Tell Me I'm a Wreck

‘Not again’ Haley thought as she watched Tyler stomp into the arena.

“Hey” She gave him an uneasy smile, not knowing what his mood would be.

“Hi” He sighed as he adjusted his hockey bag on his shoulder.

“You okay?” She looked at him with sad eyes. It killed her to see him this way. She missed the happy Tyler she knew and loved.

“Yeah.” He shrugged. “It’s just things with Cassadee again.”

Haley only nodded. The hatred she had towards that woman only growing stronger.

“I better get ready for practice.” Kennedy walked down the hall and toward the locker room.

Haley stood there in the hall. The pain in her chest was not only for what her best friend was going through; it was also for the pain she felt knowing that the man she loved was suffering for another woman.

‘Stay strong’ she thought to herself as she plastered on a fake smile and went to look for Vero

XxXxX

“What’s wrong mon chere?” Max’s scruffy face came into Tyler’s line of vision. “Your lady giving you trouble? Max struggled with the word lady knowing that Tyler’s girlfriend was far from that.

“I really don’t want to talk about that right now.” Tyler looked down at his skates and pretended to fix the laces.

Max took the hint and moved away. “You could do so much better.” He sighed.

XxXxX

“You made it!” Vero smiled as she ran to hug Haley. “Do you want to watch the boys practice for a bit then we can go shopping?”

“Sure” Haley fallowed her to the seats and watched the boys skate some laps. Marc-Andre made silly faces at the girls when he spotted them sitting there.

“What a dork” Vero giggled.

“I can’t believe he hasn’t asked you to marry him.” Haley said with disbelief.

“I really don’t mind.” Vero paused. “But it would be nice.”

Haley loved her friend. She was happy that she had someone who loved her so much. Vero and Marc are more than a couple, they are best friends. Haley was jealous of that fact. Why couldn’t she be with her best friend like that?

“So I was thinking at the mall we could stop by for a pretzel.” Vero spoke. “I’ve been craving one so bad.”

That got Haley’s attention. “Are you pregnant?” Haley whispered with a sly smile.

“God no!” Vero giggled.

XxXxX

Tyler watched Vero and Haley giggle at something. He sometimes wondered what it would be like to be dating his best friend. Marc and Vero made it look easy.

He had Cassadee. He loved her. Well he thought he did. He had no idea what to think. They would break up and make up, almost every other week, it was getting ridiculous.

“Did you and Cassadee break up again?” Jordan asked with an indifferent voice. Jordan was done being concerned with the outcome of Tyler and Cassadee’s relationship. Sure he loved his friend and wanted him to be happy, but this was getting unhealthy.

“She’s just so-” Tyler groaned in frustration not finishing his statement.

“I’m not gonna give you the whole ‘there’s more fish in the see’ speech because I’ve done that twice already.” Jordan skated around a bit. “There’s someone I already know that better for you.” Jordan took a quick glance at the glass and right at Haley.

Leaving Tyler confused with the cryptic message he had given him, Jordan skated over to the rest of the boys.

Tyler looked over at Haley, a small smile paying on his lips.

XxXxX

The drive to the mall was short. The girls were looking for dresses they would wear for one of the Penguins upcoming charity event.

Haley had promised to go with Sidney if he had not found a date a week before the event. So there she was looking for a dress.

“You would look so good in green” Vero examined her as she made a motion for Haley to twirl with her finger.

Haley did as she was told. “Yup, green for sure.”

“Come on.” Haley pulled her toward the cute little boutique.

XxXxX

Tyler laid in his bed after practice. It was no secret his teammates hated Cassadee. At first the team welcomed her with open arms, but then things went downhill from the third time they broke up and got together again.

Tyler did not have the best self-esteem. So when he somehow landed with this amazingly good looking girl, he was reluctant to let her go. They would fight and he would buy her something nice. If she wouldn’t like what Tyler had in his refrigerator, he would take her out to the best restaurants. If she would want to get new outfits, it was all charged to the order of Mr. Tyler Kennedy.

It was plain to see that she was just in it for the money. Hell even Tyler knew it! He just couldn’t seem to let her go. He did not want to end up alone, unwanted and unappreciated. Everyone would over look him when talking about the player on the team, even though he was one of the hardest working. When the boys would all go out for drinks, all the girls would look him over and pass him before they made a bee-line towards the ‘star’ players.

