Bonjour Girl

by Isabelle Laflèche

  “What’s your name, sweetie?”

  “Alicia.”

  “You’re in luck, Alicia. We have a professional photographer right here.”

  She sits beside me at the pink table and we make goofy faces while Jonathan takes pictures of us with different Instagram filters. I can tell this has made her day, but the truth is she’s made mine.

  “I’m really happy you came over to introduce yourself, Alicia. You just made my day. Stay in touch, okay? And thanks for reading Bonjour Girl.”

  After she walks away, it occurs to me that being in the public eye comes with certain responsibilities, including being true to your own values. If I’m going to inspire a generation of young women, I need to act like a role model. This confirms I did the right thing about Stella.

  Jonathan leans in to kiss me. “Here’s to dating the most inspirational woman in New York,” he says. “How lucky am I?”

  I kiss him back softly and it hits me that I don’t need to be seen at trendy places or fashion shows to boost my self-worth. I have all the loving attention I need right here. And, most importantly, inside myself.

  “If I’m inspirational, what are you, then?” I respond, reaching for that hair.

  Unfortunately, the buzzing of my phone interrupts us.

  It’s a text from Jake. I take a deep breath before reading it. I just pray he’s finally got good news. That would be another breath of fresh air. And I can’t get enough of that.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  OMG. Just got call from dean’s office. CALL ME!

  I feel a tight knot in the pit of my stomach. I move my coffee and toast out of the way, put my elbows on the table, and dial Jake’s number.

  “Hi, what’s up?” I ask, sitting on the edge of my seat. I tremble slightly. Jonathan watches me silently.

  “You’re not going to believe this, Clem, but she confessed! Stella confessed to everything! Including stealing my collection. Apparently she read about Brian Kim in a fashion magazine when she was thinking of transferring out of law school. She broke into the records the first week of class in her first year at Parsons to get all the details of his collection and how he produced it. Crazy!”

  Phew. I let out a loud sigh of relief. It worked. Jake sounds elated.

  “I’m so happy it wasn’t destroyed. Where it is?”

  “It’s in some dingy warehouse near Canal Street where Stella stores some of her fancy schmancy patches. I’m in a cab with Ellie and we’re on our way there now.”

  I whisper the news to Jonathan and he looks relieved, too.

  His shoulders soften and he smiles. His warm chestnut eyes look into mine, making me melt. I wish we could stay here alone a bit longer but I need to be there for Jake. I just do.

  “I’m in Chinatown with Jonathan. How about I meet you there? What’s the address?”

  “5900 Canal. Eighth floor. I just asked our cab driver to step on it — my future awaits!”

  “Okay, I’ll be there in fifteen.” I just hope there won’t be any unpleasant surprises when we get there.

  I put down my phone and ask Jonathan whether he wants to join me. It’s for a good cause. We can always celebrate, just the two of us, later. Right now, I want to be there for my friend the way he’s been there for me.

  “Of course I’ll join you. You know you can count on me for stuff like this.” He stands up first and throws on his jean jacket.

  That’s music to my ears. I extend my hand as we walk out of the café and onto the busy sidewalk, on our way to my BFF’s moment of glory.

  Jonathan and I get there before Jake and Ellie. Thankfully, the security guard downstairs knows to let us in. We walk up the eight floors in silence. Once we’ve made it to the designated room number, Jonathan pushes the metal door open with his foot.

  We enter the huge space and the floors creak under our feet, reminding me of the storage space Ellie uses for her collection, minus the attractive details, feminine charm, and sophistication. It doesn’t matter; we’re here to rescue Jake’s stuff, not to showcase it.

  I walk around and take in the contents of this rundown storage space: there are racks and racks of garment bags, plastic containers, and lots and lots of dust. I sneeze as we walk by a large wooden table covered with a huge white plastic cover.

