My Army Man

My army man - Chapter 1

02/02/14

This is about Neil he's a solider aged 26 who's also a Lovatic he tweeted Demi on the 16/05/13 and she replied..... Well what would happen if they were to meet in real life........ Let's find out shall we ( I only know parts about Neil for example I don't know his last name or any members of his family so a lot of this will obviously made up. I hope you enjoy and I'll try to upload regularly but because of work and stuff it's kinda hard to find the time to write but I'll try to update often hopefully :p )

Neil's POV

Another day of war, today I witnessed a good friend of mine be killed, he died instantly. Every time I close my eyes he's all I can see. We used to talk every night about his wife and 7 month old child, but now it's his widow and child whom will now grow up without a father. I can still see his face everywhere I look his blonde hair, blue ocean like eyes. I can see the pain in his eyes when he was shot, he know instantly he was going to die. I know what you're thinking 'he joined the army it his own fault' yes your right he joined the army so you could go to school, work, shopping, just so you could be safe he risked his life. And let me tell you that's what he did we were moving in on operation 'virgo' basically children and mothers were kidnapped from their village and held for ransom. He died protecting a 6 year old boy. A 6 year old boy was saved today at the cost of my best friend.

Right now I'm back in the deployment truck headed to the airport. Today I get to go hope Harrison doesn't, sometimes i feel like I should of died because I have no family my mother committed suicide 1 year ago, my brother mark died in a drug overdose and my father, well let me tell you about him that bastard left us high and dry when I was only 3 years old he left me with a monster I called step dad. For years my step father would abuse me sexually, physically, emotionally you name it he done it. my upbringing wasn't bad until I got to the age of 16 when my brother mark joined the airforce I was 14 at the time. I was the man of the house. At first it was ok me and mom got on great until she started locking her self away in her room, for days she would come out sometimes I was scared to go in just in case she killed her self. Bu the time I was 19 I had gone from being as sober as you get to being on every drug am alcoholic drink you could make heroin, crack, vodka and rum and that was just breakfast for me. countless times I was homeless I kept sleeping on friends couches until I came across a shelter I found out it was ran by the army salvation. at my stay I had become good friends with a man named James he was 29 and at the time I was 23 together we both got jobs at Burger King, we saved up all of our money and rented a flat. we loved there for 3 months that was until James relapsed and went to jail because he broke some bail charges that I didn't even know about. I was working both mine and James's shift which wasn't working, eventually I got kicked out as I was unable to pay the rent.

I went back to the shelter. It was at this time I learned of an adult rehabilitation center that the shelter ran. It was a much nicer place to stay, it was a 6 month program, and I liked the security of it. I wasn't sure what I was going to do after that 6 months, but hopefully I'd get some guidance.

Near the end of my time at the centre. I had learned of Demi Lovato going into treatment. With the few bits of money I had left I bought an MP3 player with that I had bought Demi's first and only two albums at the time 'Don't Forget' and 'Here We Go Again' I'd listen to them going to sleep nearly every night in rehab.

I was devastated to hear the reasons of her going into rehab, but at the time I was immensely proud of her for doing so.

I knew I would miss her tweets and funny updates but to me her health was what was more Important at the time she was 18 and I was 23. I could easily say she was perfect and a beautiful young woman but when you dislike some thing for so long it's hard to see it from someone else's POV

I certainly didn't look down on her for doing what she did. I even wrote her several letters which I would never send. I don't know why. It helped me feel like I had a purpose, I guess. It made me feel like I had a bond with her. We were both in rehab, for similar reasons.

During my time in rehab, one of my roommates Lukas who was regularly sent back because of treatment and because of his relapses. I think in the end he died of an overdose any way I had learnt that he was an ex-drill sergeant from the Army. While I was here he basically took me under his wing. I was 23 at the time, and he said that was far too young for me to be in a place like this.

One day I remember he asked me if I had ever thought about joining the military. In truth, I had tried to join the Navy a few years prior, but obviously that didn't go very far because of my constant drug use. I told him basically 'sure, why not'. I mean, I had no other plans after I left the center. Serving the country that had done a lot for me in my life, and in my homelessness seemed like the right thing to do.

He made some calls and got me set up with a recruiter. I was then enlisted in November of 2010 to go to basic training in May of 2011. And now here I am heading home after my second tour in Afghanistan.

So we've just landed back in LA and god it feels good to be home although I've got no where to go I have all my paycheques from the army I did have a little flat but it wasn't a permanent thing. I headed out of the plane and went straight to my position we do this every tour say goodbye to the loved ones that we've lost or who we're injured abroad as well as to all the family's that have had someone taken from them during that specific tour

"Neil McDonald" sergeant Hannah called "yes sir" I replied sharply getting to my feet "there's a Miss Demi Lovato waiting outside for you" I nodded "may I be excused sir" inside I was seriously nervous I mean I had tweeted her loads but with me being in the army you don't expect a reply from anyone let alone your idol "yes McDonald of you go" I shock his hand before walking to the office *knock knock* no matter if she was here for me or not manners don't cost a thing

Next update....... 12/02/14

Comment if you want something specific to happen, or if you do or don't like the book just so I know what you think