Arcane Atelier, 4 Hours Before
Emma ran out of the studio in tears, her mind reeling from the confrontation. What had she done? She had thrown coffee all over Severa's work, ruining hours of effort, and in the process, she had also lost her best friend. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and she couldn't hold back the sobs that wracked her body.
She burst into her dorm room, barely acknowledging Jasmine's concerned questions. "Emma, what's wrong?" Jasmine asked, but Emma couldn't muster the strength to answer. She collapsed onto her bed, burying her face in the pillow, and cried her heart out.
Jasmine sat down beside her, gently rubbing her back. "Hey, talk to me," she urged softly. "What happened?"
Through her tears, Emma managed to choke out the story. "I ruined everything, Jazzy. I got so angry, and I threw coffee all over Severa's designs. She's worked so hard for this, and I just... I just lost it."
Jasmine's eyes widened in shock, her jaw dropping as she processed Emma's words. "You... you did what? You ruined her designs? Emma, that's... that's beyond awful! How could you do something like that? She's your best friend!"
Emma sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know, I know! I was just so frustrated, and I let my emotions take over. I never meant to hurt her like this."
Jasmine stood up, pacing the room as she tried to comprehend the magnitude of Emma's actions. "Emma, this is serious. Severa's been working day and night on those designs. This was her chance to prove herself, and you just... you just destroyed it!"
Emma nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I know, Jazzy. I feel horrible. I don't know what to do. How can I ever make this right?"
Jasmine stopped pacing and looked at Emma with a mix of anger and disbelief. "You need to talk to Severa. Apologize and try to make things right. But Emma, this is going to be really hard to fix. You broke her trust in the worst way possible."
Emma couldn't stop the tears pouring from her eyes. The competition was in 5 hours, meaning Severa only had 5 hours to redo everything while she was here crying like a baby.
Wiping her tears, she rolled over and lay there while Jasmine went back to what she was doing. She had just destroyed everything over a few dumb words, and now she had lost her best friend, the girl who's been by her side all summer long.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. Sitting here wouldn't change anything. She needed to make things right. With newfound determination, she sat up and looked at Jasmine. "You're right, Jazzy. I need to talk to her. I need to fix this."
Jasmine nodded, her expression softening slightly. "Good. Go to her, Emma. Show her that you're truly sorry."
Emma hurried to the studio where Severa should be working, her heart pounding with each step. She pushed open the door to find... nothing. Nobody was there, no Severa, not a thing. The room was empty, save for the scattered remnants of their earlier confrontation. Panic began to rise within her. Had Severa given up? Was she too late?
She spun around and dashed down the hallway, searching frantically for any sign of Severa. The clock was ticking, and every second felt like an eternity. As she rounded a corner, she nearly collided with Ezra who was holding a large box of sewing supplies.
"Emma?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What's going on?" She ignored him, her desperation driving her to rush around the school, searching every corner, every room for Severa but not finding her anywhere. Panic gripped her as she retraced her steps, checking the usual spots where Severa might be working or hiding. The minutes seemed to stretch into hours, her heart pounding louder with each passing second.
Finally, exhausted and out of options, she rushed back to her dorm, her hope dwindling. Bursting through the door, she found Jasmine sitting on the couch, her eyes glued to the TV screen. Emma's eyes widened in realization when she saw what Jasmine was watching: the International Young Designers Competition.
"Jasmine, what are you doing?" Emma exclaimed, her voice trembling with urgency. "Why aren't you helping me look for Severa?"
Jasmine turned to her, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion. "What do you mean? Severa's at the competition. She's on TV right now."
Emma's heart skipped a beat as she turned her attention to the screen. There, in high definition, was Severa, standing confidently on the stage, presenting her designs to the judges. Relief washed over Emma, followed by a wave of guilt for not realizing sooner.
"She's already there," Emma whispered, sinking onto the couch beside Jasmine. "I can't believe she's already there."
Jasmine placed a comforting hand on Emma's shoulder. "Look, she's doing great. Just watch."
Emma nodded, her eyes glued to the screen. Severa's presentation was flawless, her passion and dedication shining through with every word. The models showcased her designs beautifully, each piece a testament to her hard work and creativity.
