Jinxxed (Black Veil Brides)

Chapter Seven

"No no my sister's definitely fifteen," Luke insists to the woman behind the train ticket desk. "She's just a bit tall that's all. Passports? We're only going to Manchester, what's the big deal?"

I lean against Luke's suitcase and shut my eyes. The boys and Allyson had a much easier time getting train tickets because they're not minors travelling unaccompanied.

Luke pulls out two passports and I mentally praise him for always being organised and thinking ahead.

"Katherine Logan, Luke Dawson?" the lady, who's name tag says Pauline, arches an eyebrow. "You don't sound like siblings,"

"Step-siblings," Luke says exasperated. "Only Kat didn't take our surname and kept her mother's,"

Pauline sighs and starts printing tickets. Luke hands over a couple of notes and we walk away feeling slightly triumphant. Allyson and Andy are studying the train times and there's one leaving in two minutes. We grab the suitcases and start running towards the platform. I'm behind everyone and I start sweating in case I get left behind.

I throw my suitcase onto the carriage, knocking Ashley flying, and jump on just as the doors close behind me. Luke grins at me and Andy helps me stack the suitcases on the luggage wrack. The carriage we're in is completely deserted and Ashley and CC (who's had way too much coffee) start running up and ding singing 'We Are The Champions'

"Idiots," Andy rolls his eyes and plops down on one of the seats. Allyson sits across from him and leans her head against the window. I take the seat next to her and Luke goes next to Andy. I'm suddenly grateful me and Ally aren't on the backward-facing ones.

"I'm off to the buffet carriage!" CC starts turning terrible cartwheels and nearly kicks Luke in the face.

"There isn't one. It's a bog-standard train from London to Manchester," Luke tells him. "Then from Manchester we need to change over on a train to Rochdale then a bus,"

"Are we thinking this through properly?" I sigh. "We don't know where mum's sister lives...we don't even know what her name is!"

"Greenbrier is a tiny little town. One of those places where everyone knows everyone. It shouldn't be too hard to find a Miss Logan," Luke reminds me. He looks at Andy. "How are you guys going to get back home to California?"

Andy laughs and shrugs. "Who knows? We'll just see where we end up,"

"My parents have lived in Greenbrier for ages," Allyson pipes up. "Meaning they'll know everyone,"

"How many people live in Greenbrier?" Andy wonders.

"I'm not sure...maybe around two or three hundred? It's not a very big place," Allyson shrugs.

"Kat, you should try and get some sleep...we've got a long night ahead of us so get some rest now," Luke says concernedly.

"Luke, I'm fifteen. I don't need to get any sleep, I'm old enough to know when I need to get some and when I don't," I assure him.

Luke frowns but doesn't say anything. CC and Ashley have finally calmed down and they're sitting with Jake and Jinxx across the aisle from us.

"So what happens when we get off at Manchester?" Jake asks.

"We get on another train to Rochdale and from there it's another train up until the end of the line. No idea what that station's called, but it's the final stop. Then we walk for about thirty minutes and we're in another tiny little town and there's a bus from there to Greenbrier," Luke explains. "Like I said, we've got a long night ahead of us,"

Jake sighs. "I can't believe we're actually doing this,"

"Oh lighten up, it's an adventure...be a little spontaneous!" CC grins. "Besides Luke and Kat are our friends now. We go where they go,"