Which One's Which

What A Journey

By now I think I've walked about a mile

I'm not quite sure where to go, but hopefully I can figure it out. It's not like I have any choice other to figure it out from what I already know about the city I live in. 

As I walk I seem to notice more, what seems to be, homeless people.  I never noticed how many people slept along the street before I was one of them.

Eventually one of the homeless kids walked up to me.

"Miss, do you have any spare food. I haven't eaten in days"

I only heard the first word. Did I still look like a girl? I thought I passed now that I cut my hair.

Before I knew it, I was screaming at this kid, who couldn't be older than 10.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME! DO I FUCKING LOOK LIKE A "MISS" TO YOU!!! I'M NOT A FUCKiNG GIRL. LEARN SOME FUCKING RESPECT"

I'm sure I said more, but at that point I had realized that I had made a mistake. 

The kid ran crying, but as he did this I yelled, "I'm sorry kid, I didn't mean to blow up"

I quickly chased him, and when I caught up I explained everything that happened recently. He stopped crying, and I gave him some of my spare cash. I felt like I had made a friend in the little time we had talked. It made me really sad that I had to keep going without him.

"Hey, SIR, can I walk with you? I'm all alone, and it seems we both need someone to talk to.

My sad, blank expression turned into a wide, excited, smile as I, almost immediately, yelled"OH MY GOD YES! OF FRIGGIN COURSE YOU CAN"

"Ok well then let's start moving before it gets dark and, by the way, my name is Miles."

We walked for hours as he helped me locate an LGBT inclusive homeless shelter. He said that he wanted to stay there, but was too scared. Miles was actually what he had called "non-binary", but I feel bad because they never corrected me whenever I said "He". They explained that they were a-gender, and "gender shouldn't matter because I am Miles and what I am shouldn't define me" 

I smiled at this. This kid was really fucking smart.

"You should stay there with me, and if anyone treats you poorly, I'll punch their lights out." I offered, hoping to never lose this kid I had just met, but I had somehow felt I'd known my whole life.

At this point Miles felt like my younger sibling. I would protect them until my final breath.