Corrupting Winter

Here I am, sitting at the bus stop in the freezing rain.I sit on a cold metal bench, shivering as sharp pieces of ice sting my skin. My fingers are numb, and my clothes are already damp. I pull my jacket tighter around myself, staring down the empty street as I wait for the bus to finally arrive.I have just moved here at 23 years old.New York.A city I have only ever seen in movies and pictures. Now, somehow, I am actually here.Alone.No friends. No family. No one waiting for me at home.Honestly, that could be a good thing.I didn't come all the way to New York to make friends anyway. I came here to pursue my dream of becoming a dancer.Just last week, I auditioned for a dance company. And somehow... I got in.I still can't believe it. I didn't expect them to choose me. There were so many talented dancers there—people who have been training for years. I walked into that audition expecting nothing more than a chance to say I tried.But now, I am officially part of the company. Maybe moving here was the right choice after all.The bus finally appears in the distance, its headlights cutting through the heavy snow and rain. I stand up, grabbing my bag and wiping the water from my face.This is my new life. A new city. A new dream. And, for better or worse, I am completely on my own.Little do I know, that's about to change