A/n: Welly, well, well. Here's an update for you! Oh and HAPPY 2006 EVERYBODY!
Here's….
Chapter 10
Erik Destler sat on the cold hard floor of his so called room. His "room" contained of a "Bed" which was just made of a pile of sheets on the floor, a desk scattered with papers and a Piano in the corner. That's where he spent most of his time, on the piano and on the desk. Ever since Erik was old enough he taught himself how to play, read, and write music. Every year as he got older he became better at it. He wrote his own compositions and played them to himself all day long.
Erik was sitting at his piano playing one of his more fast, loud pieces. Suddenly he heard a banging from below. He stopped at the piano, and listened.
"Stop playing that blasted music!" A man's angry voice reached Erik's ears. Erik shook his head and looked down at the floor. A few more moments of silence and he went back to playing a slower song this time. He got more relaxed and got into the music. He closed his eyes and swayed along with it. He let a small smile creep onto his face. When the piece was over he got up and walked over to his desk skimming though the papers. He found a sheet of music that was not complete. He walked back over to his piano and placed it on the music stand on the piano. He turned a few pages and stopped when he came to where he stopped off last time. He played the last measure of music written on the sheet and continued on with his piece. His gaze was concentrated on the piano keys as he tried to think what he was going to do. When he got something he wrote it down on the piece of paper. He started to play it from the beginning to see how he was doing, then he heard the attic door open. He turned around sharply, fearing what was going to happen.
"didn't I tell you to knock that off!" the man's voice came again. Suddenly he came into vision. He was rather tall, with black hair, and a beard. He was more on the chubby side. And he reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke. "WE put you up here to not see you or here your blasted music. But you play that damn piano every single day!" Erik just started at the man in front of him.
"Say something boy!" The man yelled at him.
Erik looked down at the floor. "Answer me!" The man walked up to erik and slapped his face, knocking him to the ground. Erik got up on his knees, but the man kicked him in the stomach knocking him down again. Erik still said nothing but looked up at the man, with all the sadness of the world in his little eyes. "Don't look at me like that! You brought this upon your self!" The man bent down and ripped his mask off, Erik immediately brought his hand up to his face as a reaction. "Stop hiding your self!" The man yanked Erik up and made him look into his eyes. Erik was so close to him he could smell the alcohol on his breath. "Listen to me, you are lucky enough to even be up here boy! If it were up to me you would be on the streets begging for food and somewhere to live, but everyone would run at the hideousness of your face. But your mother has a little ounce of compassion and still says your human and you don't deserve to suffer. But she's not home at this moment so guess what that means my boy." The man smirked, and Erik tried to escape from him but the man's grip on him was strong. "You're not going anywhere." He pushed Erik to the ground and Erik hit the floor with a loud thud. The man laughed evilly and with one more kick to Erik's side he left the room saying, "I'll be back later." When the man left and closed the attic door and the room was pitch black, erik crawled into a corner of his room, rolled up into a ball and cried himself to sleep.
Erik awoke sitting up in his bed, sweating and panting heavily. He looked around and sighed, running a hand through his hair. He looked at the clock beside his bed; it read 4:46 AM. He groaned, knowing he wouldn't have enough time to go back to sleep. He got him self up. He stood up stretching; He shook his head and walked down to bathroom. He ran the sink and cupped his hands placing it under the sink than splashing it onto his face. He looked at himself in the mirror when his hands touched his marred flesh. He examined him self and he looked worse then usual. His eyes were all red, his hair was a mess. He turned away from the mirror, knowing why people ran at the sight of him. He wiped his face with a towel. He decided to take a shower while he was in the bathroom; he grabbed a towel from the rack and started up the shower. He discarded his clothes onto the floor and stepped into the shower, and relaxed as the warm water ran over his body. He was relaxing for about ten minutes and he looked at his watched and cursed to himself then grabbed a shampoo bottle and quickly washed his hair, quickly washed his body, then turned the water off and grabbed the towel from off the rack. He wrapped it around himself. He pulled back the curtain and shivered as the cold air touched his still wet form. After he dried himself completely he got some into some clean clothes and put his mask on. He combed back his hair and put Gel in it so it would stay back. He looked at himself in the mirror again, He looked much better now. He went down stairs and made breakfast for himself. After he was done he looked at the clock. 5:30 it read. He still had some time before he had to get to the school. He decided to go into town and get a cup of coffee or something. He grabbed his coat and walked out the door. The sun was still rising over the horizon making the sky a light shade orange, pink and yellow. He just stood on his stoop staring at the sky for what seemed like ever. When he heard someone say, "Are you alright?" He turned his head to the left and saw his neighbor standing at his fence. Erik nodded and walked down the steps down to his garage. He got in his car, put the key in the ignition but didn't start the car, and just stared at the wall ahead of him. He sighed and then started up the car, pulling it out of the garage and down the drive way onto the street. As he was driving he got sick of the silence and turned on the radio. The man at the radio station's voice came out through the speaker, "Here's one that is not played recently but we had a request,"
I open my eyes
I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light
I can't remember how
I can't remember why
I'm lying here tonight
And I can't stand the pain
And I can't make it go away
No I can't stand the pain
How could this happen to me?
