(16, CA, USA) Michaela - Blossom

My school had been scheduled to travel to Catalina Island. However, on that rainy, gray day, I experienced the worst fever I've ever encountered. I remained at school with many of my peers who were not allowed on the trip due to behavioral issues. To cure our boredom, the school allowed us to visit a garden exhibit in Pasadena, California, named "The Huntington Chinese Garden." With a fever hotter than ever, I was not excited about going on this trip; I just wanted to remain at school and suffer in silence. However, when we arrived at the garden in the afternoon, I was utterly surprised.

The beautiful Samurai Statue infused with Japanese Blossoms almost cured my sickness. Following that, we walked by the Koi pond that was teeming with life. The fish came in all different designs and colors, ranging from dark reds to blossoming yellows. Feeling the gray, cold air on my face before it started raining took away all my problems. When the rain came, it hit hard, forcing us all to use our jackets as a source of cover. However, running with people I barely knew and laughing because we were soaked in bittersweet precipitation engraved a memory into my brain that would last lifetimes. That day formed long-term relationships with people I hold dear to me and made me blossom.