Love Letters to Write Before I Die

Haley ran through the park, smiling politely to passers-by. But instead of aimlessly running, this time she made her way to the park bench and slipped her letter there before placing her hands on her knees, panting heavily. Her sweat trickled down her nose and dropped to the raised pathway of the park. She sat on the bench for a while, looking at the lazy clouds floating against the contrasting blue sky. She was starting to feel uncomfortable. The blue fabric of her top was sticking to her skin and she began to regret using long sleeves that day. She closed her eyes slowly, feeling tired than usual. Her heart was beating wildly against her chest.

She wondered if she would ever meet him. A part of her was scared to because she was afraid that she couldn’t live up to the expectations. In the letters, she sounded so sure. So confident. But yet she found herself in a position where her logical reasoning was crumbling apart due to various reasons. She wished she didn’t care about what people thought. She wished she didn’t let their cruel words pierced through her heart so much, making her feel as if dreams couldn’t come true and that she was silly for thinking that it might.

Maybe Dan was right.

Haley stood up and jogged away from the park. She was curious as to who ‘Nate’ was.

‘Dear Nate,

Have I offended you? Sounds like it.

I am not judging. And I don’t have the right to judge you.

People have choices in their lives. Sometimes the options that we have are obvious, staring right at us waiting to be picked. Sometimes, it might be more oblivious. Sooner or later, we’ll find out said option. And sometimes, we have to make our own options and our own choices. You just have to have faith that everything will look brighter eventually.

You chose to let your future affect your present.

Yours sincerely,
Haley.’

Nathan looked outside the window of Bancroft-Elwood Hospital. The private hospital became his second home after his health deteriorated at rapid speed ever since he was 15 years old. The room was always the same for him. Brightly-lit, as oppose to his room back home. He felt sick. It was as if the bright lights around the hospital were mocking him. Making him visualize a bright future that could never happen.

“Hello again, Nathan,” Dr. Dumont said. “How’re you feeling today?”

Nathan closed his eyes, his arms crossed.

“Better. Can I go home now?”

Dr. Michael Dumont looked at Nathan with wistful eyes. Something that Nathan hated. Sympathy.

Suddenly, a familiar girl opened the door. A guilty look on her face.

“Haley,” Dr. Dumont said and every muscle in Nathan’s body froze.

Haley?

“I’m sorry to…um…bother,” she said, shifting her feet slightly. “But something happened to Sugar. She’s missing.”

“I’ll deal with it later,” Dr. Dumont said sternly. Haley excused herself.

“Sugar?” Nathan asked. Dr. Dumont shrugged. “Our cat. My daughter likes to let it out because she believes that an animal shouldn’t be caged in.”

Nathan had to stop himself from smirking. Sounded like the Haley that wrote to him.

He shook his head as he checked Nathan’s chart. “Once she puts Sugar on a leash. I told my wife, I knew I should’ve gotten her a puppy instead. But my wife and Haley is allergic to dogs,” he said, shaking his head and chuckling.

Nathan started to cough vigorously. When he stopped, he rested his head on the pillow with his eyes closed. “After being here numerous times, I believe that my lungs hate me.”

“We’re gonna fix that,” Dr. Dumont said, smiling before making his way out of the room. “Just have faith.”

Great, Nathan thought bitterly with a chuckle. Everyone began to sound much like Haley.