Despite these inhibitions.

These misunderstandings.

Would you still believe in us?

Monday

(3:39 p.m.)

They hurriedly ran. Passing by the classrooms in haste with Jennie dragging along her best friend whose lethargic expression ceases from ever absconding. She gave Jisoo a sharp look but the president was still withdrawn from their situation.

They were already late for their last class but Jisoo was still lax about it, failing to bear in mind that she’s the Student Council President and not some delinquent who would skip classes just because she doesn’t “feel” on ever attending their classes anymore.

“Why are you so slow at changing?!” Jennie gritted through her teeth, tightening her hold at the president’s wrist as Jisoo was starting to wear them down with her listless pace.

Jisoo responded by merely turning her head with an indolent tilt.

“I wish I was just a plant.”

“What is wrong with you?!” Jennie hollered in frustration, tugging the president once more to rouse her from her brooding.

“I didn’t choose this. I didn’t choose her.” Jisoo confided in a mumble.

Jennie could only glare at her best friend. Completely clueless on what the president was saying and irked that her thoughts were nowhere near the fact that they would get an earful of nagging from their teacher because of their tardiness.

She pushes the glass door of the gymnasium and releases a relieved sigh once she’s heard the emphatic whistle from their teacher, indicating they were just on time for their class. They’ve both ducked their heads and tries to avoid their teacher’s line of sight as they were the last ones to arrive.

The class gathered around to the center part of the of the gym while Minzy stood at the front. She soon started addressing their names for the attendance whilst students raises a hand, one by one, once their name was called.

Nodding after calling the last name, Minzy blew her whistle to drew their attention.

“I want you to find a partner. I’ll be teaching you different dances.” Minzy announced. “I won’t give a Final examination anymore. I just want you to pick and master any individual dance that I will show and execute waltz with your partner.” 

Jennie turns to Jisoo, about to ask her, but the president uttered with a sudden austerity.

“June will be my partner.”

Hearing her classmate’s name, Jennie finally realized her best friend’s earlier stunt of indifference. She promptly held Jisoo’s hand before the president could trudge to where June is.

“Please don’t kill him.”

Jisoo just gave her a small smile.

“I’ll try?”

Her best friend then darted towards June’s direction.

Jennie warily perched to where the president was heading, silently hoping that Jisoo wouldn’t do anything that will worsen her dilemma. It would certainly cause a ruckus when their Student Council President herself would accidentally hurt one of the students whom she’s responsible of leading and instilling the rules that their principal would repeatedly averred at them.

“I forgot.” Minzy addressed to them again. “Except for the two of you. Jennie and Lisa. The two of you will be partners.”

The announcement only caused Jennie to be astounded still in her place. Her face blanching instantaneously, staring in a barren at her classmates who were now hurriedly choosing their own partners.

No…way.

She immediately approached her teacher. Contending to herself that there’s no way she’s going to be partnered up with Lisa.

Anyone but her.

“Mam. Why – ”

Her teacher impeded her by raising a hand. Minzy firmly looked at her and explained simply.

“I don’t want to have broken ankles or bones or anything similar to that in my class, Jennie.”

With that, Minzy left her and prompted to the class.

“Once you find your partner, help each other out with the warm-ups. We’ll start after 15 minutes.”

Jennie tightly shut her eyes. Echoing to herself that this was just a dream that she’ll soon wake up from.

It’s not happening to her.

She knows that she’s running away again, but this time…

She won’t be able to escape.

After what happened, their morning classes prances by with both of them staring undeviatingly upfront. Neither of them – or maybe it’s simply her – couldn’t even cross a sideway glance.

It was all the same.

Them not talking despite being seatmates. But it led her adrift, reflecting on what came over her to yank Lisa when she confronted her.

She’s known for her self-control but she was once again caught by her torrent of emotions by Lisa’s actions, revealing a side of her that she’s afraid of.

