Chapter 13: Please don't hate me

Nathan finished up with his lawyer and left. He walked around and finally came to a realization that killed him. He had to do something that would make everything from now on a lot easier, that he hated, but he had to do it.

He walked into the hospital and headed straight for Haley's hospital room. He walked in to find her reading a book and smiled sadly. He walked over and she didn't notice his presence until he was sitting in the chair beside her bed. He didn't smile and barely looked into her eyes "Haley, we need to talk."

Haley looked at him and agreed by shaking her head. She watched him as he stood up and paced the room and then finally sat back down "Nathan, what's going on?"

Nathan sighed "I need to tell you something and you have to let me get it all out before you say anything at all, ok?" Haley didn't speak "Hales, tell me that you won't interrupt." Nathan asked

"Ok." Haley said sadly

"Ok, well Haley you know that I love you but now is a really hard time for me. M-My mom died and now I have to get an emancipation and go to court. I want you to be by my side for all of this, but you can't. I want, no I need to be alone for a while and learn how to adapt. My mom was a MIA mom but she loved me nevertheless and I don't know what I will do. I just need you to understand that this is too hard for me to do with you. I need to be alone." Nathan said sadly

"What?" Haley cried "Why can't I help you through this?"

Nathan couldn't stand it that he was making this girl , who he loved so much, cry "Hales, please don't hate me for this. I just need to be by myself for a while. No girlfriend. Do you understand? It will be for the best."

"How can it be when we won't be together." Haley cried

Nathan was close to tears himself but wouldn't let himself shed any of them. He said a few more words and left the room, closing the door behind him. He started walking down the hall before he broke down. He slid into a chair that was in the hallway and placed his head in his hands.

Haley quickly whipped out her phone after talking to the nurse. It had been hours since Nathan had talked to her and she hadn't stopped crying since. The person on the other end picked up the phone after a couple of rings.

Lucas answered the phone "Hello."

"L-L-Lucas?" Haley questioned, even though she knew perfectly well that it was him on the other end

"Hales? Are you crying? What's wrong?" Lucas worried

"Can you come pick me up? The nurse says I can go home." Haley got out without sniffling

"Oook." Lucas said hesitantly "But don't you want Nathan to pick you up?"

"No. I'll explain everything when you get here." Haley said and hung up her phone. She got out of her hospital bed and started to walk around the room. She was determined not to cry anymore over Nathan. She completely realized that this was difficult for him, but couldn't understand why he couldn't be with her and have her help him through this whole thing. Haley felt tears start to well up and decided that it was best to clear her head of all thoughts. Soon, Lucas came to pick her up. The gathered her stuff, left and were now in the car.

"So, do you want to tell me why Nathan couldn't pick you up or are we going to ignore that completely?" Lucas asked

Haley sighed, knowing she had to tell him "Nathan, he broke up with me."

Lucas was shocked "What? Why? He was completely in love with you. A complete wreck when you were unconscious."

"His mom died and he is getting emancipated so he wants some time to myself." Haley said as Lucas pulled the car over

Lucas leaned over and hugged her "I'm sorry." He said sincerely as they continued to hug and Lucas felt his t-shirt become wet from the tears that Haley was shedding

Nathan got himself together and drove himself to his house where he found his father "grieving" which basically meant that he was heavily drinking. Nathan sighed and spoke up "Dad, can we talk?"

Dan turned and smiled "Sure son. I know your upset so you don't have to go to school for a while."

Nathan exhaled "No, can you just sign this?" Nathan placed the paper on Dan's desk and hoped that he would just sign it

Dan didn't even glance at it before signing it "Is this for school?" Dan asked, finishing up signing

Nathan waited until he had the paper safely in his hands before telling him "No, this is for me to get away from you. I'm going to be emancipated." Nathan didn't look at him one more time before turning around and leaving