Old Friends Meet Again & The Truth Comes Out (Chapter Five)
THE NEXT DAY
Haley wheeled herself down the hall and stopped for a minute when she was right outside Peyton's door. After the round of treatment she just had, she wouldn't fight anyone who wanted to push her right now. She should be in bed, but Haley was restless in an extremely tired sort of way. She was tired, but she couldn't get to sleep. She figured it was too late in the day to start playing her guitar and she didn't really have the energy for that much work, so she figured she might as well go see Peyton. Then she heard Brooke and Lucas talking. Jake and Nathan joined in the conversation as well. Haley sighed heavily. It hadn't occurred to her that all of them would still be here. Didn't they have lives? She figured that since she was here, she might as well actually go in. She knocked lightly on door. "Who is that?" Peyton's loud voice asked. Haley had forgotten just how loud Peyton was.
"It's Haley," Haley said quietly. There was a silence followed by a couple of hushed whispers. She knew they were talking about her. A few seconds later, the door opened. Haley saw Jake Jagielski. He was taller than she remembered. Of course, that might have something to do with the fact that she was in a wheelchair, so everyone was tall. He was smiling down at her and as Haley looked into his eyes, there was the one thing she knew she would see and it was the one thing she hated. Pity. It was clear as day in his brown eyes.
"Come on in, Haley," Jake said, smiling. Normally, she would be happy to see the smile, but now it seemed forced. Haley wheeled herself into the room. Peyton was dressed in a hospital gown and was wearing a robe. She was sitting up in her hospital bed. She looked over at Brooke. Brooke was seated on Peyton's bed too, but at the foot of the bed. She had her jacket over her legs. Her brown hair was very long now and her brown eyes looked at Haley curiously. Even Brooke Davis' eyes shone with pity. Lucas was seated in a chair that had been pulled close to Brooke. He was wearing jeans and a green long-sleeved shirt. He seemed to be avoiding looking at her. Nathan was the only one who met her gaze. His blue eyes were full of concern. He was hiding the pity probably because Haley had pointed out that she didn't appreciate it, but she could see the shards of pity in his eyes behind the concern.
"Hi, Haley," Peyton said brightly. Haley smirked at her.
"How are you feeling?" Haley asked. Peyton shrugged. Haley looked at her leg that was in a cast. Her other one was wrapped with a tensor bandage, but you could see the scratches and bruising. "That looks like it hurts," Haley said, pointing to her bandaged leg. Peyton looked at her leg.
"Oh. Yeah. It's not that bad," she said. Then there was silence. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. "The headache I woke up with this morning was a lot worse," Peyton said.
"It's gone?" Haley asked. Peyton nodded.
"They gave me Tylenol 3. So, no more headache," she said. Brooke laughed. Then, there was silence once again. Brooke sighed. Haley smirked.
"I guess you're all wondering about me," Haley said.
Brooke looked at her and said, "Duh, Haley."
"Ok. I knew there would come a time when I was going to have to do a Q&A. So, ask away," Haley said. She didn't feel like telling the whole story. She figured she'd answer questions they asked directly.
"When did you find out you had cancer, Haley?" Peyton asked.
"I was diagnosed last year after I passed out during a lesson," Haley replied.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Lucas asked. Haley looked at Nathan.
"I didn't tell them. It's up to you if you want them to know certain things," he said.
"I guess I didn't want to burden anyone," Haley said. Lucas' brow furrowed as he looked at her as if she were crazy. "Don't look at me like that, Luke. Your reaction is a prime example of why I didn't tell you," she said.
"I was shocked, Haley," Lucas said defensively.
"Does your family know?" Brooke asked.
Haley looked down but before she could, Nathan said, "Yeah, they know. We all saw Taylor."
"Haley," Lucas said accusingly. Haley looked at him quizzically. "I saw that look and I know what it means. Taylor obviously knows, but does the rest of your family?" Lucas asked. Haley sighed.
"No," she admitted. She turned her wheelchair around and bolted out of the room to avoid all of the questions. She couldn't take anymore right now.