An enraged and vengeful mask of hers that stirs a trauma from her past.

She finally opens her eyes but it only unveils that her wish of it being a simple dream was readily scurrying away.

She felt herself swallow a lump at as she saw Lisa approaches her.

Though as much as she willfully tries to elude her look, Jennie can’t help but ogle at Lisa when she realizes that the blonde was exhibiting a new hairstyle.

Her hair was now tied up in a high ponytail with her blonde locks complimenting the view of the pale column of her neck it paved into. Jennie opts to sever her look, attempting to restrict herself as she could feel heat crawling up to her neck, but her eyes only glided downwards. Her gaze seemingly to be enthralled at Lisa’s collarbone at which she suddenly wants to trail her finger with.

All her early suppression dissipated when all that seems to matters right now is her transfixion at Lisa who’s drawing close to her with a glazed yet sensuous look.

Jennie stares back at her, unconsciously her lips as Lisa halts in front her. Their breaths mingling with her lips only inches away on pressing onto the bare skin that she badly wants to touch.

Jennie lingered her gaze despite the blush that was now waddling up her face while Lisa smiled at her in feigned innocence.

Lisa held her hand and grazes a touch against her palm, cutely tilting her head to the side despite her eyes heaving a look that Jennie could only surmise as a longing fervor.

“Warm-up?”

Jennie whirled her head to the side and agilely withdrew from Lisa’s hold, flushed by their skin contact and too embarrassed to retain her look from those black eyes. She nodded as a response and distanced herself from Lisa.

She’d already anticipated that Lisa would be cold or just be in a normal state of disregarding her like she’s used to, but Jennie would perpetually be in transgression with anything involving Lisa. Her assumption of Lisa’s reaction was now of complete opposition because Lisa appeared to be more elated and lively than ever.

“Follow me.” Lisa beamed a smile at her. Jennie could only nod meekly, too baffled on what’s happening around them anymore.

Lisa brought her hands together and with both of her thumbs, she tilted her head upwards. Jennie followed her cue and started their warm-up routine with Lisa expertly leading them into different positions. Jennie tries not to dwindle her look any longer at Lisa, glancing once in a while to know the next position. Yet, when Lisa’s shirt suddenly hiked up to show her toned stomach with her torso bended to the side…

Jennie ceased from their warm-up and decided to blatantly stare at the sight.

“Like what you see?” Lisa winked at her with that devious smile.

Jennie whipped her head in an instant.

She sat against the floor whilst extending both of her legs upfront and tries to reign over her pounding heart and the heat that was now spreading to her face.

Jennie proceeds into another routine and didn’t wait for Lisa whom, she can only guess, was entertained that she was caught on checking out the blonde's body.  

Jennie raises both of her arms upwards and bended her body forward as to touch her toes.

Only…to come up short.

“Pffft – ”

She hears a snort and immediately glowers at Lisa, covering her silenced laughter with a hand. Failing miserably as Jennie could clearly see how Lisa’s shoulders were shaking uncontrollably from amusement.

“What?”  Jennie dared her to speak.

Lisa bit her lower lip and veered her head down as to cease from her laugh. After a few seconds, Lisa finally looks up and approaches her back, kneeling.

Jennie felt Lisa’s hands against her shoulders, kneading it softly as she whispers into her ear. 

“Here. Let me.”

Lisa regress her touch from Jennie’s shoulders and trails it into her back, languidly caressing it as Jennie could feel it torch her now ablaze skin.

Jennie could feel the blood pumping into her cheeks as she unwaveringly granted Lisa’s intrusion. She nimbly bended, trying to hide her arousal and suppresses herself on releasing a moan. But Lisa…

Lisa just needs to circle her thumb, tracing patterns at her back as she slowly her down from her waist…up to her spine.

Jennie doesn’t know if Lisa was doing it on purpose but she felt her heart thundering rambunctiously at her ribcage. She tightly shut her eyes and didn’t mind if she drew blood at how hard she’s biting onto her lower lip.