  I stare at it for a few seconds before Jonathan pulls the cover off the table. Underneath, we find piles of colourful fashion decals. Not the original versions made by the Korean designer, of course; these are Stella’s copies. I see now that they’re far from being the real deal. These decals look sad to me, pathetic even.

  The floor creaks behind us and I shriek.

  “BONJOUR, Bonjour Girl! C’est moi! ” Jake moves in for a hug. Ellie remains two steps behind. I walk over to Ellie and give her a peck on the cheek. She nods and smiles. All is forgotten and forgiven. We’re all on the same team now.

  I can tell by the grateful look in her eyes that my friendly gesture brings comfort. Just like the rest of us, she’s been carrying a heavy burden.

  “Okay, friends, I wanna find my stuff. LET’S DO THIS!” Jake says, rubbing his hands together. He walks past Stella’s patch collection with a look of disgust. “Ew, gross. I hope my clothes were stored with better care than those revolting things.”

  Jonathan walks into an adjacent room and Jake is quick to follow him. I stand in the doorway, watching them inspect every nook and cranny. Finally, Jake opens a nondescript closet door at the far end.

  “HALLELUJAH!” he shouts. All of his precious garments, fabrics, and supplies come falling out on his head. “It’s a frickin’ miracle!”

  Ellie and I gleefully watch Jake and Jonathan pick up his pieces and put them in protective plastic bags. We hug, because we know that in the end, hard work, talent, and honesty prevailed.

  I’m about to kneel down and help them when my phone makes a pinging sound.

  There it is. The text comes as no big surprise. I’ve been expecting it all day. I already know who it is. I try to remain calm and stoic and strong as titanium. To mentally prepare, I play Destiny’s Child’s hit song “Survivor” in the back of my mind, with Beyoncé belting out the chorus.

  Bien joué Clementine. You found a way to bring me down. I guess you’re not just a pretty face. You better watch your back though, I’ll find a way to get back at ya Bonjour Girl.

  Why can’t Stella just drop it? This woman’s audacity and spite are beyond belief. Should I make a big deal out of this and ruin Jake’s special moment? Stella would like that, I’m sure. But I decide not to let Stella’s message get under my skin. I try to see it for what it is: a pathetic attempt to get attention by someone who’s clearly hurting inside. A lot. She’s already cut me to the bone. I’m not letting her go any further. I’ve had more than enough.

  I delete the message. Jonathan comes over and kisses me tenderly on the side of the head.

  “We need to protect these fine things if they’re going to win the big Parsons competition at the end of the year, right?” I say, and Jake turns around and grins. My heart nearly bursts at seeing my friend so happy.

  I must admit that I’m pretty happy, too.

  “Who says we have to wait that long?” Ellie blurts out, putting her hands on her hips defiantly. She seems to be back to her sassy, bold, confident self.

  We all give her a puzzled look.

  “Whaddya mean, sugar?” asks Jake.

  Ellie blushes. “I may have entered your collection in another competition.”

  “You did what?”

  “I won’t say which one. Not until we hear back.”

  “We?” Jake asks, raising an eyebrow. “I guess we’re on the same team now, are we?”

  “You bet. And I couldn’t have dreamed of better teammates,” Ellie says. And this time, I know she really means it.

  Chapter Forty-Five


  Tonight is turning out to be perfect in more ways than one. James and Jonathan are over at Maddie’s. We’re having a casual dinner, just the four of us. I must admit that it feels weird to have the Parsons dean over for dinner, but I like it since Maddie hasn’t stopping smiling since he showed up with a bottle of champagne and a bouquet of pink roses. I’m just thrilled to see her so happy.

  We’re celebrating Maddie and James coming out of the closet with their relationship. They told the school faculty they were dating and, other than a few raised eyebrows, all went well.

  Maddie made her delicious vegan pad thai and I helped her make dessert. I’m half French so pastry runs in my blood.

  “More wine?” James asks Jonathan.

  “Absolutely, it’s a great pick. Where’s it from?” Jonathan asks.

