Chapter Five
2 months later…
Haley sat in the teacher's lounge sipping some coffee and froze when she saw Nathan walk in. He usually hid out in his office for fear of running into his father who frequently visited the school. What was he doing there? She regained her composure and decided to act like she didn't see him. Maybe if she acted invincible he wouldn't notice she was there. Apparently that wasn't such a great plan because Nathan just walked right over to her. "Is this seat taken?" Nathan asked. Haley looked up at him and was confronted with a wave of love for him when she saw the pain in his eyes. He looked broken. Something was wrong so in a moment of weakness, she nodded.
"What brings you here?" she asked.
"I was looking for you," he replied. Haley put her coffee down and looked at him for some sort of explanation. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," she said. He nodded. Then he started poking at food that he had brought in a brown bag and he started to eat but Haley's impatience got the best of her. "Nathan, you're really starting to freak me out."
"Excuse me?" he asked.
"You're acting weird. Something happened, didn't it?" Haley said. He nodded. Haley looked at him.
"My mom…" he started to say but his voice cracked. He was trying hard not to cry.
"What about her?" Haley asked.
"She's in the hospital, Hales," Nathan said. Haley's head jerked up at the information. "She was hit by a car outside the café yesterday."
"But she's going to be ok, right?" Haley asked. Nathan's face crumpled as he shook his head.
"I don't know," he choked out. Haley got up and sat on the couch right beside him. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder and he reached up and put his hand over hers.
"Do you want me to go get Lucas?" Haley asked. Nathan tightened his grip on her hand as he shook his head.
"Will you just stay with me?" he asked. Haley thought about saying that Rachel could be there for him but then she remembered that he had kicked her out.
"Sure. Let me drive you to the hospital," Haley said.
"Thanks, Hales," he said, getting up and following her to her car.
