Everything Has a Place

You dropped your bag next to the back wall of the practice room. It was your fifth time there this day. You told yourself you would continue going there until you got your routine perfect, no matter how tired you were.

You pressed play on the stereo, walking to the middle of the room and standing there, just staring at your reflection. The song played through once before you did anything. After the second time playing through, you finally did the routine, focusing on your every move. Close to the end, it was impossible for you to practice alone, as your team would flip you into the air, so instead you did a simple backflip to suffice for the absence in your practice. When landing, you stumbled and fell backwards. "Dammit." you said, your fist hitting the floor as you stood up to pause the song.

You stopped in your tracks almost immediately as you seen a figure standing by the door.

"You need to take a rest, Jia." Your boyfriend, Bobby, announced, walking towards you.

"Rest? How the hell am I supposed to rest, I have to perfect this before the performance in three days, and I can't get any of the moves right," you shouted back at him, tears welling up in your eyes out of frustration.

"You're thinking too hard about it. Your dance coach would have said something to you if he thought you weren't good enough." Bobby said calmly, it wasn't the first time you had lashed out at him while he tried to comfort you.

"He is embarrassed to have me on the team. I can see it in his eyes, Bobby." You turned to look at him after pausing the music. "Even you're embarrassed by me," you said, falling to the floor in exhaustion.

"Tell me why the hell I would be embarrassed by you, Jia?" You could tell he was pissed off by your statement.

"Who wants a girlfriend that can't even do a simple dance routine? Who can't even sing?"

"So you think I am with you just because of your talent?" Bobby scoffed. "I wouldn't have been dating you for two years just for your talent, that's just fucking ridiculous." Bobby sat down beside you, pulling you lightly towards him so you could lean on him.

"I know…" you mumbled lightly. "Sometimes I just feel like I am not good enough for any of this," you said, fiddling with his hands.

You heard a sigh escape from your boyfriend’s lips as you both sat in silence for what felt like half an hour. You were brought back to reality when he pulled your hand up with him as he stood up.

“Come with me,” he said, giving you a small smile. You stood up and followed him outside of the studio without saying a word. You knew that Bobby didn’t like you thinking so lowly of yourself, and always tried to tell you that you were good at everything you do. As always though, it was sometimes hard to convince yourself of the same things.

Bobby lead you to the rooftop of the building the studio that you both were in, and for a moment you were confused as to why he would bring you up here.

“Do you see that?” Bobby asked looking around the city and then back at you.

“What am I looking at? Or am I supposed to notice everything?” Your voice was soft.

“Everything.” He stated, letting go of your hand. “Everyone and everything in this city right now is what you need to notice. It’s the simplest of things that give everything good enough, some things are not meant to be in certain places while they fit in others. Some people belong in lives of others, while they don’t belong in all of them.” He grabbed your hand once again and looked at you. “I believe that you and I were meant to be a part of each others lives. I wouldn’t have recognized this if it wasn’t for you. For me in your life, well, who doesn’t need me in their life?” Bobby let out a soft chuckle at the end of his speech.

“Why do you do this?” You smiled at him, shaking your head at his cheesiness.

“Because, I don’t think you understand just how much I love you, Jia.” He said looking up at the sky. “Nothing could replace you in my life.”