ELOISE
The atelier felt colder than ever as their voices faded into silence. I stood there, my hands trembling at my sides, staring at Ava’s tear-streaked face and Mike’s downturned eyes. I felt all the air leave my lungs all at once.
I understand that it’s been a over a decade but how could Ava herself hide something like this from me even during our time at the college.
My mind spun with fragments of memories – Ava and I curled up in her dorm room after final critiques, laughing at the way our professors pronounced French designers’ names with pompous accents; Ava leaving little love notes on my mirror before shows, scribbled with “You’re stronger than your fear.”
Stronger than your fear.
I wanted to laugh at the irony. Now, standing here under the harsh white pendant lamp, the sha
