, they were doing good. The energy from the performance was starting to ebb, leaving behind a pleasant but tired buzz. As Cat started fanning herself with her hand, Jade grabbed Cat another bottle of chilled water, who took it gratefully, downing a long sip before sighing dramatically.

"I don't even know how I'm still upright right now," Cat said, leaning her head back against the couch and closing her eyes. "I swear, my legs are made of noodles."

"Well, they don't look like noodles," Jade quipped. "You were moving out there like you had rocket boosters."

Cat cracked an eye open and smiled at Jade, who had settled next to her on the couch. For a moment, they just sat there, the quiet hum of the dressing room a stark contrast to the roaring chaos of the stage.

"What's next on the superstar schedule?" Jade finally asked, breaking the silence.

Cat groaned, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. "London, in two days. Something big. Press stuff, maybe a shoot… I don't even know anymore. My calendar is just colours and question marks."

Jade's face tightened ever so slightly. "London," she repeated, trying to sound casual. "You know I'd come with you if I could."

"I know," Cat said softly, sitting back up and turning toward Jade. "But you've got your project, and it's important. I get it."

Jade shook her head. "I'd pay for the flight myself, you know. It's not about the money or the hassle. It's just—being so far away from you…"

Cat reached out, taking Jade's hand in hers. "It's only a few days," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "We'll be okay. What happened- it was just a wobble. We're stronger than that."

Jade's lips twitched into a half-smile, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "Yeah. I know. I just hate not being there."

Cat squeezed her hand, letting the silence speak for a moment before she changed the subject. "Honestly, I'm dreading the London stuff anyway," she admitted. "They'll have me dress some weird way, and they'll mess with my makeup again, and then photoshop it all so I look better… I looked at the photos from last week's shoot, and I barely recognised myself."

Jade tilted her head. "What do you mean? You looked great."

Cat shrugged, looking down at their joined hands. "Yeah, I guess. But it's weird, you know? The clothes, the makeup, the editing… It's like-" She glanced up, her smile faint but reassuring, stopping herself. "It's fine, though. Part of the job, right?"

Jade frowned but didn't push. Instead, she shifted closer, leaning her head against Cat's shoulder. "If you ever hate it too much, you'll tell me, right?"

Cat hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Of course." She rested her head against Jade's. "But it's just part of the deal. It's worth it for everything else."

For a while, they stayed like that, quiet and close, until a knock on the door jolted them back to reality. Cat sighed, already pulling herself upright. "And now, I guess I'm being summoned again."

Jade watched as Cat stood, already slipping into her public persona, and smiled faintly. "Go knock 'em dead. Again."

Cat turned back, her grin genuine this time. "Always." Then she was gone, leaving Jade alone in the quiet room, already counting down the days until Cat would be back.