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As she listened, Nadine’s heart swelled with admiration. Cassandra had always had passion and drive, but this was something different. This idea brought out a sense of purpose in her partner that Nadine found truly inspiring. “It’s amazing that you’ve already started thinking about how this could work,” Nadine said softly. “It’s a really big commitment, though. Are you ready for that?”

Cassandra took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling. “I’m ready to try. And I think we can do it together. It won’t be easy, but what good thing ever is?”

Nadine smiled, feeling warmth spread through her. “You know you don’t have to do this to make my parents or me happy, right?”

“I know,” Cassandra replied, stepping closer. “But I couldn’t do any of this without you.”

They locked eyes, and Nadine saw the determination and hope shining in Cassandra’s gaze. It filled her with joy. Without thinking, she leaned in, and their lips met in a gentle kiss.

Cassandra pulled back slightly, her face lighting up with a mixture of excitement and sweetness. “I just feel so alive right now…like we could change the world if we wanted to!”

Nadine laughed softly. “Maybe we can start with just a few lives, one step at a time.”

“Exactly.” Cassandra grinned, her energy infectious. “What’s crazy about this isn’t even really the technical side of things…or how unnecessary some more conservative people may think this is. I really do feel for people who are like us and love fashion. The barriers to entry in this industry are unfair. I really feel like this could give more meaning to what we do. Your mom and ourfriends all lead me to this idea, and it feels like it’s meant to be…just like you and me.”

They wrapped their arms around each other, sharing another kiss filled with promise. In that moment, the quiet chaos of the late-night work faded into the background. It was just the two of them, standing together with dreams taking flight.

As they held each other, Nadine felt the weight of the world lift a little. The excitement of the unknown spread through her veins like electricity. They both knew that this was just the beginning of something bigger than themselves, and it thrilled her to think about how many lives they could impact by working together.

With hearts full of hope and a shared dream ahead of them, Nadine and Cassandra found comfort in each other’s embrace. Everything felt possible, and they knew they would stop at nothing to support each other in living fulfilling lives full of love and hope.