AN-I know this chapter is pretty short, but I will definitely update again sometime this weekend.

Also, I am extremely pissed at the recycled crap Naley is about to endure on the show. I swear I was screaming at the television when I saw the crappy vomit inducing Carrie filled promo. How many skanks must we witness going after Nathan before it's enough? Get a new SL, Mark S.

Chapter 51

Definitive Choices

Haley sat upright in her hospital bed picking at the crap they called food on her breakfast tray. She was officially fed up with her hospital stay. How could they even serve their patients this junk and expect a full recovery? This food was surely a one way trip to hell just from the pure nauseating smell of it. She was glad she would no longer have to deal with it, surprisingly the doctors were releasing her tomorrow allowing her to go home with the condition of bed rest and a outpatient nurse visiting her once a day. She hated the idea but figured anything was better than being cooped up in a sterile smelling hospital with doctors poking at you every minute of the day. It was time for her to go home, make things right for herself no matter how much it hurt. Clinking the fork loudly onto the dish, she exasperated a breath flopping back into her pillows grabbing the remote. If she couldn't eat maybe she could find something to entertain her hunger away. She flipped through channel after channel finding nothing particularly interesting, nothing but crappy morning game shows or talk shows, she even came across a talk show with a game. It was hopeless, could nothing cure her of this restless boredom. A light tapping on her door suddenly gained her attention as she eyed her door cautiously hoping another doctor wasn't coming to poke at her or take more tests before her release.

"Come in," she hesitantly said. Haley was pleasantly surprised to see Riley step through her door holding some flowers, what looked to be a cup of coffee, and wielding a brown paper bag all the while smiling brightly at her.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he said.

"Riley," she smiled waving him over to the bed.

He obliged going to her side where he handed her all the contents he had been carrying.

"Bagel," he said placing the bag in her hand. "Coffee, and last but not least flowers," he smiled.

"Riley Smith, my hero," she playfully batted her eyes. "You're a god send, you have no idea how starved I am," she said eagerly digging into the bag ripping a piece of the bagel and popping it into her mouth. "Hmm," she sighed as he watched her amused.

"I had some clue," he laughed as she continued eating. "I tore some cartilage in my knee at summer camp when I was fifteen. I had to stay in that god forsaken hospital for two weeks, not a pleasant time," he shuttered. "I think I lost 10 pounds by the time I was actually able to go home. You couldn't pay me to eat that mess."

Haley laughed a little while drinking some of her coffee down. "Thank you so much," she said.

"You are very welcome. How are you Haley?" he asked.

"Better," she said sitting her cup down. She lifted the flowers bringing them to her nose to inhale the fresh scent. "These are really beautiful."

"Kind of like you," he said.

She gave him a small smile realizing in that moment that if things were going to be okay for her she needed to be honest with everyone about everything in her life, starting with Riley.

"Look Riley, we had some fun times together, but I don't think we can be more than friends," she said taking in his disappointed face.

Riley's stomach dropped to the floor hearing those words come from her mouth. "So it's over?" he asked.

"No, we can still be friends," she said. "That will never change. I just need to be alone, work things out for myself."

"Is there anything I can do to change your mind?" he asked.

"I don't think so," she told him. "Riley, you are a really great guy. I'm sure some girl will come along and you'll sweep her off her feet. I'm just not that girl. To be honest, I really don't think either us are ready for a relationship. I'm not completely open to it, and you have a wandering eye mister," she laughed. Riley chuckled along with her knowing exactly what she meant.

"I guess," he reasoned. "It doesn't mean that I'm not disappointed."

"Me too," she smiled. "Maybe in another lifetime, who knows," she joked nudging him teasingly.

"You really were too good for me Haley James," he said. "I must be the biggest dumbass in the world for risking what we had for someone like Theresa."

"I've seen bigger," she smiled. "It doesn't define who you are Riley. I know that more than anyone. It was a mistake that I forgave you for. I actually understand how something like that can so easily happen, trust me. I would never hold something like this over anyone in my life."

"Thank you Haley," he said. "Just knowing that I can still have your friendship means the world to me."

"Likewise," she smiled. "Come here," she said pulling him in close wrapping her arms around him. Riley squeezed her tight happy that she was such a forgiving wonderful person. Pulling away from each other Riley gently kissed her lips saying goodbye to her as his girlfriend. She smiled at him waving as he stood to exit her room.

Nathan stood on the outside of Haley's door where he had witnessed her and Riley's kiss. His heart absolutely broke feeling for the first time what it must have been like for Haley to see him with Brooke all the time. He really had lost her if this was any indication. Funny how you can lose something you never really had. She obviously still wanted to be with Riley from the looks of things. Trying to save himself some pride, he turned away leaving them alone. He didn't want to make his presence known so he quickly moved away from the door.

"Next lifetime?" she said.

"Next lifetime," Riley agreed giving her a wave of his own as he left.

-

Nathan hopped into his truck speeding away from the hospital to the one place that was his sanctuary when he needed to think, the basketball court. His problems always seemed to vanish with each swish of the ball going cleanly through the nylon net. He couldn't deal with the reality of his life right now. The screwed up way things were going was no one's fault but his own, and that's what killed him the most. All of this because he couldn't be honest with himself and everyone else. He angrily bounced the ball against the concrete wanting to scream in frustration. When did he become the guy to give up? He loved Haley and there was no way in hell he was going to lose her to Riley Smith. Bringing the ball to rest in his hands, he made a decision right there and then. He was going to tell her he loved her no matter how much she tried to push him away. They had to be together, it was the only way either of them could truly find peace and happiness.

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