Chapter 1: The New Girl

It was Christine's first day of high school in America and she was worried, not scared, but worried. She was worried that her clothes were too foreign, that her hair was too messy, and that the American kids would make fun of her accent.

She was a foreign exchange student from Sweden and was staying with the Giry's until her exchange term was over. It was good to get a change of scenery, her father had always told her to travel as much as she could. Christine walked with Meg Giry to her first class of the day; she was Christine's only friend and didn't have this first class with her. For some reason, Christine thought it would be hell, that they would be doing some impossible math problems or that her English would never be good enough.

Meg gave her arm a little squeeze when they stopped at the door. "You'll be fine, Chrissy," she reassured her. "You have my number in case anything goes wrong. Good luck!" She gave Christine one last smile before rushing to her class.

Christine wandered over to an empty seat in the back of the class and chewed her lip nervously as the other students soon filed in. The first thing she noticed was how much darker their hair and skin were. She noticed that the girls, who were blonde, didn't have the color naturally and were dressed in clothes that revealed. Christine shyly looked down at her skinny jeans and green and white striped shirt. She dressed warmly because in Sweden, it was usually too cold to go without a jacket. However, in the hot month of August, the American girls showed off their tan legs.

Christine knew this wasn't starting off too well and kept her head down, pulling out a book to make herself look busy. She didn't even notice the boy sitting next to her, who was drawing in his notebook silently as to not draw attention to himself either.

The boy in question was Erik Destler. He had always been an outcast in any social setting, even in his own home. Erik was born with half of his face deformed and from that moment on, his parents had a lingering hate for him. His father was a very rich businessman and they belonged to many high scale clubs. So when Erik was born with the face of the devil, they quickly had him in surgery from day one. It was a good five years before the surgeries stopped and every so often during his growth to a man over six foot, he would have to go in for a few fix ups. It was the one thing his father didn't mind paying for.

Erik had never cared about money or social status. His parents kept his existence quiet for the most part, so he was tutored at home until they relocated for the dozenth time to Houston. His mother grew tired of his looming presence in the house and that was why he was there in public school, hiding at the back of the class.

Erik had an affinity for music and anything creative. He had read nearly every book in his father's library while growing up, which was why he was bored out of his mind. Instead of paying attention to the teacher, he drew or wrote melodies that came to his mind. School felt like a job to him. He would go as he was directed and come home. He did not speak to anyone or waste his precious time trying to.

This day had been hell from the start. Erik, normally adorned in all black, was sweltering in the summer heat. That was also the day that they had to pick partners for science labs. He groaned, knowing that no one would pick him and that whoever would be stuck with him, would hate his guts. Reluctantly, he looked up as everyone started to pick partners. That's when his eyes connected with hers, a beautiful blonde that he had never seen before. He shyly looked back down at his hands.

"H-hallo," her sweet voice reached his ears. She had a very thick Scandinavian accent that coated her mild, soft voice. "My name is Christine. I am new." She fought for words to say, but nothing came to mind. So she sat awkwardly, watching him, waiting for him to make the next move.

Erik's eyes widened as he looked down at his hands. He quickly looked up at her and then back down. She was talking to him?

"I was hoping you could show me… What we are doing? The instruction are - it is very confusing," she said disquietly.

So it had come to this. He had gotten away with not speaking to anyone until now. He took a deep breath and looked up but not directly in her eyes...he would build up to that. "Well-" His voice cracked and he quickly turned scarlet all over his face.

She let out a soft giggle and stood up. She took his hand and pointed to the lab aprons and goggles. "We must… Put these on our faces, ja?" They didn't have such bulky goggles at her school.

His heart started to beat quickly. No one ever touched him and if they did, it was by accident. "Y-Yes…" He got up and accidently knocked over the desk he was sitting on. He was gangly and extremely tall which didn't help his clumsiness. He quickly picked up the desk and strode over to the lab table they would be using. Christine followed behind him like a puppy dog. She put on an apron and tried to fit the goggles over her mass of curls. They were doing a simple experiment today and Christine suddenly smiled.

"I did this last year in my college chemistry class," she grinned cheekily up at Erik. She was highly intelligent and more advanced than the students here because Sweden was far more ahead in schooling than America. In this high school, you couldn't even take dual credit course until your junior year. "However, the textbook reading is difficult," she trailed off. "Will you help, please?"

"Um...sure." He read the instructions out loud to her. They were making rock candy as an icebreaker to start the year off. "Okay, so we need sugar cane, a 250ml beaker, a Bunsen burner, a ring, a screen, a ring stand, a glass rod and a weight." He took her over to the supply room and started to gather what they needed.

