FROM EUPHORIA TO DESPAIR IN A WHIRLWIND OF EMOTIONS

"What?" The lecturer exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Who's getting married?" Another student asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

"That's ridiculous!" Another student scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. The room filled with raucous laughter, the students' mirth echoing off the walls.

"If you want to get married, I'll marry you!" A voice called out from the back of the room, prompting a round of hoots and hollers.

Emily felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment, and she buried her face in her arms, wishing she could disappear. The laughter continued to ring through the room, punctuated by the occasional whoop or wolf - whistle.

"Enough!" The lecturer's voice thundered, cutting through the din like a knife. The room fell silent, the laughter cut short by the commanding tone of the lecturer's voice.

"Emily, please come forward with your project," the lecturer said, her gaze fixed on the red - faced girl in the corner. Emily took a deep breath and walked to the front of the room, her project clutched tightly in her hands.

"I must say, I'm quite surprised by this outburst," the lecturer said, her voice stern but not unkind.

"I'm so sorry, ma," Emily said, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.

"Don't let it repeat itself again," she replied.

"Yes ma," Emily answered, dropping her project on the table and finding her way back to her seat.

The room was filled with rustling of papers as the other students hurried to turn in their projects. The silence was broken only by the scratching of pens and occasional cough. Finally the last student took their seat, and the lecturer addressed the class.

"Now, while I score your projects, I'd like you all to do something productive," she said.

Whispers from students filled every corner of the room with Emily being the major topic.

"Enough with the gossip!" Emily's seatmate exclaimed, her voice echoing through the suddenly silent room.

The whispers ceased immediately, replaced by the sound of nervous shuffling and a few coughs. All eyes turned to the outspoken student, who glared back defiantly.

"I'm sorry, but this has gotten out of hand," she continued, her gaze sweeping across the room. Emily felt a rush of gratitude towards her seatmate, who had come to her defence.

"Miss Alexis, please don't make me send you out," the lecturer said, her voice stern.

"I'm sorry ma'am," Alexis mumbled as the rest of the class was buzzing with gossip and speculation. Emily tried to focus on another of her work, but the whispered conversations were too distracting.

"Distribute the papers, please," the lecturer instructed the class representatives, handing them a stack of papers. The representatives rose from their seat, their arms full of the projects, and began to work around the room.

As they distributed the projects, the room was filled with a low murmur of conversation. Each student eagerly grabbed their papers, scanning the page with bated breath. The room was filled with the hushed sounds of rustling papers, as everyone read the feedback on their work.

"From your sketches, I expect each of you to complete the dress by next week," the lecturer announced, her voice firm and unwavering. A chorus of grumbles filled the room, as the students protested the tight deadline.

"You can do it, I have faith in you all," the lecturer encouraged, her smile reassuring. But the grumbles continued, as the students were not convinced.

"And the best design will get to be featured alongside the legendary Nicole Novak!" She announced, her words met with gaps and cheers.

The students were filled with excitement, their eyes shining with anticipation. To be featured alongside the renowned beauty guru was a dream come true for any aspiring designer.

Nicole Novak founded La Belle Couture, a company renowned for its luxurious beauty products. Nicole was a trailblazer in the beauty industry, with a keen eyes for quality and a passion for perfection. She built her empire from the ground up, starting with a small boutique in her hometown and expanding to a global enterprise.

The class representative finished passing out the sketches, then turned to face the class. "Has everyone gotten their paper?" He asked.

"I didn't get mine!" A girl called out, her eyes wide with panic.

"Ah, there were some few sketches that I selected for some reasons, if you didn't get yours meet me here," the lecturer said.

"I've called you here because your sketches are, shall we say, less than impressive," the lecturer said, her tone direct but not unkind.

"This is your final year, and I want to make sure you're putting your best foot forward," she continued, her eyes scanning them. "You need to up your game if you want to make it in the fashion world," she concluded, her words firm but encouraging.

"Now, let's take a look at your sketches," the lecturer said, holding up a piece of paper that looked more like a child's drawing than a fashion design.

