Chapter 28

I do not own POTO

This is somewhat an ending but not necessarily. I will try to continue if you all would like? Not as lengthy as I had planned it but you all deserved some kind of ending. Sorry in advance if it does not meet your standards in grammar as I just wrote this within an hour. If there is anything different you all would like to happen, please let me know and I will do my best to write it. Thank you to everyone who has continued to read, favorite and follow this story!

Trance music played, flashing lights that danced to the rhythm of the music. Everyone I knew was staring at me as I entered the dance hall. I ignored them as I walked in with the newfound freedom that was a couple hours away. Tonight was the night I would regain all that was lost to me. I would choose my old life back, no matter how "mundane" as it may be. I rolled my eyes at his comment regarding my life! How dare he say it is mundane!?

A naughty thought went through my head, I should have left a picture of me in my old room at his mansion with some very special words written in the back of it, "Here's a picture, it will last longer. thanks for the trauma!" HA! It was too funny!

Ahhhh! It Felt good to be free! I didn't even care that he rode with me in the limo over here. I even let him call me "my dove". Blagh! Who says that! All I knew was that I was going to the dance and Sam would be there as well as my life, right where I left it. It was time to pick up the pieces and move forward! With that attitude nothing could stop me and no stares or whispers would stop me! If they only knew that I actually welcomed their curious stares and whispers of gossip about me. It was nothing to what I had to endure with Erik.

A small sad voice inside of me was trying to be heard at the thought of his name though. It was doing its best to climb its way to my heart. Desperately wanting to be heard and acknowledged that he would be devastated at my decision to leave him. Like how the beast felt when Belle the beauty left him. What was wrong with me! Comparing him to a beast was too good and nice of a comparison for what he really is! He took me away from my family, friends and everything I knew, but he also saved my life as well as showed me wonders I would have never been able to see. This was not the right time for this, I took a deep breath and a good look around the hall. My old friends where standing by the punch bowl, sipping or most likely spiking the punch….

I shoved that voice down deep into the black abyss of feelings I didn't want to examine and walked over to Sarah who had just spotted me and had the funniest, surprised expression on her face.

Smiling I said, "Stop gawking and give me a hug!"

Without hesitation she complied. We hugged, tight and long. I hadn't realized how much I had missed my best friend! Or as she would say, "Sister from another mother" , yes we were corny like that and I wouldn't have had it any other way. She was my confidant, shoulder to cry on, math tutor and most importantly my partner in crime! Whatever little nerdy crimes we would do she was right next to me, having a blast at making little cheat sheets to trying out cloves.

"Oh my gosh! How have you been!?" she anxiously asked as her voice cracked with emotion.

"Sarah, I don't know if you would believe me even if I told you the truth." I replied back

She looked at me weirdly, and just changed the subject all of a sudden, "Look at how beautiful your dress is! You look like a princess!"

I smiled and patted down the sides of my dress as I said thank you. But something felt off about her reaction to me. She missed me, just as much as I missed her but she had this weird look on her face that I couldn't pin point exactly but knew for sure that it wasn't good. It was like she was almost felt sorry for me.

But what did she pity me for? I didn't know and was all of a sudden flustered by Sam's appearance so I just let it go.

"Christine, you look beautiful!" his voice sincere and his face so handsome!

"Thanks Sam, you look great too."

Our eyes were locked and we couldn't look away. His beautiful blue eyes that stole my heart from the first moment I saw them. His smile so warm and innocent in its gesture, I couldn't believe I was finally here, standing before him. It felt like a dream!

Even Sarah's cough to break our stare didn't faze us. I was free as a bird and ready to pick up where I left off, so I didn't waste a second, "Wanna dance?" I asked.

His chuckled with surprise at my boldness and nodded as he led me to the dance floor where we danced apart and close together. His hand around my waist, his breath on my neck sent shivers up and down my spine. The smell of his cologne was intoxicating and made me putty in his hands. I had died and gone to heaven! His eyes were mesmerizing as he grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him. My breasts touching his chest, feeling the heat of his body against mine was almost too much. Then the music stopped and the D.J. announced he was having technical difficulties and would start the music in just a few moments.

All I could think of was ERIK! But a silky voice interrupted my thoughts, "Meet me on the balcony in 20 minutes" Sam's lips touched my ear as he whispered and I nearly died!

I just nodded and let him lead me off the dance floor to where Sarah, Tiffany and all my other friends were standing and obviously staring at us. My other friends who hadn't seen me yet hugged and welcomed me back but all I could see was Sam walking away with a strange look in his eyes…..kind of how Sarah looked at me. Maybe I was just feeling excited at being back and just misinterpreting emotions.

