The Girl

I once saw this girl when I was young, around the age of 5. I think she was around my age too. I saw her dancing in a music studio in a faded pink leotard and ballet pink soft shoes. She was swirling around in circles with a scarf in her hand. I was very stunned at her when she dance and I was standing there with a giant candy in my hand which I had just bought at that time. I watched her dance the whole thing through. There was one part in her dance that had captured my heart up till now. It was the part she bent her body down with her dark brown hair falling over her shoulders and suddenly sprang up gracefully into a graceful split with the ribbon in her hand. That part of the choreography just made me look in awe. I watch her dance until she was done. She came out of the dance studio with her mother. Suddenly, I ran towards them. Her mother was surprised by my presence. I looked at her mother and then, turn my gaze to her. Without thinking, I took the giant candy in my hand and gave it to the girl. “You dance very good…” And with that, I ran down the pavement. I thought, that would be the last time I shall see her, but, I was wrong.

*13 years later*

I was in a music studio and was practicing the piano like mad. I applied to a music conservatoire in London to pursue my degree in piano. I was in a studio downtown playing the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. I was going through the details of the song when I heard music coming from the next studio. I turned to find where that music was coming from. Through the semi-transparent tinted window, I saw a girl in her ballet outfit dancing to the music playing. She looked very gracefully dancing around her dance studio. I stopped practicing my piece and stare at the girl dancing. Somehow, she looked darn very familiar but I can’t seem to place her face in my mind. Suddenly, the girl just bends over, her brown hair slipped over her shoulders and she pirouette on her Pointe shoes. I winced at the sight when she turned on her toes. Somehow, I always think that it would hurt, but, maybe I was wrong, God knows. But after that, I kept staring at her dancing. Suddenly, it struck me. I knew where I had seen her before. I saw her dance before in this very same studio. It was the girl whom I had given the candy to. Involuntarily, I got up and went to the studio where she was dancing. I gave a knock onto the door, but she didn’t seem to hear the knock. So, I decided to slip into the studio without her knowing. When she done this huge leap which I think it calls ‘Grande Jete’, she noticed my presence in the room and she missed her landing and fell.

“Ouch!!!” She was clutching her ankle. ‘Oh no…’ I ran to her side. “Are you okay?” I asked. I tried helping her up. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” she asked. She winced as I helped her up onto her feet, she couldn’t stand. I got a bad feeling she may sprained her ankle. “Let me help you first, okay? I think you have injured your ankle.” I supported her weight as she limped out to the nearest bench. I left her there and went to inquire for a first-aid kit. After I have one, I went back to the girl. She had already taken off her Pointe ballet shoes. Her right ankle was red already. “You okay?” I asked as I took out some muscle cream and some ankle support. “I think so…” As I put some cream onto her ankle, she asked, “Do I know you?” I shook my head, “I guess not…but, you do look awfully familiar…” As I helped her put on the ankle support, she stared at me curiously for a long time, “Wait, you do look familiar…” she said in the end. There was a moment of silence before, “Hey, were you the boy who gave me the huge candy when I finished my ballet lesson in this studio? The one who said I dance well? 13 years ago?” She asked, smiling. I smiled back, somehow, when she smiles, it made my heart leap. “Yeah…you remembered? All these years?” I was flabbergasted. I couldn’t believe she even remembered that. She let out a small chuckle, “Of course! When you told me that, you made my day…I actually wanted to stop learning ballet all together at that time, but, you gave me hope to continue…” She smiled widely at me. “Thank you…” She hugged me tightly. When we pull ourselves away from each other from the embrace, I wanted so much to ask her out for dinner or something. Somehow since 13 years ago, she had made a VERY good impression on me till I would even remember her then. She wanted to stand up, so, I helped her. “Thank you for bandaging my ankle…” she smiled. “It’s no big deal…hey, can I get you name?” I asked. She smiled, “Its Jennifer…but, you can call me Jennie…what’s yours?” “I’m Davis…hey, wanna go out for dinner?” I asked, fingers crossed, hoping that she would agree. She just smiled and shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t. My ankle still hurts. What about next time?” When she said that, my heart literally sank but its true, her ankle is not that well still. “It’s okay, next time then. Do you want me to help you get your things back to your car?” So, I helped her carry her stuff and helped her to her car. “Take care, okay?” We exchanged our ID numbers and with that, we both left. Back home, I started texting her and vice versa. Soon, we also exchanged our email addresses and we started chatting in a chat forum and through emails.

