(ON HOLD)

Chapter 1: The New Kid

The school bell rang, signaling the end of another day at Hollywood Arts. Students poured out of the classrooms, chatting excitedly about their latest projects and plans for the evening. The campus buzzed with energy, each student lost in their own world of creative ambition. Among them, one newcomer was about to make his mark.

Cat Valentine bounced through the courtyard, her eyes wide with excitement. Today was the day—Lucas Summers, her boyfriend, was finally here at Hollywood Arts. It had been months since they'd started talking online, and after several visits and long conversations, Lucas had finally decided to transfer to her school. Cat couldn't be more thrilled. She couldn't wait to show him around, introduce him to her friends, and most importantly, have him by her side in her own creative space.

"Lucas!" Cat called out, her voice high with excitement. She spotted him across the courtyard, standing near the entrance, looking around as if trying to get his bearings. He had his usual relaxed, confident demeanor, but there was a hint of nervousness in his eyes. It was his first day, after all.

Lucas caught sight of her and smiled, his face lighting up as he waved. "Hey, Cat!" he called back, setting down his duffel bag and walking toward her. The two of them met halfway, and without hesitation, Cat jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

"I can't believe you're finally here!" she said, pulling back just enough to look him over. "You're gonna love it here. Hollywood Arts is amazing, and everyone's gonna love you!"

Lucas chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "I'm excited. But you know, I'm gonna need some help getting used to all the artsy stuff here. I'm not exactly a musician or an actor."

Cat giggled, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "Don't worry about that! You don't have to be a part of every group. Just be yourself, and everyone will love you. Besides, you're talented—look at you," she teased, giving him a quick once-over. "You've got the look of a star."

"Only because I have you to show me around," Lucas replied with a playful grin.

As the two of them strolled through the courtyard, hand in hand, Cat led him toward her group of friends. They were clustered in a circle near the fountain, talking and laughing. Tori Vega, her best friend, was standing near the center, and Andre Harris was strumming his guitar lazily on the side. Beck Oliver and Robbie Shapiro were deep in conversation about their latest project, while Jade West, as always, stood slightly apart from the group, her arms crossed and her expression as indifferent as ever.

"Hey, guys! This is Lucas!" Cat exclaimed, her voice bright and welcoming. "Lucas, these are my best friends. Tori, Andre, Beck, Robbie, and of course, Jade."

Tori stepped forward first, giving Lucas a smile. "Nice to meet you!" she said, shaking his hand warmly. "Cat's told us all about you."

"Yeah, I've heard a lot of good things," Andre added with a grin. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do around here."

Beck smiled and gave Lucas a friendly nod. "Welcome to Hollywood Arts."

Robbie waved from behind his puppet, "Hey! Glad you could join us."

Jade, who had been watching the interaction from a distance, raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "So, you're the guy who finally made Cat stop obsessing over the internet," she said in her usual dry, sarcastic tone. Her eyes flicked over to Lucas, sizing him up. "I'll admit, I'm curious. You seem... interesting."

Cat laughed nervously. "Jade, you're always so intense. Lucas is really nice, I swear."

Lucas grinned at Jade's bluntness, unfazed by her sarcasm. "I'm glad to finally meet you all. I've heard a lot about you."