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Chapter One

“Bye Dad!” Karen called from the front door
“come here!” he signalled her back into the small, dimly lit sitting room of their family home in Ireland. “now be careful, and make sure your phone is charged and stay in contact!” He said before wrapping his arms around her.
“Yes dad, I will,” Karen said drearily. She had heard these instructions several times and although she knew this was in her best interest it was beginning to ruin her excitement! Karen was set for a week with her best friend, Louise, in London. It was her first trip away from home and it had taken Karen months of convincing for her parents to allow her to go, but now that she was finally 17 they allowed her.
“But most off all have fun!” her Dad added. Although he didn’t look it, he was a middle age man, the years off stress had obviously taken a toll on his frail body.
“I’ll see you in a week!” Karen gave her Dad one last kiss before lifting her bag and joining her mum in the passenger seat of the car.
“Passport?  Tickets? Boarding pass?” her mother tapped her stubby fingers at each item.
“Yes mum, I’ve got everything,” Karen groaned. Did her mum really think she was that immature? Although this did make her doubt herself so she reached into her bag to double check. “Can we get a move on? Louise will kill me if I’m late!”
Her mum did as she was told and started up the engine. The airport was only down the road but the journey seemed to drag on, her mum echoing everything she had heard on daily basis ever since she had the flights booked.
“Love you!” Karen kissed her mum and then closed the door before her. She strutted up to the entrance, dragging her bag behind her. Her long, black hair cascaded over her back in perfect curls that she had spent ages on earlier that day. She checked her makeup in her compact mirror and reapplied her dark plum lipstick, before entering the airport. Her eyes glanced around the large check in area and then focused on a tall, pretty girl waving her arms in Karen’s direction. Louise had short blonde hair that was cut into a pixie cut. Karen ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her.
“Oh my god, Karen! This is so exciting!” Louise bounced up and down. Karen nodded vigorously in agreement.
“I know I can’t believe this is actual happening!” Karen said, beginning to lead the way to check in.

They flew through security and it wasn’t long before they were on their flight. They each put in their earphones, Karen listening to her all-time favourite Lana del Rey.
“Seriously?” Louise groaned “not her again!”
“But she’s awesome!” Karen protested before sighing and changing the song to something that Louise approved off. They snapped a few pictures of the views from the plane and it wasn’t long before they were landing. They grinned at each other when the captain announced approaching Gatwick. The weather was good for this time of year. The sun was beaming out of the sky and it was so warm that Karen decided to remove her coat and put it in her case.
“Right,” Louise giggled “what do we do now?”
“um,” Karen hesitated “train station, then tube, then hotel!” Karen was definitely the more organised of the two. Karen had a file full of their tickets, broachers and tube maps. She knew exactly which lines they had to get on and where to get off!

“Thank god you’re here!” Louise said as she flicked through Karen’s folder, “I wouldn’t have a clue where to go!”
The train station was a short walk from the airport, although Louise was already complaining that her bag was heavy. Karen rolled her eyes as she watched Louise’s feet trudge slowly towards the lift, she desperately hoped Louise had brought other shoes than her high heeled boots, she certainly wasn’t prepared to wait around for her for the next week.

It was only when they had gotten off the train did Karen started to panic. It was all down to her, Louise didn’t have a clue what she was doing. What if she got them lost? The station was packed with people go about their daily lives. She calmed herself down and found they found their way to the line that was nearest their hotel. It was easier than Karen thought and she quickly felt comfortable with the whole system. The tube they got on was quite empty, with just a middle aged man in a suit, obviously a business man, and a small group of girls around Karen’s age, in the same carriage. They were staying in a local ‘Premier Inn’ about 20 minutes from the centre of London. Karen was proud that she had remembered to get off at the right stop. She looked around the tube station interested by all the adverts for products and various shows that all claimed to be the “best show.”  She stopped to stare at a poster advertising ‘the Phantom of the Opera’ this caught her eye as her and Louise had booked tickets to see it later on in the week. If it was Karen’s choice they would have been going to see lots of shows and musicals, but it wasn’t really Louise’s thing.

When they entered the hotel they walked over to the reception area. The hotel was large and modern, the fluorescent lights shined on the purple walls lighting the place up. It was beginning to get dark now.
“Hello there, what can I do for you?” the cheery receptionist asked, looking over her glasses which she wore half way down her nose. She was tall and thin with her blonde hair scrapped back into a perfect bun. Her eyelids where a bright, glittery blue colour which matched the colour of her eyes. Karen read her name tag, Shannon, she didn’t look like a Shannon, Karen thought to herself. The receptionist handed them each a card for their room and explained the arrangements or breakfast and dinner.  The girls nodded and made their way towards the elevator. Their room was spacious and airy with a large double bed in the middle of the room. Karen popped her head into the bathroom to check out the shower and Louise flopped onto the bed.
“So what’s the plan for tonight?” Louise asked watching Karen unpack some of her items
“Well I think we’re going to get dinner and take it easy just for tonight? Should we just eat in the hotel?” she said
“Yeah that sounds good! What about tomorrow?”
“Well we have tickets for that tour bus so maybe we could do some general sightseeing and then maybe do a bit of shopping.”
“Awesome! I can’t wait to see Big Ben!”