Erik paced around his apartment after returning home from the college. "How could she have been so calm and casual showing me her scars? She looked like it happened all the time, yet the hesitation on her face when I asked her to tell me about herself, it was significant. I've never once seen such hesitation in my life. Apart from my own mother of course..." he said to himself, as he walked from room to room before stopping in the hallway and glancing in front of the mirror, "Look at yourself, Erik," he said again, "you've hidden behind this, this thing for ten years, and why? Because your own mother was repulsive at the sight of you; her own flesh of blood," he turned away from the mirror and slipped off his mask, before turning back around and scowling at himself in disgust, "You're a beast, a revolting, hideous monster," he insulted to himself, "That's what she said, as she shook me by the shoulders," he rose his hand, wound in a fist and swung it forwards, stopping before it hit the glass, "She used to tie thick rags on my face tight, hiding my face from her. If she really loved me, and well and truly loved me, she wouldn't have cared who I was or what I looked like, but it was obvious that she didn't care at all." He walked away from the mirror and into the lounge, "I was only free of her hurtful taunts when I moved from Calais, and when I moved away from her, yet I still have to wear it when I'm around the people who don't know me." He pulled out a draw and rummaged around, before pulling out a flesh coloured mask out and laying it on the table. "I shouldn't have to be wearing this, but if I don't wear it, then people on the streets, people, I don't even know will laugh and call me names. I didn't move from France to have it continue," he lounged back into his chair and sighed.

。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

Erik woke up, not knowing he had fell asleep in his chair and found out he hadn't eaten for a while. He walked into the kitchen and looked through his cupboards, to his surprise finding no food at all inside them. He grumbled at this and looked through the endless list of Takeaway menus. Pulling out his phone, he quickly dialled the number and leant against the counter top.

"Hi, I'd like to order, please," he spoke into the phone and went silent for a few minutes.

"Ys, I'd like to order Number 27 please," he sighed and rolled his eyes, "Yes, the Fish special," he'd ordered it dozens of times before, how couldn't they know by now?

"And deliver it to 2518 Durant Avenue," he paused again, "Yes, thanks, goodbye," and he hung up the phone.

He walked back into the living room and slipped on the flesh coloured mask from earlier. "I can't be scaring away the lovely woman who brings me my supper now, can I?" he laughed at himself and sat down, thumbing through the old book which was one of many on the bookshelf. He put the book down and stood up from his chair, paced around the floor again and looked in front of the mirror.

He slicked the hair which became mussed up and stared into the mirror, as if trying to stare into his own soul.

His thoughts were disturbed shortly after when his doorbell rung, he spun around and took off the chain, unlocked and door and opened it up.

"Here's your order, that will be-... Mr Destler?" the delivery girl said, in a shocked but polite tone.

"Hmm?" Erik replied, not knowing who the delivery girl was, only noticing when he looked up after getting his wallet out of his pocket, "Alyssa? You work for them, do you?" He asked and stood out-of-the-way of the door and invited her in, which she promptly shook her head to the offer.

"I started last week, the college debts are getting a bit high, so I decided to start earning some money to start paying them off before the director moans at me," she went into her pocket and pulled out the small notebook, "So that's the Number 27 which is $4 please," she said with a smile.

Erik opened his wallet and took out a $10 bill, and handed it to her, "Keep the change," he smiled, "Would you like to come in?" he asked as he took the bag from her.

"Well you were my last delivery, and they said I could go home afterwards, so I don't see why I can't," she replied and smiled as she put the money in her small pouch.

She stepped into the apartment and slipped off her converse shoes and took off her jacket, "Allow me," Erik said and took her jacket and hung it on the coat hooks.

"Thanks," she walked in further and saw the way it was decorated.

She had seen intricate details before, but, the room was decorated so beautifully, it was as if a woman or someone with very good style had to have decorated it.

Instead of the regular lampshades like any normal apartment building had, this apartment had suspended candelabrum, each looking like they were solid gold. The normal, shabby, rundown furniture wasn't existent, but in its place there were 3 petite leather seats which were in the living room, twined with thick, braided gold cotton, and looked as if they had been rarely sat on.

Out of politeness, Alyssa didn't go near the bedrooms, but proceeded in through to the living room and stood in the doorway, looking out-of-place. She was dressed in shabby clothing among beautiful furniture, she didn't look right.

"You can sit down, Alyssa. You do know that, right?" Erik joked as he walked into the kitchen and took a plate from the cupboard and put his food on it, before walking back in and flopping down on one of the seats. He gestured over to one of the other two and she slowly walked over and sat down, being careful not to damage the furniture.

"S-sure I did," Alyssa uneasily replied and again rubbed the back of her neck in nervousness.

She seems to do that a lot, but only when she feels uncomfortable... Why? There's no need to feel uncomfortable around me.. Erik thought as he slowly began to eat his food and stared off into space.

He didn't notice, in fact, that she had spoken, until she spoke louder to him.

"I said, don't you find it awkward to eat with your... That on?" She repeated and gestured to the right side of her face.

"Not anymore, I did find it awkward, though," he answered and mumbled, "Especially since my mother made me wear it," under his breath.

"What did you say?" she asked, being unable to hear his in-audible speech.

"Oh, it's nothing," he answered after a few minutes, and ate the rest of his food.

Again, the silence lingered in the air similar to what happened earlier that day during the singing lesson.

