Wow! I am finally updating! So sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I had HUGE writers block, I seriously could not think of a thing to write... But I finally got something, well obviously.

Chapter 18

We all sat at Erik's table and enjoyed my meal, which was bread with cheese and green salad. During the time of the meal, nobody said a word. Evelyn looked up from time to time at me then at Erik, but I just keep my eyes on my food; I didn't want any contact with her.

Finally trying to make conversation, Evelyn said, "So Emma, how did you get to live here?"

I didn't reply; I just kept looking at my plate.

"Now that is rude Emma. You must reply when someone speaks to you," Erik told me.

I put my fork down, folded my hands and looked at Evelyn. "Well, you see, I was lost and Erik found me. He has raised me since I was five."

"Oh, I see," Evelyn said. "And who are your parents? Where are they now?"

"You ask far too many questions for my tastes," I replied before getting up and leaving the table.

"You have not been excused, Emma!" Erik roared.

"I can excuse myself!" I yelled back. "You are not my father!"

Erik glared at me with his eyes gleaming, but did not say anything. Tearing his gaze from me, he said, "No, I guess you are right. But you still need to show some respect to our guest."

"If you would please excuse me, Evelyn, I am going to my bed now," I said, trying my hardest to sound sincere. After Evelyn gave a slight nod of her head, I turned on my heel and stalked towards my bedroom.

"I do apologize for her, she can be a bit … sarcastic and rude at times, but she means well," Erik whispered to Evelyn, once I was safely out of hearing distance in my room.

"I know adolescents can be hard at times, Erik, do not apologize," Evelyn coaxed as she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, they certainly can be," Erik agreed.

As Erik and Evelyn were talking, I was secretly listening in my room. He thought that I was hard to live with? What about him? Always moping around feeling sorry for himself and living underground and hating my father, and the list just goes on! Inside me, I could feel the anger began to swell and expand by every second

All I wanted to do was go out there and yell in their faces and say how could you think that I was impossible to live with?

'No,' I thought as I turned my back on them, 'if you do that, then you would just be proving them right.'

I stalked over to my bed and got underneath the covers. I could feel the brims of my eyes begin to fill with hot tears, but I struggled to keep them from falling. Turning on my side, my mind began to think about a lot of things. What will I say to him tomorrow? What does he think of me? Why am I living down here? On this last thought, I pondered a little more on. Why am I living down here? I hold no obligation to him to stay here!

Shaking my head, I tried desperately to clear my mind of these horrible thoughts, but to avail. They still burned hot in my head and they would not leave. Erik had Evelyn, he did not need me anymore. Now he had another human being to care for him and keep him company, I was no longer of any use.

Quietly, I rose out of my bed and tip-toed over to my doorway to see if Erik and Evelyn were still awake. Since I could not see or hear them, I figured that they were indeed asleep.

Continuing to tip-toe, I walked over to the gondola and got inside. Remembering something, I got back out of the gondola and made my way to Erik's workplace and got a sheet of paper. At least I am telling him why I left; I still have that much respect for him. Picking up the quill, I began to ponder on what to write, how should I put what I want to say.

Then the sentences began to form in my head and I wrote them down as quickly as I could. Rereading what I put, I nodded my head in satisfaction of the letter and placed it on the organ, where I knew Erik would find it.

Taking one last look around the place that I once called my home, I hung my head and turned once more towards the gondola. Once I had gotten into the boat, I reached my hand over to get the pole, and gratefully grabbed it so my hands would stop shaking.As I rowed the boat underneath the gate, I took one more look at Erik's home, lathered in gold and holding so many memories. It was hard to turn myself away from it all, but I knew that I could not stay; I was not needed. With my face set in concentration, I continued once more down the waterways.

As I rowed, I passed many spots that held more memories for me to think back on. The place where I saw my father for the first time in ten years, the entire place was where I had met Erik fro the first time and asked him so many questions. I hung my head as the tears began to flow down my face. Angrily, I swiped them all away and pushed the memories out of my head.

'I will not give in to this,' I thought as I tried to row harder. All I wanted was to be out of this place, away from the memories, away from Erik, away from his music, everything. Finally I got to the bank and nearly tripped over the boat for I was trying to go so fast. Running the entire way, I eventually got to the main doors. Right when I got outside, I had to abruptly stop for there was construction everywhere.

I kicked my foot in the air. How could I forget not to go this way because of the construction? Hurriedly I looked around me to make sure that no one was working. Once sure that there was nobody, I took a huge sigh of relief and worked my way through all the construction, getting farther and farther away from Erik and his home.

Sorry that this chapter is sort've short, but at least it's something, right? Well, hope you enjoyed it now REVIEW!