Chapter 21: Jingle Bell Rock.

Friday December 21, 2007.

The sounds of jingle bell rock wafted around the office. Monique moved to the punch bowl and grabbed a cup of punch for her and for Erik. It was cherry punch, and she handed it to him.

"Thanks." he replied, taking the paper cup from her.

It had been a week, and Erik was trying desperately to make things better between them. A week ago they had gotten into a fight, and Erik felt terrible a couple days later. The things he had said were inexcusable. He still didn't feel they were past it, but at least he was trying, right? That must count for something… .

It was Monique's, work's annual Christmas party. Her work held one at the office every year. This was actually the second or so time Erik had gone. He went once years ago, and hated it; feeling on the spot in front of everyone. He went with her this year to make up for dinner.

So far it had sort of been working; well at least he thought so. She talked to him, but only sort of. She still gave him the cold shoulder, but he could see it in her eyes, she was genuinely happy he was there. A person had once said that eyes were the looking glass into a person's soul, and Erik knew that to be true.

"Erik look," Monique started. She was about to apologize for everything as well. She felt bad about what had happened as well. Erik was trying, and if they ever wanted to make it, they both had to try. It seemed that whenever one of them was trying, the other wasn't. Almost like a twisted game of fate.

She sighed; she was going to have a new outlook on this. When he tried, she would try harder. Maybe they could still work this out and have the marriage she knew that she was now ready for. She knew Erik was ready too, he just needed convincing, and that was her job.

"Hello Monique." Adrian's familiar husky voice filled her ear as he came up behind her and squeezed her shoulders.

Monique shut her eyes. Please, not now. Her thoughts begged. She knew Erik and Adrian did not care for each other. The way Adrian blatantly hit on her, did not help. Erik was a very jealous man too.

Erik stared at Adrian, as he quite obviously ignored him and paid attention to Monique. He clenched his fist, knowing this would happen. I'm such an idiot, coming here, thinking anything would be different.

It seemed right when Erik was about to take the man's face out, he acknowledged his existence. "Ah, Erik right?" Like he didn't know who he was. "I see you finally came to the Christmas party for the staff… ." he trailed off and then looked at Monique and smiled brightly. "Come, I want to show you something."

Erik didn't budge, just watching as Adrian put his nasty hand on the small of Monique's back and escorted her away, despite her protests.

The next few hours Erik stood by the door of the office, watching as Adrian held to Monique's arm, taking her from group of colleagues to another. He made sure she chatted with everyone, including himself.

He went to the banquet table, and poured himself a cup of punch with the ladle spoon, and then placed it back in. He looked up, only seeing a couple of strange expressions on people's faces.

He felt like such a loner and loser, having no date accompanying him. Fucking bullshit, my date is just draped over another man.

Looking around, he saw Monique standing with Adrian in a corner, talking to an older couple. They managed to meet eyes, and she gave him a helpless look, and mouthed the words 'I'm sorry'.

Erik looked away irritable. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was only 8:09 pm. He'd be stuck here for another three hours… watching as Adrian practically showed off Monique like some sort of trophy he had won. Monique didn't even try not to enjoy it. He saw the smile on her face; like a billboard plastered all over town.

Heading towards the balcony of the office this was held in, he pulled out the cell phone in his pocket and hit the speed dial one button, and hit send. It rung for a few seconds, till their finally was a reply.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's uh, Erik."

"Oh hey, how are you?" Christine asked, sounding drowsy.

"Alright I suppose. I didn't wake you up, did I?" Erik suddenly felt bad. They hadn't spoken since that night she decided she'd decided to go and talk to Raoul again. He hadn't planned to call her at Monique's work Christmas party, but that was before she had ditched him for prince charming in there.

"Ah, just a cat nap. Thanks though, I wanted to get some papers done for class this winter break. So why are you calling? Not that I don't enjoy it." she giggled.

Erik smiled, he loved her giggles. "I'm actually at a Christmas party."

"Seriously?" Christine couldn't believe he was at a party. "Then why are you talking to me?" she laughed. "Go join the crowd you hermit." she meant it with affection.

Erik smiled. "I prefer talking to you though." honestly he did, too.

"Ah, alright. What would you like to talk about?"

"How are you and your boyfriend?" he said directly. It had been killing him, he wanted to know what had happened since he heard what last happened. He had wanted to beat the man up so much after he saw Christine's perfect face so bruised and distorted.