"Who's Jane Evans?" She asked, glancing at the students in front of her.

A small girl with pigtails and glasses timidly raised her hand. She collected the paper from the lecturer and looked at it. "I got only 30% of the grade, it's not fair!" The girl protested, her voice quavering with emotion.

"Are you questioning my grading system?" The lecturer asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"No, I'm just saying that my drawing skills don't reflect my true talent," the girl explained, her hands clasped in front of her.

"I hope you all take this assignment more seriously from now on," the lecturer said, handing out the papers and watching as the students shuffled back to their seats.

"Remember, you have a great opportunity to work with one of the top designers in the industry," the lecturer said, her voice brimming with pride.

"And don't forget that the school is providing all the materials you'll need for your designs," she added, a twinkle in her eyes.

"I wish you all the best of luck, and may your designs be as fabulous as your dreams!" She concluded, and then left the classroom, a satisfied smile on her face.

The class came to an end, as the students gathered their things and filed out of the room.

Emily lingered behind, her gaze fixed on the paper in her hand, a smile spreading across her face as she saw the grade: 98%. It was the highest grade Mrs. Evelyn had ever given, and she knew it was a testament of her hard work and determination.

Emily carefully packed up her things, feeling a sense of accomplishment as she slipped her pencil into her case. Just as she was about to leave, Melissa snatched the script out of her hand, her eyes gleaming with malice.

"Just because you got a 98% and I got a 95% doesn't mean you're going to win," she sneered, tossing the paper back to Emily. Emily snatched the paper out of the air, her hands shaking with anger.

"I don't have time for your petty jealousy," Emily replied coolly, her voice shaking slightly with indignation.

"I would have done better if Mrs. Evelyn wasn't so biased," Melissa spat, her eyes flashing with resentment.

"Good luck with that attitude," Emily retorted, her head held high as she turned and walked away. Outside the classroom, she was met by the friendly face of Alexis, who offered a supportive smile.

"Are you okay?" Alexis asked, her voice full of concern.

"I'm fine," Emily replied, her voice firm but her eyes betraying her true feelings.

"I'll see you later," Alexis said, her eyes full of sympathy.

"Bye," Emily replied, giving a small wave as she turned to leave.

Emily entered the design studio, her heart racing with anticipation as she looked around at the racks of colorful fabrics and shelves of tools. She carefully selected the materials she needed for the project.

As she left the studio, a sense of excitement filled her as she thought about the journey that lay ahead. She headed to her next class, her mind already racing with ideas. After class, she made her way home, her thoughts still consumed by the project ahead of her.

Emily arrived home just in time for lunch, her stomach growling with hunger as she entered the kitchen. She quickly prepared a meal and ate it while flipping through her design notes, her mind brimming with inspiration.

Later, she headed to her room and began working on the dress, her mind focused on the intricate details of the design.

But just as she was getting into a groove, the doorbell rang, and she went to answer it, surprised to find a tall, well - dressed man standing on her doorstep.

"Are you Emily Kevan?" the man asked, his voice deep and resonant.

"I am," Emily replied, extending her hand to shake his.

He handed her a thick brown envelope, his expression inscrutable.

"Thank you," she said, her curiosity piqued by the mysterious package. Closing the door, she sank into the couch, her mind racing with questions.

Emily sat there, the envelope in her hand, she tore open the envelope as she couldn't resist any longer.

"Dear Emily Kevan," the letter began, the words neatly written in flowing script.

"We at La Balle Couture are delighted to inform you that your design has been selected as one of the top submissions."

"Your work impressed us with its creativity and originality, and we are eager to work with you on this exciting new venture."

Emily's heart pounded as she read the letter, her eyes scanning each word with excitement. This was it, her big break!

"You will receive a package soon with all the materials you'll need to complete your design," the letter stated, excitement crackling off the page.

"We wish you the best of luck, and hope that your design will be chosen for the final runway show." "Sincerely, The La Balle Couture Management Team"

Emily couldn't help but grin as she read the letter, her mind already racing with ideas for her design. Her future was looking bright, and her passion for fashion was stronger than ever.