From: Jennifer
To: Davis
Subject: Hello! =)
Hello! How are you? I’m fine, my ankle is okay already. But, I’m still advised not to go for ballet until next week. That’s the reason why you didn’t see me at the studio that day. I still remember the last question you had asked me before. The one that you had asked me whether or not do I want to go for dinner? Why not we go after our practice next week? Okay with you?

From: Davis
To: Jennifer
Subject: Re: Hello! =)
Hey! I’m fine! So, I take it as a date? Of course I can go! See you next week! Can’t wait. =)

I was frantically arranging my music sheets and all the other loose papers and I was running VERY late. When I got into the studio, I noticed that Jennie was not there yet. ‘Maybe she was also running late…’ I decided to start practicing my songs first while I wait for her. I was practicing another song for the audition, a Mozart piece. I had done 2 pieces; I still need one more. I was practicing both pieces. When I finished, I heard someone clapping behind me. I turned and was surprised to see Jennie there. “That was good…” she smiled. When both of our practice was over, we decided to get some Italian food for dinner. After placing our orders, we chatted. “What are you practicing for?” Jennie asked. I took a sip of the water before I spoke, “I applied for a music conservatoire in London and they say it’s the best and only one in London. So, I’m practicing for the entrance audition…what about you? What are you practicing for?” I asked. “Well, I am doing the same like you. I’m also practicing for an entrance audition in a music college down in London. I think…it’s the same college you are going…” she said. I was clearly shocked. “Really? Wow! We could be in the same campus…cool…” I smiled. From the chat, I found out she was pursuing Ballet in college. And not only that, she was having trouble finding a pianist to help her play the accompaniment for her to dance to. I suddenly wanted to help her, so, I volunteered myself, “Why not…I play for you?” I asked. She took my hand into hers, it her fingers on my hand gave a sudden jolt to my spine somehow. “Really? You can do that for me? Won’t it be very tasking for you? With all the extra practice you need to cope for your audition and mine?” she asked, with a very anxious face. “I’m okay…I could even do your dance piece as my last and final one for the audition.” She was ecstatic; she came over to me and gave me a hug. Somehow, I just want to make her happy in any way, but…why?

Soon, we started practicing together. Her song was ‘The Nutcracker’. A very interesting and a nice piece. As the time playing for her passed, I started to develop feelings for her. But, I don’t think it started there, I think, it started since 13 years ago, when we first met. But, I kept it a secret. Every night, I would think of her every second. Soon, the date of the audition started rolling in. We found out that both of our audition dates fell on the same day, so it good in a way? It was a week before the audition when we were chatting through I.M.

Jennifer: I feel SO nervous!!! HELP!!!
Davis: Chill! You’ll do great! You ARE good, ever since you were 5!
Jennifer: HEY?? I’M GETTING AN EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN HERE!!!
Davis: OKAY, OKAY! Let’s change the subject then…Your pick…
Jennifer: Okay, hmm…I wanted to ask you this, but, I’m not sure whether it is okay for me to ask…
Davis: Shoot!
Jennifer: Well, do you believe in love?
Jennifer: Hello??
Jennifer: Are you still there??
Davis: Sorry there! Helping my mum in something…whether do I believe in love? Yeah. Of course.
Jennifer: Well, what do you feel when you had fallen in love?

That question really caught me off guard. ‘Should I tell her now that I DO like her? Or should I just play along?’ I decided to just play along, to see what it was really about.

Davis: Well, I feel my heart pound like REALLY hard whenever I’m near that person I like/love or when I just think about the person. Or when someone brings the person up in a conversation. Sometimes, I feel giddy but I would try to stay just as strong as I could. And I would keep on thinking of the person every single second. Something like that…why do you ask?
Jennifer: I don’t know, but, I think I had fallen for someone…

Looking at that, my heart literally sank. ‘She likes someone else…’ At that moment, I wanted to tell her straight off but in another, twisting way.

