HELLO EVERYONE..I AM SO SORRY THAT IT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG TIME SINCE I UPDATED THIS STORY.. I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH ALOT OF CHANGES LATELY ONE OF THEM BEING COLLEGE! THATS RIGHT FOLKS I AM NOW A FRESHMAN ENGLISH MAJOR/THEATRE ARTS MINOR AT COLLEGE..WOOHOO. ANYWAY, YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO HEAR MY LAME EXCUSES..AGAIN I AM SORRY.

I WOULD APPRECIATE REVIEWS SOO MUCH! I DONT REALLY LIKE THIS CHAPTER TOO MUCH, SO FEEL FREE TO COMMENT NEGATIVELY ON IT, I WILL NOT TAKE OFFENSE. BUT I PROMISE MORE EXCITING AND ACTION PACKED CHAPTERS ARE IN THE MAKINGS! ANYWAY..THATS IT..THANKS EVERYONE :-D

I could faintly hear Mrs. Giry's voice calling to me, as if she were miles away.

Slowly, I swam up from the bottom of a black sleep. I opened my eyes.

It was very dark in my room. Can it really be morning? What day is it anyway?

I slid out reluctantly from the warm haven that my bed provides and stumbled, disoriented, upstairs to look out the window.

A heavy rain fell from the cloudless, dark sky and everything looked gray and dreary. I smiled a little. I like rain. It makes me think of fresh beginnings and the past being washed away. I stared out the window and thought of my own fresh beginning here in this new city.

Suddenly, the events of last night came rushing back to me with such magnitude that, when I closed my eyes, I saw those mysterious golden eyes looking back at me. If only I could see the face that they belong to. I kept my eyes closed and stared into the frightening golden orbs. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that someone...something was indeed watching me last night. I remember those eyes so vividly.

A cold hand grasped my shoulder. I screamed and whirled around, nearly knocking Meg over in the process. Meg. It was only Meg, with a shocked expression on her face. My scream turned into a groan.

"Gosh, Christine! Good morning to you too!", she narrowed her eyes, "why are you so jumpy?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing," I said airily, trying to look nonchalant, hoping she would drop it. I walked back downstairs and as the darkness of my room claimed me, I did feel scared.

Here, in the darkness, those golden eyes scared me. I felt like they were still watching me.

"Oh, Christine", an unfamiliar voice whispered in my mind. Or was it just in my mind? "Christine, Christine, Christine..."

All I could hear was my name being whispered over and over. Then the voice sighed. The despairing sigh echoed around to every corner and crevice of my mind, until it was all I could hear. I could almost feel the breath on the back of my neck...

"Stop it!", I shouted, and ran to turn on the light. I was alone and my room was exactly how I had left it.

The normalcy of my room seemed to mock me for being so childish. I laughed aloud, not really finding this funny, but trying to clear my mind of the resonating whispers.

I put my hand to my forehead. "I fear for my sanity," I muttered, pulling on a green, figured skirt, a short sleeved white blouse, and my long black raincoat. I also straightened my hair again. I grabbed my bag and turned off the light.

I ran very fast up the stairs, as if some monster was chasing me, trying to pull me back into the darkness of my room.

3 HOURS LATER...

I was idly sitting in my biology class, my physical body obviously there, but my mind was in another place.

The Demarkho estate to be exact.

I was absent mindedly doodling on my notebook and when my mind came back into focus after a particularly loud cough from the person behind me, I realized that I had drawn a pair of eyes.

I am going to go back to that place today, perhaps it won't seem so sinister in broad daylight. But why does the thought of Erik affect me so deeply? I feel like we are connected somehow, by something. I thought about him. I'll bet he really is a murderer, and he still resides at the manor, a creature of the night, wallowing in hatred and bitterness. A despairing solace with only his distorted reflection and his music to keep him company. Monstrous and alone.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes, reproaching myself for turning this real life horror story into another one of my fantasy tales. Of course Erik can't still be alive at the mansion, after 3 whole years of vanishing completely from society. He shouldn't be blamed for those murders either, because no one knows for sure what happened.

But a nagging thought crept into my mind. Maybe I am closer to the truth than I think?

I sighed and stood up as the bell rang.

I did not know what to think.

ummmm..this is intermission..(does dance) shut up, you loved it...now back to the story.

As I sat in my 6th period study hall, I tried to fit in with the conversation going on behind me. A voice inside my head, which sounded oddly like Meg's, kept telling me that I needed to break out of my shell and make new friends here.

I smiled when I heard the topic of their conversation. Tacos. Finally, something I can relate to, instead of the usual backbiting and vicious rumor spreading that goes on in this school.

