the beat of my heart || Jenlisa Adaption

Chapter 1: Day One

Jennie is shaking. She doesn't mean to be, she just can't stop. Her fingers tap along to the beat of the song that's playing on her iPod, and she softly sings the lyrics.

She isn't sure whether she's excited or nervous. It's probably both.

And, also, she's never really been on a plane before. Part of her excitement stems from that. The rest is just because — oh god, she's going to meet Lisa Manoban in less than an hour. Actually meeting her. With words and hugs and—

Jennie forces herself to think about something else before she jumps out of her seat. Which wouldn't be a good idea because the plane is already descending and the 'fasten your seatbelt' light is on.

But seriously. She's meeting Lisa Manoban.

As in upcoming rising star Lisa Manoban. As in double platinum Lisa Manoban. As in number one in the Billboard Top 100 Lisa Manoban. As in Jennie's idol for years Lisa Manoban.

She's still somewhat convinced something went wrong, that she's not the one that's supposed to be on this airplane right now. Things like this never happen to her. She's always just that weird girl who sits behind her computer for hours editing videos and pictures and talking to other fans.

Then again, how many Jennie Kims can there be? And how many of them are from Miami? And how many are sort of hopelessly not-really-but-still-sort-of in love with Lisa Manoban?

Jennie looks out the window, catching sight of the Hollywood sign, and her heart jumps. This is really happening. Luck is finally on her side.

A warm, fuzzy feeling spreads through her stomach as she clamps onto the armrests of her seat and leans her head against the cold window. Somewhere down below, in that city, Lisa's waiting for her. She can't really help the smile that tugs at her lips at the thought.

Jennie watches the buildings get bigger and bigger until, quite suddenly, they're on the landing strip. The pilot hits the breaks and Jennie feels her seatbelt digging into her stomach. It only lasts a minute.

She's in LA. For the first time in her life, she's in the City of Angels, where celebrities live and plastic surgery is a birthday present. There are lots of first times today. First time on a plane, first time traveling alone, first time meeting her idol...

The pilot welcomes them to LAX and says some mundane things about the temperature and the local time. Jennie barely pays attention to any of it, nervous butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

As the plane gets hooked to a jet bridge and the doors open, Jennie follows the crowd. She has no idea where to go, and these people seem to know what they're doing.

They lead her through customs and to the baggage claim, where the last people from the previous plane are just wrapping up. Some look lost, without any stuff, and Jennie feels bad for them. She watches a family with a kid dressed completely in pink talk to someone in an airport uniform while she waits for her own luggage to arrive. Just when the father starts getting red in the face the belt starts rolling again, and Jennie jumps up, eager to grab her stuff and go.

Naturally, her suitcase comes last.

By the time she finally has all her things, the family has left and so has pretty much everyone else from her plane.

She ponders asking someone where to go, but then an exit sign catches her eye and she somehow manages to get out.

It's busy in the arrival halls. People are everywhere and there are police and tourists in ridiculous outfits and business people and airplane staff, and for a second Jennie's so overwhelmed she just stands and stares.