Beep-Beep Beep-Beep Beep-Beep

      My arm sluggishly reached out in search of the snooze button. It felt its way across the hardwood night table, bumping into a lamp, a book and a glass of water (which unfortunately spilled and got my hand wet) but I couldn't seem to find the damn alarm clock. I really didn't want to get up to find the clock, it takes way too much energy but the alarm clock just kept beeping. The sound was starting to get in my head and bounce around the inner walls of my brain. Finally I found the strength to get up and look for that evil, good-for-nothing, sleep-killing mechanism. I see that the alarm clock was not on the night table, no wonder I couldn't find it, but then where could it be if it's not where it's supposed to be-.....ah....found it. It was on my book shelf, which, by the way, was on the other side of the room. I couldn't tell it was that far seeing as the alarm sounds equally loud whether it's near me or not. Now, how did it get there, I definitely did not put it there. Just then Sara barged in with a tray of blueberry waffles and a glass of milk .

      "You wouldn't have gotten up unless I put it there," she explained. I jumped a little from her abrupt actions. Her timing is absolutely bloodcurdling, it's like she anticipates my every move, action and thought. This is why I don't play chess with her.

      She pulls out the chair from under my desk and drags it towards my bed. After plopping my breakfast on my lap, she sits down and makes herself comfortable.  "What's with you? You don't get up as easily as you used to," she said.

      "Well... I couldn't sleep, I was too excited for—" immediately, my eyes widened. I looked at the calendar, which was flipped to the month of august. Every day was crossed out for the first two weeks,  up until mid-august, where there was big red circle around the date. The Monday of the third week. My first day of high school. 

       "Now do you see why I put the clock there? Hurry up and eat your breakfast, you don't want to be late on your first day now, do you?"  

      I did as she said, taking big forkfuls at a time and stuffing it in my mouth in the means of hurrying up my pace. As I ate, Sara and three other maids helped me get ready. Sara was doing my hair, tying it into a ponytail and keeping it up with a blue ribbon. Two of the other maids were ironing my uniform and the last maid was helping me find my backpack..... it was somewhere, I was just not sure where.

      Once I was all ready, Sara walked me downstairs. At the main doors, all the workers of the estate stood holding up a big banner that read, "Good Luck, Jinsoo!" I held myself from tearing up. They work so hard to please me everyday, even if I don't ask for it, which I never do. Growing up in orphanages made me more thankful for all I had, and the estate workers gave me more than I ever wanted. The fact that they took time out of their work to wish me luck was just...... I couldn't help but let out one measly tear.

     "Can I get a hug?" I manage to say.

      They all laughed and gathered around me, squishing me in the middle of a group. I couldn't breathe, but I was happy. A group hug before I head of to school must mean I'll be having an awesome first day.

      I waved one last goodbye to everyone before getting in the car. 

❈ ❈ ❈

     The car turned around the corner and a brown-bricked building came into view. It was lined with pillars at the front and gargoles sat on top of the front entrance. That must be Hwa Yong Academy, I assumed. Suddenly a rush of worried thoughts went through my mind. How was I supposed to greet people? How was everyone going to react to a foreigner? Well actually, I am technically a Korean citizen but I don't look like it. Will I make lots of friends or will I be an outcast? 

      "You're going to do fine, Jinsoo," my driver says, noticing the worried look on my face. I didn't realize it myself until he spoke. He smiled at me through the rear view mirror, " You were quick to make friends with the estate workers, so the students at Hwa Yong shouldn't be too different." 

      "Thank you, Chansung-ajusshi," I said, as we reach the front of the school. I could see many students running through the gates, keeping a strong grip on their belongings as they rushed through. The gates were amazing. Flowers climbed and intertwined around the entrance pillars and iron gates. The flowers helped compliment the detailed design on the gates while covering the eerie feeling that the rusty black iron gave off. As the gates opened to let in our car, it creaked slightly.  As we rode on inside, students eyed our car. Eventually, we came to a stop and Chansung-ajusshi opened the car