  “Italy,” James says. “I visited the vineyard while travelling for work last year. I was there to develop a liaison with the Istituto Marangoni in Milan. We’ll be launching an exchange program with them as well as with several schools around the globe, including one in Shanghai.” He takes a long, deliberate sip of wine. He and Maddie exchange furtive glances.

  I wonder what that’s about? I hope Maddie isn’t going to tell us that she’s moving to Milan or Shanghai. My head begins to spin at the thought of it. Although I’ve made friends in New York and have a boyfriend I adore, Maddie is my rock. I can’t lose her right now, especially after what I’ve been through with Stella and my mom.

  I stare at her quizzically and gently kick her foot under the table. She sees the look on my face and pokes James’s shoulder.

  I worry it might bad news.

  “What’s going on? Don’t tell me it’s about Stella?” I say, my heart rate going up. I don’t think I can handle any more surprises or heartache.

  “No. She’s gone,” James says quietly.

  “That’s a relief,” Jonathan says. “Did you find out what was up with her? Why she was such bully and a thief?”

  James twirls his glass of wine pensively. I can tell he’s hesitant to tell us about it. “Normally I wouldn’t reveal personal student information but given Stella is no longer with us, I can tell you this: she flunked all her first-year law school exams because of family problems. Her parents were having financial difficulties. So she decided to switch to fashion school after receiving a grant from a local non-profit that supported her work.”

  “I guess she was desperate to make money quickly,” Maddie chimes in, “so she launched her decal business and, as they say, the rest is history. I think she turned on you because she found out about your scholarship. She was jealous of your ideas and became envious and bitter because of her circumstances.”

  Despite everything Stella put me through, I can’t help but feel sad for her. I guess we don’t choose our family dramas — they somehow choose us. It’s too bad Stella channelled her pain by hurting others rather than focusing on her own creative projects. I would gladly have interviewed her on my blog had she chosen to focus on an original concept instead of stealing one.

  “Thanks for telling me. You can count on my discretion. It really helps to understand what happened. I’m ready to move on.”

  “Yes, it’s time to move on, indeed.” Jonathan lifts his glass.

  “So, what are you two hiding from us?” I ask. I’m dying to know.

  “We thought we’d bring it up over dessert but I guess now is probably just as good a time,” Maddie says, beaming. Are these two getting married? So soon?

  James clears his throat. “Clementine, given your talent and the popularity of your website, Maddie and I thought you’d be a great fit for the new exchange program in Shanghai. We’re sending a dozen of our students there to spend a semester developing their skills. In your case, it would be journalism and technology. You could even cover fashion events and make that one of your key projects for next year.”

  “Shanghai?” This is a major surprise. But I can’t help but wonder if my father has anything to do with this. He’s been trying to get me to go back to China to study for years.

  Although my father is from Beijing, I haven’t spent much time in China. But I know the fashion industry is buzzing with tons of new players and retailers. I’ve been keeping an eye on the Chinese fashion scene through blogs and Chinese web platforms.

  My dad has been feeding me articles about Angelica Cheung, the founding editor-in-chief of Vogue China, who managed to convince Condé Nast to launch the magazine years ago. She’s considered a publishing powerhouse and commands respect and authority for sending the magazine’s readership numbers into the stratosphere. Millions of Chinese women slavishly read the magazine. Cheung has said that her goal is to inspire Chinese women and make them independent, strong, courageous, positive, and loving. I also adhere to these values. It’s too bad one of my classmates did not.

  “Yes, there’s so much happening there right now. Parsons is partnering with Condé Nast as it expands into the world of education. Together, we plan to offer courses on a range of topics that play a crucial role in China’s fashion industry. In addition to classes about photography, styling, marketing, and fashion design, there will be courses about China’s digital fashion world.”

  It does sound pretty awesome. I can’t believe my ears.

  “It would be perfect for you,” Maddie chimes in.

  “You’d be right at the forefront of emerging fashion on the local and international scene. There’s tons of talent over there; it’s just a question of continuous support and time. And you’d be part of it all,” James continues.