I've made my mistakes
I've got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away
I'm sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me?
Erik although was concentrating on the road was paying attention to the lyrics of this song.
Everybody's screaming
I try to make a sound but no one hears me
I'm slipping off the edge
I'm hanging by a thread
I wanna start this over again
So I try to hold
On to a time when nothing mattered
And I can't explain what happened
And I can't erase the things that I've done
No I can't
How could this happen to me?
I've made my mistakes
I've got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away
I'm sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me?
I've made my mistakes
I've got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away
I'm sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me?
Erik didn't know what the artist was thinking when he wrote that song, but he must have been feeling the way he does right now because that song spoke to him. Erik shook his head, trying to shake off the tears forming in his eyes. He reached the coffee shop he was going to and parked in the parking lot. He got out and walked into the shop. There were a few people in it. He walked up to the counter; the employee was working by the coffee machine. She turned her head and smiled at him and said sweetly, "I'll be with you in a moment sir." Erik nodded and looked up at the Menu. Then the waitress came up to him, "what can I get for you?" she asked. Erik looked at her. "Um…Just a regular coffee to go please." She nodded and rang it up on the cash register. She went over to the coffee machine and started it up. "This will take a few minutes sir, if you would like to have a seat." The woman said, sending him an apologetic look. He nodded and took a seat in one of the booths near the counter. He looked down at the table just staring at it waiting.
"Hey freak, what are you doing in here? Go back to the circus where you belong!"
Erik looked up at the voice and saw a teenage boy smirking, He looked back at the table another memory floating into his mind.
Erik was running away from home. He couldn't stay there any longer, he packed all the clothes he has and the sheets. To him it didn't matter where he slept as long as it wasn't in that attic. He was running/walking for about a half an hour now and he got hungry so he walked into a shop. Some of the kids that lived around the neighborhood were there with their parents. He watched the kids with their parents, laughing and smiling. And thought about his "family". He looked down at the tiled floor and took a seat in a corner booth. He was about to get up to order something when he realized he didn't have anything money. He heard his stomach growl and the feeling of starvation was in him. Although he was used to this, He was running for a little and he was hurting. He felt himself starting to cry. He tried to hold it back but he couldn't, and tears poured down his cheeks. He folded his arms on the table and placed his head in them so nobody would see him. He cried like that for what seemed like ever until he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He jumped up in alarm and looked at the keeper of the hand. IT was a young lady, in her 20's about. She sat down across from Erik, "Are you alright?" He didn't say anything just looked down back at the table. "Are you hungry?" she asked. Erik looked up at her and nodded slowly. She smiled, and got up a few minutes later she came back with a tray full of food. He looked hungrily at it and was about to eat it when he remembered he didn't have any money. He looked down again and pushed it away,
"What's wrong?" she asked concerned.
