Disclaimer: Me? Own this? –bursts out in hysterical laughter-

Erik's vision seemed to swim as he moved with a nearly inhuman grace through masses of students. This was total suicide, he knew, yet he couldn't seem to stop his progress down the halls.

Christine would be waiting for him in the cafeteria and he could only hope that he would be able to sate her desire for a normal lunch date. Just this once, please let me be normal…God, just once

The room was brightly lit and positively crawling with teenagers. Erik resisted the temptation to back up and run away. Someone bumped accidentally against him and he nearly cried out in surprise; the person shot him an odd look and went on his way.

"You're holding up traffic," an amused voice told him. Turning sharply on his heel, he met Meg Giry's sparkling eyes.

"I'm sorry," he stammered, ducking out of her way. She shook her head and grabbed him by the arm.

"Come on, Christine is in the lunch line," she said, hauling him into the ever-moving crowd. "We sit over here," she added unnecessarily.

He hovered next to the table she'd pointed him at, uncertain of what to do next. Meg looked up at him, rolling her eyes.

"Sit, boy," she commanded teasingly. "Come on, why so nervous?"

"The last time I ate with you in a public place, I got a black eye," he replied automatically. Then, realizing how rude he sounded, he clapped a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean—"

She laughed. "I know what you meant, and you're right. It's only understandable that you'd be jumpy. But come on, sit. You're only attracting more attention to yourself by standing there in the open."

"Touché." Smirking ever so slightly, he took a seat as far from her as possible. She sighed.

"I'm not going to pretend that this is fun for me, Erik," she began quietly. "I don't understand you. I don't know you and I tend to get just a little bit bitchy when it comes to people I don't know. Does that make sense to you?"

He nodded stonily and she continued.

"I am, however, going to do my best to try to be nice, all right? Christine and my mother both see something special in you and they generally have decent judgment."

"Thank you?" Erik said uncertainly.

"Hey," Christine's light voice greeted them. Erik spun in his seat, relief surging through his body.

"Hi," he answered, trying to sound sane.

"You look pale," she observed, sitting next to him and reaching up to feel his forehead under the hood. "Are you feeling all right?"

"I've been…better," he mumbled. "Too many people out here…you know, I never thought of myself as claustrophobic before."

Meg snickered until Christine lashed out and kicked her under the table.

"Erik, you just haven't had time to adjust to the...crowds yet," she soothed. "Here, have some fries. Take a breath. Pretend they aren't here."

"Easy for you to say," he mumbled, selecting a french fry from the styrofoam tray she had set in front of herself. "You're used to this sort of thing."

"And so will you be, if you want to," she replied, squeezing his hand.

"Was that English?" Meg asked cheerfully, brushing her hair back so she could better attack her salad.

"It was Chrissy-lingo," Christine answered lightly. "Haven't you learned Chrissy-lingo yet?"

"Do they offer a course in that?" Meg wondered. "You know, to replace the French thing we've been so hopelessly suffering through for weeks."

"We could take it up with the school board."

Erik listened to this off-hand banter, both amused and amazed at how both girls bounced off each other without thinking. Not having any friends of his own before Christine, he'd never experienced the witty repartee that they seemed so into. It was interesting, to say the least.

"So are we doing a movie tomorrow night?" Christine asked, dipping a fry into ranch and stuffing it into her mouth.

"Tomorrow's Friday," Meg replied.

"Yes. Hence my movie option." The brunette's lips quirked upwards.

"Well…there's a game tomorrow night," Meg said, suddenly hesitant. Christine's warm expression froze instantly.

"The football game?"

Erik lifted his eyebrows, turning his eyes from the angered young woman. Meg shifted in her seat, discomforted.

"I sort of…toldRaoulthatI'dgo," she said in a rush. Erik tried not to smile at the adorably-disgruntled little sound Christine made. Reaching for her hand, he carefully drew his thumb across her warm skin.

Though slightly placated by his movements, Christine's face continued to betray her emotion. "You would rather go watch that…that…Raoul prance around a field than go to the movies with your best friend?" she sputtered.

"Oh, please," Meg shot back. "You'd be inviting him along anyway, so it isn't like I'm leaving you completely alone!"

Erik's tolerant smile faded. Christine's mouth tightened further.

"Getting dangerously close to that line, Meg," she warned. "Tread softly."

The blond closed her mouth on her next retort. When she opened it again, it was to apologize. "Sorry, Erik, I didn't mean to sound so…"

"Rude?" he suggested, trying to smile and shrug it off.

"I was going to make hearty use of another adjective, but okay." She smiled at him, then reached for Christine's other hand, stilling its progress toward a fry. "Look, I am sorry, Christine. But I promised him I'd go and I don't go back on my promises."

Christine bit her lip. "Meg…"

Erik, feeling a sudden burst of sympathy, squeezed Christine's hand. "Let her go, Mommy, please?"

