FRIENDSB4FALL

Kandi is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. She's kind, cheerful, and always has a warm smile on her face. She loves spending time with her friends—especially Yuki, Jacob, Damien, and Maymay—and everyone sees her as the picture-perfect girl. She's beautiful, friendly, caring, and always seems to brighten the room wherever she goes.

Kandi has known Damien longer than Yuki has, and over the years, her friendship with him slowly turned into something much deeper. She's completely in love with him and desperately hopes he'll someday feel the same way.

Wanting Damien's attention has made Kandi incredibly insecure. She often exaggerates small problems or acts extra cute and innocent just to get him to notice her. Sometimes she even pretends to be more helpless than she really is, hoping he'll step in to help her. More than anything, she just wants to feel special to him.

When Damien begins spending more time with Yuki—especially tutoring her after school—Kandi can't help but feel jealous. She wishes she could have those quiet moments with him too. Every laugh they share and every conversation they have feels like another reminder that she's losing the place she thought she had in his life.

Although Kandi is always polite and friendly toward Yuki, she secretly resents her. She constantly asks Yuki questions about Damien, tries to insert herself into their conversations, and finds excuses to spend time around him. To everyone else, it looks like harmless curiosity, but deep down, it's fueled by jealousy and the fear of being replaced.

Despite how deeply she loves Damien, he has never seen her the way she hopes he will. To him, Kandi is a close friend—someone he cares about, but not someone he loves romantically. For Kandi, accepting that may be the hardest lesson she'll ever have to learn.

Maple is a sweet background character who always tries to cheer people up. She makes funny jokes and she's very silly, bringing smiles wherever she goes. She's the type of person who can make even the most awkward situations feel less stressful with her goofy sense of humor. Although she isn't always the center of attention, she's someone everyone enjoys having around because of her kind heart and positive energy.

Maple loves making handmade gifts, decorating for holidays, and organizing fun activities for her friends. She notices when someone is feeling left out or upset and does her best to include them, whether that's by telling a terrible pun, sharing a snack, or simply sitting beside them. While she can be a little clumsy and absent-minded, her genuine kindness makes it impossible to stay upset with her for long.

Valeria looks calm and polite, but there's something off about how intensely she focuses on Damien. She remembers tiny details no one else notices—what he ordered for lunch three weeks ago, which seat he prefers in class, the exact time he usually walks home. She insists it's because she's "good at paying attention," but everyone else finds it a little strange.

She's always nearby in the background: appearing at the library when Damien studies, volunteering for group projects he's in, and somehow ending up at the same events. If he ignores a text, she sends another "just checking on you :)" a few minutes later. When someone talks to him for too long, her smile tightens and she quietly inserts herself into the conversation.

Kylie is a rebellious thrill-seeker who lives for late-night parties, loud music, and breaking the rules. She loves the excitement of sneaking out, drinking at parties, and doing anything that gives her an adrenaline rush. She doesn't care what other people think of her and refuses to let anyone tell her how to live her life.

Kylie is often seen hanging around Zach, whether they're causing trouble together or just joking around. The two have a chaotic friendship, constantly teasing each other and encouraging one another's reckless ideas. Although she acts carefree and fearless, she's surprisingly loyal to the people she considers friends and won't hesitate to stand up for them.

Nick is the kind of guy who somehow manages to be both hilarious and unbelievably annoying. He has absolutely no filter and says whatever pops into his head, even if it makes everyone stare at him in complete silence. He's loud, impulsive, and has a talent for showing up at the worst possible time. Whether he's making terrible puns, barking at random dogs, or pretending to dramatically trip down the hallway for attention, there's never a dull moment when he's around.

Nick thinks he's smooth with girls... but he couldn't be further from it. His flirting is painfully awkward, filled with cheesy pickup lines, random compliments, and weird attempts to impress people that almost always backfire. He'll confidently say something like, "Are you a microwave? 'Cause you make my heart go mmmmm," before immediately realizing how ridiculous it sounded. Somehow, despite constantly embarrassing himself, he never gives up.

Zander is the kind of guy people naturally gravitate toward—calm, soft-spoken, and dependable without ever trying too hard to be noticed. As Maymay’s older brother, he has a quiet protective streak, but he doesn’t make a big deal out of it. He just pays attention, steps in when it matters, and keeps things steady when everyone else is chaotic.

Around most people, he’s easygoing and kind. He listens more than he talks, gives grounded advice, and has a warm presence that makes people feel comfortable around him. With Kandi, that softness shows a little more—he gets slightly more awkward, a bit gentler, and it’s obvious he has a soft spot for her even if he tries to act normal about it.

But when Damien is around, everything shifts. His patience drops, his tone gets sharper, and that calm personality turns guarded in an instant. He doesn’t hide the fact that he doesn’t trust Damien, and he doesn’t try to be polite about it either. Whatever history or tension is there, it turns him into someone who’s always watching, always wary, and ready to shut things down the second he feels like something’s off.

Caleb is the kind of guy who walks through school like he owns it. Loud, confident, and always surrounded by people who either laugh at his jokes or stay quiet to avoid becoming the next target. He has a sharp tongue and zero filter, and he uses both like weapons.

He picks on Yuki the most—mocking her voice, twisting her words, and turning even small moments into something embarrassing just to get a reaction. To him, it’s all “just jokes,” but it’s really about making people feel small so he can feel bigger.

Caleb genuinely believes he’s better than everyone around him. Smarter, cooler, more important—at least in his own mind. He doesn’t care much about how people feel, and if someone calls him out, he just doubles down or laughs it off like it doesn’t matter.

Send 1–3 of your best animations. They can be short, but make sure they clearly show your skill (movement, emotion, timing, etc.).

Show 1-3 of your best artworks!