We're Heading to a Place Where I'll Prove I'm All You Want and More

Singer, Alexa, and Haylee were all sitting on the couch in the TV room. They all seemed to be watching the show but all their minds were in separate places.
Alexa was trying to figure out what else she could possibly do to help Ian win Haylee back. This didn’t seem like it would work though because Haylee really seemed like she didn’t want anything to do with Ian. She was so perfectly calm and content that Alexa couldn’t see any weakening in her. She even would explain to Alexa that she didn’t want to hear about Ian rather than blowing up and running away like she used to.
Singer was totally confused. He didn’t see how in one week she went from not wanting to hear about Ian because it hurt to not caring at all if anyone said anything about him. He worried that the effort everyone had put into making her feel comfortable was too much and that they had made it so Ian had no chance. He was trying to see something, anything that would tell him she wasn’t as content as she appeared to be. There was nothing at all.
Haylee was thinking about school. There were a lot of tests coming up and she was trying to decide which was her priority. She was even reviewing notes that she could remember in her head. She was focusing on school so hard that she was damn near a five point oh with her honors classes.
All this focusing on school was just Haylee’s way out though. She had discovered before that if she threw herself into school then Ian didn’t matter so much anymore. He couldn’t hurt her because her mind was so far away from him. She figured he was back in Seattle by now anyways so she didn’t care at all.
Ian wasn’t back in Seattle. He’d missed his flight home and he never rescheduled it. He couldn’t leave. He felt wrong about it. Something in his mind was telling him that he needed to continue trying because he didn’t think he’d given it his all last time. If Haylee was in the same city as him he was going to try to get her back.
Marshall was more than happy to let Ian crash at his place. He loved Ian and he wanted to help him. He worried that Ian was starting to try too hard to get Haylee back though. He didn’t want him to get hurt again like he had been. The first couple of days after Haylee had told him she was done all Ian did was lie in bed and cry. Marshall had been really worried about him but he came out on his own one day and he seemed to have his emotions in check again. Of course Ian was still just as hurt on the inside but he was done showing everyone. They didn’t need him bringing them down.
Days passed and Singer was starting to get frustrated. He wanted inside of Haylee’s head but there was no conceivable way into it. He figured that the only way to try to get somewhere was to question her. He knew that tactic was bound to start something bad but he was so impatient. He didn’t like being the observant one who couldn’t tell what was up with his best friend.
After talking with Alexa about this idea to question Haylee he felt like he should do it. Alexa was against pushing Haylee to admit things because she might actually be alright but she thought that they should question her.
So when the three of them were in the same room together again Singer took a deep breath.
“Haylee, are you okay?” He asked looking at her.
“What do you mean? I’m fine.” Haylee said confused.
“Are you okay about the whole Ian thing?”
“Yea, I’m fine.” She said.
“Do you think that you made a mistake?”
Alexa elbowed Singer in the ribs. He was pushing Haylee and that wasn’t good. She was going to get mad.
Just as Alexa thought, she saw Haylee tense up. Singer thought this was her finally showing that there was something wrong.
Haylee closed her eyes and tried her hardest not to think of Ian. Anything but Ian please she chanted in her head. There was no stopping it though. The last memory she had of him came flooding back to her. She bit her lip but the tears came.
“I’m fine.” Haylee’s voice shook.
Alexa tightened her hand around Singers. He wasn’t paying attention to her.
“You don’t seem fine.” He pushed.
“You don’t know what I went through.” Haylee glared at Singer.
She was pissed off now and he was still pushing. Finally she started to yell at Singer.
“Would you just drop it Alex. I. Don’t. Care. About. Him. Anymore. Why can’t you understand that? I’m trying to move on. You don’t know what he did to me.”
“Yea, you’re right.” Singer said yelling back at Haylee because he was mad now too. “I can’t know because you never took the time to tell anyone anything.”
Haylee got up from the couch and went to her room. She was crying now and she didn’t want Alexa to see it. Singer had pushed her and upset her. She curled up on her bed and buried herself under her covers.
Alexa pulled out her phone and called Johnson. He answered on the third ring.
“What’s up Alexa?”
“Come over please. Haylee’s upset about Ian. You’re the only one she’ll let in there.”
“On my way.”
Johnson came in under ten minutes and Alexa took him to Haylee’s room. He went in and curled up with her on her bed. She was glad he was there and she let him stay.
Singer sat on the couch feeling terrible about upsetting Haylee. Alexa sat next to him.
“I’m sorry.” He said looking at Alexa.
“You don’t need to apologize to me.” Alexa said kissing him.
“I know, but I didn’t listen to you and you were right.”
“It’s okay. At least we figured out that she’s forcing all her energy into school to forget about Ian.”
“Do you think she would have been happier without me picking at this?”
“No.”
Singer thought on that. Could he have done the right thing?
* * *
“Are you guys sure on this?” Ian asked.
He was sitting in Haylee and Alexa’s apartment. Haylee was asleep in the other room. Alexa and Singer were leaving. He was scared of how this was going to turn out.
