Why Us?

Chapter 1. Jonas

August 1, 2004. 2:55pm

Oh no I'm late, it's 2:55 I should have been home by 2:50 but at this point I'm not sure what's worse, taking my normal way home and getting beat up or being a few minutes late and dealing with my mom.
I arrived to my house at 3:00, I was so nervous to even touch the door, I could already picture my mom waiting by the door ready to slap me or start yelling at me. Slowly I reached out and opened the door, I walked in and I didn't see anyone so I figured she just took another one of her random trips and wouldn't be back for a few days. As I made my way towards the kitchen to get some chips my mom came from the kitchen corner and punched me, I fell back and was in shock that my own mother had just punched me. All she's ever done was pull my ear and slap me but she's never gone as far as punching me. She stared at me with no expression whatsoever "Jonas your 10 minutes late that's the second time this week. How could you be so irresponsible? You will be punished for this, you will not leave this house for two months. Now go to your room." I got up and said "mom please, if you just let me explain why I'm getting home so late you would understand" "Understand what? That your an irresponsible little brat who needs to learn to get home ON TIME. I don't want to hear a word go to your room now! You can catch up with school on your own when you get back".
I couldn't stand it anymore, she treats me like I'm not her son, like I'm nothing to her "all because I got home late! I would understand being worried but since when have you even cared enough about me to worry?! TELL ME DO YOU EVEN LOVE ME?" "Jonas I said don't talk back go too your room RIGHT NOW!" I couldn't believe it she wouldn't answer, does she really not love me? "Mom? Just answer the question do you even love me?" "I SAID GO TOO YOUR ROOM" "BUT DO YOU LOVE ME?" She looked me dead in the eye and said one last time "Go.Too.Your.Room"  "DO YOU LOVE ME?" Tears we're starting to form as I stood there angrily waiting for an answer. Her empty expression turned into an angry one as she slapped me and shouted "NO OK? ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR ANSWER?" I was speechless, I could feel my tears going down my cheeks now, the person that I was supposed to call mom said she didn't love me, the person that's supposed to be there for me and care for me said she didn't love me, and the only person I had in my life said she didn't love me.
I stood there for a minute crying, almost two when she said "now then go to your room, I'll tell you when you can leave your room and make yourself something to eat later." I looked up at her and said "but I love you. Why cant you love me back." "JONAS I AM NOT HAVING THIS DUMB CONVERSATION AGAIN, GO!" I wasn't going to let her push me around again, I didn't move. "Jonas Miller if your not in your room by the time I get to three your really gonna have it." I was still crying but I stayed put.
She didn't count, she just stared at me and she started to smile but it wasn't just any smile, the smile she had looked sort of evil and she said "ohh I see, so your going to play tough guy huh? Well if your so tough then why don't you pack up your things and LEAVE!" I couldn't believe it, she had to be kidding, she wouldn't actually kick me out right? "Mom....please tell me your kidding." "GET OUT JONAS BEFORE I SHOW YOU THE WAY OUT MYSELF." I ran to my room after she said that, I couldn't handle this anymore, I emptied out my school duffel bag, packed my blue hoodie and beanie, I zipped up my bag and shut the door to my room. As I was about to open the front door Kim said something that gave me shivers "the second you walk out my door your life will be miserable." I didn't respond and left her house.

Thirty minutes of walking and I'm still not sure where I'm going, I stopped and looked around, there was a park in the distance and from what I could see there was no one there. As I was getting closer to the park I started noticing and taking in all the details, there was a big oak tree in the middle of the park and bark all around the parks playground, on the left side of the tree I could see a play castle with a slide and monkey bars, I looked to my right and see a seesaw and a boy. The boy was sitting on a swing who looked like he had been crying a bit, I walked over towards him and noticed he was holding a picture. As I got closer he looked up and stared at me for a second before he quickly put the picture in his pocket, he was wearing a red zip up hoodie and black sweatpants, black boots and a black backpack beside him. I went to the swing next to him and sat down, he looked at me in confusion but didn't say anything. "Hey my name is Jonas what's yours?"he didn't say anything and looked away. I wasn't sure why but I felt like I needed to talk to him "not a talker? Well that's okay I'm not really a talker myself but you seem different but in a good-way." He didn't respond, maybe he couldn't speak? I wasn't sure but i decided to just keep talking "I um...like your boots" he looked up at me and said "Thanks but it's going to get late soon so you should probably head home now." Well he said something but it was about home, I didn't have one anymore. "I don't have a home anymore and I don't have anywhere to go, I was kicked out of my home today" the boy just stared at me. I decided it was time to leave him alone and as I started to get up he said "I don't have a home either....I'm an orphan and I was also kicked out but of an orphanage." We have something in common! It's not the best thing to have in common but this is still something. "oh sorry to hear that. Do you maybe want to go look for a homeless shelter together so we have somewhere to go for the night?" The boy got up from the swing, grabbed his bag and said "yeah, I'd like that. My name is Myles by the way and sorry for trying to ignore you earlier." "It's ok I understand." We left the park and started searching for a homeless shelter.

When we finally found a shelter to stay at we checked in and were located to our mattress. Myles had told me about his life at the orphanage when we were looking for a shelter, he was also bullied. I told him about my school life and Kim, I hated her.
Myles started setting up his mattress so I did the same, as I was setting up my mattress I got an idea, what if me and Myles worked together to earn enough money for an apartment, this could be a way to start over with our life's and finally have a good life. "Hey Myles I have an idea, I think it could really change our life's for the better" he look up at me slightly confused "and what is that?" "What if we both started working? You know get a job, earn money, we could start over again and when we have enough money we could get an apartment. What do you think?" He thought for a second before answering. "I think that's a great idea, I think this plan is going to work." This was perfect, soon our life's will be better again and there was nothing that could stop us this time.