Katie:
feel quite helpless up here in Canada .....take full advantage of any agencies that will give you a lending hand. Any govenmental agencies?
I don't know what is available down there in California. Up here you could go to a Woman's Shelter for a spell..... Not ideal I know but it's a place to stay warm at night.
The fact that your parents are being so dreadful isn't helping matters any. And it probably wouldn't help if I said awful things about them either. They are your parents and they should be loving you but when you belong to an organization as this appearances matter so "f#$%ing" much. If there is a conscience with either of them hopefully it will rise to the top and they will look after you the way they should.
Blood is thicker than water........but water is so much sweeter to drink. There is alot of sweet drinkable water outside of that organization. Make sure you partake of it. But drink slowly and be selective. Little sips and breath in between.
Please keep in touch with this board. I am positive that someone will be posting something to your inbox.
Just know that we are all pulling for you.
love from Rosalyn.