She had to break the news to Raoul the next day. He, as she predicted, offered the same solution that she had: "You'll stay with us, then!" he exclaimed. "Mama and Papa won't mind! We'll go to the same school so you don't have to get tutored by – what's her name?"
"Madame Giry," Christine said dully.
"So you don't have to get tutored by Madame Giry," Raoul finished. "Or – or I can get my parents to move to Paris with you! That way, even if your father dies – and that's an if, Chris – you can just move in with us afterwards and he'll never know better."
Christine really didn't want to cry in front of Raoul. She knew that she looked ugly when she cried and that was not something that she wanted Raoul to see. She was sure he didn't like her back the way that she liked him, but she still didn't want him to see her cry. It was like showing a weakness.
"That's going behind his back," Christine said, swallowing hard so she wouldn't have to cry. But the tears still started welling up in her eyes anyways. "I don't want to betray my father."
It seemed that any mention of her father brought Christine to tears. She couldn't hold it back anymore, and she buried her face in her hands as she sobbed. She couldn't bear the thought of living without her father. He was the only one who had been there throughout her life. Even Raoul had only known her for two years – but her father had been there for her since she was born. He had held her when her mother had died when she was four and she cried her heart out; and he had been there when she won first place at her school's science fair when she was seven; and he had been there when she discovered that she had none of his musical talent after a disastrous violin recital at age nine. What would happen to her after he was gone? Who would be there to take her to her first school dance? Who would be there when she graduated high school? Who would be there when she got accepted into university, or graduated university, or got her first job?
"Oh, Christine," Raoul murmured, pulling her close and hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. I was insensitive. I just really don't want to lose you. Facebook isn't the same and we can't make trips to Paris that often… I just panicked."
"I'm scared, Raoul," Christine sniffled. "I'm so scared. I don't know Madame Giry and I don't know Mama Valerius. I know Father. I know you. And- and what- what happens when- w-when F-F-Father-"
She collapsed into a crying mess again. Raoul began rocking her back and forth, almost as if he was trying to rock her to sleep, as if this was all just a horrible dream. "I'll be here," Raoul promised. "And I'll make as many trips into Paris as I can. And we'll Skype every single night."
Christine let out a watery laugh. "Okay," she agreed.
"And I'm gonna hug you as much as I can now," Raoul said fiercely, tightening his hands around her back. He kissed her hair and whispered, "I love you."
Christine's heart leapt in her chest. "I love you too," she whispered back. She carefully wiped her eyes and looked up at Raoul. His face was very red and his ears looked like they'd been set on fire. In spite of herself, she giggled. "I'll love you forever, Raoul de Chagny."
Raoul's face practically lit up. "You will?" he said hopefully. "You promise?"
"I promise," Christine said solemnly. "I'd swear to it."
"Christine, let's promise that we'll never love another so long as we both shall live," Raoul declared. "I know I won't. I'll never love anyone but you."
"I can't possibly," Christine exclaimed. "There's no one like you so I can't love anyone but you."
"And we'll Skype every night," Raoul said determinedly. "The distance won't feel like much."
Christine nodded, leaning her head on Raoul's shoulder. "We will," she said, more to herself than Raoul. "We'll survive." She sighed. "But ballet school…"