I continued to watch the clock on the wall continually as all my friends tried to catch me up on everything I had missed while I was gone. It was non-stop jabber which was nice but 20 minutes was up and I had to go. Sarah knew I was to meet Sam at the balcony so she gave me a wink and started talking about the latest gossip in school in order to get the attention off of me so I could escape. It worked and I made my way through the crowd, out the hall and through the hallways again to reach the balcony that was on the other end of the building. I passed by all the lockers and stopped when I saw mine. Or what I hoped was still mine.

Reaching for the knob I entered my code and pushed it up; it opened. A small smile took over and I knew everything was going to be alright. Closing the locker I continued down the hall but came to a halt when I heard voices coming from the principal's office. I wasn't sure if Erik still ran things here or if he let things be as they were so I quietly came closer to the door to hear what was going on, the voices were familiar. It was my real principle Mr. White! I was so happy but then I heard what they were talking about and that's when my world fell apart.

"I don't know how to tell her that her family is gone, Becky." Mr. Whites voice was strained and cracked a bit as he continued, "How the hell am I to tell this poor girl after all she has gone through herself, that her family died in a terrorist attack while in Jerusalem!" his voice went up in volume and my heart was aching to find out who he was talking about!

"We have no choice but to tell her the truth." That was Becky our long time secretary who had been here since the 70's. Her voice sounded hoarse as if she had been crying or something.

"I don't want to be the one with the bad news, Beck."

"I know White, I know. But you know here since birth and are her godfather. It's your duty and honestly I don't think she will be able to bear it if anyone else told her." Becky said solemnly.

My breath hitched and I felt dizzy all of a sudden. Mr. White was godfather to me and Sarah only. This either meant my family or Sarah's! And if Sarah's family was the one, why was she smiling and enjoying herself here at the dance!? She wouldn't be here if her family had perished! She would be crying her eyes out!

"Have Christine come to my office after the dance is done. No need to ruin the night completely. It's not much I can give her now other than a couple more hours of calm before the storm hits her harder than it ever should hit someone her age."

I couldn't breathe! Leaning on the wall for support my mind was flooded with guilt. Here I was in this dress, at this dance, dancing with a guy while my family was dead! They were gone! And all I could have thought about was Sam's eyes and body!

I let out a small cry and started to run towards the balcony for air. I didn't care who was out there. It didn't matter anymore. I burst the doors open to the balcony and time stopped!

What I saw next was the icing to the biggest cake of misery I could have been given. Sam was kissing Angela! One arm tightly around her waist and another was on her ass!

Stuttering, Sam tries to say something to explain but I could barely hear the betrayer! All I could comprehend was that my family was gone and now I witnessed my biggest enemy in school who would love to see me in misery, kissing and being fondled by a guy who I put before my own family that is dead now!

OH the guilt was too much! What kind of monster was I! How could I have wanted to come to a stupid silly dance instead of go to my family first! What the hell was wrong with me! Tears running down my face and my heart ready to implode from the pain I turned around to leave but Sam's hand was around my arm.

"Christine! This is not what you think! It's not what I planned!" he pleaded his case but no one was hearing it; except for Erik who stepped out of the shadows of the balcony.

"Sam, take Angela to the hall and get her some punch." Erik smoothly commanded.

I looked at Erik now with tears down my face, my spirit broken at the news of my families misfortune; I just stared at him like a lost puppy. I didn't know anything anymore nor did I care.

Sam's hand released my arm and he said my name, "Christine, this is not what you think. Remem-"

"Enough!" Erik yelled so loud that it snapped me out of my comatose state.

Sam left and right behind him was a haughty Angela, all smiles just as I knew she would be. She stopped and opened her mouth to say something but Erik interrupted her, "Go now before you try my patience, child." The treat in his voice was as solid as steel.

She smiled again and raised her eyebrows as if to ponder the risks and then followed down the path to the dance. I looked at Erik. Here I was standing in the dress he made for me and at the dance he allowed me to go too. Where he gave me the choice to fly as free as a bird and yet I was standing on the moonlit balcony staring at the man who I never thought I would have to see again.

He didn't speak and I didn't either. I just walked into his secure arms and let him take me back to our home where I made the decision to be his forever. I signed everything he wanted me too and fought nothing he did.

That same night I cried with him for my family, I danced with him for what should have been a night filled with music, I touched his heart as he did mine when he played his music that calmed my spirit and gave me hope. I was his finally and he said that he was mine.

There in the middle of his grand ballroom at the mansion I leaned my head on his chest. Allowing him to hold me close I just breathed in and out slowly. His hand sliding up and down my back was soothing, just as the piano and violin that was playing was. I was lost and found somehow in his arms that night. I finally saw something that I never allowed myself to see; had I been in his shoes I would have been far worse in my actions. I had proven that with my selfish needs of wanting to go to the dance over seeing my family first, or at least calling them. I felt like the real monster here and Erik was my angel…..…for now.