(A/N: Here's another chapter! PLEASE LEAVE ME SOME REVIEWS! I won't know how I'm doing without them! Thankies! =D )

Chapter 7: The Mask.

Erik and I spent the next day together, just learning more about each other. Now that I knew he was the Opera Ghost from my father's story...I felt almost, connected to him. He seemed terribly upset at first that I knew about his past, but after awhile -and a whole lots of persuading- he was almost relieved.

The only thing he never budged on was that mask.

"Erik, PLEASE TAKE THE DAMN THING OFF!" I groaned, putting my hands together as if I was praying. He replied with only an eye roll. I was about to just rip it off myself till I heard the keys giggling in the door. My face grew pale "Jessica." I whispered, I had forgotten about her.

"Good, I need to meet her anyways." He chuckled, I glared at him. He wasn't the one who'd have to explain why the masked dude from the carnival was sitting in our living room, eating breakfast! Before I had time to think, the door was open and Jessica was talking on her cell.

She froze in the door way, her eyes locked on Erik. "Jessica...I can explain!" I insisted. Erik smiled politely "Bonjour mademoiselle!" He said, getting up and bowing. And as quick as that, Jessica fainted right there. "Ugh, what a day." I groaned.

When Jessica finally came too, I had her laying on the couch. I was sitting on the coffee table, watching her. "Oh Eva, I had a terrible dream...I dreamed you kidnapped that masked guy from the show." She said, growing silently as she saw Erik sitting on the ground by me."Kidnap? No. Open her home to me, yes." Erik replied softly.

"EVA WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?" She yelled, sitting up too quickly and falling back down. I sighed and asked Erik to leave the room for a few minutes, he did so. I told her all about how I'd gone back to see him, and how he was the Opera Ghost from my father's stories, and how I felt I had to do this.

"Eva, you're insane." Jessica groaned, closing her eyes. "But, I love you for it...and you have a gentle heart." She added with a soft smile. I smiled as well "Don't act like you wouldn't enjoy having a guest either!" I said, nudging her. She nodded, she loved having people over. "Besides, I'm moving in with Tony soon so it won't be that big of a deal." She added, I nodded. That was true, she was moving out soon.

Erik returned and I introduced them to each other, properly.

We sat down a few hours later and ate dinner, pizza. "So, Erik...where are you from?" Jessica asked, making small talk. "I'm not sure where I was born, but I ended up in France at a young age...so I chose to call her my home country." He replied. She nodded, giving me an odd look as I listened.

He retired to bed early and left us girls to talk...which is never a good idea.

"Eva, I see the look you have when he speaks. You love him." She replied again, giggling.

I shook my head fiercely "No!" I denied, sounding much like a school girl being accused of kissing a boy with cooties. "Whatever, you love him and you know it. And I'd dare say, he loves you too. He watches you all the time...hos eyes never leave you. It would make sense, you're the only one who's showed him any kindness since Christine...and Christine wasn't all that kind anyways." She went on, ignoring my glare.

She knew that old story of my fathers as well as I did, I told it all the time.

I went to my room a few minutes later, to take a long shower, my mind racing. "Do I love him?" I asked myself as I dried off and put my pajamas on. They were my favorite pj's, a yellow and blue SpongeBob tank top and shorts set.

"You look nice." Erik laughed, staring out my window, as I came out of my bathroom, I gave out a little yell. He only laughed. "Stop doing that!" I hissed, using the towel I had in my hand to dry my hair. "I can't help it, being sneaky is in my nature." He laughed, coming from the window and sitting on my bed.

I rolled my eyes "I thought you were sleeping." I mumbled, sitting beside him and tucking one of my legs under me. "Couldn't." He mumbled, looking at me. I stared at him, half awake; half asleep.

"Do you really want to see my face?" He asked quietly, looking me deep in the eyes. It made me a little dizzy, so I just nodded. "I'm scared." He admitted, looking down. "I'm not Christine." I replied, it was was the only thing I could choke out.

He sighed heavily and reached up, taking his mask off. I stared at him, his skin was yellow. He was terribly deformed, he had no nose...

My opinion of him didn't change, he was still Erik...if not, he was more Erik now. "You're face must feel a whole lot better without that thing one." I said softly after a few minutes, laying my head on his shoulder. His body was stiff, he didn't reply.

I sighed a little and sat up, pulling him to face me. I didn't say anything, just stared for a second. He was beautiful to me, I wasn't sure why but he was. My father was terrified of this man, I had always been infatuated.

"Erik, trust me." I whispered as I kissed him. He froze for a second, then kissed me back. It was an odd feeling, I felt almost as if there was electricity running through my veins. He pulled my closer, wrapping his arms around my waist and I wrapped mine around his neck. His skin was oddly soft, like a soft blanket.

Somehow, we ended up laying down...we had stopped kissing, we just laid there, holding each other. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep...in total peace for the first time since my father's death.