Lol, someone pointed out about Professor Webber - No, it wasn't a non-too-subtle hint at Andrew Lloyd Webber. Actually, I didn't even make that connection until it was pointed out to me! I was supposed to be doing my Media homework when I was writing and my media teacher is Mr Webber. Lol, and thanks again for the reviews. Unfortunately school is open again on Monday but I swear that I will keep writing! I just won't be able to update as often as I have over the last couple of days, unfortunately. But please keep reviewing! I love reviews so much, and everyone is nice.

Chapter 11

The next morning I was a bag of nerves. I paced the music room impatiently. Erik watched me from the window.

"Christine, calm down."

"I can't."

"You could try."

"Can't."

The intercom buzzed. I went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Christine? It's Meg. Can I come in?"

"Oh, sure." I pressed the entry button and the gates started to open. A few moments later she knocked on the door.

"Just wanted to see how you were. And tell you it's one heck of a walk up here."

"You walked here? You're nuts." I told her. Erik emerged from the music room, his mask in place.

"Miss Giry." He said, bowing slightly. Meg smiled.

"It's just Meg. What time does Raoul get here?" She asked.

"12. I'm meeting him at my house in a coupe of hours." I replied.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come?" Erik asked concernedly. I gave him a wry smile.

"I don't think Raoul would appreciate it and I'm aiming to keep the bloodshed at a minimum. Meg, do you want tea?"

"Sure. God, this house is incredible." She said, gazing around. Erik smiled.

"It serves its purpose."

"And it's definitely not haunted?"

"I have yet to see any apparitions. If I do see one I shall tell you. I'm sure the whole town is convinced it is haunted anyway."

"Oh, they are. In fact, half of them don't even know who lives here."

"Well, I didn't when I arrived. Erik had already given me the job before he gave me his name." I said as we moved downstairs into the kitchen.

To my relief Erik and Meg seemed to be getting along quite well. I was worried that Meg would have reservations after our conversation but she was friendly and Erik was as gracious as ever. Erik made tea whilst I cut a slice of home made cake.

"How was your Dad?" Meg asked. I shook my head.

"Not great. But he really thinks that being in hospital is going to help him, so at least he's not complaining about it."

"When can you see him again?"

"Tuesday, hopefully."

Meg sipped her tea and then asked,

"Does he know about… you two?" Erik and I exchanged a glance and I shook my head.

"No. He's still in a pretty bad condition. We're trying to get him to relax and I doubt this would help with that. He knows I'm living here for the time being though." I told her. We sat around the kitchen table.

Those two gave me the push I needed. For a short while I managed to forget entirely about Raoul and what I was going to have to do.

As Meg and I prepared to leave, Erik said,

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine. Do we need anything from town?"

"I don't think so. Be careful." He said, genuine concern in his voice. I smiled and put my arms around him.

"I will be. I promise."

He kissed me gently and smiled.

"Good luck."

"I think I'm going to need it. Love you."

"I love you." He whispered. I saw Meg smile and said,

"Come on. Let's get this over with."

I met Raoul in the drive leading to my house. He smiled and followed me into the living room where he reached for me and kissed me. I pulled back sharply and he frowned. Then he said,

"How's your Dad?"

"Not great. He's staying in hospital for a while." He looked around and said,

"Have you not been here much? It's a little dusty."

"I've been staying at the Manor." I replied.

His face fell and he decided to get straight to the point.

"Christine, we need to talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about." I said. He looked at me blankly.

"What do you mean? Christine, I know things have been tough but if we're going to work this out then we need to-"

"Raoul, wait. Just… listen to me."

He fell silent. His face became carefully blank and I think he knew what I was going to say.

"Raoul, it's over. I… I'm sorry."

"What do you mean it's over? Give me a reason why." He said, half angrily, half distraught. We were standing at opposite sides of the room and I was glad at that moment.

"I'm seeing someone else." I said slowly. Raoul gaped at me.

"Who? When?" And then his face distorted into anger. "Wait, don't tell me. Erik Lavonne, right?"

