So Long Soldier (Jalex)

Chapter Sixteen - Change Of Plan

Alex’s POV

My mum drove away from the station and left me standing at the entrance. I picked up my guitar with one hand and walked on in, holding my money in the other hand. Standing in front of the desk I looked up at the person sitting behind the counter. “Excuse me can I have one child’s ticket to Manhattan please.” I placed the money on the counter. The man peered over the counter and looked down at me. “Aren’t you a little young to be travelling alone?” I shook my head and scrunched my face up. “I’m fine and this journey is important.” The man sat back down and collected the money from the counter. “Important journey? Why is it important?” I shuffled my feet together and looked around. “I’m going to my boyfriend. He got taken into a care home and his parents escaped jail and are trying to find him.” The man looked over at me slowly. “Are these parents the one’s that abused him?” I nodded slowly, my smile becoming a frown. The man reached over the desk and took my hand, placing all of my money back into the palm of it. “Don’t tell anyone okay. You can get the train ride for free, just this once.” He grabbed the ticket from the machine and put on top of the money in my hand. “But sir this isn’t legal is it?”

“It’s not but I’m paying for you out of my own money so run along before someone see’s this.” My frown returned to a smile and I thanked the man before running off to the platform.

I sat at platform 3, bag over my shoulder and guitar between my legs. I looked at the time on my watch. Quarter past 11. It was nearly midnight. The train wasn’t due in till 10 past and it was getting bitterly cold and my jacket I was wearing wasn’t exactly meant for this cold weather. My whole body was shaking and I’m pretty sure I was also shaking the bench, which I was sat upon. The woman who was sitting at the end of the bench looked across to me. “Oh my goodness, are you cold sweetheart?”

“I-I’m f-fine.”

“No you’re not. You’re a shivering mess darling!” She took out a thick, wooly cardigan from her handbag and placed it around me. “T-Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Say, where are you off to on your own?”

“M-Manhattan.” The woman’s expression was shocked. “All on your own?!” I nodded, feeling as if everyone on the platform was now looking over at me. “I’m going there to. Maybe I could keep you company on the train ride there?”

“That would be nice, thank you very much.” I was warming up now thanks to the lovely woman who I didn’t even know the name of. “What’s your name anyway?”

“Alex.”

“Mine is Elizabeth. I see you’re warming up now. I decided to help you out seeing as everybody else on the platform was just looking at you and not helping you out.” Ah her name is Elizabeth. I smiled across to her and she smiled back. “Why are you going to Manhattan by yourself anyway?”

How many people am I going to have to tell the reason why?! “I’m off to save my boyfriend. He got taken into care and his parents escaped from jail and are trying to find him.” Her mouth dropped open. “As in the parents who abused him and are currently on the news?” I nodded. Seriously though, how many times am I going to have to explain this before I get on the actual train? “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine.” She looked towards my guitar case that was still between my legs. “Do you play guitar?” I nodded again. “I have a small band at my school that I sing and play in but its nothing much.”

“Wow! What are you guys called?”

“All Time Low. Lame name I know.”

“New Found Glory lyric right?” I looked towards Elizabeth. She didn’t seem to be the kind of person that I’d expect to listen to New Found Glory. “Yeah! I didn’t think you’d be the kind to listen to that stuff?”