She called Camilla telling her about the good news. "Oh my gosh, that's incredible!" Camilla exclaimed, her voice ringing with excitement.

"I'll be right over to celebrate!" She said, hanging up the phone.

Within minutes, Camilla was at Emily's door, ready to share in the joy of this exciting news. They both sat down on the couch, beaming with happiness.

I'm happy for you," she said.

"Yeah, thanks," Emily replied.

"What's next?" Camilla asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I'm just waiting for the next package to arrive," Emily replied, a hint of anticipation in her voice.

"That's so exciting!" Camilla exclaimed, her enthusiasm contagious.

"I'm also working on two projects. Designing a dress and creating a lip gloss!" Emily added, her mind racing with ideas.

"That's quite the workload for a final year student!" Camilla exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.

"I've just got to practice some of my lines," Camilla said, sounding a bit nervous.

"Lucky you!" Emily exclaimed, a hint of envy in her voice.

"And guess what?" Camilla said, her voice rising with excitement.

"You know I'm terrible at guessing," Emily replied with a laugh.

"Okay, I'll be playing a role in the next season of 'Unearthly Terrors," Camilla announced.

"Wait...What?" Emily asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, and the most exciting part is, I'll be acting with Dominick Alejandro!" Camilla said, her eyes sparkling with delight.

Emily's mouth fell open, her mind reeling at the news.

"Dominick Alejandro, the famous actor?!" She exclaimed, hardly able to believe it. "I can't believe you're going to be in our favourite movie, acting with our favorite actor!" Emily shrieked, jumping up and down.

"Yeah, I was picked as the best actress in my department," Camilla gushed, her eyes shining with pride.

"I guess we're both going to have a lot on our plates this final year," Emily said, giving her a high - five.

"Yeah, and the person with the best design will get to work with Nicole Novak!" Emily added.

"It's evident that we're fated for eminence!" Camilla exclaimed, her countenance radiating joy.

"Without a doubt, we shall accomplish great things!" Emily declared, her visage beaming with elation.

"Go on, go work on your project!" Camilla encouraged, shooing her friend out to her designing room.

"You'll be here, relaxing, I bet," Emily accused, a mischievous grin playing on her lips.

"What else do you want me to do," she said and Emily left.

As Camilla sat on the couch, channel surfing and munching on snacks, her eyes fixed on the television, the sound of the program faded into the background of her mind.

Her thoughts drifted from one subject to the next, until she heard a knock at the door, the sound pulling her back to the present moment.

Pushing herself to her feet, she made her way to the door and pulled it open, revealing a tall dark - haired man standing on the other side.

"Are you Emily Kevan?" The man asked, his face breaking into a warm, friendly smile.

"No, but she's in the house," Camilla replied, her voice growing calmer.

"Can you get her for me, please?" The man requested, his tone cheerful and polite.

"Absolutely," Camilla said, her own smile returning.

"Emily, there's someone at the door who wants to speak with you," Camilla shouted.

A few moments later, Emily emerged from her room, her brow furrowed in curiosity. "Who's it?" She asked, her voice tinged with apprehension.

"I'm not sure, but he seems nice," Camilla replied, trying to reassure her friend.

"Okay, I'll go see what he wants," she said and headed for the door.

She reached out and opened the door, revealing a man with kind eyes and a warm smile.

"I'm Emily Kevan," she said.

"Here you go," he said, handing her a large, flat brown envelope.

She took the envelope and examined it, her heart racing. "Thank you," she said.

As he turned to leave, she close the door behind him and made her way back to the couch.

"What was all that about?" Camilla asked, her expression one of curiosity.

She held up the envelope. "Look what he gave me!" She exclaimed.

"Open it!" Camilla said, her voice filled with anticipation.

With trembling hands, Emily tore open the envelope, revealing a document inside. They both leaned in to read the words printed across the top of the page: "Contract Marriage Terms And Conditions." For a moment, they both looked at each other as Emily's expression darkened.