Chapter 1
Learn to be Lonely
He sat at her bedside with tears spilling from his eyes and held her hand. She had been the only person that was always there for him, and loved him the way only a mother could, and now she was gone. She had gotten sick a couple of months ago, and the doctors told her that it wouldn't be long before she left this world for good. He knew that everyday he spent with her could be his last, but he never imagined that it would hurt this much when she left him. He held her hand as she stared at her still form. She looked so peaceful, and yet so young.
He was sad that she would never open her eyes again, but he also felt anger towards her. How could she leave him alone, with no one to love him? He knew it was selfish to think about him, but he couldn't help it. She had only been gone a little while, but already he missed her. He kept hoping that it was all just some sick joke and that she would open her eyes and tell him she loved him. His tears got stronger as he began to accept that she wasn't coming back.
He heard the door open, but didn't take his eyes off of his mother as Maria entered the room. He had spent so much time in the hospital that he was on a first name basis with all the nurses who cared for his mother. Maria stood behind him and gently rubbed his shoulders. "Is there anyone I can call for you, Lucas?" she asked.
He looked up at her with tears in his eyes and whispered, "She's all that I have; I'm alone now."
Child of the wilderness
Born into emptiness
Learn to be Lonely
Learn to find your way in darkness
"You have to get him out of there so that we can move her body down to the morgue," an orderly said to Maria as they stood outside of Karen's room and watched Lucas.
"I think you can wait a little bit," Maria responded. "The boy just lost his mother; he needs some time to say goodbye."
The orderly was growing impatient. "Isn't there someone you can call for him?"
Maria thought about it, and remembered the girl that frequently came to visit Karen and Lucas. She and Lucas were like brother and sister; best friends for as long as they could remember.
Who will be there for you
Comfort and care for you
Learn to be lonely
Learn to be your one companion
Haley James was out with her boyfriend Nathan Scott and some of their other friends when she got the call about Karen. She told her friends about what had happened, and then left to be with Lucas. She and Lucas had grown up together; since the day when her family moved next door to his mother and him when they were three. The two became best friends, and were inseparable. Haley was the youngest of five children, so she spent a lot of time with Lucas and his mother. Karen became a second mother to Haley.
Lucas and Haley began to drift apart their freshman year of high school when Haley's family moved across town, and into a world of wealth, after her father got a new job. Haley became friends with Brooke Davis, and began to ignore Lucas. Haley's new friends didn't accept Lucas, calling him a river rat, because he lived on the other side of town with the poor people. The rift between Lucas and Haley grew farther when Haley began dating Lucas' half brother Nathan. Lucas felt betrayed, and the two friends stopped talking, but deep down they missed each other.
Haley was devastated when she'd heard that Karen had gotten sick, and she knew she had to be there for Lucas. She went to the hospital everyday to visit with Lucas and Karen, and now her heart broke when she learned of Karen's death. She would have to be strong for Lucas, and support him through this rough time.
Haley entered Karen's room and found Lucas still sitting by her side. His eyes were red and puffy from crying and his face had pain written all over it. Lucas looked up at her, and with tears in his eyes asked, "What am I going to do, Hales?" Haley didn't have an answer, so she wrapped her arms around her friend, and the two of them cried together.
Never dreamed out in the world
There are arms to hold you
You've always known
Your heart was on its own
The rain came down hard as a small group gathered at the cemetery to say goodbye to Karen Roe. Lucas sat next to Haley, who held his hand, and stared at his mother's casket. He refused to cry. Standing behind them were some of Karen's friends, her nurses, and Lucas' friends from the rivercourt. Lucas wasn't surprised that his father, Dan Scott, wasn't there.
Lucas' mind was wandering as the priest said a few words. He was thinking about all the wonderful times he and his mother shared at the beach. She really loved the beach. When the priest was done talking Lucas stood up and placed a rose on his mother's casket. He ran his hand along the oak casket and whispered, "I love you, Mom."
Before leaving the cemetery, Lucas said goodbye to his friends and then said one final goodbye to his mother. On the ride back to his house he realized that he would be alone. Haley was going back to her house and back to her life with Nathan. All he had left was the memory of his mother.
So laugh in your loneliness
Child of the wilderness
Learn to be lonely
Learn how to love
Life that is lived alone
His first night alone was hard. Lucas spent the first part of the night crying, and then he went through some of his mother's things. He looked at some picture albums, and then went through the box where she kept the things he had made her through the years. He found cards and drawings he had made. He was surprised that his mother kept them after all those years. After crying some more he fell asleep on her bed.
He was awaken bright and early the next morning by the sound of someone knocking on the front door. He managed to get out of bed and answer the door. When he opened the door he was shocked to find himself face to face with his father.
Learn to be lonely
Live can be lived
Life can be loved
Alone
Learn to be Lonely is a song from the Phantom of the Opera.