After a gruelling night of sleeping in an unmade bed, Erik settled to spend the next day or two sorting out his new home. The only unpacked items were his king size bed that he had spent all night slaving over, a couple of pillows and a thin blanket, and his grand piano.

The piano was the centre of everything in his room, standing out from the brown boxes with its perfect shine. He didn't know where he was going to put it yet, but he had so much other stuff to go through that his most prized possession would have to wait until last.

It wasn't until he had successfully unpacked his table and chairs that he realised he had no food in the fridge (it came with the apartment, Erik was proud to admit) or cupboards. Just like the predicament with his piano, he hadn't thought about the innate human need for food and drink.

So, with a heavy sigh, he slipped on his suit jacket and headed towards the door. Looking around, he had a heavy feeling in his chest that he would never finish unpacking and he had been in the apartment for less than a day. Not a good start.

He sighed again and opened the door, his key prepared at his side to lock it on the way out. However, as he opened his door, the door across from him opened simultaneously.

It revealed a young woman; long curly brown hair reaching her small waist, and big blue eyes. He stood still. She seemed to be doing the same thing, equally as shocked as himself from the looks of her wide eyed stare.

"Well, that was creepy." He heard a hint of amusement in her dazed voice as she broke from her stillness and closed the door behind her, not bothering to lock it.

He closed his own door and locked it, putting the keys in his pocket again. "Indeed."

The girl was still looking at him. "Are you the piano guy?"

He did a double take. "E-excuse me?"

"Raoul told me you had a piano. Apparently he helped you carry it up." She was smiling at him.

"Oh-yes. Yes, I have a piano."

"Oh, right." She smiled. "So, uh, are you going somewhere?"

He looked around, but found himself wanting to look at her eyes again. "I was- I was just going to go out and get something to eat." He gestured to the girl, "and yourself?"

"No, I was just going for a walk." She shrugged, looking back towards her door imperceptibly.

He nodded. "Would you like to join me?" He didn't know where it came from, and he admittedly shocked himself. Never before had he been so forward in doing something, never, especially to a girl. And to such a lovely one as well.

Her face seemed to brighten. "Oh, sure!" She grinned at him and took of down the hallway, seemingly expecting him to follow.

Of course, he did.

She showed him to a small café just around the corner from the apartment block. He hadn't believed all the TV shows depicting a tiny café around every corner in and around the city, but now he saw that it was true. And it was a very nice coffee shop, only a few people sat at the tables, most of them either having friendly conversations or reading a book.

They sat at a table next to the window. It was still insufferably hot, and the glass wasn't helping, but the girl had led him to the seat, so he didn't want to seem rude. He had ordered a sandwich and a cup of coffee, while she, to not make him feel lonely, ordered a blueberry muffin and a water. The little act of kindness that would seem ordinary to some people shocked Erik, and he smiled at her, thanking her. She had acted as though it was nothing, and Erik thought that, perhaps to her, it was nothing.

"So, are you a musician then?"

They were sat across from each other. The girl (he still didn't know her name, but he thought it impolite to ask) was looking out of the window, uncaring abut the sun's rays. From his position, he could clearly see all the contours of her face, and he found himself smiling at the gentle bow of her lips and the sharp yet endearing curve of her jaw.

He jumped at the question. He had been to busy looking at her high cheekbones that he had totally missed what she had said, even though she was still looking out of the window.

"Sorry- um, what?" He said embarrassedly.

She turned to him then, leaning forward to take a sip from her water. He watched her, waiting for her to repeat her question.

"The piano. Are you a musician, or do you play it for fun?"

He smiled at her. This was the type of question he could answer. "I'm a composer." He felt proud saying it in front of her, but he also felt like he was telling her his greatest secret, which was obviously not the case.

"Ooh, really? Anything I might know?"

"Um, maybe? Do you know Don Juan Triumphant? It's playing at The Opera Popula-"

"You composed that?" She seemed to be dumbfounded, staring at him with her doe eyes and her mouth hanging slightly open.

"Well- yes. Why, have you heard it?"

"Actually- yes, I have heard it. I'm playing Aminta."

He let hike mouth drop for a couple of seconds, staring at her in confusion. "You- you're a singer?"

"Yes. What a coincidence! I can't believe you wrote it, I mean, we have so much to talk about!" She said giddily, grinning at him all the while.

He still sat there with his mouth open, gaping at her. How could one single girl display so many great qualities? Not only was she intelligent, beautiful, kind, and friendly; she was also a singer. Oh, how he wished he could hear her sing right then and there.

She looked at him in shock. "Have you not come and seen it performed?"

"No." He shook his head.

"But- but why?"

"Because," should he tell her the reason? The real reason? Maybe she would think him too pompous and take offence, but she seemed like the type of girl to talk about what she felt so maybe they could just talk it out and- "I didn't think the performers would do it justice." He told her the real reason.

She seemed taken aback by his answer, but she recovered quickly. "Maybe you should come and see it. We might change your mind."

"Maybe." He smiled, knowing that she would.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Where are my manners?" She muttered, "my name is Christine. Christine Daae." She held a dainty hand out for him.

He took it gently. "Erik."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Erik." She smiled at him and he briefly wondered if she smiled at everyone in that particular way.

On the way back up the stairs to the fourth floor, Christine had invited him to come to one of the performances of Don Juan Triumphant. He had smiled and agreed, saying he would reserve a ticket as soon as possible. The smile she had given him after he had said that- he was certain he had never seen anything as beautiful.

Unfortunately, they both stood in front of their respective doors. She opened her's slightly and looked at him. "I hope to see you soon, Erik." She smiled and walked into the apartment.

He stood there just staring at the door, silently wishing she would emerge once again. After a while it occurred to him that Raoul and Christine shared the apartment, and he didn't know how he felt about that.

Please review! Thank you for reading!