Ride (h.s)

30*

Jane

"I'm sorry for hitting you the night I left." Was I crazy or did I hear him correctly? I stood in the hallway and shook my head in disbelief. It was quiet for a long time and then a sob emerged from Harry. "I'm so sorry!" He cried. "I hate myself every day for it, I was a piece of shit and I was so angry, but you didn't deserve any of it."

Tears stung my eyes as I heard him talk to his mom with such guilt. "Harry, I knew you were drunk, angry, hurt. I was angry because you acted like...your father. You were a spitting image of him and I hated that. But I forgave you a long time ago because I know you aren't that person. It's an act to hide your pain. You hurt and you lash out because that's all you saw growing up. Don't you remember?"

Silence.

"No, I don't remember Desmond." He sounded unsure. "He was abusive, I know that much. It doesn't matter there's no excuse for what I did. I was no better than Kyle or Desmond." He spat out Gemma's abusive ex-boyfriend's name.

I decided to go and hide in Harry's room until they finished taking, a sense of guilt coming over me for listening. I laid down on his bed closing my eyes for a second.

Harry wasn't that type of person anymore. I knew that much.

*
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*

I felt someone stroking my hair gently and when I opened my eyes it was Harry. His eyes were red and puffy, but he smiled at me. "You fell asleep, we're still going out for dinner my love." I looked into his eyes stroking his cheek.

"Are you guys okay?" I whispered. "I heard some of your conversations, sorry." I felt bad that I had, but he didn't seem bothered.

"It's okay, I sort of had the feeling you did." He let out a shaky breath. "We had the conversation we needed to have, we're okay." He promised.

"I'm glad, your eyes are really red." I pointed out kissing his temple. "Do you want some eyedrops, I have some in my car."

"I'll be fine, let's just go." He insisted.

I stood up fixing myself and walking out to find Anne fixing her hair in the mirror. "Alright let's go." She said cheerfully, her eyes were also red and puffy but she seemed almost relieved.

*
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*

We were sitting at the table all together after we picked up May and Ethan. "So how long have you two known each other?" Anne asked Harry and me.

"Since the beginning of August. We've been together since September." She seemed surprised. "Not a long time?"

"It's funny, you two have a very strong bond. I would have guessed a lot longer than five months." She took a sip of water. "So what is it that you do Jane?"

"I work in a library that my family owns." I took a bite of my food.

"Oh really, that's lovely. You know, when Harry was a little boy I would take him to the library by our house and he had the biggest crush on the librarian." May and Ethan laughed as Harry blushed. "So adorable when he was a baby. Do you want to see a picture?" I nodded.

"Oh boy," Harry mumbled. Anne took her wallet out and on the inside, she had a few photos.

"See that's Harry when he was about four." The picture was of Harry holding a guitar and smiling wide. I giggled at how adorable he was. "He's two here." She gave me another picture; this one was taken professionally.

"You were blonde?" I looked at him. "That's so cute."

Anne pulled out another photo and smiled at it. "This was Gemma's fourteenth birthday." She handed it to me and for the first time, I saw her. She looked like Harry, very small and pale. She hugged Harry in the photo who had cake on his face.