Chapter 8
Life is a strange thing
It can push you into a situation
One you don't think you can handle
And the shocker is…
You come out of it alive
And stronger than ever…
Haley stared at the cracker bracelet on her arm as she felt a sense of de ja vu come over her.
The same bracelet.
The same words.
The same guy.
The same feelings.
But Haley was still stuck in the Nightmare Universe – had been for almost two weeks now. Two long weeks in which every second felt like a minute, every minute like an hour, every hour like an eternity. Some days Haley spent with Rachel – coming to love her as a true sister – while other days she spent time with Tim. The least amount of time was spent with Chris. Even less with Nathan.
After the bracelet a strange awkward silence came between them. The fighting was gone…which Haley thought was a step in the right direction…but all steps in any direction stopped after that. Some days she would find a small note in her locker – never signed – but it was enough to keep her believing that even in the Nightmare Universe the old Nathan could show.
Memories of the life she supposedly had in the Nightmare Universe still evaded her and Haley guessed she would never really get them back.
oOoOoOoOoOo
A week later Nathan returned to his old self.
Not the normal, happy Nathan.
No, the jackass Nightmare Nathan.
He ignored her completely, didn't even glance in her direction once and when he did his expression was blank – like he was fighting off emotions.
Haley felt her world slowly cracking.
oOoOoOoOoOo
Nathan threw the ball into the hoop, followed it with his eyes until it landed in two hands. He stared up in shock at the instant appearance of Haley in front of him, but his eyes remained cold.
"What can I do for you Haley?" he asked stiffly and Haley felt her heart break as she moved closer to him.
"Please don't do this again Nathan…" she begged and he shook his head.
"Do what?"
"Push me away."
Nathan stared hard at Haley but as tears flowed over his cheeks he couldn't take it anymore and looked down.
"When you told me you had memory loss…how far back does it go?" Nathan asked under his breath and Haley sighed.
"I can't remember anything…" the statement hung in the air as his head shot up to look at her.
"What's going on Nate?"
Silence.
"Today is the anniversary of the day you told me you were pregnant…"