Shirtsleeves

Chapt. 5

Karlie Chapter.

Karlie awakes with a slight startle from her dream, only to open her eyes still faintly clutching Taylor's empty side of the bed. And that's when the small tears start to fall again.

Blinking through the silent darkness she sees that it's only around 5:30am, and groans, knowing she won't fall back asleep again. So, she sighs and wipes her still puffy cheeks before slipping into the only rainproof running clothes she could find and soon, heading out for a jog.

She puts her music on shuffle and the song that plays as she begins the run is enough to break her heart. It's from one of those one direction kids and that's pretty much all she knows, other than it sounded amazing.

And that it took a toll on her emotionally.

It sounds like me and Taylor. Her heart beats faster at the realization and she instantly sprints harder, trying to run from the pain and the lyrics that ring so true she can't bring herself to change it.

Somehow in her mind she's convinced herself that the harder and faster she runs that she'll be able to actually run away from the pain she's feeling inside. Unfortunately, she knows how untrue that is. Rain drops hit hard like bullets against her exposed face, she just leaves them though, knowing the rain is hiding her tears she can't seem to shake.

Looking down at her step tracker, she abruptly stops running, almost tripping over her own feet. She wipes her eyes from excessive tears and rain to make sure she was reading it right.

Distance travelled: 8 miles

Karlie huffs and wipes her face again. She was so entranced in the moment of remembering Taylor that she hadn't realized she ran so far. She didn't even feel tired. Finally taking a look around her surrounding she realizes she indeed has gone that far. She also acknowledges that she completely strayed from the route she normally runs on. Placing her hands on her hips, she begins walking back to her apartment. Now that she's taken a little break, her already aching body has caught up with her, and it doesn't want to run anymore.

Looking around town, she feels a lump in her throat. Of course, she's managed to run right to the one place where she could be close to the person she can't break away from.

Great, Taylor's law firm. Karlie says to herself as she stands across the street from Taylor's now empty business. She recalls how hard Taylor worked her entire life to be able to open that place. She put her entire life savings into it and she was so proud when she finally got to open it. Karlie remembers it perfectly. At one time she'd say it was a beautiful memory, and now it serves as an aching reminder. Just as she finally convinces herself to walk away and continue going home, someone walking out of Taylor's from catches her eye.

"Kendall?!" Karlie calls out, instantly jogging across the street and meeting her friend.

"Jesus Kar! You scared the life out of me!" She exclaims with an unamused look as she clutches her heart. "I nearly had a heart attack." She adds, causing Karlie to stiff a quick laugh.

"Why are you here so early?" Karlie questions with a raised brow.

Kendall looks down at the ground, unable to keep eye contact with her friend right now. Karlie was more than aware that Taylor still regularly communicates with Kendall. There's been times where Karlie has been desperate to beg for information, to know how Taylor was doing but she always refrains. She doesn't want to have Kendall ever feel like she needs to choose sides. It wasn't like that between the three of them.

"She asked you to." Karlie states dryly, looking at Kendall before looking back at the building.

There's a pregnant pause between them, Kendall pretty much averting her eyes completely for Karlie. This was hard for her too, all she wanted was for Karlie to be able to ask about Taylor or for Taylor to be able to ask about Karlie. However, that never seemed to be the case. And as the rain beats down hard on the early morning, the silence turns a little unbearable.