Chapter XXI: Trespass & Isolate

Christine was taking a shower as she thought to herself whether it was going to be a good day or a bad one. Saturday came a lot quicker than she expected and she was getting ready for her date with Raoul. He seemed sweet and she wasn't nervous at all. In fact, she was actually looking forward to it. She never really thought that she would be entirely comfortable with Raoul, but he surprised her and she had taken a liking to him.

Christine turned off the water before opening the shower curtain and stepping out. She grabbed her towel, wrapping it around herself before going to stand in front of the bathroom mirror. Christine carefully observed herself and bit her lip. She took a few steps back before dropping the towel from her body, letting her eyes examine the what the mirror was displaying. Christine never thought that she was one categorized as beautiful or sexy or attractive. Her breasts were not large, maybe even smaller than average. She was slightly skinny but Carlotta always told her that she was skin and bones. That men do not go for twigs like her. She didn't really have curves, and hips were not there either. Christine always thought that no man would go for her when she looked like that. But when Erik came along, he made her feel like she was perfect in every way. He would look at her body with such desire, that she truly did believe that she was beautiful.

Well, that all changed.

Christine sighed before she grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself once more. She turned to the door and opened it before turning off the bathroom light, walking to her room. Once inside she quickly got dress. She chose a simple black dress with cross straps and black flats. Christine brushed out the knots in her curls and put on moose to keep her curls from going crazy. Although she was happy about tonight, she didn't want to overdo it. She didn't want to look so extravagant that it will cause Raoul's eyes to bulge out of their sockets. She want to go for a simple look and she was going without makeup. Erik always told her that she had natural beauty.

Enough about what Erik thought! Christine scolded herself. She shook her head to remove any Erik thoughts from her head before walking to the living room to find Meg laying on the couch with a carton of vanilla ice cream on her stomach. She was watching The Walking Dead and Christine smiled as she knew her best friend was obsessed with that AMC show. She cleared her throat and Meg's eyes averted from the TV to Christine.

"Hot damn," Meg said before whistling. Christine giggled and sat on the loveseat that was beside the couch. "You look great, Christine."

"Thank you," Christine smiled. "I didn't want to overdo it. I just wanted to go with a natural look."

"Well, I can tell you this much, you are beautiful. I swear, when you're a mom, you're going to be a milf." Meg joked. Christine cocked her head in confusion from the word Meg used.

"A what?"

"Well a milf is a-" Before Meg could finish, the doorbell rang. Christine rose from the loveseat and hurried over to the intercom. She pressed the button and spoke through it.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Raoul." he said. Christine grinned and told him that she would be right down. She grabbed her jacket and her purse before giving Meg a kiss on the cheek and heading out the door. Butterflies were rising in her stomach and she was a smiling widely. Her first date with Raoul! She knew she shouldn't be this excited, but she couldn't help it. Christine went down to the building's front door and opened it to find a simple, but nicely dressed Raoul standing there with a bouquet of carnations.

"These are for you, Christine." he said shyly. "And you look so beautiful." Christine blushed and took the flowers from him, lifting them up to her nose to take a sniff of the the flowers' scent.

"Oh, Raoul… they are absolutely wonderful."

"I didn't know what your favorite flower was so I just got you with what my instinct said." he explained. Christine smiled and shook her head.

"They are lovely, Raoul. Thank you." she said. Raoul held out his arm and she gratefully took it before he led her to his car and opened the door for her. Christine went in the car and waited as Raoul went to the driver's side and put the keys in the ignition. Raoul turned on the car before driving into the evening's streets.

Christine and Raoul were sitting in a lovely restaurant that was quite cozy. They were already on their dessert course and she looked up at Raoul who was staring at her with soft and warm eyes.

"What is it?" she asked gently. Raoul smiled but then sighed before taking the fork and cutting a piece his cake.

"I just…. you're very pretty." he said. Christine felt her cheeks turn red from the compliment. "I just can't believe that Monsieur Erik decided to let you go."

Christine tensed and looked at Raoul who was looking at his plate before him. She awkwardly began to poke and take bites of her piece of cake. "Well, I can't say I'm happy that we broke up, but I just can't be with him…"

"Why not?" Raoul asked. Christine sighed before shaking her head as a way to say that she did not want to talk about it. Raoul took the hint and pressed the issue no further. "Well whatever it was, he was really stupid to let someone like you go." His loss is my gain. Raoul thought.

"I suppose," Christine shrugged. She continued eating as Raoul kept observing her. She really was a beauty and he couldn't believe that she was out here on a date with him. Since the moment he saw her, he wanted to be with her but then that masked man got in the way and he knew that she was head over heels for him. He had no chance. But now… she seems to be a little bit interested in him and he was not about to lose this chance. He wanted to be with Christine and he'd be damned if that masked fiend got in the way.

"Christine, I have another place I want to take you. Are you ready to leave?" he asked. Christine nodded her head and Raoul called for the check. He quickly paid and grabbed Christine's hand before heading out the restaurant and walking to the streets.

"Raoul, where are we going?" Christine asked, trying to keep up with his pace. "The car is back at the restaurant's parking lot."

"Be patient, Christine." he said with a teasing tone. Christine smiled and went along with his charade, going with him to wherever it was that he wanted to take her. But much to her confusion, they stopped in front of the opera house. "Come on," he urged and pulled her with him as they went inside. Christine went with him and felt that this was all too familiar.

