The dance theater was not just something that meant the whole world to Jennie, it was her whole world. At 5 years old her father had enrolled her in a ballet class, hoping her daughter could at least live up to the Asian parents started of perfection, and fortunately Jennie was blessed with the gift of dance, unfortunately it wasn’t ballet that she wanted to dance to.

Up until Jennie turned 12, she danced nothing but ballet, she had performed in numerous musicals and shows not just in her school but also at local theaters, she was the prima ballerina, she was undoubtedly the best amongst every ballerina there was, and it made her father so proud that Jennie was okay with it for a while. But you know how in your teenage years that suddenly the things you thought you loved before would just change?

It was like that for Jennie. When she had just turned 13, Jennie was casually walking down the streets of California, and that was where her curiosity hit her, she saw a group of people having a showdown in the middle of the street, they were dancing to some upbeat song, they were doing much more complicated dance steps, it involved popping and locking and a bit of crumping. So Jennie stayed watched, and she honestly thinks it’s simply the different style of dancing which was what made her so interested, but she realized it was more on how you told the story through dance, whether it was just you telling a story of how your morning was or you telling the story to Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud.

Passion. That was what made Jennie pursue pop dancing. Her father wasn’t pleased at all though, once he heard Jennie was training in some pop dancer’s studio, he was furious and had given Jennie a hard slap in the face, firmly telling her it was stupid to ever pursue such monstrosity, he told her she would end up as some poor, unrecognized backup dancer, he had grounded her for a month and forced her to only attend ballet practices.

It was hell for Jennie, she spent 5 years of training secretly from her father, she chose the different life, she chose the life her father never saw her in, she chose to take the risk and follow her heart. So she joined a pop dance competition; the competition of a lifetime, it was Jennie’s greatest achievement, she was able to showcase her dance moves and her passion on stage, she poured her heart out and thought of nothing but just dance, and she won. But she lost at the same time. Her father had died from an aneurysm that day, her mother had called her just right after the competition, Jennie had dropped the trophy from her hands and had sprinted to the hospital, and ever since that day, Jennie had never set foot in a dance studio ever again, Jennie never danced again, she never moved to a beat or bobbed her head to music.

Jennie thought she would never be in a place that reminded her so much of everything she loved and everything she lost.

She wasn’t even supposed to be here, but as ironic as it is, her fiancée was a dancer, she owned a dance studio in San Francisco and she was also the stage manager for a musical, which is why Jennie was in a dance theater right now; she had just gotten off from her job at a publishing company but her fiancée was nowhere in sight, so she expected her to be at the back locking up or maybe organizing some stuff so she decided to wait by the stage.

Often times she asked herself why she dated a dancer, was it because she felt the need to have someone in her life to be living doing the thing that she had loved doing? Jennie doesn’t quite understand herself sometimes, but she knows she’s never loved any other person like the way she loves Lisa.

Lisa Manoban, the girl who had actually had the guts to meet her mother and ask her if she could date Jennie; and Jennie remembers the super skinny 19 year old Computer Science major being so shaky and nervous but she put her left foot forward and never took a step back, it was the day Jennie knew she would marry her. Dancer or not, Jennie would marry her.

It wasn’t easy though, she had difficulty opening up, but with Lisa she knew could be herself and tell the girl everything, it came off smoothly, never missing a beat, like how Jennie would dance before, and Lisa understood straight away, Lisa always understood. She understands why Jennie won’t come to her shows, or watch her dance, or go to musicals she’d manage, she understood and she never pushed her to go, she kept quiet and allowed Jennie to make decisions on her own.

Jennie knew she was somehow being unfair, Lisa loved her and understood her no matter what, but Jennie couldn’t even understand and love her own self.

