CHAPTER3

Days went by then soon months, finally Nathan and Haley stopped hounding Lucas about telling Brooke his feelings.

For Lucas everyday that went by was harder than the last one. Every time he saw Brooke with Felix his heart cringed.

So what did he do? He left. Packed his bags, wrote Nathan and Haley and his mom notes explaining everything. He left with out even looking back; drove till he was too tired to drive anymore. He pulled off the interstate, found a motel and stayed the night. Thousands of questions filling his head; what am I going to do? Where am I going to go? What do I do when this 500 runs out? But the biggest question that filled his head was how am I going to live without her?

Karen's POV

"Lucas?" The lights in his room where on. Lucas is 12:30 just go to bed.

Karen opened the door to find an empty room. Nothing, but a letter on the bed.

"Lucas! What that hell did you do?" Karen gasped as she looked at the empty room. She walked over and picked up the letter and started to read:

Mom don't be mad- Karen threw the letter before she read anymore. Tears streaked her face.

"God Lucas!" The only person that came to mind was Keith.

She picked up the phone and dialed his number from heart.

"Hello?" A sleeping Keith answered the phone.

"He's gone!" Was all Karen could say.

"Karen? Who's gone? Lucas?" Keith said still trying to wake up.

"Yes Keith! Lucas. He left." Karen felt as if all the things that had happened to her throughout her entire life were falling down on her. It was hard to breath.

"I'll be right there Karen." Keith jumped out of bed and put on his pants as fast as he could.

Keith got to Karen's house about 6 or 7 minutes later. The door was open so he went ahead inside. Karen was pacing in Lucas's room. A letter in her hand most likely from Lucas.

"Keith! He left! Oh god he's gone, my baby's gone!" Karen could no longer hold the tears she had tried to hold in all night.

"Karen." Keith said as he pulled her into a hug.

"I a horrible mother I know I am. I should have seen it!" Karen pulled out of Keith's arms and started to pace again.

"What does the letter say?" Keith dared to ask.

"It says shit!" Karen was mad. No mad was an understatement. And pissed was to week a word.

"Does it say where he went?" Keith asked.

"A safe place!" Karen answered sarcastically.

"I saw it everyday the depression engraved into his eyes. Like death waved over him. I mean come on it's just a girl!" Karen suddenly ran from Lucas's room. She went into the living room and slid over a picture of her and Lucas to revel a small hole in the wall.

"It's gone." Karen's hand went over her mouth.

What's gone?" Keith had followed Karen into the living room and watched her revel the small spot in the wall.

"Our little stash of money I keep here. There was over 500 the last time I checked." Karen felt like dying.

"Karen can I read the letter?" Keith eyed the piece of paper she held in her hand.

She just looked at him and handed the paper over to him.

Mom don't be mad, but I've just gone away for a little while. Yeah funny I tried this once before remember with Keith? Of course you remember. I'm sorry I don't plan to be gone for long. But as long as it takes. I need to move on. Accept that Brooke doesn't love me and that we won't ever be together again. I really do love her mom. More that anything else in this world. That's why I'm leaving, but I'll be back soon, days or moths maybe even years from now, but all the same I'll be back. I love you mom.

Love Lucas.

"Do you think it's a little short for a goodbye letter to his own damn mother?" Karen shouted when Keith looked up from the letter.

"What are you going to do?" Keith asked not knowing what else to ask.

"What can I do? I have to let him go." Karen said heartbroken.

"Thanks Keith for coming out I know you were probably with Jewels but thank you anyway." Karen tried to smile at him but could smile it was too hard.

"Anything Karen. Don't worry Lucas will come back, I guarantee it." Keith smiled at her before he left.

Karen broke into tears on the floor. The huge sobs shaking her body. No! He can't be gone!

Brookes POV (the next day)

This will be fun! Felix isn't expecting me until 7:30. So what if I'm 4 hours early? Brooke smiled. She walked up to Felix's front door and knocked.

"Come on I know you there." She smiled mischievously and twisted the doorknob. The door opened so Brooke walked in. I need to remind him to get me a copy of his keys so I can get in anytime I want. She thought as she started to walk upstairs.

Music was playing very loud from Felix's room. So Brooke didn't bother knocking she went on in.

"Oh my god Felix?" She screamed. Felix was completely naked in bed with some girl who was also naked.

"God! Brooke! I can explain" Felix almost jumped out of his skin.

"Yeah sure ya can. They all can explain. Lucas could explain." Brooke turned to leave.

"Brooke wait!" Felix got out of bed and put his pants on as fast as he could.

"No Felix. I'm not going wait. There is no explanation for something like this. So don't even try to think of one." Brooke started down the stairs, but Felix grabbed her arm. She slapped him.

"Don't you fucking touch me!" She screamed at him and then ran out of the house.

Brooke ran for a wile until she got to a small park. The place that always brought her peace. Maybe it would help now. She thought as tears poured from her eyes.

She walked over to the tree Lucas had carved their names in a wile ago when they were dating. Those were the good times. She thought as she looked in the little 'secret message box' Lucas had made for them to put really important notes in. He was drunk that night, but she didn't care she checked in it often.

She reached her hand into the small space and felt a rolled up piece of paper with her name on it. She quickly opened it up and began to read. He tears stained the paper with every word that she read. He had left and it was because of her. Because he loved her too much and he couldn't stand seeing her with Felix, that he was sorry for the past, everything.

Then it hit her.

"He left! Where the hell did he go? You can not do this to me Lucas! You can't leave then tell me you love me!" Brooke sat down on the ground next to the tree and cried. She cried for what felt like an eternity………….

"Oh no." Lucas had been in the motel all day; he had gone out for food but couldn't really eat. And then it hit him. The irony of what he had done.

"What the hell am I doing?" Lucas realized that he had made a terrible really terrible mistake. So Lucas got back in his car and started to drive. This time he knew what he was doing he was going home. He was going to go home and tell Brooke how he felt about her. His mom probably wouldn't be too happy when he got back either. Oh well I have to find Brooke an tell her how I feel before I do damage control with mom he thought as he put his foot down on the gas harder.

8:45 Brooke looked at her watch and sighed the tears had ended a wile ago. She had cried so much she didn't think she could ever cry again. She had sat on the ground all afternoon and this was the 3rd time she had looked at her watch.

"Wow I really guess this place is secret." Brooke said as she looked at the deserted park. "That or haunted."

"I better get out of here and go find a bar. I really need alcohol right now." She sighed as she got up and started slowly walking out of the park. She turned around and almost fell over………..

Lucas wanted to stop by the park him and Brooke used to go to together to grab the letter he had written her. But froze when he saw her sitting there by the tree the note was in.

"This is it." He told himself as he got out of his car and started walking towards her. She started to get up and leave, he was about to call her name when she turned around and looked directly at him. Guessing by the look on her face she was shocked to see him. He waked up to her slowly.

"Brooke." Lucas just looked at her and she fell apart falling into his arms. He held her never wanting to let go.

"Brooke there's something I need to tell you." She looked up at him and smiled slowly.

"I know Lucas I read-"Lucas cut her off before she could finish.

"I'm sorry, I sorry for kissing Peyton, I'm sorry for lying to you. So here's the truth." He looked deep into her eyes.

"Let me guess? You love me right? Brooke laughed at the serious face he had just put on.

"Yeah your right. I love you. I have always loved you Brooke." They looked at each other before sharing the most beautiful kiss either one of them had ever experienced. And Lucas knew he would never do anything to hurt Brooke again. Ever.