: Je t'aime :
I
Christine ran down the Rue La Fayette, not really caring about where she ran. She was desperate, that was sure. While running and trying to avoid crashing into other people, she searched her handbag for her cell phone. Hastily pushing aside her dark red lipstick and the keys to her appartment, she breathed heavily. The people she passed definitely thought her to be stressed out and they were completely right. Finally, she found her cell phone next to the cherry gums and pulled it out of the handbag. Away from the Opera. Away from the Opera.
'Argh,' she thought and dialed Raoul's number – only to come to a fast halt. She stared at her cell phone. No. She could not possibly call him. Not after all that happened. Not after breaking up with him the way she had done. It had been a disaster, oh, and if only this horrible day would come to an end! Even remembering the very same morning hurt her head. Thrusting the cell phone back into her handbag, she rushed on, her thoughts chasing one another. It was impossible. And people had warned her about it all. Especially about Erik.
"Don't get too close to Monsieur Erik, Mademoiselle Daae," Madame Giry had told her, "he might be your vocal teacher. And yes, he might have bought you an appartment right across l'église Sacré Coeur, but remember my words, dear! Monsieur always gets what he wants. He has money. He is the most intelligent man Paris has these days, and probably has ever had. Keep your fingers off him! He won't do you any good…" Well, Christine thought, there was some truth to her words.
After the Masquerade Ball which should have introduced her, Mademoiselle Daae, as the new Opera singer, things had gone downhill. Two weeks later, the very day Christine rushed out of the Opera with the cell phone in her shaking hands, Erik had finally spoken about what his intentions with her were. Christine was appalled – he had taught her how to sing! He had made her the new Etoile. She was about to become very famous. He took her to every important club where the intelligent VIP would meet at night, introducing her as "Christine, l'Etoile de l'Opera," and kissing her cheek. But Christine had never thought his feelings for her would shape so fast. Yes, there definitely were signs for him liking her – but they had developed too fast for her to keep track.
And so, Erik, the famous Phantom of the Opera due to his many skills, oh, the man who owned an appartment right on the Ile de la Cité, the most expensive appartments Paris had to give – an old building, utterly beautiful, soul-crashing with its wonderful sight – he had finally spoken the big words… the scary ones… the ones Christine had tried to avoid for such a long time. They were the reason why she had broken up with Raoul the second he said those words himself! And after all, Erik was to face the same fate. But Christine had known that someday… she could not escape those three words anymore.
Christine turned to the left, searching for a metro station. 'God, why did I have to move into the appartment already?', she thought, 'I don't even know how to get there properly.'
Had it really been seconds ago? Moments ago? Minutes ago? No, it couldn't be …
"Christine," he whispered, "Madame. Come and sit down." He pointed on a seat next to his. She laughed and sat down. They watched the Giselle rehearsal on stage for a couple of minutes, watched how Madame Giry screamed at a principal dancer who had trouble with her pirouettes. Then, suddenly, his arm was around her waist. She slowly turned to him. "Yes?"
"Christine," he said again, this time his voice was soft. "Please don't ever leave me."
"What do you mean?" She was confused. She hadn't thought that Erik – Erik! – would ever use such words. Hadn't he always seemed resistant to her? "I mean a very simple thing." His fingers began to play with a lose lock of her hair. "Very simple. Three words, as simple as anything can be. Don't rush away, please," his eyes were pleading, "it cost me a fortune of words to even think about telling you. But – I love you."
How could she have been so stupid? How? – Wasn't there any common sense in her head? Had he filled her head with Prada and Gucci so fast? Oh, the weeks in which they had spent so much time together had been wonderful. And last week, when he told her she would move to a wonderful appartment which faced the Sacré Coeur, she had fallen into his arms to embrace him and kiss his white mask. All magazines had shot pictures of them shopping in Dior and Chanel stores where he had bought her black clothes, so beautiful she had difficulties believing it wasn't a dream. "Madame," he had called her, "you look fabulous." And she had. The black Gucci skirt was wonderful, and so were her new shoes, not to speak of the jewelery. He had bought her. He had tried to buy her sould, and Dolce & Gabanna had helped him.
Now, she reached the Boulevard de Magenta and was practically sick to her stomach. What would happen now? The Masquerade Ball had been so good for her reputation. Paris wanted to see her on stage, and they had. Two La Traviata had been sung by her. Only two… and there were many of them to follow. The only thing that disturbed her heavily was how Erik would treat her, now that she had run from him. She understood – yes, it had cost him a lot of courage. And she had reacted exactly the way he had not wanted her to. A thought suddenly crossed her mind. She did not know Erik in the least. Not a single cell was self-evident to her understanding… he was a mystery, and so would the future be… her career… her feelings… her life…
:Author's Note: I hope all of you have enjoyed reading the first chapter. I promise the second chapter will be much longer with many many details. I believe there is not too much need to explain the situation between Erik and Christine; there will be more information about Raoul, though. Modern Paris will be focused a little more and the lifestyle of all of the characters will be important, too. If you mind that, just put it into your review. It will all be more complex and interesting, so if you are already interested, just keep track.Moreover, I wanted to thank Sukari for her support. She let me babble to her about it!
I am looking for a reliable beta-reader, for I am not a native speaker. If you know anybody who would like to do it, I'd really appreciate it. Honestly! Thanks.