My mother abandoned me for a man and left me homeless—fifteen years later, she returned asking for one last chance, but everything had already changed.

a backpack stuffed with clothes and a door closing behind me.

I slept on friends’ couches whenever I could.

When their parents started asking questions, I moved on.

Some nights I slept in bus stations.

Some nights in shelters.

Some nights I barely slept at all.

I learned which convenience stores discarded food at closing time.

I learned how to stretch five continue reading …