When Karl was woken up by his stepmom one random Sunday with the information that they were going to some old high school friends of his dad's, he didn't think much would come out of it. It would be just like any other awkward gathering of people he didn't really know.
Thankfully after arriving at the strangers house, he realised that the people weren't too bad. In fact, they were actually pretty nice. After getting to talk, he had mentioned to them how he may not have had a proper plan but he really wanted to move to London.
He saw the light bulb light up in the strangers brain as an idea seemed to run to the front of his mind.
"I have a friend there," the friendly stranger - Dan - said. "He's going on holiday soon and needs someone to house sit for him. Would you be interested?"
Of course he would be interested. It would be perfect. They exchanged emails and contacted the man who was in need of a house sitter. Now all he had to do was wait. And that's what he did. He waited, and waited and waited. He was beginning to get worried that maybe things hadn't worked out so great and that they had potentially found someone else.
On a whim at around three in morning when the sofa bed felt more uncomfortable than usual, he decided to send another email to them. The hopes of staying alone in the most ideal spot in london and not sleeping on an uncomfortable ikea couch over powered his social anxiety and he sent an email asking if there were still looking and mentioned desperately how he would be willing to look after the house for them.
The couch was so uncomfortable, he couldn't sleep on it anymore. It hurt his back and the pillow hurt his neck. He was still grateful though, at least he had a place to rest. However, the other option was slightly more ideal.
After tossing and turning and slightly regretting emailing a stranger at three in the morning, he managed to be graced with a few short hours of sleep.
The regret washed off of him the morning when he saw that his email had been replied to. The reply was all positive and he had been asked to stay over with them for two nights before they could decide if he could house sit for them.
It would be slightly awkward, there was no denying that. Especially since he would have to be there for at least one full day with the family at the house. It would be worth it though, if it all went to plan and he was able to stay there alone for the ten days then he didn't mind two nights and one day of awkwardness.
It did mean that he would have to travel into London by himself but honestly he was slightly exicted for the adventure. He liked riding the train and watching the world blurr past him. It was a lot more calming than listening to his little brother watch troom troom videos in his room all day.
He would have to leave the next day to be able to meet them though so he put his headphones on to cancel out the obnoxious troom troom video and started to pack a backpack for the next two nights.
YOU ARE READING
across the railway
Fanfiction"There's a reason, london puts barriers on the tube line" Karl finds himself lost in life after moving to a new country, life seems to be streaming past and he doesn't know which way is right anymore. Little does he know, moving to this new part of...
