Emilie was getting annoyed. This was everyone's final, yet it seemed like she was the only one who seemed to care! They were behind schedule but they couldn't start filming until they found a student in the fashion department willing and able to make full outfits for all the actors in the film. Which was due in less than three months!

As she was ranting all of this aloud, her roommate interjected.

"I may know a guy."

Three days after the conversation in their dorm, the two were in the school cafe looking for the designer. As infuriating as it was that they were having to do this instead of the student director, Emilie was just happy to get it done.

"Is that him, Nathalie?"

"No."

"Is... that him?"

"Emilie, please."

"Sorry."

Suddenly, Emilie could sense there was someone behind her. Someone, who would have been clobbered by the young actress' handbag if she hadn't seen them raise their arms to defend themselves, seconds prior.

"My goodness, Gabriel! Properly warn someone before coming up behind them." Nathalie said as she pivoted sharply on her heels to view the tall man.

"Noted."

The golden-haired woman attempted an apology, but the young man stopped her by raising his arm and shaking his head.

"My things are by the window seat."

The trio got to work on the designs, Emilie as the one with the film knowledge, Gabriel with the fashion knowledge, and Natalie as the mediator and conversation focuser. Arguably, Nathalie had the most critical and demanding job. Gabriel and Emilie seemed to frequently find their ways to tangents that had nothing to do with the film or the outfits. Despite this, they still managed to be remarkably efficient, designing well over half of the costumes as well as taking Emilie's measurements.

"He likes you."

"What?!"

The topic seemed to spring out of nowhere as the two women were brushing their hair before they went to bed.

"Gabriel. Likes. You." Nathalie said with a stroke through her hair to emphasis every word. "I've never seen him warm up to somebody this fast. The question is, do you like him?'

"He seems the type of guy a many a girl would fall for." Emilie remarked ambiguously as she turned back to her vanity. She couldn't help remembering the way his platinum hair fell in a sophisticated mess, the way his suit jacket scrunched as he drew, the cute way he would adjust his slipping glasses by scrunching his nose, and how his strong jaw would soften with every smile and stifled laugh.

"Talking with him usually snaps them out of that." Nathalie laughed, the foreign sound coming from her in a brief burst before she whispered. "He's different with you, though."

----

Emilie flopped onto her bed. It was the day that their film would be premiered, and frankly, she was almost too embarrassed to go. No matter how much she tried, nothing was going to remedy that abysmal directing and rushed editing. In fact, if it wasn't 20% of the grade, she would've skipped. After she had pulled herself off her bed and started to get ready, Nathalie came in a dropped a garment bag onto her roommate's bed.

"Mr. Agreste made you something."

The striking gown almost made it all worth it. The black silk hugged her perfectly in all the ideal places, the white trim giving a bold accent, and the full length, off-the-shoulder length sleeves would be able to keep her war during the mid-fall outdoor premier. She never felt so close to her dream of being coming an actor as she did in that dress.

----

Gabriel sat besides her at the show as a sturdy shoulder to lean on at the cute moments and hand to hold during the tragic and surprising ones. Finally, he acted as her protector from the cringe during her group's film as he comfortably reached under her hair to grip her shoulder, which is where it stayed until the end of the showing.

Before they left, hours after they had intended to, Gabriel convinced her to step onto the now abandoned red carpet to take her picture as the set over the college. A picture that unknown to him, years later would sit on his nightstand alongside a wedding photo.

But Nathalie knew. She knew the second Emilie came back from the show with that lovesick expression. She knew that she had lost.