Authors note - grr I keep contradicting myself by accident. Sorry. Can you just go with the flow?

-CHAPTER TWENTY-

Triss' POV

I stared out the window at the countryside, hills and towns rushing past at a hundred miles an hour. I rested my head against the cool glass, trying to still my headache that felt like someone drilling into my skull. Above my head I heard rattling and I looked up, the contents of my bag was spilling up on the rail. I pulled myself off my seat, holding on tight so I didn't fall over on the moving floor. I pulled the bag down, pushing down the contents. I had packed some food, my phone, a coat and five paintings in the biggest bag I could find, I pushed it back onto the railing, trying to ignore the old guy in the corner leering at me, and sat back down.

Just don't think of home.

Or Jake.

Then you'll be happy.

I took my remaining money out of my pocket. Two hundred and seventeen dollars. I had taken all of the money I found at the bottom of mum's jewelry box, over three hundred dollars and spent a hundred on a train ticket, nine hour journey. A one way train ticket. Basically I had two hundred and seventeen dollars to start a new life in the city. I crossed my fingers, staring at the grey sky. Please let them like it, please let them like it.

I figured I had a one in ten chance my dreams would actually come true and I wouldn't end up homeless, or worse. But, even if it went wrong I had seventeen dollars left and I could get home, or get another home. Maybe I could go into foster care or something, but not home, I knew how Kristy felt now wherever the hell she was. I had to start again, it was a fierce desire, a burning need and turning back was no option, even if what was ahead was a hell of a lot more terrifying.

But Jake...

Stop it Triss.

Maybe I needed a new name. Sure if I became a famous artist I would still be Felicity Sillver so people knew who I was but if it failed then I didn't want to be her ever again. How about Diane, I'd always liked that name, Diane Smith. There were probably hundreds of them so I would never get found out again, I just hoped it was that easy. I leant my head against the window and must have fallen asleep because next thing I knew someone was shaking me awake.

'Ma'am' I opened my eyes 'are you alright?'

I jumped up, the guy was in his late twenties with a kind face but I couldn't trust anyone could I?

'What happened?' I asked, blearily.

'Nothing, it's just the end of the rail' he said.

'End of the rail?' I repeated, confused.

'We're in New York' he said 'you have to get off the train.'

'Right' I said, standing up quickly and retrieving my bag from the rail, it was surprisingly heavy.

'What have you got in there?' the guy asked.

'Umm, stuff' I replied, walking forwards quickly and getting on onto the platform.

'Wait' called the guy, touching my shoulder so I turned round to look at him. Terrified, my heart was slamming in my chest. 'Where are you going?' he asked.

My mind searched for an answer 'my grans' I said, pulling my shoulder away from his arm. What if he was murderer? A rapist? A thief? I desperately tried to still my breathing so he didn't know how scared I was.

'Aren't you a little young?' he asked. Was that an evil twinkle in his eye. Stop it Triss, he's probably just a concerned guy.

But what if he's not?

'I'm eighteen' I lied 'I just looked younger.'

'Right' he nodded 'can I help you? Do you need a lift or something?'

'No, I'm fine' I pretended to look at the clock 'I gotta run, I'm late for my grans car. Then I turned and ran as fast as I could, not looking back at the confused guy. Once I was out of the station I ran through the street, through crowds of people before finding a secluded place to stop and catch my breath. I leant against the dirty, cold brick then pulled on my coat. It was winter and New York was freezing. I wrapped my arms around myself and walked out into the streets of people all walking somewhere while I had no idea where I was. I stared at the address I had written on my hand that was already fading and back at the huge skyscrapers that surrounded me and felt my stomach drop.

I stood still, watching the people go past me then found a woman holding a baby.

'Excuse me, do you know where this address is?'

Jake's POV

I ran down the stairs.

'Misty, get the hell off the computer' I said, pulling her chair back.

'Hey, I was on that' she protested.

'Facebook can wait' I replied, then typed in "new York art." 252,000,000 results. Shit. I'd completely forgotten how Triss had found it. I was never going to... unless. 'You can have the computer back' I said, running back up the stairs and into my room, staring at Triss's empty room. I forced y window open and started to climb onto the tree and across to her room. It was pretty terrifying, I wasn't exactly a huge fan of heights and in the cold my fingers felt so numb they were going to let go of the branches but I gritted my teeth and thought about Triss, then climbed into her window ledge, opening her window first with my fingernails then eventually forcing it open and climbing in. The room was warm after being outside and reminded me of Triss so much. I sat on the bed and my eyes fell onto the laptop that was near her pillow and still turned on. I opened it up and it opened onto the page I wanted, I copied the address and map underneath as well as I could onto a piece of paper and stared at the page. As amazing as this opportunity was for her, I wasn't a hundred percent sure myself. I scanned the writing, trying to figure out whether it was legit or not but I couldn't tell, stop looking for the darker side of things Jake. It was a habit I had, another psychological thing.

I leant back against the wall thinking, then I heard a muffled sob coming from the other room. Immediately I freaked, someone else was in the house? Then I remembered it was Triss' mum, crying. I bit my lip, then climbed back to my room, trying to push back the guilt of all Triss had to live with. I mean, everything Id been through was over now. Apart from the girl I loved disappearing.

'I love you Triss' I said, to no one. Wishing I could have said it when she was here, then rand downstairs again and found dad. 'Can I have two hundred dollars?'