Highly Commended Story - Fashion Friends Forever

“Fashion Friends Forever” by Navya Gupta, Lotus Valley International School, Noida, India, is the Highly Commended story in the junior category of the first biannual Short Story Contest 2019.

Navya Gupta is an avid reader who studies in class 5 at Lotus Valley International School, Noida, India. She has won International Olympiad of English Language, 2 times, a gold medal and a bronze medal. She loves reading, writing stories on her computer, singing and listening to her favourite songs of Miley Cyrus. She also enjoys doing art and crafts. Navya aspires to become an author and a fashion designer.

Fashion Friends Forever

‘I am so excited to show off.’ Sapphire, a snobbish and rich girl said to Ruby and Selena, her group. They, along with their sworn enemies Elaina, Mimi and a few others were attending the special fashion class organized in their school by Calvin Klein. Meanwhile, Elaina and Mimi discussed about the class too. ‘We will do our best.’ Mimi said confidently. The next day, everyone filed into the classroom. ‘Ah!’ said Calvin, walking in. ‘I see everyone is looking fresh.’ he said. ‘Class, we are going to host a fashion show on the theme nature and the famous editor Anna is going to attend!’ he said. ‘All of you will create and model a dress’, he said. Every one loudly chattered. ‘Excuse me, sir?’ Sapphire put up her hand. ‘Yes, Sapphire?’ Professor Calvin asked. ‘Sir, are we to sew ourselves?’ Sapphire asked in a honey sweet voice. ‘Yes, of course!’ Professor Calvin replied. ‘That’s wonderful!’

Sapphire gushed and lied to him how she loved to sew. Then the bell rang. That evening, Sapphire told her friends that Alicia, her mom’s fashionista would make their dresses though it wasn’t allowed. They went to the salon instead. Meanwhile Elaina and Mimi worked hard to make their designs. Elaina drew a sparkly top with sequin leaves and loose, sparkly pants, tight at beginning and very loose at the bottom. Mimi drew a beautiful short dress with a light floral pattern. The next day everyone arrived with their designs. Professor Calvin said, ‘Well, everyone please line up and show your designs.’ When Sapphire showed him the designs Alicia had prepared for her, he said, ‘Your design is nice Sapphire, but I feel you need improvement. This is very artificial.’ Sapphire turned red and sat down.

When Mimi showed her designs, Professor Calvin praised them greatly. ‘This is so original! Well done!’ he said, smiling. After class, Sapphire whispered to her friends, ‘We need to do something! Elaina’s dress is not too nice but Mimi may win!’ Then Ruby smiled. ‘I have a plan!’ she said and told her friends her idea. ‘That is perfect!’ Sapphire smiled wickedly. That afternoon, Elaina said, ‘Mimi, you look tired! We need to go have a relaxing ice cream and a run in the beach!’ ‘Okay, fine.’ Mimi said, worn out. They went away. As they left, Sapphire sneaked into their room and she cut Mimi’s dress and Elaina’s too, for good measure, into shreds. Then she ran out.

2 hours before the show, Mimi and Elaina arrived, glowing. As they flung open the door, they got a terrible surprise. ‘Our dresses are ruined!’ Mimi screamed, horrified. She started crying bitterly. ‘Oh my, all our hard work!’ she wept. ‘Mimi, stop! We can make new dresses.’ Elaina said, comforting her. ‘We have no time!’ Mimi cried. There was silence. Suddenly Mimi cried, ‘I got it!’ and jumped up and dived into her box of old junk. She fished out some color dye bottles filled with thick rich colorful dye. ‘What?’ Elaina asked. ‘Remember how we used to make tie dye colorful T-shirts?’ Mimi asked. ‘Yes’, said Elaina. ‘Well how about making a short tie dyed colorful blouse and short skirt each? We can explain what happened to Sir Calvin and walk together!’ Mimi cried. ‘We could wear sandals to match!’ Elaina said, excited. ‘Well, let’s get to work! Show is in 2 hours!’ she cried. They worked hard. ‘And done!’ said Mimi, holding up her colorful blouse and skirt. ‘Plus, these dyes are organic so it is natural!’ Elaina said. ‘Let’s go!’ cheered Mimi.

It was fashion time! In the dressing room, Sapphire and her friends, adjusting their straps smugly, saw the friends walk in wearing their pretty new outfit. She gasped. ‘No! How did we not think of that!’ she whispered furiously. At Sapphire’s turn, she tripped and tore her elegant gown, still furious. ‘And now we have….Elaina and Mimi!’ Calvin announced. The girls, hand in hand, confidently walked onstage. The crowd cheered. ‘So what inspired this natural look?’ Calvin asked. The friends smiled and said, ‘We just tried to live life to the fullest and focus on the positive!’ Then they twirled and walked off, as Calvin had taught them.

The judge gave Calvin the lucky 2 winners’ name. ‘And the winners are …..Elaina and Mimi!’ he cried. The friends smiled with joy. ‘Thank you for choosing us as winners.’ Mimi said. ‘We created these dresses by...’ Mimi told everyone what had happened to them. ‘We didn’t just learn how to sew, we also learnt how it’s so important to stay positive even when you are defeated. Also we understood that true friends don’t make your problems disappear, they disappear when you face a problem together.’ Elaina said, smiling. ‘Cause we’ll be together, fashion friends forever!’ they shouted, knowing they had had an experience they would never forget.