It was so stupid to leave without any money or anything and it was so cold outside without a coat, but Elektra knew she made the right decision. She knew it would turn out fine eventually, even though that wasn't going to happen soon.

Elektra had ran away a few times already. But she always came back when she was hungry. For that reason she knew her parents wouldn't go looking for her. At least not yet. They probably assumed Elektra would turn up for dinner. But wasn't going to go back. She felt as if her family hated her, as if they wanted her to leave anyway. Any loving parent would be so proud if one of their kids was brave enough to come out as a lesbian, or they would be happy that their child trusted them enough to talk about their feelings. But Elektra's parents didn't love her. They were disappointed about the fact that she wasn't a second Melissa.

Elektra kept on walking and walking. It was getting darker and colder and her phone's battery was running out. Where could she go?

She was so lucky to find a hotel a few minutes later. Maybe she could stay the night if she explained what had happened? She went inside and walked over to the reception.

"Yes?" The man behind the counter said.

"Um... Hello, my name is Mand... Elektra Perkins, and I'd like to stay the night, but I don't have any money. But I could pay later... I could, it's not that... I just haven't brought any."

The man looked at her as if she was trying to make a fool out of him.

"I'm sorry, but we haven't got time for jokes today." He said.

"I'm not joking! Please, I have nowhere else to go!"

"Get out."

"Please! One night! Please... I beg you!"

"Out!"

"I can't sleep on the street, can I?"

"OUT!"

One of the security guards that was standing in a corner of the hotel lobby ran over to Elektra, took her by the arm and dragged her outside.

"I have nowhere else to go! Come on, I'll do anything..." She tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen.

He pushed her through the door and said: "The homeless shelter is two streets away."

What homeless shelter? Where? Elektra didn't even know where she was. Two streets away... The two streets on the left or the two streets on the right? Or was it just a figure of speech? She had to go somewhere. If only she had brought some money to catch a bus or buy something to eat. She was so cold and so hungry. She looked at her phone, she had only 12% battery left. She turned it off. It was 11 'o clock and her parents hadn't even called her. She didn't expect any other people calling her.

After a while she got somewhere. She wasn't sure what it was but it didn't look like a homeless shelter at all. But the doors were open and it looked pretty public, so she went inside anyway.

"Hey!" Someone said to her as she went inside.

"Hi."

The people around her were dancing to very loud music and they looked pretty cool. Her parents would call them scary, but she thought they were awesome. Some of them had dreadlocks, others were dressed in very multicoloured outfits, some of them weren't dressed at all, they looked like pieces of art! Where was she? Was she at some experimental art exhibition? Or was it just a party? Was she allowed in there or was she accidentally partycrashing?

"What's your name?" Someone else, a young lad, asked her.

"Elektra." Elektra replied.

"Welcome Elektra! What brings you here tonight?"

"Um... I don't know. I was just passing by actually."

"Whereto dear?"

"The homeless shelter actually..." She confessed.

"No, no... You don't have to go there dearie, come with me! You can stay at my flat, don't go there. You don't want to stay there with those weirdos, do you? You can stay with me."

Elektra smiled.

"Thank you!" She said.

She was pretty tired and actually wanted to leave with him straight away, but apparently he wasn't about to go yet.

"Come on, let's dance!" He said, and he dragged Elektra onto the dancefloor.

Elektra had no idea how to dance. But he was so nice for offering her a place to stay the night she started to move awkwardly to the beat, just to please him. She didn't want to sound annoying, so she kept on dancing until the guy noticed she wasn't enjoying herself.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Elektra nodded.

"Come on, I'll get you something to drink." He said. "Or would you rather have a drink at my place?"

"Sure!" Elektra replied.

"Come on."

He left the building and Elektra followed him. The guy lit a cigarette and offered is to Elektra.

"No... I don't smoke." She said.

"You don't? You're missing out!"

Elektra smiled as he put the cigarette in his own mouth.

"Follow me." He said. "It's pretty close."