Chapter 21

It took a week for me to work up the nerve to go and see Dad. Yes, that long. Hey, my father could be an extremely scary man at times. And this time I let Erik come with me.

"You'd better wait outside. I'll tell him and then I'll get you if I need backup." I told him as we drove to the hospital. I started to chew a nail nervously, watching the land pass by through the car window. Erik noticed and took my hand.

"Calm down."

"I'm perfectly calm, thank you." I said haughtily, chewing my nail again.

By the time I stood outside the ward my nail had become a mangled mess. I frowned at it and then took a deep breath, pushing the door open. Dad was sat with Joseph Buqet at the table, playing chess. He got to his feet when he saw me.

"Christine! Thank god, I've been trying to call you…" he started to hug me and I sort of hugged back, but rather restrainedly. I sat down with Dad at the table and said hello to Joseph Buqet. Dad took my hand.

"Christine, I want you to know that I was only doing what I thought was right… I know you're upset with but isn't it better that you and he have all this out in the open and you can both move on-"

"Dad, I didn't break up with Erik."

He fell silent and looked at me blankly.

"What? But… I thought…"

"Erik and I spoke about everything, got everything out in the open and we still want to be together. Dad, we love each other. And I know that you think that it isn't enough but it is. And you can shout and rage all you want, because it's not going to make a difference." I said, rushing to get everything out. Dad stared at me and then closed his eyes.

"Christine, why are you doing this? Why can't you see that this isn't going to work, that you're throwing your life away?"

"Dad, I'm nineteen. I'm not a child. I can make my own choices. And I chose Erik."

"I suppose he's hiding away now, that's he not actually come with you to explain himself?" Dad said in a furious voice. I glared at him.

"Actually he's waiting outside. I'll go and get him."

I stood and walked across the room. Several of the other patients stared at me. I suppose we had been making quite a bit of noise. I looked outside. Erik was standing there, looking awkward.

"Does he want to see me?"

"Yeah. But not in the good welcome-to-the-family kind of way." I warned. I held out my hand and he took it. When he entered the ward, Dad was on his feet, looking down at us. I looked up at Erik and he gave me a small, but reassuring smile.

"Mr Daae." He said, offering his free hand. Dad didn't take it, giving him a stonily cold look. Erik withdrew his hand and I squeezed the one in my grasp.

"Dad, come on. Why are you being so awkward about this? Why can't you just be happy for us? For me?" I asked.

I'd never seen someone erupt like Dad then. He slammed a fist onto the table, causing everyone to jump.

"What am I supposed to be happy about Christine? The fact that my only daughter, who is still a teenager is sleeping with a men nearly a decade older than her? The fact that I directly expressed that I wanted him to end this joke you call a relationship and you're still together?"

"Dad-" I tried to interrupt but he continued to shout.

"And you, Erik Lavonne, disgust me! My teenage daughter comes to work with you and in a matter of months you're sleeping with her? The only reason that you're even interested in her is because she's so soft-hearted, even when she saw what was under that mask!"

"Dad, stop it!" I shouted, my blood running cold. I actually couldn't believe what he was saying! How could he…?

Erik's grip had tightened, almost painfully on my hand. I stared at my father, who had gone red in the face. The rest of the patients were staring at us. Dad looked at me.

"Make a choice, Christine. Either you stop seeing this… this man or you pack your things and leave. Because I will not have you in my house if you continue with this ridiculous charade!"

I stared at him. For some time no one spoke. And then I said, in a voice so quiet that I could barely hear it,

"I'll pack my things." And then I turned to walk out, Erik beside me. The only sound was our footsteps but when we reached the door I paused and looked back at my father. He was staring at me in disbelief. I bit my lip and said quietly,

"I wish Mum were here. She'd understand."

And then I left.

As we drove back to the Manor I stared out of the window. I felt completely numb. Erik asked quietly.

"Are you alright?" I nodded dumbly and then fell into a sobbing wreck. Erik pulled the car over and reached for me, holding me tightly. I blubbered into his shoulder.

"He… he…" I spluttered but Erik shushed me, letting me cry.

After a while he moved back, smoothing my hair away from my face.

"He'll come around, Christine. Once he understands that we really do love each other, he'll accept it."

"You think so?" I asked.

"I do. Come on. Let's go and get your things."

I packed my stuff into bags and boxes and Erik loaded them into the car. I looked around my bare room and closed my eyes.

"I can't believe this is happening…" I said quietly. Erik put his arms around me and just held me for a while. Eventually I said,

"I left a couple of things over at Meg's. Why don't you head back and I'll drive over there?"

"Alright." He kissed me and went out. I took out my keys and went to the kitchen. I removed the house key from the bunch and laid it on the surface. Then I made sure everything was locked up before leaving.

Erik had driven off and I walked down to the curb, where my bike was parked. As I pulled on my helmet, I heard someone approach. I looked over and saw Raoul. He hesitated and then frowned.

"Are you OK? You… you like you've been crying."

I couldn't bring myself to glare at him, or say something nasty. I was too tired, plus all my angry energy was currently directed at my father. I shook my head.

"No, I'm not OK."

"What happened?" he asked, looking concerned. I looked down at the helmet in my hands.

"Dad… Dad's thrown me out. Because I won't leave Erik."

"He did what? But… but…" Raoul spluttered. I shrugged, trying to look as if I didn't care that much.

"We went to see him at the hospital and he said I either leave Erik or I'm not allowed to live here. Erik's just gone back to the Manor, with my stuff. But I left some of it at Meg's. I'm going to head over and get my things. Then I'm going up to Erik's."

Raoul looked at me silently and then said,

"I'm sorry."

