I was homeless

I was 15 in Highschool when my Mom showed up high on drugs. She pulled me out of class, and told me we were going to get my things from our house so that her and I could go into the women's battered shelter almost an hour north. I hadn't seen my Dad hit my mom for a few years... but it was really bad. I think I had even told her they should get divorced. But I never thought it would be like this. When we got to the house there was a van in the driveway. Someone was picking us up and taking us. My mom through me in between my Mom and Dad and told me to choose who to go with. My paraplegic father or my drugged mother. I foolishly chose my Mother. But maybe I know this experience has made me who I am today. I went with her because I knew she had nobody else, while my Dad's parents lived down the road. I was crying and told my Dad I didn't want to leave but ultimately did. I remember after doing a ton of paperwork and talking to adults I'd never seen before- walking into the house with two or three other women. One was so skinny I remember her grey stained over sized sweat pants looking weird on her. Sandy, the old neighbor next door from my, now Dad's, house had given me a beautiful cross necklace and two big blue suitcases. I always had the necklace on and remember protecting my suitcase in our room. My mom and I would take turns if we had to go to the communal fridge to get donated food I had never eaten before. She had to talk to her online boyfriend who lived in England. I remember us walking to a corner store so she could spend some of the only money we had for her to get international phone cards. I was crying mad. I think it was near Christmas because I remember in the city the shelter was in there was a giant Christmas Tree outside. 

I was pulled out of school for maybe a month and would text my friends telling them what I was going through. I always thought my home life was better... they ended up giving us a house that we could pay rent for very cheaply and it was completely furnished. I cried when I saw my beautiful room they had put together. 

I think about this now because I live in a beautiful home in a beautiful neighborhood would a wonderful boyfriend.

His kids are sort of driving me crazy though and I've thought about going back to a shelter because I have no money. 

If you ever drop to the lowest of the low you're suddenly not scared of it anymore. 

You realize you don't need anything. 

You don't need anything.