I just had a cheque for £600 go missing.

I was counting on it to tide me over until I managed to get my unemployment and housing benefit claims processed. I have no idea how long it's going to take to get them processed. I was going to go down and claim tomorrow anyway, but I was counting on having that money to keep me going while everything got moving.

Worse, the cheque was from my parents. I know I should just phone up, ask them to check if it was cashed, and if not see if they could put a stop on it and send me another. I should do that, but I can't. If it has been cashed already, I need them to think I cashed it. They think I'm hopeless enough already without my managing to lose £600 of their money. I honestly can't bear them to be disappointed in me again, which seems to be about all I'm good for at the moment where they're concerned.

I'm absolutely terrified they'll tell me to come home. Because I have no money and have obviously failed to prove I'm a responsible, independant adult. And I can't do that because frankly, I would rather be nowhere at all than stuck in that house, in that town, with them. I'm beginning to see how people end up falling through the cracks.

But I have no money. My rent is due. I don't know what to do.

Didn't I have enough to think about without adding this?