"I…I don't have any money." His little childish voice whispered. She smiled, and put her hand on top of his little one. "This one is on me kid." She got up and walked back behind the counter. He stared at it a few minutes before eating it. He was almost halfway through when he heard, "Hey! Why does the freak get a free meal?" a child's voice rang out. Erik looked up and saw a little boy, scowling at him. "That's not fair, that he gets a free meal!" Erik just stared at the boy until he said, "What are you looking at?" then he turned his head back down to plate.
"Stop picking on him!" another child's voice rang out, Erik turned his gaze to see a little girl scowling at the little boy.
"Why are you protecting him!" the little boy yelled at her.
"Because look at him, He's dirty, his clothes are torn, He deserves a free meal."
"He doesn't deserve anything. He's probably like that because his parents beat him every night!"
"Matthew!" An older woman's voice said. "that was a very mean thing to say! We're going home now and when we get home you are going to your room!" the boy groaned and got dragged out by his mother and the little girl stuck her tongue out at him as he left.
"What are you hiding behind that mask huh?" The voice said getting closer to him.
"None of your business." Erik growled.
"Are you trying to make a new fashion statement. How bout if I go around wearing a mask, you think that will be cool."
Erik growled again and stood up,
"IT is my personal business why I where this mask! It's not of your damn business and you should keep your big nose out of it!"
"Oh, He's trying to be all tough guy now." The man smirked and laughed.
Erik's lip twitched and was about to attack this guy when his cell phone went off. He went into his pocket and opened his phone putting into his ear.
"Hello?" he answered.
''Erik, It's Christine, are you okay?"
'Christine, what does she want?'
"Why do you ask?"
"Because you're late to work, Im just wondering if you're ok."
"I'm fine."
'I don't believe that."
"Look ill be there soon ok?"
"Ok, Please, Erik, theres a reason you're late, please Erik don't anything you'll regret."
"Don't worry Christine."
"Well good bye, I will talk to you soon."
"Bye."
He hung up the phone, putting it back into his pocket. He glared at the young man in front of him. "I don't have time to deal with you, right now. But…" He turned on the boy. "If we ever cross paths again. I won't go so easy on you."
The young man looked into Erik's eyes and tried to hold his fear back, "is that a threat?"
Erik smirked, "No, My dear boy, that is a promise." (OMG! Aptly named "young man" I would be afraid if I were you. The way I just pictured him saying that, scared me!)
Erik walked over to counted slowly, not keeping his eyes off the young man. He payed the waitress who handed him his coffee. He gave him an evil smile before leaving.
About five minutes later he arrived at the school. The buses were just arriving and students were being dropped off at the school. He walked into the school, being greeted by both students and teachers. He went to the only office he had, which was christine's also. He knocked on the door just to be polite, he heard christine's voice call "One minute." He sighed impatiently and soon enough the door opened. "Erik!" she squealed. The next thing he knew her arms were wrapped around him. He looked down at her confused. "Christine?" He asked.
She immediately let go and cleared her throat. "I'm Sorry. Im just glad your ok, I thought something bad had happened to you, and you're always the first one here."
"Yes well I was having a bad morning." He replied. "May I come in?"
"Of course! My office is your office." she replied smiling.
He raised his eye-brows. "I seem to recall you yelling at me, for being in here."
She laughed. "No, no, no Mr. Destler you have it backwards, you yelled at me for being in here."
"Ah yes, but that is only because you read my email."
She rolled her eyes, "Please let's not bring that up again."
He nodded and cocked his head as he realized something around her neck. "Christine…what is that?" he asked motioning to her neck.
Christine looked down taking the metal in her hands. She looked up at him and smiled, "take a closer look Erik."
Erik walked closer to her and saw the necklace around her neck. He let a small smile creep up on his lips. But it soon disappeared when he saw the light glistening off the ring on her finer. He turned away from her and said, "Why are you wearing that christine? You have Raoul."
"Erik, it's not like it's a sign of love, you gave this to me because you thought my voice was good and you cared about me, So im wearing this now to show you that I care about you, I don't care what Raoul says about it."
He looked at her, "then why did you take it off before?"
"I was a child then Erik, I thought Raoul would be hurt by seeing this around my neck but were all grown ups now and Raoul knows I love him."