“It’s worth a try.” Singer said.
“She’ll be more comfortable here.” Alexa added. “She lives here and there’s no one else but you. It’ll make it easier.”
Ian made a face. He was scared of being rejected again.
Alexa and Singer left.
Haylee rolled when she heard the front door open and close. Why were Singer and Alexa leaving this early? Maybe they were going to get breakfast as a date or something. Haylee opened her eyes. It wasn’t as early as she thought. It was ten in the morning.
She stretched and found her shirt. She pulled it on over her head and got up. She decided to get dressed before going out of her room though she was alone. She pulled on some pants and slipped a bra on under her shirt.
When she wondered out of her room she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned. The sun was filtering through the windows and she could feel the heat and intensity. For a moment she thought about going out to work on her tan for maybe an hour but then decided she was fine.
“Hales?” Ian said as soon as he saw her.
Haylee spun afraid for one moment that there was someone in the apartment when she thought she was alone. Then she saw Ian. Isn’t he supposed to be home by now? She looked at him confused.
“Please talk to me. Don’t just stare.”
“Why, I told you. Do you just want to get hurt again? Here I’ll save your breath. Go back to Seattle. I’m over you.”
“I’m not over you Haylee.”
“Too bad. I wasn’t over you when I came to Seattle and you were obviously over me. When I left I was over you. Why can’t you just go back to Rachel?” Haylee spat.
Ian looked at her. She was so hostile. She wasn’t the girl he remembered. He couldn’t help but know that she was like this because of him. If he hadn’t messed up she’d still be sweet and loving towards him.
“Hales, I–”
“Can’t you see Ian?” Haylee said starting to cry. “I’m still hurt about this. I’m not going to put myself through you again. I was starting to get better and everyone was starting to treat me like a human not a glass vase. Now I’m back to square fucking one. Leave me alone.”
Haylee walked out of the apartment slamming the door behind her and down the hall passing the elevator. She wasn’t really going to go anywhere. She walked to the stair well and opened the door. She went up three flights and then sat there alone crying.
Ian pulled his legs up close to himself again and laid on the couch. He pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and tossed it over himself. It smelled like Haylee so he curled up in it and closed his eyes. He took himself back to when they first started being nice to each other. When she had helped him to get better and when their relationship started.
Singer and Alexa came home. They noticed that Haylee’s car was still in the parking lot so that was good. She hadn’t left. They went up to the apartment and walked inside. At first they didn’t notice anyone. Then Alexa spotted the lump under the blanket with curly hair sticking out from under it. She went over and pulled the blanket back to reveal a sleeping Ian who looked like he had been crying.
“It didn’t work.” Alexa said looking up at Singer. “He got hurt again.”
Her hand was now running through Ian’s hair absentmindedly.
“We should stop it then. It’s not going to work.”
“Is she in her room?”
“I’ll go check.”
Singer went down to Haylee’s room. The door was open but she wasn’t there. Her bed was unmade and there were clothes on the floor. Everything was there but her. Even her car keys were on her dresser.
“She’s not here Alexa.” Singer called.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. She’s gone.”
“She ran out the front door.” Ian said opening his eyes.
“Alexander, she ran.” Alexa yelled.
Alexa sat on the couch and put Ian’s head in her lap. He closed his eyes again and laid there trying to keep his mind blank. It was hard to because he was starting to worry. If they couldn’t find Haylee where was she?
Singer started calling each and every one of his friends. No one knew where she was. Marshall and Cash went out to start looking for her. Johnson came to the apartment and tried to help there.
They searched for three hours and no one could find her. They didn’t know that she was in the stair well just sitting and staring out a window. No one knew that she was there. They had combed through her favorite places and still couldn’t find her. It was getting dark and everyone was worried.
“Should we call her parents?” Singer asked.
“Just wait a little while. If she isn’t back by say nine we’ll call.” Alexa said.
“She couldn’t have gone far. Her car is here.”
That made something click in Cash’s mind.
“Did anyone check the stair well?” He asked.
Everyone looked at each other. All the people shook their heads. Cash darted out the front door and towards the stair well. Marshall followed him.
“I’m going up.” Cash said starting on his way.
Marshall nodded and started his walk down. He made it all the way to the bottom when Cash called.
“I found her. Come back up.”
Marshall went for the elevator because his legs were tired and went back to the apartment. He told everyone that Cash was on his way back with Haylee. Some people decided to leave so Haylee didn’t feel so crowded and they were content to know that she was safe.
Cash came back with Haylee when it was only Marshall, Alexa, Singer, and Ian in the apartment. No one told her they were mad at her from disappearing. Alexa hugged her and told her not to scare her like that again. Haylee just nodded and threw a glance at Ian.
The relief on Ian’s face was obvious. He had been scared that something had happened to her. Haylee looked away and went for her room.
“She hasn’t eaten all day.” Ian said to everyone.
“I’ll make her something.” Cash went into the kitchen.
“Want me to take you home Ian?” Marshall asked.