Davis: Jennie? I wanna tell you something…
Jennifer: Yeah?
Davis: I wanna tell you a joke…okay with that?
Jennifer: Yeah, it’s cool…what is it about?
Davis: Knock-knock…
Jennifer: Oh? A knock-knock joke? Okay. Who’s there?
Davis: I…
Jennifer: I? I who?
Davis: I…love you…
Jennifer: I What?!
Jennifer: Oh…
Jennifer: Davis? Are you still there?
*Davis is offline*

Since that I.M. conversation, I didn’t hear about her for the next week. Every time, I wonder how would she responded after she had found out that I had feelings for her. I didn’t know what to expect from her? I’m not sure whether does she understood what I said. Even if she did, will she avoid me? On the day of the audition, I put on the best formal wear I have. I went to the auditorium downtown where the audition was held. When I was there, I found Jennie. She was in her ballet outfit and in a pair of flip flops. She was holding onto her Pointe shoes. “Hey…” I said. “Hi…” she replied. That was very awkward. “Those who are auditioning for the piano category, please kindly proceeds to the auditorium. Thank you.” I was walking towards the auditorium when I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder, it was Jennie. “Can I…come in and watch you play?” she asked. I smiled and nodded to her. She and I walked towards the auditorium. Before I left her at the seat, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I was a little taken back but, I smiled back at her. I walked towards the front few rows where the other people who were going for the audition waiting. After 5-7 people had gone through the audition, it was my turn. I was trying not to panic. When I steadied my fingers on the piano keys, I took a deep breath and my mind wandered back when Jennie kissed me. That gave me confidence all over again and my fingers just ‘touch’ on the keys gracefully. When I finished, I was happy. I was done. I walked up the stairs towards the exit. When I opened the doors, I saw Jennie smiling widely at me. “You were great!” she squealed. She hugged me tightly, I whispered into her ear, “It’s your turn now…” She breathe in deep and tried to calm down. Suddenly, an announcement was made, “Those who are auditioning for the contemporary dance and singing category, please kindly go the auditorium now. Thank you.” And with that, Jennie started to be in a nervous breakdown. She started breathing at irregular rhythms. “Jennie, are you okay? Relax, you can do it…” I hugged her, trying to calm her down. “I can’t do it…I’m afraid I would screw the Grande Jete and my pirouettes…I don’t know…I…I…” She was seriously having a major nervous breakdown. Without thinking, I kissed her, full frontal. Automatically, she calmed down. When we finally ‘let go’, she was okay already. “You can do it…I have faith in you…you dance VERY well…” I helped her wear her Pointe shoes and walked her into the auditorium. Before leaving her at the front rows, I whispered into her ear, “I love you…” She just hugged me tightly. I left her there and sat behind the front rows. I watched the others dance and sang. They were okay, I guess? When it was time for Jennie to go through it, I walked her to the stage and squeezed her hand. I walked to the piano and waited for her to give me the cue to start. When she nodded, I played. I couldn’t see what was happening or whether did she do great but when she finished the whole things with a triple pirouette, from the applause she had gotten, I knew she did great. After we walked off the stage and out the auditorium, she cried with joy and hugged me tightly, “I’ve done it! I can’t believe it!” I kissed her on her cheek and said, “Of course you did…” I replied. She looked at me in the eyes, those twinkling eyes. Without any warning, she kissed me. After we let go, she said, “Remember I said I had fallen for someone?” I just nodded. “Well, that guy…is you…” I couldn’t believe this was happening. This just felt so good, bliss.

*3 months later*

Jennie and I had been dating for the past 3 months since the audition. We actually forgotten everything about it until one day when I gotten the letter from them.

“Dear Mr. Davis Brightman,
You had past the audition that you had went for to our music school and we already have a place here at the school for you. Hope to see you soon. Thank you.
Mrs. Sarah Anderson,
The Principal of the Birmingham Conservatoire.”

I was freaking happy and shocked after I read the letter! The second I finished reading the letter, I called Jennie. “Jennie! Have you gotten the letter?!” I asked through the phone. “YES!! I DID!!! Oh my God! Did you too? Yay! We are going to be in the same campus!!”

And since then, I never left Jennie’s side. Because I knew, since the first day I saw her years ago, she is the girl of my dreams, my girl.
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Was actually inspired by one of Josh Groban's Song...enjoy...