Chapter 140: TYLER

I leaned against the door just as it slammed in my face, my hand still hovering near the wood like I could knock if I just found the right words.

But I didn’t.

Inside, I could hear her.

Soft at first, then breaking apart into something harder to ignore. The kind of crying that didn’t hold back, that came from somewhere deeper than just one bad moment. It pressed through the door and settled right into my chest heavily.

I closed my eyes, letting my head fall forward against the door.

It shouldn’t feel like this.

Every time I thought I could do it, make her happy, be the reason she smiled instead of hurt, it somehow ended up the opposite. I was the one who made her cry, whether I meant to or not. It was like a pattern I couldn’t break out of, no matter how hard I tried, and I hated every second of it.

Trying to make her happy shouldn’t feel like this. It shouldn’t feel like she’d be better off without me.

“No.” I shook my head, pushing the thought away. “No more running.”

I didn’t know how to stop being the cause of her pain, but I knew one thing. I wasn’t going to walk away again. If I messed things up, then I’d fix it. Every time.

My jaw tightened as I pushed myself off the door.

Staying here wasn’t going to help.

She asked for space, and as much as everything in me wanted to ignore that and force my way back in, I knew better. Harper wasn’t someone you pushed when she was already breaking. You gave her room to breathe, even if it felt like it was tearing something out of you.

I walked back to my car, each step heavier than the last. The moment I got in, I reached for my phone and dialed Peter.

He picked up on the second ring. “Tell me you’re calling because you’re bored and not because something went wrong.”

“Where are you?” I asked, skipping everything else.

There was a brief pause, then a shift in his tone. “Out. Why?”

“Doing what?”

Another pause. Then, more casually, “Taking a walk. Enjoying nature. You know, bonding with the environment.”

“Peter.”

“Fine,” he sighed. “We’re following boy scout.”

I huffed out a breath despite myself. “Boy scout?”

“Yeah. Hood up, acting all innocent, probably plotting world domination. You know the type.”

“Sam,” I said flatly.

“Ding ding.”

“You guys were supposed to wait for me,” I said, letting out a sigh. “Make sure not to get too close. If he notices you guys, then you could get yourselves in trouble.”

“Relax,” Peter replied. “We’re professionals.”

“You are not professionals.”

“We watched three seasons of crime shows. That counts.”

I shook my head, already knowing arguing wouldn’t change anything. “Just… be careful.”

There was a brief pause, then Peter added, “You coming?”

I hesitated for a second, glancing back toward Harper’s house.

“No,” I said finally. “I’ve got something else to handle.”

Peter went quiet for a beat, then his tone shifted again, lighter. “If ‘something else’ involves you slobbering all over Harper’s face again, don’t worry. We fully support your growth.”

I let out a quiet laugh. “Shut up.”

“I’m serious. Proud of you, man. Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Keep me updated,” I said, ignoring him.

“Always.”

The call ended, and the car fell silent again.

I glanced once more at her door, then started the engine.

By the time I pulled up in front of Mark’s house, I at least knew what I needed to do.

I stepped out and walked up to the door, taking a breath before knocking.

A few seconds later, it opened.

Mark stood there, looking mildly surprised before his lips pulled into a tight lipped smile.

“Well… this is unexpected,” he said, then added, almost jokingly, “Should I be worried? You haven’t shown up like this since Christmas Eve.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, shaking my head. “Nah. You're safe.”

His eyes flicked past me briefly, like he expected someone else to be standing there. When he didn’t see Harper, something in his expression shifted.

“Everything okay?” he asked, more serious now.

I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I studied him.

The way his shoulders dropped slightly. The way his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. I knew that look. I had worn it before, back when Harper was with him and I had to pretend I was fine with it.

I cleared my throat lightly. “I was thinking we could hang out. You know… game or something.”

Mark looked at me for a second, like he was trying to decide whether to take that at face value. Then he let out a quiet breath.

“Yeah,” he said. “Sure. I’ll go with that.”

He stepped aside, letting me in.

I walked in, glancing around briefly before asking, “Megan home?”

“Yeah,” he replied, shutting the door behind me. “She’s been… around. Not really going out much.”

He shrugged slightly. “Guess not talking to Harper is taking up most of her time now.”

I nodded, more to myself than to him.

