Broken 2 // h.s.

t w e n t y s i x

t w e n t y s i x.

"Lana!"

I turn and see Tyler now advancing toward me, down the stairs despite the crowd of people he's pushing through.

My legs are aching and my throat is on fire, but I force myself to start running again despite the fatigue I'm feeling.

Realizing I don't even have my metro card to enter through the gates, I fall onto my side and slide under. It's hard to comprehend anything that is going on right now, but all I know is... I have to get away from Tyler.

The L Train has just arrived thankfully and I run as far away as I can from Tyler, but I can hear him closing the distance between us. I have to get on this train.

When the train comes to a complete stop and the doors open, I rush inside. The train's cart is not empty, but it isn't crowded either. I was hoping it would be crowded so it'd be a harder task for him to squeeze through and find me.

But I see him when he enters the same cart as me and I think I might be safe, standing behind the small crowd of drunk men; but almost immediately, his eyes find mine.

"Listen to me, Lana-"

I begin running again, pushing and ignoring everyone's insults being thrown my way. The doors to the end of the cart that lead to the next are just in arm's reach. I've never tried switching carts when the train is in mid-speed, but right now, I don't have much of a choice.

I wrap my hand around the handle and pull open, immediately being thrown off balance and hitting my shoulder against the metal door's frame. It doesn't help when the train makes a sharp turn and I'm looking down at the train tracks thinking, if Tyler doesn't catch me, I surely might just die by falling on the tracks and getting ran over.

Straining to reach for the next cart's door, tears begin to brim my eyes. Finally, I grab ahold of the door handle just as Tyler begins to reach for me and I jump onto the other cart; wasting no time to open the door and slip through. I slam the door shut behind me then start running again.

This cart is near empty, but thankfully the train has already arrived at its stop and as soon as the doors open, I sprint out.

I spare a look back and I look just in time to see Tyler get stuck behind the closed doors of the train cart. It takes me a moment to recover because there he is, looking at me with that blue gaze I used to find comfort in and here I am; not recognizing who that person is anymore.

He begins to bang on the glass and I can hear him yelling my name, but I turn and start walking home as the rain starts to roll in. When I see the front door to the apartment, I sigh out of relief.

Climbing up the stairs seemed like an eternity. Moving any part of me hurt. It was not only the physical soreness from running so much, but from me being emotionally drained; it's taken a toll on me.

Before I knock on the door, I unlock my phone and block Tyler's number. Bailey opens the door and pauses to look at me.

"What took you so long?"

"Got caught in the rain." I mutter, then walk in to see Harry seated next to Daniel, playing cards.

"We were just playing poker. You came just in time, Daniel's being a sore loser." She laughs.

I walk further into the living room and when Harry lays his eyes on me, something in his expression changes; his smile falling from its place.

"What happened?" He asks.

I bite down on my bottom lip to keep it from quivering but ultimately fail. My eyes already begin to sting from the tears and I wrap my arms around myself to keep from shaking.