I nodded. Raoul stared at me.

"When? How long have you been…?"

"…Since Sunday." I whispered. Raoul started to laugh mirthlessly.

"Really. So it's really a case of when the cat's away…"

"Raoul, it's not like that. Erik and I… I love him. And he loves me."

"He doesn't love you, Christine!" Raoul shouted. He crossed the room and seized me by the shoulders. "He is a lonely man who has taken a sick, twisted interest in his young, attractive employee. This won't last!"

"You don't know what you're talking about! We're in love, Raoul. Even Meg can see it!"

"Meg knows about this?"

Oops.

"Raoul, stop being so dramatic and-"

"What am I supposed to stop being dramatic about? The fact that my girlfriend of over two years is sleeping with a man ten years older than her?"

"We're not sleeping together! And the age doesn't matter!" I half-shouted. Raoul turned away, crying out in anger.

"For god's sake, Christine! You're my girlfriend! What happened?"

"Raoul, just give it up. It's over. I'm in love with Erik and I'm not leaving him." I told him fiercely.

Raoul turned on me again and shouted,

"This is sick. Does your father know about this?"

"No, and you're not going to tell him! I'm going to when he's out of hospital." I said angrily.

"Christine, what is wrong with you? Open your bloody eyes! He is using you! As soon as he gets what he wants he's going to drop you faster than you can think."

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Well forget it. Don't come crawling back to me when this doesn't work!"

I snapped. I looked at him coldly and spat,

"Get over yourself, Raoul. You're just a spoilt little boy who can't handle the fact that things aren't going the way you wanted them to. Erik and I have something that I never had for you, purely because you think love is memorising a few facts and acting like a jealous idiot."

"And apparently I had good reason to act like that." He pointed out. I rolled my eyes.

"My god, Raoul… you know what? I don't need to explain myself to you. I'm happier then I have been for my entire life. I'm not giving it up for anything. That's all I have to say and now I'm leaving."

I pushed past to the door. Raoul's hand seized my shoulder and spun me round. He looked at me, his face angry. I looked back calmly.

"Don't do this, Christine." He said in a low, dangerous voice. I didn't change my expression. I merely replied,

"I think I just did. Goodbye Raoul."

And with that I walked out. Raoul followed me. I locked the door and walked down the path to my bike. Raoul stood beside me and said,

"You're making a huge mistake Christine."

"And yet somehow I'm managing to live with it." I replied lightly, revving the bike. Raoul stepped back as he pressed down and shot off up the road.

Erik was standing outside the front door as I climbed off my bike. He looked at me and said,

"I take it that it didn't go well?" I said some extremely rude things about Raoul, storming into the house. I could have sworn that I saw a smile pass on Erik's lips before he said,

"I'll take that as a yes, shall I?"

"He was such a… a…"

"I think you might have used your vocabulary up when you came in." He said with a smirk. I looked up at him as I removed my leather jacket.

"I didn't want to end it like that. But I really shouldn't have expected anything less."

"What did he say?" Erik said, catching my hand. I couldn't look at him. I was too ashamed.

"Things you wouldn't want to hear." I said quietly.

Erik stared down at for a moment and then turned away.

"I can guess." He said quietly.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about, Erik. I don't care about anything that he said." I promised. Erik still had his back to me. I walked around him and looked up into his face. I placed a hand on his cheek and said quietly,

"I don't need anyone except you."

"What can I give you, Christine? Whatever he said was probably right. What reason do you have to stay?" Erik asked quietly. His face was expressionless but his eyes were filled with hurt. I took the mask from his face. His forehead wrinkled as he frowned.

"You don't have to give me anything except you. I don't want anything else. The reason I stay is because of you. And if you don't get that through your head I'm going to take this mask and beat you over the head with it until you do."

That provoked a smile. I handed him the mask and he put it back on. I took his hand.

"Come on. Let's do something."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Anything. I don't mind what. Something that we can do together." I said. He smiled.

"Very well. The music room?"

"Come on." I said, pulling him towards the room.