A quiet stretch settled between us before Mark moved toward his setup, picking up a controller but not turning it on yet.

“So,” he said, not quite looking at me, “what are we playing—”

“Mark,” I cut in.

He paused, then glanced back at me.

I exhaled slowly. “You were one of my closest friends. Before all this. You still are.”

His grip on the controller tightened slightly before he set it down.

“…Right,” he said. “Okay.”

“I mean it,” I continued. “Back when my shoulder injury was still fresh and I couldn’t stand anyone—that day in the locker room, you heard me venting and you didn’t ignore it. You said something.”

That made him look at me properly.

“How is it?” he asked.

I shrugged lightly. “I can use it for basic stuff. Still hurts sometimes, but I’m managing.”

“You playing Monday?” he asked.

“Against North Ridge?” I shook my head. “Nah. I’ll be there, just not on the ice.”

He nodded slowly. “That sucks.”

“Yeah.”

Silence settled again, heavier this time.

Then Mark sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Look, you don’t have to do this.”

I frowned slightly. “Do what?”

“This,” he said, gesturing between us. “I know why you’re here. And it’s fine. Really.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but he continued.

“I meant what I said before about you two getting together. If she’s happy, that’s enough for me. And she is. With you.”

There was a tightness in his voice that he couldn’t hide, no matter how hard he tried.

I nodded slowly. “I appreciate that.”

“And I’m serious,” he added. “You don’t have to feel guilty about it.”

I let out a small breath. “I’m not here because of that.”

He frowned slightly. “Then why?”

“Because of Megan.”

That caught him off guard.

“What about her?” he asked.

“Harper tried to talk to her today,” I said. “It didn’t go so well.”

Mark winced slightly. “Yeah. That explains why she came home upset.”

“She’s hurting Harper,” I added quietly. “And I can tell it’s getting to her too.”

Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve tried talking to her. She won’t listen.”

“I think it’s because she doesn’t believe you’ve moved on,” I said carefully.

He went still for a second.

Then he let out a quiet laugh, but there was no humor in it. “She told you that?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded slowly. “Figures.”

“I get it,” I added. “It’s not easy. I know that.”

He looked at me, something unreadable in his expression. “Do you?”

“I do,” I said simply.

That seemed to settle something, even if only slightly.

“I was thinking,” I continued, “maybe if you remind her of how it used to be with Harper… it might help.”

Mark frowned slightly. “Like what?”

“Just… the good parts,” I said. “The funny moments. How they used to be together. Stuff she actually liked about Harper before everything got messy.”

He stayed quiet, watching me.

“And I’ll talk to Harper too,” I added. “Make sure she doesn’t back away from fixing things with her.”

Mark exhaled slowly, like he was still processing it. “So basically… help them remember why they were actually friends.”

“Yeah,” I said simply. “Something like that.”

That made him pause for a second longer.

Then he nodded once. “Alright. I’ll try my best.”

“That’s all I’m asking.”

A faint, tired smile tugged at his lips. “You’re really doing all this for their friendship?”

I shrugged. “It matters to her.”

“That’s enough for you, huh?”

“Yeah.”

He shook his head lightly, almost amused. “You’ve changed.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

He laughed softly. “I’ll try not to.”

I shifted slightly, feeling the awkwardness creeping back in now that the main reason I came was out in the open.

“So… game?” I asked.

Mark smirked. “You really going to commit to that excuse now?”

“Maybe.”

He shook his head. “You don’t have to force it. Things are going to be weird for a while. That’s normal.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“But,” he added, his voice softening slightly, “it helps knowing she’s with someone who actually cares.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that.

Thankfully, I didn’t need to.

Because before I could say anything, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out, frowning slightly when I saw Peter’s name.

“Give me a second,” I said, stepping aside as I answered. “Yeah?”

Peter didn’t waste time.

“Okay, don’t panic,” he said immediately. “And don’t lose your mind.”

That alone was enough to put me on edge. “What happened?”

There was a brief pause, like he was choosing his words carefully.

“Remember how Racquel is supposed to be like on the other side of the world right now?” he asked.

My grip on the phone tightened. “Yeah.”

Another pause.

“Then explain to me,” Peter continued slowly, “why I just watched her get into Sam’s car.”