Christine tore her eyes from the fry she'd been gawking at long enough to smirk. "Did you just call me Mommy?"

"Oh, like it's new," Meg mocked. Christine kicked her again, grinning.

"All right, fine," she said grudgingly. "Go ahead. Watch the…god run around with his idiot football team. I'll just find something else to do with my semi-valuable time."

Meg smiled back, clearly relieved. "Thanks, Chrissy."

The brunette slumped in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine, whatever. I'll just sit at home…maybe I'll engage your mother in a rousing game of Monopoly."

"You most certainly will not," Erik told her indignantly.

"Why not? I'm sure Mrs. Giry could use a game night or two, she's been looking stressed lately…"

"But…you could be with me—"

"Making out?" Meg teased. "Groping shamelessly under the covers?"

This time it was Erik who kicked her, blushing mightily under his shadow.

"I was going to say hanging out."

"Of course you were." Meg lifted her eyebrows wryly, reaching down to rub her ankle. "That kind of hurt, by the way."

"Well, you deserved it…," he muttered.

Christine's pout lessened ever so slightly at this, which depressed Erik a bit; he'd been looking forward to kissing the expression off her face. However, when she looked over at him with a sly little grin, he couldn't help but smile back.

"So…tomorrow evening," he said conversationally. "A movie? Some chess, perhaps?"

"Or we could skip straight to the snuggling," she replied with another flirtatious grin, lightly knocking her knee against his. Meg pulled a face.

"And I put up with the googly eyes…why?"

"You live through me, don't deny it," Christine teased. "Vicariously, I might add."

"You do vicarious things?" Meg laughed. "Why, Christine, I never knew…"

"Hey, Meg," a new voice said coolly. All three teens turned to see Raoul and two of his football buddies standing over them. Erik instinctively tightened up, his fingers crushing around Christine's. She winced.

"Erik…" Does this boy never quit? I told him no, for God's sake!

"Howdy, Shadow-man," one of the nameless greeted him. The other elbowed Raoul.

"Would you look at that? The Dark One's breaking your girl's hand, R. Are you gonna stand for that?"

Something crossed Meg's face even as Raoul answered calmly, "She's not my girl, man. It isn't my business. That said…are you guys going to swing by tomorrow night?"

"I think I already answered that one," Christine replied frostily. His face fell slightly, some of his haughty bravado dripping away.

"But…"

"No, Raoul," she repeated. "Did it get through to you yet? How about if I say it in another language? Non. How's that?"

"Christine," Erik murmured. "Let's just go."

"Yeah, I agree," she snapped. "We should get out of here."

He smiled gently. "No, that's not what I meant. Let's go to the game."

For a moment, there was silence—or as much silence as a party can achieve in a high school cafeteria. An utterly disbelieving look spread across Christine's face.

"Are you serious?" she stammered. "You…would willingly go…to a football game?"

He shrugged, trying not to look as though he was signing his own death certificate. "Sure. Somebody has to keep Meg from giving in to lust and lunging out onto the field, right?"

The blond looked up in surprise, then laughed outright. "Damn, Chrissy, I'm beginning to like this guy."

Christine sighed, smiling ever so slightly.
"I think I've successfully socialized him," she muttered regretfully.

A/N: Yes! I live! I have not been completely overtaken by this horrific writer's block! –sob- It is a miracle! …all kidding aside here, though folks, I'm sorry for both the delay and the slight choppiness to this chapter. You have no idea how long it took me…-shudders- The horror! The horror! –ahem- Anyway.

Review Replies:

Amanda: Glad you're enjoying it.

Mjwannabe- Woah, a seizure? Can't have that, can we? Oh, and thanks for the advice, it's really interesting. I've never heard that before.

hobbit-love- I'm sorry about the rut too. –tries fruitlessly to climb out of hole-

anonomous18- Ack, threats!

LittleLottie05- You know, they're working on a patch for this story. You may want to look into investing. Until then…have another dosage! –grins-

Dark-Autumn- And now I feel a bit bad for all I'm doing to Raoul…-sigh- Oh well. Price for fopiness, I guess.

Neon-signs-at-2AM- Woah, hey, what have I said about dying?

Lady Pheonix1- I'm glad she didn't seem snobby. That would have been bad.

Awoman- Aww, I'm so sorry. –hugs- Want some chocolate?

little wind- Darn those guys and their inability to understand rejection! –pause- Wait, do I have any guy reviewers that I'm inadvertently dissing?

babymene17- Don't we all? –sigh-

IceRi- Ah, thanks. I'll try to keep that in mind.

That's all for now, guys, I'm sorry for all those that I missed. I'm just really sleepy and I'd like to get this posted tonight. –smiles- Good night, all, I'll be back again soon.