Thank you everyone for your reviews and wishing me a great time at the beach. I really appreciate it. So, I'm back! Which means I'll update more often! Yay! Now that I see what chapter you guys are on, it makes everything a little fuzzy. I am just so far ahead and so much has happened that I forget what happens in these chapters. (I know whatI mean.)So I'm going to catch you guys up by giving two chapters! Oh, I can hardly contain my excitement! In case you guys were wondering, I had awonderful time at the beach, thank you!
Disclaimer: Me? Own this? Sorry, I'm not a genius.
Chapter Twelve:

A Present

She went on with life as normal as she could. She went to her classes during the day, worked in the evenings and went home at night. Everything went by normal.

She was determined to build her life. Determined to get it back. She worked until nine, when she went home and studied, going to bed at midnight. Then she'd wake at eight and do the routine all over again.

It was like that until Thursday night when at around nine-thirty someone knocked on her door. She was listening to a local jazz station when she was interrupted. Leaving her book opened on the coffee table in the living room, she stood to get it.

She took away the deadbolts and unlocked it, when she opened the door, she smiled.

He was wearing a long coat and a black shirt with long black pants. It was amazing how everything seemed to make him more handsome than the last time she had seen him.

Not to mention, the smile he had on his face.

"Erik!" She didn't see how excited she was to see him until she greeted him.

His smile didn't falter. "Christine, how are you?"

"Good," Christine said quickly. "Come in."

She stepped aside and let him in, shutting the door behind him. After she locked the door –because she didn't trust anyone- she offered him a seat on the couch.

After she cleaned off any books, she walked to the kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink? I have a fully restocked fridge and I'm not afraid to use it."

He laughed. "No, thank you. It's fine."

Christine went back and passed a mirror. She stopped and started to run her fingers through her pulled back hair. She didn't know the sudden urgency to look good for Erik but she did it anyways.

At least she didn't change like she had done the days before when she would come home tired and shower and change. This time she stayed in her uniform and thank goodness she did.

Christine turned from her reflection. "So, what brings you here?"

There was a small box on his lap that Christine hadn't noticed before. It looked like a present, the way it was wrapped and had a bow on the top.

"What's this?" Christine said sitting in the butterfly chair across from him.

Erik shrugged his shoulders. "You'll never know until you open it."

Christine smiled. "It's for me?"

Erik nodded gleefully. "It is."

"Wow," Christine said scratching her head. "I haven't had a present since my last birthday." Raoul had forgotten about Christmas.

Erik looked at her expectantly.

"All right," Christine took the box on her lap and opened it to find tissue paper.

"Tissue paper?" She said smiling.

"It's inside the tissue paper."

Christine smiled and unfolded the paper to find a blue shirt.

Christine gasped as she put the box aside. At first she thought it was a shirt but it revealed to be a dress. The dark blue dress was strapless and exposed the back and seemed to reach her knees. The material was silky and shiny.

"Oh, my, Erik," Christine said softly. "It's beautiful. I love it." Standing, she put it to her body. "How does it look?"

"Stunning," he said smiling. "I told you I would replace your pink shirt."

Christine laughed and set it on her lap as she sat. "I had forgotten all about that. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled, then his mood changed. "Look, about what happened on Sunday, I'm sorry. I can't seem to escape them."

Christine shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Going out with you, it's a risk."

He looked down at his hands and looked up at her eyes. "I was kind of hoping you could wear it to this gala tomorrow night. Everyone from Allison and Noah's record label will be there. Everyone else is going with someone and I was hoping you could accompany me. Not," he said putting his hands up, "as a date. Just as a friend."

Christine bit her bottom lip.

"If you don't want to go, I understand completely."

Christine smiled. "What kind of person would I be if I refused you?"

"You're going?"

Christine nodded. "I'd love to go."

"Great, when would you like for me to pick you up? It starts at seven."

Christine thought about her work, she would have to use her vacation days. She'd have to beg Heidi, but didn't see it as a problem. "Six."

"Great," Erik said standing. "I will be over at six." He started to leave but stopped. "Would you like me to send someone to help you?"

Christine shook her head. "No, I'll be ready on time."

Christine smiled and followed him as he went to the door. "I'll look forward to it."

Erik turned one last time before she closed the door. "See you then."

Christine smiled and closed the door, noticing that he wouldn't leave until he heard all three locks slide into place.

--sniffle, sniffle- there's so many reviews! We're only on chapter twelve and already 125 reviews! OH JOY!
Stay tuned for the Next Chapter: The Gala.