"You get me."

Triger warning: Mention of Substance abuse and Physical abuse.

I look in the bathroom mirror. God, I look disgusting, something I always told myself. People went in and out the door, and it was a public bathroom. After all, I wonder if people saw a teenage girl crying to herself in the bathroom mirror, saying how disgusting and repulsive she is.

Probably not, but if they did, no wonder why it's so easy for them to walk past without saying a word. I digress. This isn't my first rodeo, after all. I grabbed my thanks and left the bathroom, probably leaving a trail of tears behind. Well, this is my life now.

I'm only 16, and I already hate my life. I mean, the only reason I left was to have a better life, but how will I have a better life? I have no parents. I do, but they're drug addicts, and I'm all alone in this big city where a dark cloud of crime shadows it.

 "Come on, Linda. You got this.", I tell myself.

I mean, the only thing I could do was lie to myself. I'll give you a little backstory. My parents are drug addicts. I've already stated that before, but it's why I left. My parents were the nicest people you could ever meet. 

We lived in this big house, and it was so lovely. It seemed like we were the perfect family. I was an only child. As you can guess, I was spoiled but didn't let it go to my head. I'm better than that, and of course, I thought my parents were better than that, or so I thought.

It wasn't until the day my parents went out together. Oh my God, I wish they would have stayed in that day. Maybe things could have ended differently if they didn't go to that stupid club and tried Heroin for the first time. Heroin for the first time, and they were already hooked like crazy.

  Since then, they've been looking for the next hit. You think it wouldn't affect our relationship, but I was wrong. Constant arguing, yelling, and sadly that's when the abuse started. It was painful. Unfortunately, I still have some bruises left on me.

  You think it wouldn't get worse, but oh boy, it did. I had to get a job to buy myself some food. My parents, they didn't care about me anymore. I had to get out of my child-like mindset of mine. I had to force myself to mature faster. No kid should have to do that, but I had to.

It only got worse from there. You think they wouldn't have expectations as soon as their mind was clouded by drugs. If I couldn't be more dead wrong. I came out to them and told them I liked girls. It soon became the worst night of my life. Let's just say I went to sleep in pain that night and with bruises everywhere.

After that night, I realized I had, had enough. I packed my bags and left that hell hole, leaving nothing behind. It's been 3 days since then have been sleeping in the park. It's less comfortable than you think, but I have to survive. I'm walking down the street, bumping into people left and right.

 "Hey, watch it!"

 "Watch where you're going, kid!"

 "Hey, watch it. I'm walking here!"

This city wasn't filled with the kindest people, but it's better than my parents. It was already nightfall by now. Oh wow, a fourth night without a place to stay shows you how shitty life is. I walk to the park and flop down on the grass, looking at the sunset.

" Wow, it's so gorgeous."

 This gives me hope, but it turns out I wasn't alone.

Change in POV:

 "Oh my God, I can't see a thing. What is going on? I hear talking. Are those humans? I hear no. Wait, it's only one human."

I use my tail to push back the leaves to see her, a human. What is she doing here? Humans usually have homes. Where are her owners? I thought all humans had owners. She's probably mean, like my last owner. I'm so glad I got out of that place. 

Change in POV:

 "What was that?'

Here are some noises from the Bush. What is that? I see glowing eyes coming from the Bush. Is it an animal? I got up and started walking towards the Bush.

" Oh, my God!"

  It's a cat. Her black fur compliments her yellow eyes. This cat has scratches all over it. Oh my God, she had been abused. I don't know, and I can tell it's a girl. Before I left, I did have a cat back at home, but sadly it's no longer with us.  

"Meow.", She cried.

  Maybe having a friend wouldn't be such a bad idea. I told myself that my mind was already set. This cat was my world now. I pick her up from the Bush, holding her in my arms like a newborn baby.

  There's something about this cat. I looked into her eyes and felt something about this cat in my heart. I don't even know her, and it's like I already know her entire backstory. There's a connection, a connection that's almost like magic.

Change in POV:

 "This human, she's different."

She had dirt all over her. She's just like me. Was she abused? Even though she's a cat, she's different. 

Change in POV:

I begin to walk off with her. I was talking to her as if she was a human, but you know what, that's not the craziest thing I've ever done. I felt warm with her, and I felt like I could do anything. She was the light in this cold dark world that I was living in. 

We walked together all night long. I was talking to her, I was laughing, and she was meowing, so at least I knew she was enjoying my stories. We made it to a place that I call Heaven. We made it to a shelter, and it felt like Heaven. I walk into the shelter to be met by a receptionist.

 "Hello, welcome to- Oh my God! Ma'am, are you okay?! The receptionist asked, hysterical.

  As soon as I heard that question, tears ran down my face. I finally broke down.

" I am not okay.", I cried.

  The receptionist pulled me into a warm embrace. Wow, this is what a hug is like?

 "Don't worry. You and your cat are safe here. Where are your parents?"

  As soon as the receptionist asked, she stopped herself. She noticed the bruises under my jacket. 

 "You don't have to say another word. You are right at home, and you and this little angel will fit right in.

 "Angel?" I questioned.

 "Angel, that's your name now. Do you like that?" I smiled.

 Change in POV:

 "Did she just give me the name? Angel, I like it!"

 I wag my tail in excitement. Thank you, human.

 Change POV:

  The receptionist walks me back into a room. I sat there for a little while then a social worker walked in.

 "Hello, young lady. What's your name?"

 "My name is Linda." I force a smile.

 "By the looks of it, I can tell you don't have a home."

 "I don't, at least I did, but I don't know."

 "Well, that's going to change now. Welcome home, Linda." she smiled.

 I begin crying

 "Oh my God, Linda, are you okay?!"

 "I am more than okay. I am thrilled!" wiping my tears.

  The social worker smiled. She gave me nice clothes, with a pillow and a blanket. Oh wow, I almost screamed out of joy. I hadn't seen these in days. She took me to a room where another girl had stayed.

 "Oh, my God! Hi! What's your name?"

 "My name is Linda!"

 "That name is so pretty! I'm your roommate. I'm Jamie, and my pronouns are she/her. What are your pronouns?"

 "My pronouns are she/they!"

 "We love that!" 

She wrapped her arms around me as if we were sisters. You'd think I would be uncomfortable, but to be honest. I loved every second of it. I already looked up to this girl as if she was my sister. A few hours passed Jamie was fast asleep.

I sat on my bed; I still had an angel in my arms. I placed her down on the bed. 

"Well, Angel looks like this was our new home. What do you think?"

Angel places her paw on my hand. She understood and knew that whatever challenges we face from now on, we do it together. She was my person, indeed.