Leaving Town
The Last Box Is The Easiest
She picked up the last box and placed it on her bare bed. The marker was right next to it, she picked it up and labeled the box, MISC. She finished packing a few leftover items, things that didn't fit into other boxes, things she would need right sooner. Like her toothbrush, and her hairbrush, and all that good stuff. The boxes were packed and stacked by the door, just waiting for her to pick up and carry down to her car.
She looked at her watch, just past eleven, surely she had another hour, to an hour and a half before Brooke would arrive back.
Arrive back to see a half empty closet, a bare mattress on a bed frame. Empty drawers that once held Haley's things. A bare dresser top that was once littered with Haley's things. The shoe rack missing a couple pairs of shoes. The bathroom empty of any sign of Haley. Basically, nothing remained that belonged to Haley, it was like she was never there. The only thing that remained was a letter to Brooke, and inside her half of this month's rent, and her key to the apartment.
Brooke,
I appreciate you letting me stay here for the year. Letting me join your squad, cheerleading. It was fun. You helped me make me senior year what it should be, senior year, so thank you.
I have enclosed my half of this month's rent. I know I didn't really stay this month, but I didn't give you a two weeks notice either, to find a new roommate or anything. If I did, you would have tried to talk me into staying in town. I need to leave.
I need to leave, and I need to not have any connections with anyone here, at least not for now. I need to separate myself, take some me time, and grow into who I am destined to be. I wish I could stay, but it is really not in my cards to, my journey is finished here. I need to move on.
Yes, part of this has to deal with Nathan. I just need to distance myself from him right now, and any connection with you, or Peyton or Lucas or anyone would be a connection with him, and I just can't have that. I need to move on, I can't be dependent on him any longer. He gave us a year, and it just wasn't meant to be.
I made sure not to leave anything behind, because, well, there would be no way of returning it to me. Not that I really had much to leave behind. If you should find anything, keep it, I obviously won't be needing it, as I probably won't return anytime in the near future.
Sincerely,
Haley James
P.S. If you're planning a reunion, I will attend, and use your gut instinct to find me, you probably will. Something will clue you in on where to look. I'll miss you, shocking as that would have sounded a year ago, but not as much now. So, I guess, goodbye.
She placed the letter on the kitchen counter, by the time Brooke found it, Haley would be long gone. She sighed and started moving the boxes to her car, careful as to the order in which she put them. The Things that were heavier and she wouldn't need as quickly on the bottom, and items that she would need sooner and were lighter on top, not to squish anything. Once she was finished, she locked the apartment door, and left.
She stopped at Nathan's house, placed his box on the front step, right in front of the door, so no matter how drunk he was, he wouldn't miss it, because he's trip over it and fall flat on his face, she laughed at that thought, just a little snicker to herself, and got back into her car and drove away, passing the "You Are Now Leaving Tree Hill" sign, and the "You Are Now Leaving North Carolina" sign, and kept going.