Erik laughed to himself inside his head, 'Raoul knows that you love him, but does he know that the man that gave you that necklace loves you.'
"I still don't get why you are wearing that." He admitted.
"Because I care about you! I want you to know that!"
"You could have told me!"
"I do! I tell you all the time and you don't believe me! I want you to know that even though I am in love and marrying another man that I still care about you!" She looked down, and continued in a softer tone. "Erik I care about you, I cared about you when I was in high school, I even cared about you those six years we were apart and I still care about you now. I want to be your friend, but I cant if you won't let me in."
'I want to let you in, just not in the way you're thinking.' He thought to himself.
She sighed, "Well listen, you better talk to Ted, I haven't seen him today. He is probably in his office."
Erik glared at her but left to go find Ted. Ted's office was pretty far away from his and Christine's. He had to turn a few hallways to get to Ted's office. When he did, the door was closed. He knocked on the door. "Come in." He heard call from the other side of ther door. He opened the door and walked in, seeing Teddy at his desk doing some paperwork. "Ted." Erik said, making Ted turn around. When he saw Erik standing there he glared at him then turned back. He pulled up a chair beside the desk. "Can we talk?"
"So you can hurt me again?" Ted replied back.
Erik looked at his arm and saw an Ace bandage wrapped around it. "I'm sorry Ted, about your arm, I was upset and…"
"That's not what I meant by hurt." Ted turned on his chair and faced Erik. "Sure my arm is hurting, but that's not what hurts. The fact that you pushed me in the first place does."
"Ted, I am sorry. I really am, I was upset you know that! You've seen my temper teddy, you know I can't control it!"
"Well maybe you should do something about that." He said his head shaking.
"Are you telling me that I should go to therapy." Erik looked shocked.
"Im saying you should get some help, with your anger, not therapy you're not crazy Erik. There are anger management classes." Ted said, Erik could note a small smile on his face.
"I don't see what is so funny about that! I am not going to no stupid classes." Erik crossed his arms.
"Suit your self." Ted shrugged and turned back to his paperwork.
"Why did I push you again?" Erik asked after a short period of silence.
"because you wouldn't let me see what lies behind that mask." Ted explained calmly still writing.
Erik sighed, "Ted, you have to promise you won't run."
Ted looked up at smiled. "Erik, hey, im your friend; and im your friend because of your personality. Not because I think your mask is cool."
Erik laughed.
"See I got you to laugh."
"It seems you're the only person who knows how to do that."
"So…" Ted continued. "You gonna let me see or what?"
Erik looked down thinking for a few seconds, then looked back up at Teddy and nodded. He slowly brought his hand up to his mask and slipped his fingers under it, and pulled it away from his face. He closed his eyes, waiting for a reaction from teddy, but it never came.
"So that's why you always so grumpy." He opened his eyes and saw Teddy smiling at him.
"Uh…what?"
"Erik! For Pete's sake I am your best friend, I won't run just because your face is a bit deformed."
"A bit?"
"It's not that bad Erik, you're making a big deal out of it."
"A big deal out of what? How I was hated during my childhood, how my father called me a monster. And you're telling me all that happened to me because of a bit of a deformity I think not!" Erik shouted.
Although it was not the right place and time teddy couldn't help but snigger, which earned a glare from Erik. "My friend, people in those days were cold hearted."
"Really? Then how come someone called me a freak this morning."
"How old was this 'someone'?" he asked.
"about 16."
"16 year olds have no compassion. Never mind them, you have friends erik, you have me and you have Christine."
Erik looked down at the ground and nodded. "I don't know what I would do without you man." Erik admitted.
"Hey." Ted replied smiling, "that's what friends are for."
Erik nodded and gave him a hug, something he hasn't done in a long time. "Well your class will be starting soon." Erik got up to leave but before leaving he turned to him and said, "oh and if your students asked what happened to your arm, please don't tell them I did it."
Teddy smiled and laughed, "Will do, Erik, will do."
A/n: oh hey that was a really long chapter now wasn't it. But im finally finished. Yay! Oh and Btw, I don't own "Untitled(how could this happen to me") by Simple Plan. Or the phantom of the Opera. Review please!