Chapter Three
I woke up the next morning to a loud yelling. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and noticed the two guards trying wake everyone up. His voice was loud and booming and it only reminded me of Emmett. Babies started to whimper and then cry from yells and I watched as they tired mothers tried to rock them back to sleep.
"You know the routine! Up and at 'em!" the guard yells and I just stand there like a deer caught in headlights.
"You need to line up by the doors, Bella" Milo tells me. "We take a shower every morning. I line up on the left with the guys and you line up on the right with the other woman."
I nod my head in thanks and make my way over to my line.
I have never heard of this in a homeless shelter before but how many have I ever lived in to really know?
My line starts to move and I follow the girls ahead of me. We walk into the locker room and girls quickly grab new clothes for the day. I don't have any so I get back into the line with the women who have already grabbed theirs.
I continue to follow my line and make my way into a decent size room with tiles covering the floor to the ceiling. It's a shower area with multiple shower heads. I have to shower with other woman?
I let out a groan as a woman next to me hands me a towel and a bar of soap. "Take your shower, newbie. You have ten minutes."
I stalk off and find my way to an opening between an older woman and the girl who talked to me at dinner last night. I begin to wash myself and stare at the shower head. The last thing I need is people thinking im a lesbian and get my ass kicked. Is that what would happen? Is this like prison, because this sure feels like it. My freedom and fun time have been taken away just like a convict.
"Bella, right?" the girl asks. I nod through soapy eyes and rinse off.
"I'm Dana. Sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to pry, I just wanted to know."
"It's fine" I say. I continue to wash silently and I step out grabbing my towel and wrap it around me. I walk up the woman who gave it to me and she gives me an annoyed look.
"Um, I don't have any clothes. What should I do?" I ask in a small voice.
"Here are sweats and a tee shirt. You can keep them but you need to find your own way of getting clothes. If you steal anything, you will be kicked out."
I nod and quickly get dressed and return to the 'bedroom'. I spot Milo leaning against a wall and he beckons me over to him with his finger. I walk over and lean against the wall also.
"You alright?" he asks.
I sigh. "Yeah."
"I'm sorry about your dad."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay."
Silence again.
"What will happen next?" I ask. I wanted to be prepared for anything and everything.
"First, we take showers and then head to the dining hall to have breakfast."
"Why are you here then and not in there?"
He gives me a cheeky grin and laughs, "I was waiting for you since I knew you wouldn't know what to do next."
"Thanks." I meant it.
"No problem. Let's go."
Maybe I could make a friend here. Milo was the only person who made an effort and I know I do not want to be alone in this world. We could possibly lean on each other and it couldn't hurt. What do I got to lose?
After a breakfast that consisted of eggs, one biscuit and a milk that I think went bad two days ago, Milo took me outside.
"Why are we out here?" I ask.
"We're not aloud to stay inside all day. We have to be productive and look for a job or something like that."
"Will people hire us if we're homeless? I mean we don't have an address."
"We have an address, Bella; just most people won't hire us because of being homeless. You need to get used to the stares. People will look down upon you because we don't have a place to call our own. The world thinks they are better than us. We gotta hurry though, St. Andrews is about to open in forty five minutes and if we don't hurry, we will miss the good stuff." He says as he starts to walk down the street. Its pretty cold outside and I watch him rub his arms through his thin jacket to create friction.
"Milo!" Where you going and what is St. Andrews?
"C'mon. We talk later. We have a ways to walk-"
"I am not walking anywhere." I say sternly as I glare at him. "I plan on driving."
He gives me a confused look and I lead him to my truck.
His face lights up like a boy on Christmas. "Oh my god! You have a truck! This is great!" I open his door and let him in as I laugh at the look on his face. It's the first time I laughed since I got here.
He gives me directions to St. Andrews and I parked the truck and got out with him.
"Wow, we got here in five minutes and it takes me forever to walk here." He smiles. "This is where we can get free stuff. It used to be church years ago and then they turned into this for needy people... and we are definitely needy people."
Walking in, I take a look around me. It reminds me of a re sale shop as random things are thrown around everywhere.
He leads me over to a pile of woman's clothes. "This should fit you." He holds up an ugly green winter jacket, but at least it will fit. "Now remember, never to be too greedy. Since this is free, some people really use to it to their advantage but you should never abuse what is given to you."
Too many people in the world I used to live in abused everything. It makes me realize that everything is so over rated. I remember missing my ipod for a weekend after I left it in my locker. I abused what I had had back then. All I miss now is my home and my family.
I nod in confirmation and he hands me a few other things. He hands me two pairs of thick socks, a sweater and a pair of jeans and to top it all off, three pairs of underwear. I blush scarlet when he hands me those.
"Don't be embarrassed. I need some too."
I can't believe I am going to where someone else's underwear, but what choice do I have?
"How will we wash our clothes?" I ask as he continues rummaging throught the men's section.
"If we get lucky and find money, we can go to the Laundromat and if not... then we have to wear dirty clothes or wash them in a gas station bathroom or something. I know its gross, but there is nothing we can do."
After we grab a few more items we make our way back to the truck.
"Thank you for everything, Milo. I know I was kind of harsh when I first—"
"Hey no apologies. You should have seen me when I first ended up on the streets. I yelled at anyone and anything that I came in contact with."
I drive out and ask him a question that has been on my mind all morning. "How long have you been homeless?"
He gets this far away look in his eyes and looks out the window. He doesn't respond for a few minutes and I worry that I upset him. "Since, I was fifteen. I'm twenty- one, now."
"Seven years? Oh my god. I am so sorry."
"No biggie. I am used to it cuz I got mad skill. You on the other hand... "He laughs trying to lighten the mood. I chuckle along with him and pretend that everything is going to be okay. It's all we can do.
In the last chapter when she goes intot he dining hall, I accidentally put 'sexy' LOL... i mean to type that there were some 'older' people, not sexy people. Lmao. Sorry if there was confusion.