Sure enough, Raoul was standing there showing her the giant orchestra that was rehearsing inside. They were playing Beethoven's 5th symphony and Christine felt her heart begin to ache. This was exactly where Erik brought her on their first date. She remembered that she was amazed and felt wonderful as the music consumed them, but now it was only hurting her deeply. It was a bittersweet moment and she couldn't concentrate because of her memories. Tears filled her eyes and she looked at Raoul who was smiling at her.

"I know," he said. "Music makes me feel that way too." he pulled her into his arms and Christine allowed it. It was better to let him believe that the reason for his tears was the music rather than of Erik. Christine sniffed before she pulled away after a few moments and smiled. "Don't worry, I think it's normal for you to feel that way."

"Music will always make me feel a certain way," Christine said. "But sometimes I don't know if his music makes me feel good or bad…"

"His?" Raoul questioned but before Christine could respond, a tall figure appeared and loomed over them.

"What are you doing in my opera house?" Erik growled. It seemed as if his question was directed at both of them, but his golden eyes glared only at Raoul. Christine wiped away her tears before she returned Erik's glare.

"We were just looking at the orchestra," she said. Erik's stare averted to Christine but the glare disappeared and those eyes seemed to attempt to remain calm.

"Oh?" Erik cocked his visible brow. "The opera house is closed and, last time I checked, that means no one is allowed in." He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Christine, waiting for a response.

"It was my fault." Raoul confessed. "I paid the janitor to leave the doors open so I could bring Christine in here to see them play,"

"My problem is that you know of this orchestra being here at night, Monsieur Chanes." Erik snapped, his eyes throwing daggers into Raoul's soul. "That meaning you have been sticking your nose in my opera house long after your work was finished." Raoul opened his mouth and then closed it again, having nothing to say because Erik was right. "And it's trespassing which is against the law, Monsieur Chanes."

"Then call the police," Christine barked. "I'm going to be arrested too! Do you want that? Only because we can to see a stupid orchestra play?!" Christine's nose flared with anger. "What is wrong with you?!"

Erik let out a laugh that was filled with mockery. "You dare ask that question?!"

"I am not yours!" Christine shouted. "You have no right to trespass in my life! And it's against my life laws. So just leave me alone!" Christine grabbed Raoul's hand and pulled him to the front doors, exiting the opera house leaving Erik staring at the couple enraged.

Raoul and Christine walked silently back to the car and they got into the vehicle without saying a word. Christine felt horrible because Raoul had not spoken anything against Erik in fear. She hated that Erik had acted that way.

"I'm sorry, Raoul." Christine spoke up. "Erik had no right to speak to you that way. I know this is not how you wanted our first date to be like. I'll make it up to you next time."

"Next time?" Raoul questioned. "You wish to see me again?"

"Well, yes." Christine said. "Why? Don't you?"

"No, no! Wait I mean yes! Wait," Raoul stuttered. "What I mean is, I do wish to see you again. I'm just surprised that you wish to have another date."

"Sure, I do." Christine smiled. Raoul grinned and continued driving as he headed back to Meg's apartment to drop her off.

Erik was sitting in his office the following Monday, waiting…. simply waiting.

Christine opened the door before slamming it behind her. Her eyes were on fire with rage as she approached the desk quickly, slamming her tiny fists against wooden table. Erik merely leaned back into his chair and waiting for her to speak.

"How dare you…" she hissed. Her voice was so low that even she was shocked by it's change. Erik cocked his head to the side, in mock confusion.

"What do speak of, my dear?" he asked.

"Cut the bull, Erik!" Christine yelled. "How could you do that! How could you have possibly stooped so low?!"

"My dear, you will have to be more specific."

"You fired Raoul!" she roared. Erik stood from the chair and walked over to stand in front of her. "How could you do that! Only because I went on a date with him!"

"Yes," he admitted. "That and he trespassed into my opera house." He crossed his arms over his chest and Christine lifted her hand to slap Erik, but he was quicker and grabbed her wrist to refrain her from doing so. "Strike me? Tsk tsk, Christine."

"You monster!" Christine snatched her hand away from his and glared at him. Erik's eyes narrowed before he grabbed both of Christine's arms and brought her closer to him.

"Monster?" he questioned. "That meddlesome boy is only preying on you because you are vulnerable and sad. That is the only reason he asked you out!"

Christine barked out a laugh. "You unimaginable hypocrite! You who preyed on me because I was stupid and naive with the ways of love. You used me!" She yanked herself from his grasp as he began to speak once more.

"I may have accepted that bet, but everything I felt… feel for you is real." he hissed as he corrected. Christine scoffed and clenched her fists.

"You think that firing him will keep me from seeing him again?" she asked. Erik's anger began to rise and Christine victoriously noticed. "I will not stop seeing him because you have a few tricks up your sleeve."

"You will-"

"No, I won't!" she snapped. "You claim to love me, but you keep hurting me in every possible way! How can I trust a man who will destroy everything I love only to selfishly have me?" Christine turned as if to go before she stopped and looked at Erik. "Love is sacrifice; you can't understand that because you are so determined to make me miserable in order to have me run back to you and that's not how it works." She turned to face the door before letting out a deep breath. "And unfortunately, it's causing the love I had for you turn into hate." she said before she walked out of the office and slammed the door behind her, oblivious to the masked man who dropped to his knees as his heart shattered like glass dropped to the floor.

A/N: Oh nooo :( Nice going, Erik... you just pushed her away even more. Gosh. THINK, MAN.

Anyways, sorry I didn't update yesterday, I was busy. I don't know if you noticed but I have been trying to update every week (: hooray. So I'm attempting to update every Friday to keep you guys happy. Please tell me what you think of the chapter! R&R! 3