Free Girl on the Platform by Josephine Cox

Chapter One
    ‘A night in London?’ Mark had never been to the city. ‘That sounds good to me.’
    ‘Great!’ Pete slapped him on the shoulder. ‘I promise you, we’ll have a cracking time, but you’d better be ready and waiting, or I’ll go on my own.’
    ‘You won’t !’
    ‘Just watch me!’
    ‘All right, keep your shirt on. I’ll be ready.’
    At first, Mark wasn’t sure if he wanted to go to London and see a show. His idea of a good night out was down the pub, enjoying a pint of beer and a game of pool. If he pulled that was a bonus, but Pete had convinced him and now he was really looking forward to it.
    Pete explained the plan. ‘Remember, you’ll need to be here by six-thirty or we’ll miss the train.’
    Pete was fed up with the same old routine—go to work, come home, have your tea. Then down the pub. And now that Cathy had finished with him again, he was feeling miserable. Sowhen his dad won two tickets to the hit show Joseph , he gave them to Pete. ‘Take Mark with you,’ he said, ‘it’ll make a change for you both.’
    Pete thought it was a great idea. This was the last day of his holiday, and he really needed to do something different before he went back to work on Monday.
    As agreed, Mark drove up in his old Ford at exactly six-thirty. Pete told him to park it on the street: ‘So Dad can get in and out of the drive.’
    Mark looked Pete up and down. ‘Get you!’ He noted Pete’s new jeans and black leather jacket. ‘Hope you didn’t go to all that trouble for me!’
    ‘Not likely?’ Surprisingly though, Mark had made an effort. His fair hair was newly cropped, and he was wearing a black jacket and a pair of really skinny jeans that made his size ten feet stick out like barges.
    ‘Come on then!’ Mark was already walking out the door. ‘Let’s see if London night-life is all it’s cracked up to be.’
    ‘Don’t go wandering down dark alleys!’ Pete’s dad called after them. ‘You never know who’s about.’
    ‘Aw, Dad! I’m not a kid anymore,’ Pete toldhim. ‘In case you’ve forgotten, I was twenty five last birthday. I can look after myself.’
    Mark squared his shoulders. ‘If anybody tries to pick my wallet, they’ll be sorry!’ Punching the air with a clenched fist he quipped, ‘One look at me and they’ll run a mile.’
    Pete told him not to be so cocky. ‘You’ll only be asking for trouble. Just remember, we’re not out to pick a fight. We’re out to enjoy ourselves and to check out the sights and pleasures.’
    ‘What “ sights and pleasures ”?’
    Pete had to think hard about that. ‘Well, I don’t know, do I? All I’m saying is lots of people think London is the place to be, so now’s our chance to find out.’
    ‘What time is the last train back?’ Mark asked.
    ‘Why do you want to know that?’ Pete groaned.
    ‘I don’t want to be stranded in London, that’s all.’
    ‘We won’t be,’ Pete promised. ‘So stop asking what time we’ll get back, when we haven’t even got there yet.’
    At the top of Russell Street, they came onto the High Street, and then it was a five minute walk down to the train station.
    Pete checked his watch. ‘We change at Milton Keynes and get the seven-thirty to Euston.Then we can get a taxi to the theatre. After the show, we’ll suss out the area…find a night club. Get a taste of London. Then it’s back in a taxi to the station, and make our way home.’
    Mark had another idea. ‘Let’s make a night of it. We could always find a hotel.’
    Pete thought about that for a minute. ‘How much money have you got?’
    Mark peered into his wallet. ‘Well, I paid Mum her board, and I owed Dad a tenner from last week; and I’ve got the train and taxi fare.’ Closing his wallet, he grumbled, ‘You’re right. Maybe we can’t afford a hotel, but I’m sure we could find a cheap bed and breakfast.’
    Pete was not sure. ‘How much have you got altogether?’
    Mark didn’t hear. He was too busy