When the final model walked off the stage, the camera panned to the judges, who were deep in discussion. The head judge finally stepped forward, holding the sealed envelope. Emma held her breath, her heart racing with anticipation.
"In third place... Anastasia Ivanov!"
Applause erupted from the audience as Anastasia accepted her award.
"In second place... Mia Long!"
Emma's grip on Jasmine's hand tightened. She could feel the tension in the air, the suspense almost unbearable.
"And in first place, the winner of this year's International Young Designers Competition is... Severa Snape!"
Emma and Jasmine both jumped up, cheering loudly. Tears of joy streamed down Emma's face as she watched Severa's shocked and elated expression. Severa stepped forward, accepting her trophy with a beaming smile.
Emma felt a surge of pride and relief. Despite everything that had happened, Severa had triumphed. As the camera focused on Severa, who was now surrounded by her her boys, Emma whispered to herself, "I knew you could do it, Sev."
Jasmine turned to Emma, her eyes filled with emotion. "We should go find her and celebrate."
Emma nodded, wiping away her tears. "Yeah, let's go."
Grabbing their bags and sliding on their shoes, they made their way to the competition venue, Emma felt a renewed sense of determination. She knew she had a lot to make up for, but seeing Severa's success reminded her of the strength of their friendship. No matter what challenges lay ahead, Emma was ready to face them head-on.
As soon and they got to the venue, Emma rushed over to Peter, who was waiting in line for popcorn. "Peter!" grabbing him by his shoulders and spinning him around, she yelled in his face. "Where is Severa?! Tell me!"
Peter looked absolutely horrified but managed to stammer out an answer. "S-she's backstage, with the other finalists. They're sorting out the prize money."
Emma didn't waste another second. She sprinted towards the backstage area, her heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and determination. Jasmine followed closely behind, trying to keep up with her friend's frantic pace.
They reached the backstage entrance, and Emma pushed her way through the crowd, her eyes scanning the room for Severa. Finally, she spotted her, standing with a group of finalists, her trophy gleaming in her hand.
"Severa!" Emma called out, her voice cracking with emotion. Severa turned, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw Emma and Jasmine approaching. For a moment, there was a tense silence, the weight of their recent argument hanging heavily in the air.
Emma took a deep breath, her eyes filling with tears. "Sev, I'm so sorry. I was a total jerk, and I ruined your work. But seeing you up there, winning first place, it just... it reminded me of how amazing you are. Please, can you forgive me?"
Severa looked at Emma, her expression softening. She glanced at the trophy in her hand, then back at her friend. "Em-"
She was cut off by one of the judges approaching her. "Excuse me, Miss. Congratulations on your win! We need to know in which currency you'd like the prize money."
Severa blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Oh, um, pounds, please," she replied, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
The judge nodded and walked away, leaving Severa to turn back to Emma. "As I was saying, Emma... I forgive you. We all make mistakes, and I know we both said some mean things to each other and, I'm sorry too."
Emma's eyes filled with tears of relief. "Thank you, Sev. I promise I'll never let you down again." Severa smiled, pulling Emma into a hug. "Let's just forget about this and move on. We have a lot to celebrate."
As they pulled apart, Sirius came up, his grin wide. "Sev, I need to talk to you," he said, taking her hand and gently pulling her away from the bustling crowd.
They walked through the venue until they reached a quiet, secluded spot overlooking the ocean. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was calming, and the evening sun cast a warm glow over everything.
"Sirius, what's going on?" Severa asked, feeling a mix of curiosity and concern.
He turned to face her, his expression flirty as he leaned in planting a kiss on the corner of her mouth. "You did great, superstar." She shoved his away slightly, her eyes teasing. "Did you really just give me a corner kiss?"
Sirius chuckled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Just wanted to keep you on your toes," he teased, leaning in closer. Shaking her head, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close, smashing her lips against his.
Sirius's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he melted into the kiss, his arms wrapping around her tightly. The world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them in that perfect moment.
When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless and grinning like fools. "Now that's what I call a kiss," Sirius said, his voice husky.
Severa laughed, a bright, genuine sound that made Sirius's heart soar. "I guess I like keeping you on your toes too," she replied, her eyes sparkling.