How do I make friends?

I genuinely want to know: how does anyone actually make friends? Especially in person, I’m terrified of people my age. After a horrible experience with bullying in middle school three years ago, I still actively avoid teenagers. If I see a group of them at the park or in a store aisle, I will literally turn around and walk away because I'm scared they’ll be rude or judge me. Being homeschooled makes it even harder since I’m stuck in a bubble where I only feel safe talking to adults or my family.

My only other option is finding friends online, but that’s just as frustrating. I hate small talk. Getting a "good morning" or "how was your day" every single day is so boring that it feels like an inconvenience. I end up just not responding because there’s no substance to the conversation. I genuinely do not know what to do at this point. Does anyone have actual advice on how to make friends when the "normal" way is terrifying and the online way is just boring small talk?