“What if I dance just one more time…to get this all out” Jennie spoke to herself in a whisper

Jennie stood up and walked towards the center of the stage, she looked ahead and saw empty seats, but she closed her eyes and imagined the place filled with people looking at her and only her…for her last dance maybe. Jennie opened them again and was met with empty chairs and darkness, only a single spot light was left on and that spotlight was where she was standing. Jennie glanced to her side, and with a certain tune in her head, Jennie started gliding around the stage as gracefully as she could, she held in a laugh as she was somehow still incredible on stage, she still memorized the choreography to The Nutcracker, and although she knew her father wasn’t there watching her perform anymore, she still did her best. Ballet was probably the most difficult dance to perfect, it takes years to practice and to get used to it, but Jennie never saw ballet as some kind of boring or devilishly difficult dance, she loved ballet, it was expressive and graceful, and just as Jennie finished her dance, she felt something else pulse through her, and she knew it was a more difficult beat to control.

Pop dance was difficult too, but it was Jennie’s favorite type of dance, where she could show her passion and be free to do whatever she could. Once she had ‘Lost in Japan’ stuck in her head, Jennie started to move to the new beat, it felt like she was performing her best performance ever, she was pouring every single ounce of energy and passion into each move. It felt like she was desperately trying to tell an untold story, she felt like she was clutching her chest and throwing away moves that could possibly mean something to viewers. Jennie didn’t feel tired, she actually felt like she could go on forever, not giving a care at all, alas, all good things do come to an end. Jennie ended her dance; she used one knee to hold herself up, her head hung low as she focused on her heavy breathing. She felt incredible.

Suddenly, loud clapping sounds filled the dance theater, Jennie stiffened as she looked up and saw Lisa proudly clapping at her, she stood on top a chair and Jennie swore she her wipe a tear as she smiled at her. Jennie stood up as she then started sobbing hard, all the pent up emotions were finally pouring out of Jennie’s system, all the hurt and pain were starting to reveal itself, and her untold story had been seen by the most important person in her life. Jennie wanted to stop crying but she couldn’t, because if she did, she knew everything would build up again and then she’d have to start all over again.

Lisa rushed to the stage, she then slowly walked towards Jennie, she then took her in an embrace, Jennie clutched onto Lisa, burying her face on the girl’s chest, and Lisa continuously rubbed her back, not saying anything. Jennie’s sobs filled the theater, but all Jennie could hear was Lisa’s steady heartbeat.

They stayed like that for quite a while, Lisa never let Jennie go until the girl fully stopped crying, and when she did, Jennie looked up at her.

“D-Do you think he’d still be mad at me?” Jennie asked, her bottom lip was trembling

“I honestly don’t know what to tell you because I never really met your father and I can’t really speak for him” Lisa said, Jennie nodded

“But believe me when I say that I am proud of you” Lisa said as she kissed Jennie’s forehead, then her eyes, then her nose, her chubby cheeks, her chin, and lastly her trembling lips.

The kiss wasn’t rushed, or hungry or needy, instead it was slow, it was comforting, the kiss felt like it was their first kiss all over again, it felt like Jennie was dancing again, but this time it was her lips that was dancing along against Lisa’s lips, and together they moved in perfect sync, not once missing a beat.

After they pulled away, Lisa smiled at Jennie.

“You know…maybe your Dad’s not mad anymore, he can’t really stay mad at his only daughter, you know? Especially after that mind blowing ballet you did. I bet he’s proud of you, and maybe he’s even thanking you for telling that story” Lisa said

Jennie chuckled a bit as she sniffed and let her arms wrap around Lisa’s waist.

“The story you told through your dance was beyond beautiful, my love” Lisa whispered

“T-Thank you” Jennie said shyly

“Do you mind dancing more often now, love?” Lisa asked

Jennie looked at her eyes, she didn’t pity her, she wasn’t even being gentle as if Jennie was some kind of fragile vase, there was no hesitance in those eyes, all Jennie could see was hope in Lisa’s eyes…hope that Jennie might finally start doing what she loves. Jennie took in her surroundings and she tried to imagine the crowd, maybe even in spirit her father might finally watch her from above, not just dancing ballet, but even pop.

 And although Jennie might’ve lost everything that she loved in a dance theatre, but she’s lucky enough to find it again right here, right now, in Lisa’s arms and Lisa’s eyes.

“Yes, my love”

---

A/N: head's up guys, i really don't usually proof read what i write so i'm sorry for any missed words or typographical errors!