I had only been homeless a long time now, and I had tried my hardest to keep my clothes clean and clean myself. But I couldn’t keep up with the standards I was setting for myself. It’s a lot harder than people think! Imagine suddenly being chucked out of your home and not knowing what to do. I don’t know anyone that could handle it, well, I actually don’t know anyone anymore, all my friends, my family turned their backs on me, everyone I knew, and all because the truth became twisted. When I was 16, I got a rep. This boy, his name was Gary, well I went out with him.

He was the most popular guy in school. I was basically a nobody. Why would I say no? Why would anyone? So I went on a couple of dates. Enjoyed them, he seemed genuinely interested in me. I couldn’t believe it. Me and Gary Jones! I mean wow. Well my parents were happy for me, until the beach party. That night I was so excited, I was going with the most popular guy in town. By that point we had been dating for almost two months and I was as happy as ever. Well, at that point I was. My best mate, Kathy and I went shopping for swim suits to wear. I couldn’t wait!

Nor could she. There was tension with me, she was trying to hide it but I could tell, she hated me for getting the guy, she had liked him for so long, but I didn’t know what I could do! So the big night finally came, and I went, arrived and met up with Gary. There was a big water fight. Everyone was having so much fun, except Cathy, she was sitting by herself. I went to go get her, but Gary ran over to me and told me to stay if I wanted more fun! Of course I did, so I stayed! Gary took me over to a deserted part of the beach and started to kiss me, things got heated.

It was so romantic, I wasn’t going to stop it from happening, so I went with it. Do I regret that day? Definitely! Well it happened, I can’t change that can I! Too late now, I wish I had known the trouble it had caused. I went back to school on Monday, as happy as I thought possible and went over to see Gary, I ran up behind him and whispered in his ear, he turned around, called me a slut, all his friends laughed and walked off, I burst into tears and ran away, they laughed harder, chanting slut slut slut! I couldn’t face being in school, not now.

I went to find Kathy, she turned her back on me, in a weekend my life had been turned upside down. Ruined! I ran away, ran home. No one was in, they were all working! I ran up to my room crying, didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t face going back, so I got a pad of paper. I wrote on my desk what had happened and I packed my bags. I wouldn’t be gone long, well I thought I wouldn’t. So I left! Didn’t look back. I walked for hours that day, no where to go so I just went! Walked, aimlessly. Before I knew it, hours had gone.

I felt bad, so I walked home. I stood outside my house, looking in the window. I saw my dad, my mum and my brother, all sitting on the sofa, laughing, they looked so happy. Surely I would only ruin the happiness. So I walked away again. I walked for another hour, thinking about my family. I would miss them but I couldn’t go back just yet, if at all! In the evening it started to rain, I went under the bridge and sat down. This girl came along sat down near me, she looked such a state. As thin as a stick, a mess, torn clothes.

I asked her is she was ok, she said that she had run away from home and had been living on the streets for six months. I felt sorry for her, we sat and talked for a while. I looked at my watch, it was twelve o’clock, no wonder I was so tired. “Where do you sleep? ” I asked her, “Wherever I can find, it is a hard job keeping a spot, but I try and stay wherever! ” We just spent the night by the bench talking. She seemed happy, saying she had not had a long conversation like this for ages, I thought that was nice, she seemed nice! I stayed with her for the next few weeks! It was nice to have some company!

We talked and stayed together, going around just talking basically, she seemed so used to this life, I found it hard to cope, but I tried not to show it! Time seemed to go quickly, I think we worked out ways to pass the time, we used to walk around shops, most of the time getting chucked out. People judge you on the way you look, we were still the same people. But back to the point. I got into a system, just like Gemma did, Gemma was the girl I met, helped me out big time. But one day she went to get a coffee, never came back! I had to go on by myself, at least she had taught me how to cope. But I missed her!!