Broken

Chapter 48

I jolted in my sleep, the phone buzzing loudly beside me on my nightstand. I groaned, cracking an eye open. The rays of the sun where only just beginning to shine, casting orange and red shadows of morning on to my floor. I peeked a look at the clock, groaning when I realized it was six thirty. I reached out a hand and picked up my phone, unlocking it and pressing it to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked groggily, lying back down.

"Hi love." Harry's voice rang clear from the other end, deep and rich.

"You realize it's not even seven right?" I asked through a yawn, stretching a hand above my head.

"Yeah I know." he replied. "But I want to go running."

"It's funeral day Harry." I told him softly.

"Please." he said, his voice sad. "I need to clear my head but I don't want to go without you."

I sighed, my heart squeezing. I picked myself up and swung my feet over the bed, crossing them at my ankles. "Meet me in front of my house in ten."

"Thanks." he said, relief flooding his voice. "I love you."

"I love you." I repeated before hanging up.

I stood, crossing my room as my floorboards creaked under my feet. I pulled out a tank top and black running shorts, discarding my pajamas and tugging them on. I threw my hair up into a ponytail that wouldn't pass as decent on any other day. I crept downstairs quietly, my shoes in my hand, my socked feet slipping silently over the floor. I opened the door quietly and went out of the house. Harry's car was sitting in front, the engine dead. He saw me and climbed out, rounding the front.

"Hi." he said, coming over to me. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine briefly before straightening. He was wearing black shorts and a white tank top, his shaggy hair pulled into a small ponytail at the top of his head and I grinned.

"Nice hair." I commented, ruffling my fingers through the end.

"Thanks." he said, giving me a side smile. "You ready to go?"

"Mhm." I nodded, tugging in my shoes. I laced and tied them tight. "Let's go."

He nodded before turning on his heel and breaking into a slow jog. I picked up the pace and followed behind him for a few steps, admiring the way his body flowed as he planted each foot firmly on the ground. I took bigger steps and eventually caught up with him, our footsteps and breathing the only sound of the morning.

Running felt good. It felt like I was shedding a flake of sadness and stress with every step, with every intake of air. My lungs squeezed and I breathed deeply, letting the salty air fill me. I felt like I was outrunning my problems and my worries and leaving them far behind where they couldn't hurt me or the people I loved. I looked at Harry from the corner of my eye. His perfect mouth was parted slightly, his eyes fixed straight ahead. I could see the thoughts running through his head as fast as he was and I knew they were all on Jean. Today was a heavy day for him , for all of us. But in that moment it was me and him and each other, a bubble of happiness that didn't seem to present itself very much lately.

A pain sliced through my side and I winced slightly, the pinch in my lungs beginning to grow but I didn't stop. I had to run as long as Harry did because it was my day to be strong for him and I couldn't let him down. We ran for a few more minutes before he slowed down and finally stopped.

I bent over, my chest heaving, sweat dripping down my back. Harry put his hand on top of his head, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.

"I didn't mean to run you that hard." he said between breaths.