Haley went into the all white bathroom of the apartment, and slumped down onto the side of the cold tub. And she cried. Bringing her knees close to her chest and wrapping her small arms around them, Haley let her head down and cried.
When did everything go so wrong? Why is it that the only reason my husband, the love of my life, is talking to me is because he pities me? I cant let him do this. He told me that he didn't want to be with me, I can't just let him hang around like this.
Haley stood up and stared at herself in the mirror, trying to regain her composure. She was running some cold water on her face when she heard the door bell ring.
After Haley had gone into the bathroom and Nathan continued to make the popcorn like he said. And for a moment he got lost in his thoughts. Wondering when things when wrong. Why he had ever doubted Haley and his love for her.
Nathan had just put the popcorn bag in the microwave when the door bell rang. Not bothering to look in the peep hole he flung the door open.
"Can I help you?" Nathan said getting a little defensive. With his striped polo shirt, kaki cargos, and flip flops this fag looked like a reject from the Hollister magazine. And the shaggy blond hair didn't help.
"I'm looking for Haley."
"Uh, no I don't think you are. Please leave." The wrinkles on Nathan's forehead were now starting to become more significant.
"Yes, I am. I need to talk to her. Haley! Baby doll!" he screamed into the apartment.
Wiping her face with the hand towel by the sink Haley looked at herself one more time. Feeling confidant about what she was about to do Haley reached for the door knob. Until she heard him. He called her name.
Jack pushed his way though Nathan when he looked towards the bathroom. "Haley baby?" He yelled running though the apartment. Little did either know that Haley was locked in the bathroom paralyzed with fear.
"Who the fuck are you!" Nathan demanded, pinning him against one of the lavender walls. His hand clutched against his throat.
Haley meekly opened the bathroom door praying that the voice she heard wasn't attached to the face that ran through her mind every night. She listened intently to the voices.
"I'm her boy friend!" he tried to yell but his air supply was running low.
"Yea? Well I'm her husband!" Nathan whispered hoarsely. His teeth clenched. That's when he hit him. Nathan knew who this bastard was. He hit him and he wouldn't stop. The punches wouldn't let up. Haley couldn't take it any more, she couldn't just sit there and listen.
"Nathan," her voice just above a whisper. "Nathan please." Her voice pleading with pain, as she grabbed on to the breakfast bar for dear life. He looked up at her, silently telling her to go away. Jack followed Nathan's gaze, and saw the girl that he loved.
"Baby, just let me talk to you. I love you please. Lets just talk." Jack spoke with the same voice he had used the first time that she met him. God, it made her wanna throw up.
"No! No! No! Get out!" Haley screamed flailing her arms around and stomping her feet. "Don't call me baby! Get the fuck out of my house!" Haley scurried over to the kitchen and grabbed the largest frying pan that she and Brooke owned.
"Haley, I love you. I just-" Haley cut him off, while Nathan just watched in awe.
"You will shut your filthy mouth and get the fuck out right now. Or so help me god I will beat you with this god damned pan until your brains are splattered all over my freshly panted walls. Do you understand me? And I swear if I ever see your disgusting face again you will regret it." Haley said in a hoarse, cold, low voice; trying her best to hold back her tears. Jack reluctantly obliged, for the fear of his life. He closed the shiny black door, and when she heard the familiar sound of his old Honda skid off the black asphalt, she slowly fell. Sobbing. The frying pan made and obnoxious thud against the sick on tile of the kitchen. Haley had no control over the salty drops that flooded from her eyes. She had never cried this hard in her entire life.
Nathan just watched as she poured her all her feelings out. He didn't know if Haley would want him to go to her but he didn't care. He would not just sit there and watch the woman he loved cry like that. It broke his heart in more pieces than when she left. And that was saying a lot.
Nathan crawled over to Haley from his place on the floor. He took her in his arm on top of his lap. Haley resisted, slamming her fists against Nathan's hard chest- to say the least after a while it hurt but he would never dream of telling her.
"It's not fair! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him!" Haley shrieked. Her voice blaring close to his ear, while her fists simultaneously crashed into his chest. Haley's crying and hitting and screaming went on for a while. Then it was just crying and screaming, then just crying. And now- just sniffles. Haley sat in between Nathan's legs. Her shaking form huddled in the fetal position cradled in Nathan's arms.
"I need to tell you something Nathan." Her whisper so hoarse and fearful. Nathan just nodded. "I went to the bathroom to prepare a- a speech. I was going to tell you that I didn't want to see you again. Be- because you hated me before and- and now you run to me at my beck and call. It just didn't se- seem fair. I- I don't want you to- to hang around because you fell bad for me." A new round of tears impairing her speech. Haley didn't fight them.
"Haley, when you came back I thought that I couldn't trust you. I though 'what's stopping her from leaving again?' I thought that it would be easier to suffer with out you that to be with you and be vulnerable. But when Luke told me what happened. I was so scared that I would loose you. That you wouldn't be her anymore. And I realized that if something were to ever happen to you, that- that I would never be able to go. I cant be with out you Haley. I just cant. I love you so much. I'm in love with you. And I want to be with you forever. I meant everything I said that day on the beach. Every word." Nathan moved his hand down to her chin. Lifting her face gently to look at him. Both sets of teary eyes meeting, both sets of scared eyes meeting, both sets of scared eyes meeting.
"So did I." She didn't smile. Not because she didn't want to but it hurt. It physically hurt. Everything did. Haley looked back down relishing in the feeling of safety. After hours of sitting in this position, Nathan could feel Haley's rapid, unsteady breathing become level. She was asleep. Nathan scooped her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom. Her large hands placed on the small of her back and the crook of her knees. Nathan placed Haley in her bed and pulled the covers to her chest. And when he kissed he on the forehead Nathan heard her soft voice.
"It feels so far away…" she spoke.
"What does baby?" squatting down, his hands on his knees.
"Happiness." Haley answered simply, sleepily.
"It's right here" Nathan entwined their hands together, and waited for her to fall asleep, as he remembered the good days. Maybe tomorrow would be one of them.