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Kelly Rowland January 27
I stood at the front of the classroom, glancing over my students as they settled in. Week two-still early, but enough time for me to start noticing habits.
I went over the basics last week; now it was time to dive deeper.
"Alright, let's start with a question," I said, leaning back against my desk. "What would you say is the single most important element in a fashion collection? Think beyond just the clothes themselves."
I looked around, waiting for hands to pop up. A few students offered thoughtful answers about themes, fabrics, and branding. As I scanned the room, my eyes landed on Nicki, sitting at the back, scribbling something on her paper, totally disconnected from the discussion. She hadn't spoken up much so far, and I wanted to pull her into the conversation.
"Nicki," I said, raising my voice a bit so it would break through her focus. She looked up, eyes wide, clearly surprised. "What do you think? What's essential in a collection?"
She glanced down, shrugging slightly, clearly not eager to answer. "I don't know... Style?"
The class shifted a little, a few quiet chuckles which made Nicki spin around in her seat, locking eyes with the girl who had laughed.
"Something funny?" she asked.
The girl rolled her eyes, waving a hand dismissively. "Relax, it's not even that deep."
"Oh, okay, then shut the fuck up, stupid."
I stepped in quickly before things could go any further. "Onika, outside. Now."
Nicki's jaw clenched, but she got up, pushing her chair back a little too hard as she headed for the door. I followed her out into the hallway, closing the door gently behind us.
She stood there, arms crossed, looking irritated.
"Look, Nicki," I began, keeping my voice steady but firm. "This is a fashion school, not the streets. I need you to handle things like a professional in there."
She huffed, looking away. "She was laughing, which is childish as fuck like how old are we?"
I nodded, understanding her frustration. "I get that, but you're here to focus on your work, on building something for yourself. Don't let petty stuff pull you off track."
"Yeah"
"What's going on with you? you went from being the most engaged to not caring at all, are you good?"
"Ask your friend," she said, rolling her eyes. She laughed briefly before turning to walk away, but I grabbed her arm.
"What happened?" I asked, searching her face.
"Nothing," she replied, avoiding my gaze.
I leaned in, giving her a reassuring look. "Come on, you can tell me, and I'll cuss her out for you if she did something."