“I guess.”
Cash took food down to Haylee’s room. She smiled at him and thanked him.
“Is Ian still here?” Haylee asked.
“He’s about to leave I think.”
“Can you tell him I’m sorry for scaring him?”
“There’s something else isn’t there.” Cash said looking at her. “Tell him yourself.”
“Then ask him to wait a little. I’ll be out in a moment.”
“Okay.”
Cash went back into the TV room where Ian was getting up. He started to walk with Marshall towards the door. Cash came up beside Ian and grabbed his arm.
“Haylee told me to ask you to wait.” Cash said quietly.
Ian’s eyes flickered in the general direction of Haylee’s room.
“She did?”
“Yea.”
“Marshall, maybe in a little bit.” Ian said.
Ian went back to the couch and sat down. If Haylee wanted him to wait then she must want to talk to him. He would risk anything to see her even if it meant getting hurt again.
Haylee ate slowly thinking about what she was doing. She knew that this was how she felt, but was it the right thing for her?
She picked up her car keys and slid them into her pocket. Haylee carried the empty dish into the kitchen while all eyes were on her. She walked to the TV room and looked at Ian.
“Come on.” She said and then started for the door.
She went out and left it open because she expected him to follow her. Ian closed the door behind him and caught up to her. She was a few paces ahead and went to the elevator. Ian got in and stood a little bit away from her. He didn’t know what this was about and he was nervous.
She walked to her car.
“Get in.” She said sliding into the drivers seat.
Ian sat in the passenger’s seat and pulled the seat belt on. Haylee pulled out of the parking lot and drove away. The ride was silent except for the radio.
Haylee pulled into a deserted parking lot and shut off the car. She took her seatbelt off and turned to look at Ian. He did the same. She folded her legs under her and sighed. Ian knew that they weren’t going to get out of the car so he made himself comfortable.
“I’m sorry that I’ve been so heartless.” Haylee said. “I know that I could have behaved better.”
“No, it’s fine. You’re just saying what you feel. I deserve it.”
“Ian, you do not! I’ve been such a bitch.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Okay, we’re not going to get anywhere if we keep going in circles like this.”
“Where are we going?” Ian asked.
Haylee sighed and gazed out the windshield for a moment. Where was she going with this? She hadn’t quite decided yet.
“How do you feel about me?” She asked looking back at Ian.
“How do I feel? I love you.”
“You love me?”
“Yes. You’re the thing that I love most in this world, which is why I let you hurt me so much. If it’s anything from you it’s better than nothing.”
“Okay.” Haylee said thinking that over.
“How do you feel about me?” Ian asked. “Other than you don’t want anything to do with me.”
“I’m not sure anymore that that’s what I want.” Haylee said. “I was thinking a lot today.”
Ian was silent. Had she just said that she was feeling different now?
“See a whole bunch of stuff has been happening since you came back. I fought with Singer and that never has happened before. You keep trying. I’m putting all my energy into school, which means I’m hiding from something.”
“What are you hiding from?”
“Pain. Pain that’s not going to go away until I have someone back.”
Ian was quiet again. This had gone where he wasn’t expecting.
“Ian, I’m not me anymore. I can’t ever be me unless you’re with me too. You’ve got part of me.”
“I’d be willing to give it back if that’s what you need.”
“No, you can’t give it back. See I’ve never had this part of me before, you have. I was a different person before we were together and I was a different person when we started dating. I’m a different person now. I’m the worst person now because I’ve had that best part of me and now it’s gone.”
Ian nodded. He still didn’t know where this was going.
“So I’m asking you if you’ll consider letting me come back to you.”
“Hales, you know I wouldn’t even consider it. I’ll just let you come back.”
“You’re sure? I’ve been so inexcusably horrible to everyone.”
“But you see that’s because you don’t have this part of you that I have. If we’re back together then you’ll be that good person that you were.”
“So would you take me back?”
“Yes.” Ian said taking Haylee’s hand. “I love you. Of course I would.”
Haylee climbed over the seats so she could sit on Ian’s lap. She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Ian hugged her back so happy to have her in his arms like that again. He kissed her cheek and snuggled his face into her shoulder.
“I’m sorry.” Haylee sobbed.
“Don’t cry.” Ian said hugging her tighter.
She still cried anyways. Ian readjusted her so she was situated in his lap where he could look at her face. He wiped her tears away and waited for her to stop.
“I love you and that’s all that matters now.” Ian said. “The past is gone.”
Haylee nodded. “I still feel bad.”
“Don’t. Be ridiculously happy like I am right now.” Ian said smiling.
Haylee laughed at his grin and started to smile.
“See it’s not so hard.”
“I love you Ian.”
He put his hands on the sides of her face and brought her in slowly for a kiss. Haylee curled her hands into his hair and pulled Ian closer. It was so good that they were back together now.
“Don’t ever leave me again.” Haylee said.
“I think if I left you would follow.”
“Don’t do it Ian.” She said seriously.
“I promise I won’t ever leave you again.” He swore.