III

Beck's POV

After finally finishing everything we needed to get done, I was wandering around backstage talking to André, when he needed to go and I was left to myself. Eventually, I stopped wandering and walked over to Cat, who was playing with her hair and making faces in a mirror. When she saw me, Cat immediately turned around and smiled. "Beck! I wanna show you something!"

She looked so excited, and I just nodded, smiling. "Okay, what do you wanna show me?" Cat giggled before putting on a startlingly angry and intense face and staring at me.

"I'm Jade, and I like scissors," she growled before losing herself in a fit of laughter.

I joined her, chuckling at Cat's impression. "That was just like Jade!" She giggled and nodded. I had never noticed this before, but when she smiled, there was a small dimple on one of her cheeks. Stop staring.

From across the room, I could hear the people on stage and knew that our cue was coming up soon, where Cat's character would make the big choice. I looked back at her. "Well, our cue is coming up. Should we start getting up?"

Cat just smiled and nodded, getting up and running over toward the curtains. I followed her, noticing how she had such a spring in her step. That was one of the many things I was coming to love about her.

Robbie, Cat and I were standing on the stage, performing the last scene of the play before the finishing song. Cat was standing in the middle of the stage in a sleeveless pink dress that went down to her knees. It looked pretty similar to the dress she wore to the Prome that Tori had put together earlier this year, actually. The spotlight on Robbie went out and he walked offstage as the spotlight switched onto me. Cat looked over at me, continuing the scene. "I don't know."

I met her gaze. "It's okay that you don't know."

She shook her head. "But you deserve an answer."

"I can wait. For you I would wait a thousand years."

Cat shook her head again. "But that's so many!"

Her personality still shone through a little bit, even when she was playing a character that was nothing like her. "I know I'm poor. I know I don't have much to offer, but I do love you."

Cat turned and walked away a few steps, shaking her head. "Because I'm beautiful?"

I stepped toward her. "I don't love you because you're beautiful." I touched her shoulder. "You're beautiful because I love you."

Cat smiled and took a step toward me. The curtain closed and I could hear the audience clapping. Cat was smiling and jumping up and down. "That was so good!" She looked so happy.

I nodded. "You did great, Cat!" It was true; I thought it was hard to believe that Sikowitz had almost given Tori her role.

Cat blushed and fiddled with her hair. "Thanks! You were really good too!" I smiled, thanking her before we walked offstage. Soon enough, André and the rest of the band started playing the soft music and Cat and I walked onstage. She started singing and I was completely awestruck. I had never heard Cat sing before, and her voice was absolutely beautiful.

"Suddenly, my choice is clear." She reached out and grabbed my hand. "I knew when only you and I were standing here."

"And beautiful is all I see." I smile at Cat, who joins me in the next verse.

"It's only you, I know it's true. It has to be." The guitar started up and we began to dance. I spun Cat around and was not surprised to feel how light she was. Cat began singing again as we danced alone on the stage.

"Well, that money isn't worth a thing. If you didn't earn it, you don't deserve it." We were walking in a circle on opposite ends now. Cat smiled and continued her singing. "True love doesn't cost a thing, and if you try to buy it, you can't return it." Soon enough, more voices joined us and the rest of the singers/dancers were on the stage with us. Not that I really noticed much; Cat's singing was incredible. "Your friends are doing all the same things—"

"Woooooo!"

"My friends say 'look at what your wastin'. Well, it doesn't matter if we change their minds," I walked over to Cat again and lifted her up, spinning and dancing like we had rehearsed for hours on end. "Suddenly I can see what I didn't before, and I don't care what they say anymore, 'cause I'm falling, falling! Finally falling, falling!" How have I never heard her sing before?

"I don't need all the finer things, diamond things are nothing, so show me something." I knelt on the ground as she walked in a circle; some of the choreography in this play was a little confusing. "'Cause love is all I need, all I've ever wanted, and now I've got it." I stood up and Cat and I 'circled' each other, along with all of the other pairs. I smiled at Cat and she returned it, still singing. "My friends all wonder what you're thinking. And your friends, they probably think the same thing. Well, it doesn't matter if we change their minds," I lifted Cat up and spun in a little circle while she was still singing; what is it with the choreographer and spinning in circles?

Cat started the chorus again, and I smiled. "Suddenly I can see what I didn't before, and I don't care what they say anymore 'cause I'm falling, falling! Finally falling, falling!" I let her down and we both dance-walked up to the front of the stage, jerking our heads toward each other. Cat ended the song and the audience went crazy. I couldn't blame them; Cat's voice was the most beautiful thing in the world.

We concluded the curtain call soon after and when we went backstage to take off costumes and whatnot, Cat jumped up and wrapped her small arms around my neck. "That was so fun! You did amazing!"

I chuckled, wrapping my hands around her waist. "Thanks, Cat, but I think you definitely stole the show. You're singing was incredible."

Cat blushed and stood back on her own two feet again. "Oh, thank you." She twisted some of her hair around her finger and I smiled. It was so cute when she did that. Wait, why are you calling Cat adorable and pretty and cute? She doesn't think of you like that; so quit it! "Beck? Beck?" Cat tapped my shoulder and I shook my head.

"What? Sorry, I zoned out."

Cat smiled. "Yeah, I saw it happen!" She laughed, leaning into my shoulder.

I chuckled and patted her back. I always forgot how small Cat was, especially next to me.

She pulled away and smiled. "I'm gonna go change out of my costume. See you tomorrow for the next performance, Beck!"

hiii! last time, none of these chapters are edited yet. NONE OF THEM. thx for reading!

~ bella ♡