It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (z-lib.org).epub

line to try and get a bed. He said he tried it once, but he feels safer in that old house
than he did at the shelter.
Like the naïve girl I am when it comes to situations like his, I said, “But aren’t
there other options? Can’t you just tell the school counselor what your mom did?”
He shook his head and said he’s too old for foster care. He’s eighteen, so his
mother can’t get in trouble for not allowing him to go back home. He said he called
about getting food stamps last week, but he didn’t have a ride or money to get to his
appointment. Not to mention he doesn’t have a car, so he can’t very well find a job.
He said he’s been looking, though. After he leaves my house in the afternoons he goes
and applies at places, but he doesn’t have an address or a phone number to put
down on the applications so that makes it harder for him.
I swear, Ellen, every question I threw at him, he had an answer for. It’s like he’s
tried everything not to be stuck in the situation he’s in, but there isn’t enough help
out there for people like him. I got so mad at his whole situation, I told him he was
crazy for wanting to go into the military. I wasn’t so much whispering when I said,
“Why in the heck would you want to serve a country that has allowed you to end up
in this kind of situation?”
You know what he said next, Ellen? His eyes grew sad and he said, “It’s not this
country’s fault my mother doesn’t give a shit about me.” Then he reached up and
turned off my lamp. “Goodnight, Lily,” he said.
I didn’t sleep much after that. I was too mad. I’m not even sure who I’m mad at.
I just kept thinking about our country and the whole world and how screwed up it is
that people don’t do more for each other. I don’t know when humans started only
looking out for themselves. Maybe it’s always been this way. It made me wonder how
many people out there were just like Atlas. It made me wonder if there were other kids
at our school who might be homeless.
I go to school every day and internally complain about it most of the time, but
I’ve never once thought that school might be the only home some kids have. It’s the
only place Atlas can go and know he’ll have food.
I’ll never be able to respect rich people now, knowing they willingly choose to
spend their money on materialistic things rather than using it to help other people.
No offense, Ellen. I know you’re rich, but I guess I’m not referring to people like
you. I’ve seen all the stuff you’ve done for others on your show and all the charities
you support. But I know there are a lot of rich people out there who are selfish. Hell,
there are even selfish poor people. And selfish middle-class people. Look at my
parents. We aren’t rich, but we certainly aren’t too poor to help other people. Yet, I
don’t think my dad has ever done anything for a charity.