A Fool's Dance

The season was pretty much over and the guys were done fighting. With the bombing, the lock down of the entire city, everyone including the fans and the team were emotionally drained.

With all of that happening I still haven't had the chance to tell Tyler, it's been almost two weeks and everything feels wrong.

"I can't tell him now not with the playoffs getting ready to start. His game is already off I don't need to be like oh hey by the way Ty I cheated on you with your best friend," I groaned, squirting ketchup onto my plate.

"Avery you're not the only one in this relationship that did something wrong," Freddy said matter of factly.

I cupped his face with my hand, "You're my favorite you know that? But it doesn't matter, it's not like me to keep something like this from him and it wasn't like me to do it in the first place."

Freddy cupped my face now, squeezing my cheeks, "You're my favorite too. And you're beautiful and smart, Tyler is lucky to have you and you are going to make the right decision."

Even though Tyler and I were fixing things, moments like this with Freddy, the things he said to me and the way he looked at me made me want to drop Tyler completely and run away with Freddy.

"You know I could just kiss you right now," his hands squeezed my cheeks, causing my lips to pucker.

Freddy's phone alerted him of a text message, ruining our little moment. I watched his face change as he typed a response.

"Want to go to lunch with Tyler?" he asked, looking up at me, a slightly smug smile on his face.

"Did Tyler invite you and I or just you?"

"He invited us now go get ready cause I'm starving."

I rose an eyebrow at Freddy, crossing my arms across my chest. He knew I didn't believe him but he just threw his hands up in surrender.

"Go get ready," he said trying to push me off of the couch.

I did as I was told, trying to look as cute as possible even though I knew Tyler didn't invite me despite what Freddy said.

"Very pretty," he said, twirling his keys around his finger as he waited by the door. I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway as I pushed Freddy out the door and into the elevator.

Exactly what I expected, Tyler looked surprised to see me, but he quickly tried to cover the look with a smile. My heart sank a little but I ignored it, taking the seat Freddy had pulled out for me.

"How was practice?" Freddy asked after Tyler gave him a look he thought I couldn't see. Freddy smirked as we ordered our drinks.

"It was fine, game one is tomorrow," Tyler's eyes didn't leave the menu as he spoke.

I kicked Freddy under the table as he scanned his own menu. He chuckled but didn't look at me, he knew what it was for and he was enjoying every second.

"Are you excited about playing Toronto?" I asked. It felt like a date, only I was the third wheel.

Tyler shrugged, "I guess, I mean I'll get to see the family and the boys."

That probably wasn't good. Tyler was already getting into trouble here, he didn't need to be around his other friends, partying, when his team was in the playoffs.

Freddy and Tyler fell into a more smooth, easy conversation about it. After a few subject changes I was lost and began to space out as I pushed pasta around on my plate.

Tyler and Freddy continued to talk, I would occasionally give them a small smile like I was listening but I was actually planning my escape.

"I'll be back," I set my fork down as the guys nodded but went right back to talking about whatever they have been all day.

When I knew they weren't looking, I slipped out the door not sending a text to either of them. At this point I was angry, Freddy knew Tyler didn't invite me and he knew there was a reason. I was mad at both of them.

I was stupid to think that me being Tyler's girlfriend would change anything, he has always been the social party boy but now with his NHL status its ten times worse.

I was stupid to think that sleeping with him would have helped fix our relationship.

The guys probably wouldn't home for a while, which was both good and bad. I stood on my tip toes to reach the whiskey and the shot glasses.

I took a shot for being stupid, a shot for believing Freddy and one more shot for thinking Tyler and I's relationship could be fixed easily.

I grabbed a beer and turned the Red Sox game on but ended up lost in thought.

Tyler held onto my hand tightly as we walked the red carpet of the ring dinner ceremony. We posed for pictures, acting like the silly nineteen year old's we are at a fancy event.

Tyler kept whispering in my ear, making comments about how I looked better than him and that I was showing him up at an event in honor of his team.

"Shut up," I playfully punched him as we made our way inside.

The waiter brought around the champagne and I caught Tyler watching me as I took small sips, not sure if I should be drinking.

"What?" I mouthed to him.

"You look beautiful," he mouthed back, pulling out his phone secretly.

I rolled my eyes, a smile on my face as I turned away from him. "Can I take a picture?" he whispered in my ear, nearly causing me to drop my glass.

I shook my head, looking around at everyone, talking and waiting for the speech.

Tyler didn't listen to me however, he snapped a picture of me as I brought the glass to my lips.

He slipped his phone back in his pocket and quickly brought his hand to my thigh, letting it rest there through the toast and until the meal was brought out.

"I can't wait til we get to dance," Brittany leaned over to tell me, "At least Milan told me it was going to be like a partying."

"Maybe after the ring ceremony?" I suggested, "Like maybe it will be a team party after since this is a team dinner."

