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The club was everything Cat had expected and nothing she really wanted. It was lavish, draped in golden accents and marble finishes, and humming with the low murmur of privilege. It was the kind of place people would sell their souls to get into. Cat had spent most of her 22nd birthday nodding politely and sipping from her flute of champagne as her boyfriend Vincent steered the conversations.
It wasn’t her usual scene, but Vincent had insisted."You deserve the best, Cat. Let me give you that."
And you know what, he was right. She had spent most of the past few years busting her ass, keeping her 4.0 GPA, leadership rolls in multiple committees, and going above and beyond for her internship. She deserved to celebrate all the fruits of her labour. Except, this wasn’t exactly her scene… or wouldn’t have been a year ago.
Her university friends filled the private booth, their laughter rising above the clink of glasses and the soft thrum of house music. Yet, the champagne felt flat on her tongue, the compliments hollow in her ears. She tried to shake it off as she kept a bright smile plastered on her face as Vincent rested a possessive hand on her knee.
And then she saw her.
Kara stood at the edge of the crowd, her blonde hair now grown out and cascaded past her down to her back. She wore a black leather jacket over a simple white dress, an outfit that seemed out of place among the glittering, extravagant dresses and sharp suits. Yet, Kara didn’t shrink. She stood with a quiet confidence that made Cat’s breath catch in her throat. Kara always did know how to stand out in a crowd.
“It’s been too long,” Kara said when their eyes met, her smile tentative but warm.
Cat nearly tripped over her heels rushing to greet her. “You’ve grown out your hair.”
“Guess I have,” Kara said with a small laugh, brushing a strand behind her ear.
Vincent appeared at Cat’s side, his smile tight as he extended a hand. “And who’s this?”
Kara’s expression flickered —just for a moment— but it was enough for Cat to notice.
“Kara. My... best friend from high school,” Cat said, stumbling over the words, trying to brush past the distain in she heard in her boyfriend’s tone.
Kara shook Vincent’s hand but didn’t smile. “Nice to meet you.”
The moment hung heavy between them, full of words unspoken and memories untouched. Cat wanted to ask Kara a thousand things. Talk about where she’d been, how she’d been, why they had let so much time slip away. But the questions felt too big, too personal for the glittering, thumping walls of this club.
Throughout the night, Cat tried to focus on the party, on Vincent’s jokes and the way he kept refilling her glass. But the laughter grated on her nerves, and the warmth of the champagne only heightened the hollow feeling in her chest. She found herself constantly glancing at Kara and her heart sank each time. Whenever she looked over, Kara was picking at her dress or trying and failing to continue a conversation with the others in the group. When they would lock eyes, Kara would give her a reassuring smile, but it never quite reached her eyes. Cat tried to steer the conversation in a direction Kara would benefit from, but she seemed to get lost in the other topics. It was her birthday, how was this happening.
She excused herself an hour later, stepping into the cool night air, she needed to get out of there for a moment. The faint buzz of the city hummed around them, the chill of the night air brushing past Cat’s bare shoulders as she stepped out of the club. Her heels clicked sharply on the pavement as she hurried toward Kara, who stood by the curb with her arms crossed, her head tilted toward the dim glow of a streetlamp.
“Kara, I wondered where you had gone off to. ” She spoke and stumbled a little. “Oh sorry, the alcohol and fresh air is a very good mix to see how sober or not you truly are.”
“It’s okay,” Her mouth twitched in the slightest smile as she steadied the birthday girl.
They stood in silence for a minute before Cat let out a breath. “We should go back inside, it’s starting to get chilly.”
“You should, I think I’m gonna go.” Kara said with a shake of her head. “This isn’t really my crowd.”
Cat’s heart sank, but she nodded, trying to hide her disappointment. “You don’t have to...”
“It’s fine,” Kara cut her off gently, her eyes soft but distant. “Happy birthday, Cat.”
"Kara, you’re really not staying?" Cat asked, her voice tinged with disbelief and a slight edge of frustration.
Kara turned, her expression neutral but her eyes stormy. "I can’t... Honestly, Cat, I didn’t think these were the kind of people you’d surround yourself with."
Cat’s brows furrowed. "Oh, and you would know that how?"
"You’re right, Cat. I don’t know you anymore. But it’s not me who decided that."
"What prey tell are you referring to?" Cat challenged, crossing her arms.
"I tried, Cat," Kara said, her voice rising slightly. "I tried to be around you, but you... you shut me out. You found these people with this fancy life and fell for it."
Cat's lips parted in shock. "That’s ridiculous."
Kara let out a humorless laugh. "The Cat Grant I knew would never have chosen this fancy place or spent her days with these kinds of people!"
"These kinds of people?" Cat repeated, her tone sharp. “Excuse me.”
"The ones who care more about advancing their careers and propping up their image than they do about the little people," Kara said bitterly. Her voice softened but cracked as she continued, "Did you even notice the side glances when I said I wasn’t attending university, or that my parents don’t come from money?... Do you even care?"
Cat felt her defenses rising, her heart pounding. "How can you even say that?"
Kara's voice grew steadier, though her eyes glistened. "From what I saw tonight, you were too busy trying to look good in front of your oh-so-important boyfriend."
"Don’t you dare," Cat hissed, her tone dangerous.
"And now," Kara pressed on, "I hear you’re working for some gossip column and turned down a chance to write for National City’s paper. For what? More money? What happened to the Cat Grant who valued truth above all else? We spent days researching for your freshman year admissions article. You said you wanted to write stories that mattered, stories that made a difference. And now you're writing about what…which celebrity snuck out of what club last night and who wore it best?"
"That’s not fair, Kara," Cat snapped, her voice trembling. "And you know it. Things change. People’s wants and needs evolve. Just because you’re terrified of change doesn’t give you the right to waltz into my life and judge me! You left- you left me too. When you decided not to go to university, I supported that. When your father left and you didn’t want me looking for answers, I supported that too. You pulled away from me too Kara… you’re not blameless either.”
Kara’s cab arrived, its brakes squealing slightly as it pulled to the curb. She stepped toward the door, her movements deliberate, but turned back to face Cat one last time.
"You’re right," Kara said, her voice weary but resolute. "Go back inside. Live the high life with your fancy friends and your social elite. I’m done." She opened the cab door, her words final. "Do whatever you want, but do it without me."
"Kara, wait –" Cat started, panic flashing across her face. "We can't end it like this."
But Kara held up a hand, shaking her head. "No, Cat. I can’t be a part of this. I can’t watch."
The door closed with a solid thud, and the cab merged into the flow of traffic, its taillights fading into the distance.
Cat stood frozen on the sidewalk, the club’s muffled bassline thudding behind her. Her arms wrapped around herself, and she shivered, not from the cold but from the hollow ache in her chest.
She whispered to no one, "When you’ve learned to grow up, call me." But the words lacked the venom she’d intended.
Instead, they lingered in the air, fragile and filled with regret. She let out a long breath, and bit her quivering lip. With a shake of her head and a smile plastered on her face yet again, she went back inside the club… but partying was the last thing she wanted to do. Fake it till you make it, right? It’ll all be worth it in the end, right? God, did she ever hope so.