I greatly enjoy food, so I turned around and smiled. Their conversation stopped.

"What? You like tacos or something?", Carmelita asked with a sneer, and her posse started snickering.

I noticed the girl sitting next to me was almost in tears.

Am I missing something? Since when are tacos such a controversial topic?

Feeling very uncool, I nervously stammered, "Well y-yea. I love tacos...", they stared at me, "I like mine with sour cream," I finished lamely.

They burst out laughing.
"Hey Nikki!" Carmelita jostled the girl sitting next to me, "the new girl is in love with you! this is your lucky day, huh?"

it dawned on me that Nikki was Hispanic and then everything clicked. Taco is a mean slang word for a person of mixed ethnicity.

I just made it worse for her and I made an idiot of myself at that. I turned around quickly, their laughter ringing in my ears.

God, I hate this school. They all call Erik a monster, well they are monsters too! It would be so great to put every one of them in their place someday..

attention please!", the room slowly started quieting down, "we have a special new student at Meadow Valley High today , Raoul Chagney, who just moved with his family from France! His father is the new mayor of the city."

My breath caught in my chest. Surely this has to be the same dear Raoul who fetched my scarf from the ocean so many years ago?

As if on cue, the door opened and my questions were confirmed. Though it has been 8 years since I have seen him, I always remember that boyish face. His face has matured, sure, but I can still see a hint of the boy he once was.

My childhood sweetheart.

My mouth was hanging open at the sheer wonder of seeing him again so suddenly and unexpectedly. But then again, I was not out of place with my mouth hanging open.

Every other girl in the room mirrored my expression, though for a different reason than mine. As I studied his appearance, I realized that he had evolved from gawky yet cute little boy to incredibly handsome young man quite significantly.

He had golden, honey colored hair that fell elegantly across his forehead and in all the right places. High cheekbones and long lashes that framed startlingly blue eyes were the picture of perfection.

If I lived in the old days, I would say he has a noble brow..

But even now in modern days, he did have a regal look about him, as if he were nobility of some sort. I never did know much about his family. His face was absolutely perfect. Not one single flaw.

I turned my face a little so that I could see Carmelita. Even she looked impressed by his incredibly good looks.

But then her face changed to a look of fierce determination. She saw a goal in front of her and she intended to get him no matter what. Being the most popular and powerful girl in school didn't hurt her either.

I turned back to look at Raoul. He was in the middle of a conversation with the teacher.

I smiled affectionately. He used to be such a beloved friend.

I stared at him, willing him to look at me. Finally, he did glance around the room but his gaze did not even fall on me! I guess it is quite plausible that he does not recognize me, I have changed in appearance alot.

For one, I'm not as happy as I used to be.

Once I get up the courage to talk to him and tell him my name, the memories of our childhood will come rushing back to him, I am sure of it. Raoul nodded at something the teacher said, and then turned around and left the room without a backward glance.

I sighed.

So did every other girl in the class.

LAST PERIOD

I need to stop thinking about the Demarkhos.

Its so creepy, and it gives me cold chills. In spite of my becoming freezing cold at the mere thought of the Demarkho mansion, my resolution to visit the dreaded place after school still stood firm.

I suppose my curiosity outweighs my fear. I started to pull my jacket from my locker when I heard footsteps behind me.

Wondering who else was roaming the halls during class, I casually looked around.

And froze. It was Raoul.

Blood immediately began flooding to my cheeks, and I suddenly became incredibly interested in the floor. It occurred to me how stupid I must look, standing in an empty hallway, staring at the floor.

I nervously dragged my gaze up to look at him. He made eye contact with me, but then his face got a strange look about it. It was like a mixture of recognition and..and what was that? It almost looked like guilt!

But as soon as that thought registered, his expression snapped back to normal.

What was that all about? Why would he look fearful or guilty to see me? So, does that mean that he does recognize me after all? Then again, the expression was so fleeting that perhaps I only imagined it.

These puzzling thoughts raced through my mind in about a second. He kept walking a few more steps, but at the last minute he turned his face to look at me again. My heart skipped a beat as the corners of his mouth turned upwards.

When he smiled, the heavens opened. A small smile perhaps, but still, the fact remains...he smiled at me!

Suddenly, I wasn't cold anymore.

Actually, I felt quite warm.

OK EVERYONE WHO READ THIS...WELL THANKS FOR READING MY STORY..IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET SOME FEEDBACK..I KNOW THIS CHAPTER WAS A BIT BORING, BUT ITS GOING TO PICK UP, I PROMISE. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU, AND I WILL BE UPDATING SOON!