"I knew you wanted the gossip." Christine smiled. Before Erik could deny that though, Christine said, "we're not bad actually. We met up and had a movie night… it was kind of awkward I guess, but I'll try and make things better."

Erik wanted to tell her she shouldn't have to be the one to make things better, but he stopped himself. He wasn't going to get into a fight with her. "I'm really happy for you Christine." he said really softly.

Christine could hear a certain tone in his voice. "I'm happy for you too Erik." she said equally as softly.

There was a silence on both ends, where Erik didn't know what to say. He had both his hands on the cold banister, his eyes down cast as he looked at the city from his high perch. As he raised his eyes though, he saw a snowflake fall.

"It's snowing." he whispered.

Though quiet as he was, Christine heard him. "Really?" she sounded like a little five year old excited for Christmastime. He heard the phone drop and the Christine pick it up and squeal, "oh my God, it is!"

Erik chuckled. "First snowfall of the year."

"We're totally building snowmen and making snow angels Erik!" Christine exclaimed happily into the phone. So happy, that even Erik couldn't resist a smile.

"We'll have to buy coffee or hot chocolate too then." he suggested, actually feeling excited by the prospect of doing all this with her.

"Oh totally!" she was so joyful. "I love the snow so much!" she giggled. She calmed down quickly though. "I needed that."

"Erik?"

Erik turned around, to see Monique coming out in her fancy dress, on the cold breeze stricken balcony and he immediately shut the phone on Christine. She gave him a tiny smile, that silently told him she was apologizing about before. "Who were you talking to?" she asked, trying to change the subject that they hadn't really approached… .

Erik opened his mouth, about to say Christine, but stopped himself. It was kind of a sore topic between them… he knew how much Monique didn't like Christine.

Instead he brushed past her, heading towards the door; he needed somewhere to think. He felt like he couldn't take this anymore. First she spent most of the party with Adrian, now all of a sudden, she was asking him questions… he just wanted to leave by this point.

He kind of felt like Christine had felt when Raoul had hit her. Subconsciously he ground his teeth at that thought. But she had needed time to just get away, to just think about it and decide. Yes, maybe he didn't agree with her end results, but she had made her choice.

Monique stepped forward and clutched is arm. "Please don't go Erik."

She didn't know what was happening to them anymore. At one point it seemed they were really happy, and then the proposal happened… and after that, it seemed like he was distancing himself more and more, and they were really falling apart by this point now. She didn't want to give up on them though, she could really see a future with Erik.

Ruining the mood, Erik's phone went off.

Monique gave him a look, hoping he wouldn't open his phone, and just come to her. What happened to the good days when everything he did was centered around her? Why did she suddenly feel like a forgotten book he hadn't finished, in his life?

He pulled the cell phone out of his pocket and checked it. She noticed how his face began turning into a smile. Why wasn't she causing him to smile like that anymore? Had she been so wrong to focus so much on her career, and expect Erik to always be the one to come to her?

She began to feel really guilty at the mere thought she was even beginning to have. She wouldn't deny it, but because he wore a mask, she knew something was wrong with him… and well, she had always expected him to come to her because she knew that many men vied for her attention. She didn't think she would have to try… that he would always be there waiting… .

"Please Erik." she whispered. I'm sorry. She thought. I didn't mean to make you feel so worthless… I'm such a bitch.

He looked at her and replied softly, "I think it's better if I just go… I really need some time to think." he nodded at her and pulled his arm from her clutches, moving towards the door of the balcony.

"Please Erik!" she suddenly felt desperate. "I didn't mean for this… ."

Adrian suddenly appeared on the balcony, all smiles.

Erik clenched his fists and felt anger run through him. He was tired of playing second fiddle to Christine and Monique. He was about to give up on love altogether.

"Monique," Adrian pronounced her name slowly, glancing a bit at Erik, and giving him a smug smile. "A few of the head management are finally here, and we'd like to have some photos taken all together. "

Erik couldn't stand this anymore, if Monique wasn't going to try, neither would he.

He moved out of there, ignoring all the people throwing confetti and the loud music going on, all the stares that passed his way as he left… he didn't even look back at her.

As he left the front doors of the tall skyscraper, he looked up at the pitch black sky, seeing the snow flakes falling gently from the nighttimes skies.

He didn't bother to close his expensive Armani over coat, he let his body shiver with the cold breeze, deciding there and then, his life would run on a new philosophy; he would never look back on life again.