Knowing Me, Knowing You

Kisses Of Fire

Since it was a fashion show, Dante and Carter needed to dress up. Of course, they couldn't outshine the models, but they still had to prove that they had their own unique sense of style. Dante wore tight black dress pants that practically looked like formal leggings with a flowery blouse under a black coat which had a long skirt running down the back and black heeled boots with a heel made of glass. Carter wore a simple, tailor made black suit with a ruffled blouse that mimicked the blouse Prince wore with his iconic Purple Rain jacket. She, too, wore black heeled boots with a heel made of glass. It was the one accessory that showed they were a team.

Everyone stood in the back, dressed in their casual attire. From the moment both Jessica and Trevor arrived, tension filled the backstage. Everyone in the school was aware of their breakup, though no one had tried to approach them to find out why. While everyone else believed it was because Trevor couldn't see a future with her, only Dante and Xander knew the true reason for the break. But because she made a promise to Carter and Dante that Ryan was making sure she saw through, Jessica decided to act professional and stick with the show. As for Trevor, he knew the show meant the world to Carter, and with her being Dante's best friend, he was going to make sure to be the most professional version of himself possible.

Trevor walked down the line of girls, with Ryan included, and polished every final detail of their outfit. Carter made sure to do the same with the gentlemen. After making sure everyone was taken care of, Xander reached out to grab Carter's arm. She glanced back at him.

"We've got this," he whispered.

Smiling back, she nodded. "I know."

Carter and Dante walked away from everyone and called their attention. "Okay, so, since Dante and I will be on the stage while you're all changing into your formal attire, Ms. Twyla here will be inspecting yout outfits, and so will Mr. Terry. Ladies, you will refer to Ms. Twyla, gentlemen, Mr. Terry. There is also Mr. Karnowski, head of the fashion department here at Landon High. He is here if you need help. Also, we have our classmates who have been helping out with dress rehearsals the past few days here in case of any emergencies. If you have an issue with your wardrobe, however, please go to Mr. Terry or Ms. Twyla first. Any questions?"

No one said anything.

"All right. I believe in you all. You all did great during rehearsals, so just think of it as another. If you make a mistake, it's okay. Just smile and keep going."

"Again, thank you all for helping out," Dante added.

"Places," the student stagehand whisper shouted.

As the lights in the house dimmed, a spotlight shone on the stage entrance, and Dante and Carter walked out. They waved to everyone, the audience cheering loudly. They couldn't spot the scholarship providers in the dark, but they knew they arrived.

Before the two talked with everyone backstage, they had a small interview with Grace Bennet and Lila Vásquez. They asked simple questions about the show, the preparation and everything leading up to that moment, and which of the two felt they deserved the scholarship more (both claiming it was Carter since it was the only way she'd be able to go).

"Thank you everyone for coming," Dante greeted. "My name is Dante Weber, and this is my best friend Carter Knowles. The two of us have known each other since grade school, and we have been doing just about everything together since."

"Back in middle school, I began to take a bigger interest in fashion design," Carter began. "I would go to the local thrift store and buy clothes that I could easily revamp to make a more gothic style for myself. After learning the basics of sewing, I finally made my first dress. It wasn't the most beautiful dress in the world or anything, but it was certainly something I was proud of. For the first time, I was proud of something that I'd done. It was a feeling that I have used as the foundation for every article of clothing I have made since, wanting that pride to be absorbed into my outfits so when someone puts them on, they feel that pride and be proud of how they look."