  Wow. I sit back in my chair and try to take it all in. I wasn’t expecting this, especially not now, when I’m finally settling in at Parsons and in New York. And what about Jonathan? A semester abroad would mean a long-distance relationship, which I know can be challenging. I turn to him. He smiles back and grabs hold of my hand.

  “This sounds like a terrific opportunity, Clementine. Don’t worry, I’ll come and visit. I have clients in Asia. And it’s only for a semester.”

  I close my eyes and imagine what Jake would say if he were here at the table. GIRL, ARE YOU FOR REAL? Are you hesitating to take up this amazing opportunity because of some dude? You know you want it. SO JUST DO IT!

  I burst out laughing while everyone at the table just stares.

  “I was just thinking how ridiculous it would be to turn down such an amazing offer.”

  Jonathan nods approvingly and kisses my hand.

  “Count me in,” I say, clapping my hands. “And thank you, James, for thinking of me. I promise to make you and Parsons proud.” Jonathan puts his hand on my knee and kisses me softly.

  Despite some setbacks, now more than ever, I’m convinced that coming to New York and attending Parsons was the best decision I ever made.

  “So, I guess you no longer have any doubts about me,” I say to Maddie.

  “None whatsoever. The only doubt I really had was whether you had the maturity to survive in the crazy New York jungle, and you’ve proven that you’ve got it, hands down.”

  I smile gratefully in response.

  Here’s my two cents’ worth: when you step into who you truly are and pursue your life purpose with passion, it’s amazing how the universe opens its doors and sends you gifts. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the gift that I’ve just been offered. I vow not to disappoint those who are offering it to me.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  “Now this is what I call class,” Jake says, lifting his glass of champagne and looking terribly chic in his nifty tuxedo. We’re at the Parsons Fashion School semi-annual gala, where students are rewarded for their exceptional work and contribution to the school’s visibility and reputation this semester. It’s also the last school event before the holidays.

  Jake sits next to Ellie, who, for a change, is not dressed in dark colours, but a dazzling white column dress.
Her hair is swept up on the non-shaved side with a crystal-encrusted hair clip and her eyes are made up with a smoky grey and silver palette. She’s dropped the goth look in favour of grace and elegance, and she looks like a Hollywood starlet from the 1940s. Jake also invited his blogger friend Adelina, who showed up wearing one of Jake’s blue and white creations and a navy-blue fedora. Not only is she stunning, she’s hilarious, too. She’s been cracking jokes non-stop since she showed up at the cocktail party earlier. I have a feeling we’re in for some major laughs tonight.

  The three of them are seated across from Jonathan and me. I’m wearing a cream-coloured chiffon dress made by Ellie and accessorized with a clementine-coloured shawl that Jake made me for the occasion. I also had my nails done with tiny pearls and a light-pink polish that matches my look perfectly. I decided to go for minimal makeup and hair, preferring to let Ellie’s dress shine.

  Jonathan looks amazing in his sharp black suit, the one he wears for important client meetings. He’s also wearing a crisp white shirt and this delicious cologne he brought back from France. I smile inwardly. He looks so handsome — I’m really lucky to have met him. I’m just happy to be with a man who supports my work and smells this good.

  Maddie and James are here, too, sitting at the head table with tonight’s guest of honour, Vogue magazine’s Anna Windsome. That’s one of the reasons I love studying at Parsons: the glam factor can’t be beat.

  In her book, Why Fashion Matters, London College of Fashion professor Frances Corner asks the question: When the online world offers so much in terms of visibility and information, why are students leaving their homes in increasing numbers to study at institutions such as Parsons? Her answer: to develop skills and foster a sense of community.

  A sense of community is what I’ve found by coming to New York and that’s what we’re celebrating here tonight.

  “Cheers to you, my friend, and congrats on your nomination. It’s well deserved!” Jonathan says, clinking his glass against Jake’s.