"Mr Destler?" Alyssa asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes? And, you don't have to call me Mr Destler when we are outside of college, you know, you can call me Erik," he answered, and got up, taking his plate back into the kitchen. He left it on the side, telling himself he'd clean it up as soon as she left, and he returned and sat down in his seat.

"I never got to ask you at singing practice today," she started, "Why did you want me to learn the E scale?" she asked, "And why were you standing in the dark?"

Two tough questions, how do I answer them? He thought and cleared his throat, "Well, I am very fond of how many people can sing the E scale. There are 6 stages in total, you managed to reach stages 1, 2 and 3, which, in my true opinion was very good for your first attempt. I had a friend back where I used to live in..." he broke off and gritted his teeth, "In Calais, and she was excellent, she could sing the scale of A, B, C, D, and E quite excellently. I insisted giving her further lessons, but she had denied them, not wanting to be parted from her 'childhood best friend' for too long," he coughed slightly and cleared his throat again, fighting back a few tears, "As for your second question, I rarely like seeing myself in bright light for too long. I've always sat in darkness since I lived in France, and I guess the habit stuck with me as I grew up. You see, my mother was too like yours, she didn't care, and she regularly thrust me into my room in disgust, even though I hadn't any knowledge of what happened to make her dislike me and do such things. That was, until I realised that I hadn't done anything, but I was the problem myself."

"What do you mean by that?" Alyssa questioned, leaning forwards in her seat, intrigued by the story.

"You see, I wear this mask, well, I couldn't possibly say, for it is a long story which can't be cut short, unfortunately," he stood from his seat again and walked over to the mirror which was in the hallway, he heard the light shuffling of footsteps behind him and then the strain of body weight leaning on an unsteady door frame, "Tell me, Alyssa, was any body ever disgusted by your scars?" He asked, looking at her using only the reflection in the mirror as a guide.

"Nobody can see them, so I guess they don't know I have them. Apart from you, my Grandma and my mother, no one else knows," she answered and a confused look spread across her face.

"Ah, that's why... My mask hides something interesting from people, although it may not be interesting to normal people, others who don't understand, may think me less than interesting but more 'horrifying', and I for one don't disagree with them."

The confused look spread further on her face,

"Would you be disgusted by my true self? Do you think I am showing my true self? Tell me honestly, am I showing myself?" He answered to her confusion, "Do you want me to show my true self? This choice, this choice for me to show my true self, it's all yours, Alyssa. Make your choice..." he continued and clenched and unclenched his fists.

"Mr D- Er- Mr Destler, I, I don't know what you mean," she answered and walked over and stood next to him in the mirror, not giving eye contact to him."

"I can take my mask off now and show you what I am, and who I really am. But you are going to make that choice, I don't want to force you to answer it with a yes," he answered, his anger growing,but then slowly decreasing as he spoke.

"If you want to...to show me...then by all means, do what you want," she answered turning to face him slightly.

He turned to face away from her, "Are you definitely sure you want to see...all of this?" He asked and rose his hand to his face, touching his mask.

"If it's what you really want, I'm fine with it, I showed you my true self, I think if you want to, then you can," she reassured him.

"Please, don't be disgusted by me, I couldn't bare to hear everyone talking about me," he struggled to say, as he rose other hand to the back of his head and positioned it there.

"I promise, I won't," she curled her lips into a smile slightly, showing she wasn't afraid.

Erik slowly nodded and whispered an in-audible 'Thank you' and slid off his mask. He put a hand against his face the second he was exposed to the air and his mask fell to the floor.

"M-Mr Destler?" She asked, "A-are you okay?" She stepped forwards slightly and gently touched his arm which was still raised.

His hand immediately dropped to his side and he spun around, "Alyssa, I-I'm fine, I, I just don't want you to be horrified by me. Everyone always is..."

She rose her hand to her face and covered her gaping mouth which hung open in shock, "Y-you aren't horrible," she stood there and slipped down the wall she was now leant against, "Your actually quite h-handsome," she stammered out and covered her face.

"T-thank you," he eventually managed to stammer out, and then helped her up from the floor, "Please, don't tell anyone, please. Let this be just our little secret," he begged with almost puppy dog eyes.

"I promise," she smiled and went to put her shoes back on, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Mr Destler," she said and as she was about to walk out the door, she was called back, "Alyssa, why don't you show off your scars tomorrow? And in return, I promise, I will show mine off for your classes lesson only, and our private lesson, as well," he asked.

"Of course I will," she smiled and walked out into the hallway and she ran down the stairs and out of the apartment building.

If it's for him, I'll do it, but only for him... She continually thought on her long bus journey home.

If it's for her, I'll do it, but only for her... He thought as he replaced his mask and realised what he had said.

。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

Okay, I hope you enjoyed the super lengthy chapter!

In replies to a Angelwings, I guess you can see what type of Erik he is, and he is going to be a young Erik. Also the backstory, it ISN'T related to me or anyone I know, it is similar to Cosette's story from Les Miserables. Alyssa is my Own Character, I created her a few weeks ago and have only just put her into a story.

Anyway, reviews are ALWAYS welcome, they in turn will help me improve.

Feel free to give me ideas for the next chapter, and if you find any mistakes, feel free to tell me, and I will change them!

Thanks again for reading, and I hope you have a super great week/day/weekend!

Bye!