Jade West's apartment was a small, impeccably decorated space in the heart of Manhattan, filled with dark tones and sharp edges—much like the woman herself. She was in the middle of a late-morning coffee when a loud knock interrupted her solitude. Jade frowned, setting her cup down and heading for the door. When she opened it, she was met with a familiar face beaming up at her.

"Pack your bags," Cat Valentine declared, holding up two plane tickets. "Our flight's in four hours!"

Jade blinked, her expression unamused. "What flight?"

Cat shoved the tickets into Jade's hand with a triumphant grin. "The plane to L.A., duh. You said 'maybe,' and 'maybe' is a yes to me. If I have to go, you have to go too."

Jade stared at the tickets, then back at Cat. "You're insane. I have work, I have deadlines—"

"I sorted everything," Cat interrupted, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Hotels, car rentals, the works. All you have to do is pack. Come on, Jade, you can't back out now!"

"You planned all of this without telling me," Jade grumbled, but there was no real heat in her voice. Cat's enthusiasm was relentless, and as much as Jade hated to admit it, she didn't entirely hate the idea of going back.

Cat clasped her hands together in mock pleading. "Pleeeease, Jade? It'll be fun! Like old times. Plus, I already paid for everything."

Jade rolled her eyes, stepping back into her apartment. "Fine. But only because I'm not wasting your money."

Cat squealed with delight and followed her inside, rattling off a list of things Jade should pack.

No one had heard a word from Cat Valentine for four years after high school. She'd vanished without so much as a goodbye, leaving her old friends to wonder what had become of her. It wasn't until Jade moved to New York herself that she finally got an answer.

Broadway had never been Jade's thing. The whole song-and-dance routine felt overly saccharine, but Beetlejuice had caught her attention. Its dark humor and twisted aesthetic were right up her alley. She went in with low expectations, curious but unconvinced.

And then she saw her.

Cat Valentine, center stage as Lydia Deetz. She was almost unrecognisable with the pale makeup and black wig, but her voice was unmistakable, still the same powerhouse that had once filled the halls of Hollywood Arts. Jade had been in awe. Cat was… incredible. She commanded the stage with a confidence and depth Jade had never seen in her before. It was like watching a completely different person, one who had taken everything Jade thought she knew about her and turned it on its head. She was sure Cat's name wasn't on the playbill - must've been an understudy. Either way, she was killing it.

After the show, Jade had felt like an idiot waiting at the stage door. She'd debated leaving a dozen times, but just as she'd resolved to go, the door opened and there she was. Cat looked so different, but her smile was the same—bright and genuine.

"Jade?" Cat had said, eyes wide with surprise.

"Hey," Jade had replied, feeling awkward as hell. "You were… amazing up there."

Cat's face had lit up, and before Jade could say another word, Cat had thrown her arms around her. The hug caught Jade off guard, but she didn't pull away.

They'd gone for drinks that night, catching up like no time had passed. Cat had told her about her journey to Broadway, the years of hard work and rejection, and how much it had meant to finally land a role like Lydia. Jade had listened, sipping her whiskey as she took it all in. Cat was still Cat, but there was a maturity to her now, a strength that hadn't been there before.

It had been the start of something unexpected. Over the past year, they'd fallen back into each other's lives, texting, meeting up when their schedules allowed, and slipping into the kind of friendship that felt as natural as breathing. So when Cat had RSVP'd to Tori's reunion, it was only a matter of time before she dragged Jade along with her.

Jade zipped her suitcase shut and glanced at Cat, who was sprawled on her couch, scrolling through her phone. "You're lucky I like you," she muttered.

Cat grinned, tossing her phone aside. "I know. Now hurry up, or we'll miss our flight!"

With a dramatic sigh, Jade slung her bag over her shoulder and followed Cat out the door, wondering what exactly she'd gotten herself into.