Schooled

Chapter 22

We saw each other nearly every day for almost two weeks, and texted on the days we didn't. We avoided spending time together at my house at my insistence. Sometimes Dylan met me at my study room in the library—to study, or to do other things. We'd spend time at his place, keeping it casual around his roommates. Though I'm sure they suspected something, they didn't let on, and I never stayed over. On the days he drove me and Ava to school our eyes would meet in the rearview mirror. I'd look away before Ava could get suspicious.

Now that I'd given up the internal war I'd been waging over my emerging feelings for Dylan, it freed up lots of new energy. I made great progress in my classes and on the business plan. I was on fire and it suddenly felt like everything was going my way. The business plan suggested we might be in a position to launch a first collection before the end of next year. My focus had turned to scoping out potential contacts and competitors.

The worry I had initially felt about being distracted subsided as I realized I could handle school, Travesty, and Dylan. Unlike Jake, who'd been supportive but hands-off, Dylan actually wanted to know what I was working on. He'd ask questions and offer ideas. I'd sometimes catch him flipping through my finance text. We could have actual conversations about anything from foreign policy—a favorite of his that was admittedly new to me—to pop culture.

He found it perennially fascinating, and frustrating, that I needed to have every second of the day planned out. I told him he could get over it if I could live with the fact that he was a Green Day fan.

Wednesday was usually a day our paths didn't cross. After school I arrived home and turned on the Fashion TV we'd pre-recorded. It was half indulgence and half imperative. It helped to be informed about the goings on, and I loved to hear updates from the industry as well as see new lines and designers I knew.

I'd clicked on the screen a few minutes late and an interview was already in progress. The byline read "Jaime White designs out of business?" A stunning young woman with a punky pixie cut was getting ready to respond to the host's question. "It's been a tough few seasons in ready-to-wear," she was saying. "More competition from Europe is on the U.S. market than ever before. Lots of the mainstream retailers are bringing in new voices in fashion, and they can draw on low-cost suppliers we can't—or won't—go to."

Ava and I had worshipped Jaime White since we were in high school. Jaime was the youngest of five children and grew up in a blue collar Wisconsin family. It was about as far from fashion pedigree as you could get. Still, she'd followed her passion and made smart decisions along the way. Jaime was a huge inspiration and one of the people who first affirmed I might actually make something of this dream.

At twenty-nine, she had a line of boutiques across the U.S. and A-listers everywhere wore her designs.

I'd had the chance to meet Jaime in New York this summer at one of our magazine parties at the Met. I had approached her thanks to some liquid courage, and we'd exchanged a few emails when I had questions about the business side of things.

"What does this mean for your stores?" the host was asking.

"Ava," I called. "Come watch."

"Unfortunately," Jaime was responding, "we are going to be closing a number of locations in the south and mid-west. We'll still be coming out with new lines for next season, but it's a tough environment."

"What advice would you give to new designers?"

"Honestly? I worry about trying to enter the market right now. It's more competitive than ever. Margins in ready-to-wear are tighter and it's truly a global market."