I am keeping my promise and am updating for the ten reviews. As some of you miay know I'll be gone for the next week and won't update until next Friday or Saturday. Until then I will give you a fun little cliffie. ;o) So here it is, Chapter Eleven:

An Angel

Dustin had left her books with Señora Fernandez. She had been calling her to tell her that. But Christine didn't care. She went home and sat on the couch with three pints of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a spoon.

She stayed in front of the television watching daytime soap operas all day. When the soaps were over, she watched rerun shows including Bewitched.

At one point, Christine wished that she could wiggle her nose and have her life the way had been five years earlier. Her father would have been alive and he had played for fun and she would sing for him alone.

That was when she decided that she needed fresh air for a while. She took a blanket over her shoulders, whip cream and the ice cream that was left and sat down on the small chair in the balcony.

She watched the northern sky turn from a light pink to an indigo color. Her cell phone rang but she ignored it. She missed her old town, it was so remote that there wasn't the wailing of sirens or the sound of cars zooming by in a rush.

She sighed softly and pressed the whip cream into the ice cream. She ate mercilessly, filling up on ice cream like she had done all day.

She sang softly to herself, hardly above a whisper, "Where there is music, there is life, where there is love, there is no strife, whenever you start to feel alone, just think of me and you won't." Then she cried softly to herself, hugging her legs close to her body.

She had never wanted this, she didn't want to break up with him. She needed him. She had always imagined her life with him. She needed Raoul and she knew that the break up was hard on him too.

There was a knocking on the door, making her look up. "Whatever it is, I'm not buying."

Dustin's clear voice muffled from beyond the door. "Christine? Come on, open up, I need the keys to the car."

Christine sighed and got up from the chair. She took the box the ring had come in and with the keys she opened the door. Dustin had a large smile on and when Christine opened the door, it faded.

He let himself in and hugged Christine. "Oh, toots, have you been crying?"

She sniffled and the words tumbled out before she could stop them. "HesawitheleftmeandtoldmethathewantedmyhappinessandnowIdon'tknowwhattodo."

"Whoa, whoa, one word at a time," Dustin said shutting the door.

"R-Raoul, he saw the magazine and he b-broke up with me," Christine said between sobs.

Dustin took a paper towel from the kitchen and handed it to her. "Here."

"Thanks," Christine said. She began to walk to the balcony where she had left the ice cream and brought it with her to the living room where Dustin sat with her.

She placed her legs up with her and commenced eating ice cream as she had done before.

Dustin didn't pry her for information. He knew her and knew that she would talk when she was ready.

Christine sniffled and placed a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. "He did it because he thought it would make me happy. Do I look happy to you?" She didn't want him to answer. "Did I tell you what happened on Friday?"

Dustin shook his head.

"He would constantly ignore me. So I told him I wanted a break from him. I needed one. And we left it at that. And then I went out with Erik and God-" she started crying again. "I shouldn't have gone out with him. If I had known it would break Raoul and I up-"

Dustin shook his head. "You couldn't have known-"

Christine nodded forcefully. "I did. Even when we had let him go, a part of me wanted to see him again. It always did. I never knew how he would influence me-"

Dustin looked at her. "Christine, you're not making sense."

Christine caught herself and sobbed once more, remembering Brigitte and the way she would look at her. "He's probably sleeping with his new assistant," she wailed.

"What?" Dustin asked. "You're telling me after three and a half years you two still haven't-"

Christine shook her head. "No. But once we were close but we didn't because all I would do was talk! I had wanted things to be so perfect but I just wouldn't shut up!" She cried into her paper towel once more. "He probably went to her to get what I wouldn't give him!"

Dustin shook his head. "Christine, you're being ridiculous."

"I am such a mess." She put her head against the sofa and sniffled. "We weren't like this before, you know? We used to go everywhere together. Two peas in a pod, inseparable." Christine laughed at a memory. "When we were little my father used to own a small house by the sea. One day there was a terrible wind and my scarf had been blown into the sea, he went into the ocean and got it for me. He was soaked from head to toe but he didn't care because he fetched my red scarf. He was so proud of himself."

She looked at Dustin's smiling face.

"That was how we met."

"How cute," he said to her, taking the spoon and digging into the carton of ice cream.

"We used to have picnics in the attic while my father played the violin," Christine sniffled. "He was a famous violinist. He played during Sunday mass and I would sing in the choir. I know that father wanted us to get together." Christine looked at the floor sadly. "Raoul and I were so in love," her voice trailed off, "I don't know what happened. " She was disgusted with herself, she hated sounding so congested.

"Oh, Christine," Dustin said sighing. "There's no reason to dwell on the past. Maybe he did some good by breaking up with you."

Christine shook her head. "What good? I don't see any. Except for Haagen-Dazs, because if I keep this up I will buy out the entire stock."

Dustin smiled sadly. "Maybe now you'll meet someone new. Someone that might change your life for the better. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet someone new. Someone that will make you happier, an angel."

Christine froze with the spoon in her mouth. An Angel. Christine sighed, thinking about Erik. He had been in love with her before. Did he love her still? Would he be there for her now when she needed someone to rely on?

He had done it Saturday night when her car broke down, he hadn't let her down, unlike Raoul. Raoul seemed to be the exact opposite of Erik in every way now that Erik turned his life around. She knew it would be too soon to start anything, but she needed a friend. Dustin alone wasn't enough. Dustin didn't know her as much as Erik did.

She looked at the caricature on the wall in the gold frame. She stood drying her eyes. Raoul's voice seemed to echo in her head. High school romances never last, you know that. Even after what we went through together. She looked at Dustin. There's no reason to dwell on the past.

Taking down the picture she said, "Maybe I do need an Angel."

(Runs from flaming arrows from R/C shippers) before I go into hiding, here's some review responses:
Original Cliche- I haven't heard it but I will soon. But I still don't know what you mean about the rock star thing already being done...
Killer Veggies- I will. (hides)
Silverwind24-I'm glad I didn't loose one of my readers! (phew) Raoul will be back... just not any time soon.
Queen of Perfectionism- I've been wondering where you've been! Thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate them. Thank you for reviewing and reading my little project! lol I'm glad you like my story so far. I'm sure I won't let you down.
Kchan88- Thank you for your review! Raoul didn't want to break up with her but he wanted her happiness and he knew it wasn't with him because they constantly fought.

E/C shippers: Al though it will come with time and stuff, you will not be disappointed with the fluff:o) Okay, I'll be back on Friday (crosses fingers) to update! Thank you all and I hope I do not disappoint you with my little story! Don't forget to review!