Washington. A state located in the very farthest reaches of the Northwestern United States and my final resting place.
It was always gloomy. Rainy. Able to match the rather depressing tone my life had taken on over my short ,17 year, existence. As pessimistic as it sounds, I did not pity myself, nor how I was. I'd just come to terms with my fate.
Cardiomyopathy had damned me. It did the same to my father when I was 2 and I'd only realized how absolute my fate had been after spending 9 years of my youth locked away in a hospital only to be thrust out into the real world with a mentally disturbed mother who didn't know who I was for 11 months.
But, none of that mattered. I, truthfully, didn't mind it.
I was, yes, forced to get a job at a cheap cleaners, the only one for miles, in our home of Kingston just North of Seattle. I was forced to attend high school despite not having any previous experience in schooling.
But I finally felt alive.
I always felt it was an honor to attend public school and to enjoy what other teens would regard as "tedious" or "boring". Maybe I enjoyed it so because I subconsciously considered the possibility of it all being over as soon as the next day.
It was a blessing in disguise.
School ended promptly at 2:50 every day, beginning at 7:40 in what felt like the wee hours of the morning. A mere 40 minutes after school I was expected at work.
"Peachy Clean", a laundromat out in the center of the town, was the only place for clothes to be professionally washed for 40 miles out. At least until you hit Seattle. It was me, Miss Maddio, a teacher at the elementary school, and two older women who had most likely seen the first World War. But they were all good company since I didn't get along with anyone my age.
But that was after school. When it came to academic life as a student, I was but a mere shadow among the student body. Sure I had a few friends, but, what was the point? Friends would only get in the way of my studies. They stood in the way of my success as a person.
At least that's what I believed, initially.
My school had just began hyping up the exchange student program. China, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, even Turkey were being advocated as places to study abroad. And I so badly wanted to participate.
But money, as it is, was the only problem. On my own, I could hope to afford a plane ticket to Europe after I graduated college, let alone high school. My disease also served as an obstacle I simply could not avoid. But I could still dream.
Out of desire, I signed up anyway. It was one in a million that I would actually be partnered up and traded with an actual foreign exchange student but it wasn't going to hurt to try for the hell of it. I wanted to dream.
But, what I didn't plan on was actually being called back.
I froze when my principal called a week or so later. I was aware he was going on and on about rules and such but I couldn't concentrate. Only one word truly stayed with me throughout the entire one sided conversation.
Japan. I heard it over and over again as it rung in my head like an obnoxious bell toll. Japan, Japan, Japan. Only I wasn't annoyed. I was overjoyed and terrified at the same time.
But then I found my heart had sank. There's no way I could ever hope to afford to travel to Japan. At least, not without a little assistance.
I sighed and took a seat on my bed. Going to Japan would truly be a dream come true! I'd always been fascinated with the culture, loved the food, listened to their music. And, well, watched anime and read manga as well.
I pursed my lips with a pout and sank into my mattress, cuddling my pillow, "this is no fair."
I managed to roll over on my stomach and kinda wormed into a comfortable position. I grabbed my guitar, an acoustic, that rested against my bedside table and strummed a couple of notes at random, singing."
"Iiiiii WISH I could gooo to Japan~! Aaaand eat all their foooood all niiiight!"
That's enough of that. Now was not the time to sing terrible parodied renditions of Ke$ha songs. Or time to make 50% off references. I had to get myself together and come up with a game plan. I heaved a sigh.
"I've got my work cut out for me…"
But I couldn't concentrate really. I was the master of procrastinating while having a brain roughly the size of Texas. Roughly. Speaking of Texas- I was expected to email a good friend down there. Well, really, she's my only friend. See? Procrastinating.
Instead of doing the whole internal rambling, I grabbed my laptop. I'd managed to rent it from the school to fix for them and claimed it as my own when they never asked about it. It was time to immerse myself in stupid videos, maybe some memes, and DEFINITELY some anime on the side.
Time to savor the night and my time till my trip to Japan!
YES IT'S HERE! The brand new series (kinda) has arrived; Ouran Melody! It's back baby~ I know this chapter was a real shorty but I promise chapter 3 will definitely be a lot longer! Just think of this as testing the water! Let me know what you guys think PLEASE? Comments, favorites, and follows are always much appreciate~ LETS GET EXCITED! Anyways I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!
Stay creative my friends~