She chuckled and shrugged, "You're probably right but we are definitely dancing together."

She sounded like a high school girl at homecoming but that was one of the many things I loved about Brit. I could feel Tyler's leg bouncing under the table against mine as he talked to Brad.

The ceremony was coming to an end as us wives and girlfriends watched in aw as the rings were handed to our guys. They were more beautiful than any engagement ring we would ever receive and we couldn't but tear up. We were so proud of them and they worked so hard for those rings.

Tyler pulled me onto the dance floor, our bodies pressed together as he whispered in my ear for what seemed like the tenth time, "This ring is the second most beautiful thing here."

"No, it is definitely the most beautiful thing here," I held his hand up to examine it closer, "Do you see this thing?"

He chuckled spinning me around and into a dip as he placed a kiss on my lips when they came within inches of his.

"But it's second to you," he kissed me again as he twirled me around.

I threw my phone to the opposite side of the couch, ignoring the three text messages and two missed
calls from Freddy.

I popped open another one, taking another trip down memory lane. It was a lot better than what was going on now.

"Avery!" Freddy shook me awake rather violently.

"What?" I groaned, trying to push him away.

"You've got to stop this," he held up the empty bottle, "And why the hell did you just walk out?"

"I wasn't wanted there," I buried my face into the pillow, not wanting to talk about this.

"Bull shit," he threw the bottles into the trash, "I wanted you there."

"Yeah but Tyler didn't," I covered my face with the pillow now, trying to block out the yelling.

"It's not always about Tyler jeez," Freddy was pacing now, a habit of his when he was angry or upset.
"Avery I care about you just as much as he does if not more."

I patted the spot next to me on the couch, "Freddy."

He shook his head no, the pacing continuing with quick looks out the window and avoided eye contact with me.

"I know you care," I sighed, "but..."

"No but's I'm sick of hearing about you and Tyler's problems all the time. You deserve to be treated better and you can't see that."

Something had Freddy fired up, he never yelled at me. I could feel my heart twitch, sadness washing over me as I realized the person who was my best friend was beginning to hate me too.

Just as I was about to ask what was wrong, Tyler walked through the door, a pizza in one hand and his keys in the other.

"What's going on?" he asked, kicking the door shut, his eyes shifting from Freddy to me.

"Nothing," I answered before Freddy could.

Tyler waved it off, not really caring as he shoved a piece of pizza into his face. I couldn't understand what Freddy was mouthing to me but I knew we were arguing.

"I kissed Avery," he nearly yelled, "I kissed her right on the mouth and she fell asleep on me and I let her."

My face fell as Tyler stopped chewing. He look back and forth between the two of us, Freddy relived and me horrified.

"Tyler," I laid my hand on his thigh, "It wasn't like it meant anything. We were drunk and it kind of just happened."

He nodded, glaring at Freddy. "Why did you kiss her?"

"I really don't want to talk about it, like she said we were drunk and she was sad. She is beautiful and funny and I couldn't help it."

My heart fluttered but quickly fell to pieces as Tyler's nostrils started to flare, "So you think it's okay to just go around kissing my girlfriend? I let you live here man, what about guy code."

I wanted to disappear, this was going to end up so bad.

"Excuse me?" Freddy was shocked, "Guy code? What about being a good boyfriend or at least a decent one? Get your head out of your ass Segs."

"Boys, please stop," I tried to calm things down, "It's not all on Freddy. We are all wrong here."

His face was harsh but his voice was even harsher, "So you're telling me you kissed him?"

I shrugged, "Kind of."

"Avery don't," Freddy held his hand up, "You don't have to do this."

"I don't want you guys to throw your friendship away for this."

Silence fell over us, Tyler stared at Freddy, their eyes never leaving each other. It was just a silly kiss, it wasn't something to rip each other's heads off about.

"Well Tyler is a hypocrite and I'm sick of his partying and shit," Freddy slammed the door to his bedroom, "Tyler you know exactly what I mean. At least I had the balls to tell you."

"Tyler," I sighed, "We have a lot of issues. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

He just stared at me, long and hard. I bit back my lip trying not to cry, knowing that the 'we need to break up' speech was probably coming.

"What issues?"

I was in pure shock, "What issues? What issues?" A sarcastic little laugh escaped my lips only causing Tyler to get more angry, "Nothing about any of this is right."

"Our only issue is the two of my best friends kissed and didn't tell me."

"Bullshit! That is such bullshit. I'm not just your girl for at home Tyler. I need to be your girl all the time, I don't care if you party every now and then but that's all you do and you know you've kissed other girls."

"Avery."

"No, I gave into you and I thought maybe that would help a little but instead it made me feel worse. I know what you do, I'm not stupid. I just wish you would just admit it to me. I've stuck around this long and I'll still be here if you just say you've cheated on me."

Tyler snatched up his keys and slammed the door behind him. I slammed the door to the bedroom, falling apart the second my head hit the pillow.