Tyler put more thought into what Jordan had implied. That Haley was a better match for Tyler than Cassadee would ever be. She had always been there for him. To listen to all the shit Cassadee made him go through. When he was sick with the flue, Cassadee claimed she did not want to get sick and left him to fend for himself, it had been Haley who came over and made him soup. She was there for everything and anything Tyler needed. She was unconditional.

Sure Tyler loved her, he just didn’t think she could love him the same way he loved her. He thought she could do so much better than him. When she went out with other guys, he claimed to not like them for her as her best friend. When in reality he didn’t want anyone with Haley but himself.

XxXxX

“So” Vero picked at her pretzel. “I think you should make a move on Tyler.”

Haley chocked on her raspberry tea. “What!”

“You know since he’s unattached and all.”

Haley laughed bitterly. “I bet by the time I got the nerve to, he’d already be with Cassadee again.”

“There’s something seriously wrong with that boy.”

XxXxX

Just like Haley had predicted, the night of the charity event Cassadee had Tyler wrapped around her little manicured finger.

Haley tried to have fun with Sidney and the rest of the guys, but her patience had come to its last peek.

She had been offered a job out in Chicago as a magazine editor. It was a great opportunity that she could not pass up. The only thing making her have second thoughts was Tyler. How could she leave him? Now looking at him, with his date she decided that distance was the thing she needed to get over Tyler Kennedy.

With that set in her mind she tried to enjoy herself for the rest of the night.

XxXxX

Tyler swayed to the music with Cassadee. His eyes set on how good Haley looked in that Green dress. How did he end up with Cassadee again? He had told himself he would not take her back, but there he was dancing with her. The boys kept their distance from Tyler for the night. Clearly they were not happy he was with Cassadee again.

XxXxX

Haley had everything planned for her departure to Chicago. She had written everyone a little letter. She made her way to the arena. Security let her in with no problem, she was always there and they knew her by name. Walking right into the locker room, she couldn’t help but feel like crying. This was not the way she wanted all her friends to find out she had left them. She knew it had to be done this way, if she told them in person they would have convinced her to stay, and she couldn’t have that.

She went around placing all the letters delicately in each one of the boys’ stalls. Once she was in front of Tyler’s she hesitated. In His letter she had written all her feeling, even going as far as ripping a few pages of her diary and placing them in the envelope. She wished him luck in that letter. Luck on playing his best and with his unhealthy relationship.

Taking one last look at the penguin’s locker room Haley walked out of the arena and into the waiting taxi that was set to take her to the airport.

XxXxX

Tyler walked into an eerie quiet locker room. The first thing he noticed was that each of the boys was reading a piece of paper. Vero was crying in Marc’s embrace as he whispered to her softly in French.

“What’s going on guys?” He asked in a worried tone.

“You!” Vero jumped towards him. “This is your entire fault!”

“What?” he asked more confused than ever.

“She left!” Vero cried. “She would have stayed if it wasn’t for your little Puck slut!” Vero was almost hysterical now. “You’re such a wreck”

“Haley left.” Jordan looked up at Tyler. “Here” He handed him the envelope with his name written in Haley’s handwriting.

Tyler quickly scanned the letter and the pieces of diary she had left for him. He was in an emotional rollercoaster in a matter of seconds. He was happy to find that she loved him; just as much as he loved her. Soon his happiness was replaced by anger towards himself for not making a move on her when he had the chance, for not telling her that he loved her too. Then the panic set in, she was gone, she was leaving him.

Tyler ran towards the door. “Where are you going!” He could hear Marc’s voice call out to him.

“I have to go find her!” Tyler yelled back at him, not slowing down.

“I’m coming with you!” Vero yelled as she ran right after him.

That’s how half the Penguins’ team ended up running around the airport terminals. They all made it to Gate 3 where the Plane to Chicago was supposed to board.

“Is this the flight to Chicago” Tyler asked the flight attendant. He was out of breath and gave her a pleading look.

“I’m sorry.” She gave him a sympathetic look. “It took off about five minutes ago.”

Vero let out a little whimper as she took refuge in Marc’s arms. Tyler’s chest hurt. she was gone.

Tyler fell to his knees in the middle of the airport. His tears blurring his vision. He had over looked the one person who cared so much about him. He had let her go without a fight. Tyler was faced with the thing he feared, being left by the only person he had loved the most.