Everyone kept glancing their way. Since Erik never spoke in this class and was now showing the foreign beauty around, it was different to them. Christine knew exactly what to get now that he'd read the instructions to her. She helped him take it all back to their table and got to work. It was very easy for the both of them since they were so smart. "You never gave me your name," she said softly.

He looked up from the book that held the instructions. "Oh, I'm Erik. What's your name?" He didn't extend his hand to shake it. He was a bit socially awkward.

"I'm Christine, did I not already say?" She tilted her head. Even though she was nervous about her first day, that didn't mean she wasn't friendly. Once she got into an environment that she was used to, she wasn't shy anymore. For some reason, she felt extremely comfortable around Erik.

He blushed hard again and fumbled with the pencil he was holding. "Oh, yes...sorry. Christine. Your name is Christine. Heh." He brushed his shoulder length, black hair out if his face nervously. He was a little skittish.

"You have very lovely eyes," she tried to find the right words, "One is very much like the ocean, while the other is like the sky."

Erik seemed to have a habit of being scarlet around her. It was true; he was born with two different shades of blue eyes. It was also another cause of people thinking he was a freak. She was the first one to say otherwise and he didn't know what to say. "T-Thank-" The bell rang then and they all put their experiments on hold until tomorrow. Erik looked down and grabbed his bag, quickly stuffing his things into it.

Christine followed him still and asked innocently, "If I may ask, what class do you have next?"

"Oh, um...I have English next. You?"

She dug into her messenger bag and pulled out a schedule and to both of their luck; she had English next. He could see the glint of excitement in her eyes. "Will you walk with me there, Erik? I get lost very easily here." He nodded and they made their way to class. He went to the back of the classroom like always, not expecting her to sit by him. He was awkward and didn't really know how to make small talk. She sat in the desk right beside him and pointed to his journal. "Music?" She asked with a tilt of her head. "You are a composer?"

He held the journal closer to him; he didn't share his compositions with anyone except for his music teacher Mrs. Giry. "Yeah...kinda."

"I sing, perhaps we have music together as well?" She inquired excitedly. She wanted to spend as much time with Erik as she could.

"Yeah...maybe." He felt so uncomfortable around her because no one had ever purposefully had a conversation with him before. He didn't mind her, quite the opposite actually. She looked up in fear as the teacher started talking quickly about the books they would be reading this year. She made little notes of the titles so she could get translations. She tried to follow along as best she could with spelling and reading; her grammar was perfect and had this class when in Swedish, it would've felt elementary to her.

Throughout the week, more people started to notice them. The new girl who was bright and beautiful and the freak that finally started to speak. At lunch they sat at the same table that normally only Erik would sit at by himself. It was odd but he was starting to enjoy her company. "What's it like in Sweden? I've read books about it but I've never been."

"Well, the weather is lovely there, especially in July. It gets up to twenty-two degree Celsius, which is seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit to Americans. It can get very cold, but no one seems to mind," she smiled to herself at the memories. She missed it very much there. "I live with my father in a house by the sea. We used to go play in the sand everyday and find starfish on the shore." He could hear hints of sadness in her voice and her blue eyes showed a bit of longing. "That was a long time ago," she added quietly.

"That sounds nice...I never do anything with my father." He frowned and played with the food on his tray. He was almost sickly skinny and yet he didn't seem to eat much.

She didn't mention her father again and frowned at him. "You need to eat." She poked his belly and giggled hard, her stern facade never stayed for very long. "I could snap you like a chicken!" She said with her thick accent.

He looked repulsed when she said that. "Why would you snap a chicken? That is fowl." He paused and then started laughing at his own pun. She nearly spat out her water and laughed hard. It was a light and contenting sound; it felt good to be heard.

"You are very good at comedy!" She giggled and clapped her hands once. She talked to him like she adored him. He smiled at her: a full smile that no one ever saw from him. It was nice having someone to talk and laugh with. That was when Meg came over to them, but tried to be discreet and act like she was texting someone.

"Christine what the hell are you doing over here?!" She whispered angrily.

"I am eating lunch with my very good friend," she said at a normal volume. She didn't understand the social boundaries of this high school and hung out with Erik because he was kind to her and she liked to be around him, she didn't know he was at the bottom of the social class food chain. "Erik, this is Meg Giry. She's Mrs. Giry's daughter, I am staying with them," she introduced them as if they hadn't gone to school together in years past, "Meg, this is Erik."

