Love Letters to Write Before I Die

Dan was wheezing uncontrollably, clutching his stitches as he mentally screamed from the pain of running for the past…

“20 minutes,” Haley said. “We’ve been running for 20 minutes and you’re giving up already.”

“Damn it, Haley,” he hissed. “I’m a little out of shape, so sue me!”

Haley looked around for the letter on the bench as she ignored Dan’s string of curses. When she found it, she unfolded the letter and read it. In the middle of his pain, Dan saw Haley’s facial expression changed. Concerned, he asked her, “Haley? What’s wrong?”

She gave him the letter.

“Well,” Dan said, shrugging. “He’s made up his mind, that’s for sure.”

“But—” Haley started, but Dan cut her off.

“Haley,” he said sternly. “He’s made up his mind,” he repeated to Haley’s dismay. “This guy sounds stubborn from the very first time he replied to you. Why would you believe that he’ll change? He’s dying. Let him die.”

“You are so…” Haley said, slightly frustrated again.

“Realistic,” Dan finished, grinning smugly. “And you know you need me. You love me,” he teased and Haley rolled her eyes. She didn’t want to be sucked into Dan’s words. She’ll write back to Nate and hope for the best.

In the meantime, she would pay her attention to the other Nate.

Nathan Scott.

---

“Don’t you ever feel neglected?” Nathan asked his new friend, apparently. The petite, sweet girl in front of him shrugged.

“I don’t ever look at it that way,” Haley answered. “I mean, yes my parents are busy most of the time but they are trying their hardest to make time in their packed schedules to have a little family bonding time.”

“Which is why you are here. Talking to me.”

“Dad’s in surgery,” Haley said, aghast. She felt as if Nathan was trying to imply something bad. “And my mom is usually all over the place. I couldn’t track her down. Even if I can, I wouldn’t want to bother her or my dad in the middle of work,” she said, her nose scrunching up a little.

“So tell me something,” Haley said. Nathan noted the spark in her eyes that screamed of hope and confidence. Something that Nathan was beginning to loathe – mainly because he lost that spark a long time ago.

“About?”

“Anything about you really,” Haley said, blushing a little. “I feel as if I’m doing all the talking here. We’ve known each other for a few days now, but I don’t really know…who you are. All I know is that you have CF.”

His fingers brushed the edges of his book.

“Isn’t that enough?”

“No!” She protested, laughing. “It’s definitely not enough. You’re not defined by your illness,” she continued, her laughs turned into little chuckles. As Nathan caught her gaze, he began to wonder if the girl sitting in front of him was the same girl who wrote all those letters, trying to find hope in his misery. What were the chances?

“How am I not defined by my illness?” He said, throwing back a cynical laughter. “I’ve been in and out of this hospital throughout my life. I can’t do anything. My friends and family treat me as if I’m a ticking time bomb. But instead of exploding, I die.”

His rage died away when he realized what he spat out to someone he knew for only a few days.

So he tried to change the subject.

“Books are getting boring, I swear. I have been holding this crap for 3 days now—” he paused, waving his book, “—and I haven’t got past chapter 2.”

“Come on.”

“Come on?” He said.

Haley took his hand and practically dragged him out of his bed to his utmost shock.