Chapter 3: Searching

I sit down on a bench outside and pull out my phone. I'm relieved it's not dead, it hasn't been charged it since last night. The last thing I had open was my coming out speech that I wrote in my notes app. Soon, my search history is filled with "what do you do if you become homeless" and a dozen other variations of the question. Eventually, I figure I should look for a shelter or something. Just my luck, there's this homeless kid shelter about 10 minutes away. I remember seeing the grand opening on the news last year. My parents criticized homeless people and said they were lazy drug addicts who don't deserve "free stuff". Ugh... They acted like homeless people were privileged for having resources. I tie my shoes and start walking again. It's probably about time for my introduction. Hi, I'm Miah, 16. And I've recently become homeless! God, I feel like I'm in a weird dream, or a movie, or a book. It just doesn't feel real. I live in a fever dream and I can't wake up. My phone feeds me directions to the shelter. The sun is sort of setting, and it actually looks really pretty. It's like a metaphor. Tonight, the sun sets on my old life and tomorrow it will rise on my new one. After ten minutes of completely zoning out and creating metaphors, it seems I've arrived! The sign reads: The Blue Harbor Homeless Shelter and Charity. It's pretty lengthy, so I'll just call it Blue Harbor. I head inside and nervously walk up to the front desk, unsure of what to do. I'm terrified of making mistakes so I'm a little scared this might be the wrong place, even though I read the sign."Hi... This is the homeless shelter.. right?" I say, just to clarify. God, I'm a wreck."Of course! Are you new here?" The woman at the desk asks me. Her name is Susana. I'm immediately put at ease. "Yes, my parents just kicked me out and I have nowhere to stay. Can you help me?" I ask Susana, still a little shy. "You can stay here as long as you need, just fill out this paperwork and I'll take you to the older teen room!" Susana says cheerfully. Not that I've had many experiences with being homeless or anything, but I wonder how she keeps the place open when she offers shelter for free. I take the paperwork, which is only a page long, and fill it out.