Erik didn't say hello to Meg, he knew better than to try and talk to anyone popular. "Christine come sit at my table...you shouldn't be over here." Christine could see the hurt in Erik's eyes that he tried so hard to keep covered. The next thing Christine said was something that Erik hadn't heard before.

"Why should I? I enjoy this very much," she defiantly said. "And if you were truly my friend, you would not judge me for who I am spending my time with, but supporting me for it." Christine crossed her arms and glared at Meg. "You may sit here or sit with your other friends, but either way, I am staying here."

Erik felt extremely uncomfortable now, "Look...I should go anyway, I have some work to do. I'll see you later Christine." He grabbed his bag and threw away his barely touched food. Christine frowned deeply and gave Meg a disappointed look before leaving too; she wasn't hungry anymore. She went to the music room to play the piano after school and relieve some tension. She didn't want to go home and get scolded by Meg at how much of an embarrassment she was today.

Erik never went home after school. As much as he hated school, he would rather be there, than with his parents. He stayed in the art classroom before going to the music room. Mrs. Giry had secretly given him a key so that he could practice. He went to unlock the door, but he heard music already being played. He pressed his ear against the door and listened.

Christine sat at the piano and sang softly in Swedish:

"Shining sun has gone to rest

So must you my baby

Little birds are in their nest

Come to yours my baby

Little lamb can, soft and white,

Snuggling, cuddle in the night

So must you my baby

Whistling winds go rushing by

All for you my baby

'Round about the house they fly

Just to please my baby

Romping winds may play at night

Twinkling stars may sparkle bright

You must sleep my baby

You must sleep my baby."

She sounded like an angel, truly, an angel. She had such clear tone and sweet vibrato that it seemingly made the world fall away. Erik peaked into the room and watched her sing. He was in awe by her voice and eased his way into the room. He leaned against a wall to listen to her and accidently made a poster rip from the wall from his weight against it. The commotion was loud enough to make her stop playing. "Shit. Shit. Shit." He tried to pick it up and act like he wasn't there but it was too late. "Heh...sorry…"

She gasped sharply and stopped singing when the poster ripped, letting out a not so quiet, "Blodig Helvete!" Which was Swedish for: bloody hell. She placed her hand over her heart to steady herself and started laughing hard. "Well hallo to you as well, Erik," she giggled.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to interrupt. Usually no one else is in here…" He gave up trying to put the poster back up and just laid it on a desk.

"I didn't want to go home yet," she shrugged. "Meg's outburst was enough to scare me off for awhile." She sighs and shakes her head. "I am very sorry for her behavior."

"It's not your fault...I'm not popular. No one has ever talked to me before...like you do."

"Well, I don't see why they don't like you. As I have said before, you are kind and very comical. I am very happy to spend time with you."

He smiled and went over to her. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

"Absolutely, my darling composer!" She made room for him and when he sat down beside her, she moved in just a little bit closer. "How long have you been playing?"

"Ever since I can remember. I was confined to the house for the first few years of my life so I taught myself how to play."

"Why would you be confined?" She asked hesitantly. "Were you ill?"

"You could say that…" He didn't want to talk about it anymore. "What was it you were playing?"

"It's an old Swedish lullaby: Swedish Cradle Song," she smiled and played a few keys. "My dad used to sing it to me before I went to bed most every night."

"Your voice is very nice…" He kept his eyes at the keys. It made him nervous to compliment her.

"Thank you, my Erik," she said happily. "Would you like me to sing for you again?" He nodded eagerly and watched her play. When she started, he played the harmony with her. She sang out the lyrics so beautiful, her voice rang out through the room and she closed her eyes in bliss. Singing made her feel like she couldn't be touched by any dangers or sadness and that attitude came off in her voice.

When the song came to a close, Erik smiled at her. "You should be in my advanced music class."

"Really?" She said hopefully. "I love music more than anything in this world. I wish to reach the top level they offer here!"

"I'll talk to Mrs. Giry. I'm sure she would let you audition."

"Especially since I sleep in her home as well," she giggles. "Do you wish to meet me here everyday after school, Erik? If you have nothing going on that is," she said sheepishly.

"Yeah. That sounds nice." He smiles. "It's late...we should probably go."

She nodded, but lingered there for a moment. She was watching him intently for a bit, as if to be thinking deeply. "Yes," she murmured, "of course." She got up and slung her bag over her shoulder.

They headed outside, "Can I walk you home?"

"I would very much appreciate it," she linked her arm through his and hummed happily. She seemed like she was used to this, like he'd always been by her side. They talked about music most of the way back to her house. It was already getting dark by the time they got there.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow," she assured and turned, going into her house. Erik turned and headed home with a smile on his face.