The silence in the hall was suffocating.
My heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear anything else. I was so tense, my muscles stiff, like I was suddenly frozen in time.
Mr. Fernandez paused, glancing briefly at Moon, then at the audience and contestants.
"The winner of the Resonance competition…."
He paused again, and this time it felt like he was staring directly at me.
"…will not be a single individual."
A ripple of confusion spread across the room.
My brow furrowed slightly.
Not a single winner?
"This year," he continued, his voice steady, "we have decided to do something different. Unlike previous years, this year is special in its own way. The contestants are very strong, making it difficult to pick a single winner. So instead, we will be doing a collaboration."
"As we all know, the winner and the second place are supposed to work together on a project that will be displayed at the fashion show Moon is hosting. But instead, we will do something different."
"There will be a collaboration, but there will also be a display of individual designs that will, in turn, be judged by the larger audience."
"As we all know, the fashion show will be filled with fashion enthusiasts, including people from the higher class. These people are very good at recognizing the best, especially when it comes to jewelry. There will be no theme, as your individual work is expected to stand out and catch your audience."
"This is what we have decided, as the talent present in this hall is impeccable."
All through his speech, my heart was in my mouth.
"Our winners for this year's competition are…."
My fingers curled slightly. I was beginning to sweat.
"Jules…."
My breath caught.
Please pick me, I prayed in my heart.
"…and Kimmie."
For a second, I couldn't move.
I just stood there, baffled.
This is really happening.
Then the room erupted into applause.
I turned instinctively.
My eyes met his.
Jules.
He wasn't surprised.
It was like he expected it.
Just… calm.
He gave a small nod.
Moon continued, "This collaboration will determine your entry into the global stage."
My heart raced.
I was collaborating with him?
I didn't know how to feel about it.
But if there was one thing I was certain of, it was this:
This was the opportunity I had been waiting for.
After the announcement, everything felt like a blur.
People were talking, some moving around, congratulating others.
And then…
"Kimmie."
I turned.
Jules was walking toward me and stopped in front of me.
"Congratulations," he said.
"I knew from the beginning that you were special. Looks like we will be working together."
"Yeah, I guess we will," I replied.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You are special. You don't just design… you tell stories."
My heart skipped.
I blushed for a moment.
"Thank you," I said softly.
"You are also equally special. When I heard you present, for a moment I thought I had already lost."
For some reason, hearing that made me feel seen. It felt different.
"Well, can I get your number?" he asked.
"I've been wanting to ask, but I didn't have the courage. I'm so happy about this collaboration. It gave me a perfect excuse."
"Your phone," I said, smiling.
He reached into his pocket and handed it to me.
I took it and entered my number.
While I was doing that, I heard....
"Jules!"
Kelly rushed toward him, pulling him into a hug.
"I knew you could do it!" she said.
"We did it," he corrected, glancing at me.
Kelly followed his gaze, her eyes resting on me.
His eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than usual.
"I knew you could do it," she said again, leaning slightly toward me.
"I think we should go celebrate," Kelly suggested.
"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Jules said.
"Where to?" he asked.
"I know a dessert café nearby. They just opened. I think we should try it," Kelly said.
"What do you think?" she asked me.
"Fine by me," I replied.
We headed there.
It was a very nice place.
We sat at a table, and Kelly went outside to answer a call.
The dessert café glowed softly under warm lights, its glass display filled with colorful flavors.....strawberry, rich chocolate, caramel, vanilla. The air smelled sweet and comforting. It wasn't too crowded, just calm enough to make everything feel a little more personal, like a place where time slowed down.
And indeed, it did.
Jules and I sat opposite each other. His gaze held mine as he stared intently. I got lost in it, and it felt like time stopped for a moment...until we were interrupted by Kelly.
"What is going on here?" she said.
"Are we having a staring competition? Because if we are, I'd love to be your partner," she added, turning to Jules.
"No, Kelly," he replied. "We were just waiting for you before ordering."
"Alright," she said.
"My favorite ice cream is caramel swirl," she said.
"What about you?" Jules asked me, giving me that sweet smile that made me melt.
"I'd like mint chocolate chip ice cream," I said.
"Is that your favorite?" he asked.
"Why are you asking?" I replied.
"I just want to know things about my friend," he said, taking my hand.
"Aren't we friends?" he asked.
"Yes, we are," I replied.
"Good," he said, still staring at me with that smile.
"And what about you? What's your favorite?" I asked.
"Hm, someone wants to know things about me too," he grinned.
"You're not the only one curious about your friends," I said, smiling.
"Pistachio," he said, standing up to place the order.
"What was that all about?" Kelly asked me.
"Nothing," I said.
"Alright," she replied, giving me a look that said she didn't believe me.
He came back with the ice cream. We chatted for some time, said our goodbyes, and left.
When I got home, I was exhausted. I showered and prepared to sleep when a text came in.
"Hi, are you asleep already?
This is Jules, by the way, in case you're wondering."
A smile appeared on my face as I read it.
"Not yet," I replied.
"I'm about to sleep."
I hit send and stared at my phone, waiting.
Then his reply came.
"Alright…
We should start soon if we want to create something worthy of that stage.
Yes, we should," I replied.
Then another message came.
"You know, I just wanted to talk to you again before sleeping so I can dream about you. I used the competition as an excuse to text you.
I know you must be tired after today, so I'll let you sleep.
Good night, my angel. Talk to you tomorrow.
Please dream about me."
As I read it, I blushed, smiling at my screen.
I was definitely going to dream about him now.
"Good night, Jules," I whispered.
I turned off the lights and pulled the sheets over me, his face still in my mind…
Drifting into sleep.