I slammed a hand down on the dresser, missing the alarm clock by a mere few inches. I groaned sleepily as I reached around, searching for the snooze button. Finally I managed to deactivate the alarm, nearly falling out of the bed in the process.
Rubbing my messy pale hair, I sat up. Yawning and stretching my arms high above my head, I glanced at the clock. 6:30 a.m, it read.
Ugh, I thought miserably. Why did I choose to wake up so early?
After about five minutes of sulking under my covers I threw them off me and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead of me. I brushed my teeth and threw on a patented colorful shirt and a black leather jacket over it. I slid on some black pants and adorned my tiny ears with at least five earrings each. Finally I put a hat on my light hair. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and blinked. "Eh, good enough."
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Grabbing my keys and my phone I locked the apartment door behind me and jogged down the front steps of my building. I sauntered over to the bike rack, unlocked my bike, and hopped on. I needed to get to Mingi's in about half an hour. Biking would be my fastest option as I don't have a car.
Pushing off and beginning to peddle, cold morning mist from the thick fog covering the sky whipped my face. The droplets of water stung my cheeks, which were rosy from the bite of the chilly air. I inhaled deeply and sighed. I loved San Francisco weather. I couldn't have chosen a better place to live out my life.
I'm originally from South Korea. I lived there for my entire childhood until I turned fifteen. On my fifteenth birthday I left. No real problems at home but I craved independence. I didn't know where to go at first so I chose to move to one of the biggest countries in the world. The United States of America. I still remember the first day I stepped foot on the grounds of SFO, my first time stepping into a foreign country. It was exhilarating. It was as if my life was truly beginning.
Was that safe? To leave my home at a mere fifteen years of age to move to another country I had 1) never been to before 2) knew nothing about and 3) didn't speak the native language of? Yeah, it was kind of a rash decision. But I had myself enrolled in a local high school, about ten minutes from my apartment. And that's where I met my friends.
Now I'm here. Graduated, employed (at a grocery store but at least it's something), and on my way to set up the concert for fundraising. Though times can be tough, I do have to say I'm quite glad I made the choices I did. Without moving here I never would have met my six best friends. And my crush.
After about twenty minutes on my bike, a large brick building came into view. The elementary school. I pressed the breaks and locked up my bike on the abandoned bike rack across the street. Hopefully no one would steal it as countless times someone has managed to break my bike lock! What can I say? Living in a city comes with its risks.