“There...” Lisa breathes next to her ear. Her voice seeping of pure seduction. “You reached it.”

Jennie opens her eyes and nodded slowly.

Lisa’s right.

Because indeed.

Her fingers…finally reached her toes.

An hour has already passed but Jennie could already infer that her body would be numb the next day despite them having a warm-up. She lifted the collar of her shirt as to swipe the beads of sweat that broke out due to the unending steps and routine that they must follow.

Jennie realizes that the rumors about their teacher, Minzy, being a prodigy in dance was particularly a fact.

Her skills of dancing were proven the second the music started its cue, demonstrating to them the different dances that they must choose from for their finals.

Nevertheless, Minzy must have taken them as idols instead of students because she was storming through the steps with such urgency that Jennie could only muster a single step from each of the dances.

“And that’s one of the b-boy move of Hip Hop. It’s also called breaking or break dancing.” Minzy blew her whistle. “Now, go get your partners. I’ll teach you waltz. This will be the last dance that I’ll demonstrate so please use the remaining time to practice with your partners.”

Jennie places her hands into her knees and panted heavily. Trying to catch her breath from all the range of steps she’d just executed, professing that there’s no way that someone could have recall all those steps that Minzy had given them.

She steered her head to the side and beheld Lisa’s figure, and unlike her who’s already drained and beaten from the dances, Lisa looked like she was enjoying each second of it.

Her face seemingly to glow in a quiet exuberance despite her damp look.

Jennie reclined her look and could also distinguish a pleased smile that lit up her face.

Don’t tell me…she’d memorized all those steps.

Lisa turns to her.

“I did.”

“What?”

“I…m-memorized it all.” Lisa answered her, somewhat shyly.

Jennie silently chastised herself from blurting out her thoughts before nodding excessively.

“I see. T-that’s g-good.”

Their teacher’s loud call drew them both from their conversation. And much to Jennie’s pleasure, it was all welcomed as she was saved from further embarrassment. They both turned away, almost in synchrony, and faces their teacher who’s now instructing the initial position of the dance.

It was awkward.

Dancing with a partner.

No.

Dancing with Lisa.

Jennie strenuously stiffens to where she stands. Her body warily abiding the thought of being near the blonde, close enough for them to touch for a prolonged moment.

Lisa initiated their contact, closing in towards her ever so slowly. Lisa paused and stood in front of her, quietly seeking her permission. Her eyes glued to the floor as she waits.

The gesture only made Jennie to repress a smile that’s about to come, finding Lisa’s shy actions quite funny. She’s somewhat touched that even though it’s imminent for the two of them being partners, Lisa apt to let her decide on what she wants. Never letting her to bide on what’s uncomfortable.

Jennie took it as a cue and impliedly responded by positioning their hands for the dance. She held Lisa’s hand and tangled their fingers – lifting it midair for the initial position – as she places her other hand onto Lisa’s shoulder.

Lisa looks up and momentarily blinked back at her, unknowingly surprised at her actions. Jennie stared back at her with an impassive look, veiling the sudden lurch of her stomach as butterflies instantly enlivens it the moment their skin touched.

Oblivious, Lisa just gave her that bright smile of hers. Eyes gleaming back at her with such elation.

A smile that bewitchingly made her face be burned in an instant.

Jennie leans abruptly into Lisa’s side in an attempt to hide her heavy blush.

Their distance diminishing slowly with Lisa gently pulling her in, nestling a hand onto her back. She felt her own breath hitched when Lisa suddenly mumbles against the crevice between her shoulder and bare neck.

“I’ll be the man.”

Lisa’s words resonated loudly against her thrumming ears, vaguely registering the words as the space that encloses them rose its temperature with an extraneous surge.

Their bodies leaning ever so closely, indulgently entangled to its comfort.

Jennie couldn’t deny nor ab