Chapter 20

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!!!!!

"HALEY COME ON, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE. JUST OPEN UP THE DOOR!"

Haley was sitting on living room couch listening to Nathan began on the door begging her to let him in for what must have been the 5th day in a row. "Brooke, he's back what should, I do?"

"Haley, I really don't understand the problem here, why can't you just talk to him?"

"It's complicated, if I talk to him, I'm not sure I will have the courage to let him go."

"And this is problem because..."

"Because Brooke, he's got a chance of a lifetime in going to San Diego, I just don't want to hold him back."

"Who says that you would be holding him back?"

"It's complicated."

"Why can't you just tell me what is going on Haley, there is obviousley something more to this breakup then you are telling me because I know you love him and he obviously loves you if he makes it an everyday ritual to knock on your door and try to talk to you."

"I can't tell you right now, but I promise you will find out soon enough."

"HALEY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON BUT IF YOU DON'T OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW I AM GOING TO GO GET A SLEEPING BAG AND CAMP OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR UNTIL YOU OPEN IT. I DON'T CARE IF I MISS MY FLIGHT TO SAN DIEGO BECAUSE OF IT."

"Haley just open the door, talk to him. I mean if you say you don't want to hold him back you're going to have to give him some kind of explanation or else he's going to start having his mail forwarded to your front door."

Haley let out a deep sigh, "I suppose you're right, I'll call you back later."

"Yah, you do that. Oh and Haley please stop making lame excuses about why you want to break up and tell the truth."

Haley quickly heard the dial tone come up on the other end of the phone then made her way to open her front door right after she let out a deep breath in order to prepare herself for Nathan.

"Ok Nathan, you made your point. Say what you have to say."

"Ok, well I'm glad you finally decided to let me in, I'm pretty positive your neighbors were going to call the police on me." Nathan laughed to lighten the mood but Haley's face remained straight. "Ok, I can see that humor is not going to loosen up the situation."

"Nathan will you please just hurry this along, I have things to do."

"Ok, well I don't understand what happened between us but all I know is that I love you Haley and I'm not ready to give you up. In fact I'm pretty positive I never want to give you up."

"Nathan-"

"No Haley! Listen to me, I realize that this whole me living in San Diego and you living here in New York thing might be difficult but I think we can make it work. I mean I'm a sports writer, I ahve to travel a lot and I'm sure most of those trips will be here, and even if I'm not suppose to be traveling who says that I can't just write my articles and Mail them or Email them or whatever to San Diego. I mean do they really need me to physically be in San Diego? And Haley, there are many cities in California that are important to the fashion world. I mean, why not try to expand and create a shop in California that way Brooke can run the one in New York and you can run the one in California and we can still be together. I mean Haley the possibilities are endless. This doesn't have to be the end of our relationship. I won't let it be."

By the end of Nathan's speech, Haley had tears in her eyes. He loved her so much and was willing to do anything in order to keep their relationship going. If only he knew everything that was going on. Haley kept staring in Nathan's eyes noticing the hurt and hope in his eyes and couldn't help but want to make everything right with him. Maybe she should tell him she kept on thinking but everything in her head kept telling her that it would make things worst, that it would ruin his life, that he would end up hating her for it. So she decided against it. Haley then gently places a hand on Nathan's cheek and stared in his eyes softly rubbing her thumb against his cheek. She leaned in and softly kissed him on the lips and then pulled away and grabbed her purse and headed for the door. Before she left completely she turned around to face Nathan, "I hope everything works out in San Diego for you. Just do me a favor and lock up when you leave."

With that Haley left and Nathan was left there staring at her retreating form still feeling the coldness that she had left behind wit her words.