Page 85

She elbowed him in the stomach. ‘Stop. I’m trying not to get my hopes up. I’ve already practised my loser’s clap.’

‘And without further ado, the winning piece,’ said Delia with a grand flourish. ‘This year’s top potter challenged us to remember why we created this competition in the first place,and, really, what it means to be an artist. Their work told a story, with their passion shining through every element and technique. Not only does their display catch your eye immediately, but it also conveys a vulnerability few of us are comfortable expressing. So, congratulations to Juniper Hodgson for your piece, titledRebuilt. Please could you come up to the stage?’

From the back of the room, Aiden heard Tilly squeal in delight. He whirled around to congratulate her, overcome with pride, only to find her clapping with the rest of the crowd as though she hadn’t heard her name at all.

‘Juni… That’s you.’

Her feigned smile dropped, applause slowing. ‘Oh my god, thatisme!’

She leaped into Aiden’s arms, leaving them both stumbling, but he didn’t care a bit. ‘You did it, sweetheart,’ he murmured in her ear. ‘And guess what? I told you so.’

A mixture of a sob and a laugh fell from her, and then he was urging her up onto the stage to shake hands with the judges, where her pottery was in the process of being moved for everyone to see. She was handed a glossy ceramic plate that named her as the 2025 National Ceramics Contest winner and then was invited to say a few words.

Juniper stepped up to the microphone looking daunted, but her eyes met Aiden’s across the sea of potters, and he saw relief take over, along with something else. Something that made him feel full, safe, home, for the first time in his life.

‘Well, I really didn’t ever think this would happen,’ she admitted. ‘Like, really. Just two months ago, I broke a teapot by pouring hot chocolate into the pit-fire.’

More laughter, his included.

‘I entered this competition as a last resort. My college tuition bursary was suspended, and I needed money. Sorry if you’re not supposed to admit that.’ She looked down at the trophy plate in her hands, frowning. ‘I’m not the most talented potter in the universe. Definitely not even in this room. But I started this journey because moulding clay made me feel like I was at home. I don’t have control over many things, but I had control over what I could create. Eventually, at least. Throwing took a bit of patience. Anyway, I was going somewhere with this…’ She rubbed her temple, and he tried to push slightly closer to the stage to let her know he was still here. ‘I feel like I’m at the Oscars. I didn’t plan a blooming speech.’

Finally, she looked up from her feet, this time her attention on the crowd. ‘I suppose mostly, I just want to thank you all. Like my pieces, I was a little bit broken, but this has made me realise that it doesn’t have to be permanent. That I can feel broken and still achieve the things I’ve always hoped to achieve. And I couldn’t have realised that without the love that pottery has given me, not just for the craft, but for the people I’ve met. Aiden, Tilly, Luc… Even you, Chris. Not that I love you – sorry – but youhavehelped me along the way.’

‘Erm, thanks,’ Chris muttered somewhere nearby.

‘Oh, and you, Coco!’ She pointed to the other corner of the room, where Coco still manned her stall. ‘Thanks to you, to all of you, I think I know what kind of artist I want to be.Because art doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to mean something true.’ She began to well up, which meant that Aiden did, too. ‘And this means the world to me.’

After a round of applause and more encouraging words from Delia, the ceremony came to an end. Aiden waited with open arms as Juniper stepped offstage and returned to him, award in hand. Instead of hugging him, she handed him the plate, panicked. ‘I’m too clumsy to be responsible for this. Please, take it.’

‘I’m so proud of you, babe!’ Tilly said as she skipped over. ‘And that speech was lovely. A bit unorganised, but lovely. Just like you.’

Juniper exclaimed, ‘I still can’t believe it. I won!’

‘You won!’ Luc agreed. ‘And that means you can stay at RACA!’

‘Oh, yeah!’ Her smile wavered, especially when Chris returned to their group. ‘Erm, yeah.’

‘Well, don’t sound too ecstatic,’ Chris said.

‘It’s just that this has been a lot. Studying, working, living in a box-sized dorm.’ She chewed on her lip. ‘And RACA did something that was actually really unfair to me. To us.’ She squeezed Luc’s shoulder. ‘I’ve learned a lot, and I’m grateful for that, but I’m… I’m not a student. Or, at least, I’m not RACA’s definition of a student. If they can’t provide stability for me after promising it, I don’t think I can keep pushing myself to exhaustion just to make it work. That twelve-grand cash prize will cover the rest of this year, but then what? It’ll just be the same problem, over and over, and I’m tired. It’s sucking the love I had for art away, and that’s scarier than being broke.’

Panic twinged through Aiden. ‘So, what are you saying? You’re going back to Manchester?’

As much as he wanted her to pursue whatever path felt right, the idea of not having her here was like a black hole stretching out in front of him.

But then she shook her head, and he relaxed. ‘No. I don’t think I belong there either, not right now. Before this, my goal was just to get my art into people’s hands. Sell my earrings and whatnot. It didn’t seem grand enough, but now it feels calm and right, something I’m able to handle. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to force myself to be like everyone else, and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to study, but I’mnotlike everyone else. Things are so hard sometimes. I’m ready to work at my own pace, to my own needs, instead of everyone else’s.’

She stepped towards Aiden, grazing his jaw gently. ‘I’m staying in London, but not for RACA. For us. And for me. To figure out how to be an artist in a way that works for me.’

‘Whatever you choose, I’m here,’ he replied, meaning every word of it. Whether she was on his path or a completely different one, he had faith they would always meet somewhere in the middle. She had his heart, and they’d figure the rest out. More than anyone else, she deserved to be happy.

‘Well, I can’t pretend like I won’t miss you, Jupiter.’ Chris winked, but his mouth was pressed into a solemn line. ‘With this award under your belt, you never know what opportunity might be around the corner. I have every faith you’re going to be just fine.’

‘Thank you, Chris. You really have taught me a lot, but I’m ready to learn in different ways now.’

Tilly pouted. ‘So, we won’t be dorm buddies anymore?’

‘I mean, who knows? I could waste my prize fund on clothes and be homeless in a month.’ She sighed, and for once, it was serene instead of panicked. Aiden hoped to hear it more often, especially when she leaned against him to look at her friends. Her family. ‘But I don’t think that’ll happen. You guys showed me what I need to be happy, and I think I’m ready to stop fighting it now.’