"I just… I can't believe that Dad would-"

"Not about that. About what I did to… to Erik. At the Masquerade Ball. I didn't realise that he was… that way. Underneath the mask."

I eyed him. He genuinely did look sorry, even ashamed. I offered a tiny smile.

"Thanks. It means a lot that you can say that to me. And I meant what I said. I do want us to be friends." He smiled back at me and I started to pull on my helmet. He waved goodbye as I sped down the street.

It felt kinda good, to know that now there was only one person who was furious at me.

I was back at college two days later. Erik seemed to find it very amusing that I couldn't find my notebook anywhere and practically tore the room apart in my search to find it. Then he pointed at the dresser, where I had been using it as a coffee mat. After a quick kiss and I darted outside to the motorbike and zoomed off.

When I arrived in the lecture room, it was already quite full. I breathed a sigh of relief that the professor hadn't arrived yet and sank into my seat. It was then that I noticed the stares. I rolled my eyes.

"Look, I'm not THAT late!" Becca tapped my arm and I looked around at her.

"Was that guy you were kissing the other day him? The guy from the Manor?"

A dopey smile crossed my face before I could deny or confirm anything and she squealed.

"Oh my god! It is!"

"Was he the same guy at the masquerade ball?"

"I didn't see him up close but someone said he was deformed." I looked angrily at the girl who had said this. Everyone fell silent.

"Who told you he was deformed?"

"I… lots of people were…"

"I saw what happened that night. I was there." Amy said. She smiled at me. "I think it was great, what you did. Raoul was such a jerk. You really love him, don't you? The guy from the manor, I mean?"

"His name is Erik. And… yes. I do love him." I said quietly.

The girls all went 'awww', as I expected they would. I looked down at my notebook, opening it.

"Anyway, Raoul and I have settled our differences."

"So, do you live with Erik now?" Someone asked. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"…Yes. I do."

"Boy, don't sound TOO happy about it." Some laughed. I opened my eyes and swallowed.

"My… my dad threw me out. When I told him that I wasn't going to leave Erik."

Guilty silence. I shook my head.

"It doesn't matter. He'll come around. He's just having trouble dealing with it."

"So, what does he do? Erik, I mean. He's got to be pretty well off to be able to afford somewhere like the Manor." James asked.

"He's a musician. He used to write Operas. He also teaches me to sing."

"You used to sing all the time, up until we came to college." Amy said. I nodded.

"I gave up for a while. But he helped me to sing again. He's an incredible musician, really amazing."

Professor Oldfield came in, looking flustered.

"Excuse my lateness. A meeting overran. Let's pick up where we left off last time, please."

As usual, after class I met with Meg for a coffee. She grinned.

"How's it going?"

"Pretty good. Except for the fact that I was nearly late for class. But hey, the teacher was even later than I was, so that was OK. How're you?"

"Exhausted. Training was really harsh today. Hey, did you hear that the college is going to put on a showcase? You know, one of those musical talent things. You should audition!"

"It's probably just for the drama students."

"Nope, this is for everyone." Meg insisted. I shrugged.

"Maybe…"

"No, you have to. I already signed you up."

"Meg!"

She smiled sweetly at my outrage.

"You're welcome. Another coffee?"

"Meg, what if I said that I don't want to be in the musical?"

"You'd be lying. You always want to be in plays and shows. You just need a little push. Your audition time is at 3:45 on Friday, you'll need a song prepared. Hey, look, doughnuts!"

She bounded up to the counter, leaving me sat at our table, staring in disbelief.

When I eventually got back to the Manor I was in an extremely bad mood. At Meg, at the musical, at the fact that I actually had an audition and at the fact that I only had two days to find and practice a song. I dumped my bag in the entrance hall and threw myself into a chair in the library, muttering extremely unsanitary words under my breath. Erik didn't look up from his book but said casually,

"Bad day?"

"Meg signed me up to audition for the college showcase! I swear, I'm actually going to kill her. I'm going to go to her house right now and murder her."

"I would have thought that you'd enjoy being in a showcase."

"I would! But the audition is the day after tomorrow and I have to have a song prepared for it."

Erik stood and put his book back on the shelf. I watched him silently. Erik looked at me.

"You'll be fine."

"But…"

"But what?"

"But… I haven't sung in public since Mum died. I haven't sung for anyone other than you and Dad. What if I can't do it?"

"Christine, how can you possibly believe that? You're a wonderful singer. If you didn't get the main part, I'd be astonished." He said frankly. I smiled wryly.

"Don't you think you're a little bit biased?"

"No. Let me assure you, Christine, if you didn't sing to your full potential I'd let you know, and not gently."

I laughed and he pulled me up out of my seat. We went to the music room and he said,

"Choose any piece of music. That can be your audition piece." I considered, looking at the impressive array of music. Then I smiled and reached for one.

"I couldn't choose anything but this." I told him. Think of Me. Erik nodded and sat down, starting to play. I watched him and said suddenly,

"Will you come with me? To the audition? It'd make me feel better if I knew that you were there."

He looked at me and then nodded.

"If you want me, I will come." I smiled thankfully.

"It means a lot. Although… there are a few people you may want to avoid." He raised an eyebrow.

"Who exactly?"

"Well… everyone in my literature class. Let's do some singing!"

Before Erik could make a comment I had started to warm up. He rolled his eyes and began to play.

A/N: Hmm, a little bit too much drama from Mr Daae? Let's not forget that he's also suffering from depression and recently had a car accident so he'll probably be feeling a little tetchy. Anyway, please leave a review.

Also, thank you to everyone who offered to beta my new project! And especially thank you to La Foamy who is now stuck with the job! also, hey to my good pal GoldenLyre,a fellow member of the EC Shippers United!