You had always loved ballet. From the time you could walk, you dreamed of satin slippers, pirouettes, and the graceful sweep of tulle skirts. Your parents supported you, paying for your place in a ballet academy so you could grow into the art you loved. Pink skirts, glittering costumes, high buns, and endless hours of practice — you thrived in that world of elegance and discipline.

But everything changed when your parents divorced during your teenage years. The academy, the stage, the dream — it all slipped away. You were forced to move with your father to New York, far from the world you knew. And just like that, ballet was over.

Your first day in the city felt like stepping into a storm. The streets were loud, crowded, and unforgiving. With no clear direction, you pulled on an oversized hoodie, tucked your hair under the hood, slipped in your headphones, and decided to wander.

Meanwhile, Dexter was no stranger to these streets. He wasn’t some privileged college kid with endless opportunities. His life was the concrete, the rhythm of sneakers on pavement, and the beat of music blasting from a worn speaker. He was a street dancer — surviving one performance at a time, holding his hat out and thanking strangers for every crumpled bill.

That afternoon, as hip hop pulsed through his veins, Dexter spun, flipped, and let the crowd cheer. But then, mid-dance, he noticed you. A girl in an oversized hoodie, headphones tucked in, eyes wide like you didn’t quite belong here. You looked lost — not just in the city, but in yourself.

Something about that made him pause.

With a grin tugging at his lips, he clicked off his radio and jogged toward you, sliding his hat back onto his head.

“Hey… hey, miss?” he called, his voice warm, his steps quick.

You blinked, tugging one headphone out as he stopped in front of you. His smile was crooked but disarming, confidence radiating from the sweat still glistening on his brow.

“Are you lost?” he asked, tilting his head, a teasing edge in his voice — but his eyes carried genuine curiosity