Okay, here's the other chapter I promised you.
Chpater Thirteen:

The Gala

Christine was out of classes at four and was at her home at four thirty, with Dustin's help. He asked why she wasn't going to work but when he saw the annoyed look on her face, he changed his mind.

Even as she was getting ready, she was having doubts. It's too soon, a part of her mind would say.

It's just a gala and we're going as friends.

Yeah, that's what you said about the dinner and look at you now.

Christine scolded the little voice for being so pessimist.

She showered and washed her hair, after she put her robe on she put gel in her hair, letting it scruch up in curls. She placed silver flower clips in her hair, making it go out of her face. She used black eyeliner to outline her eyes and used very little light blue eye shadow. In the end she used mascara and lip gloss.

She gave herself a pedicure and manicure because she had black wrap around sandals. She put on the dress last and fell in love with it instantly.

The material was graceful and clung to every part of her body. It reminded her so much of a sort of cat suit, she was grateful that she wasn't bulging around the edges.

She loved the way it looked on her. She looked surreal, she was ready not a moment sooner because she heard knocking on her door.

She took a deep breath and took her small purse (she thanked shopaholic Meg who insisted on buying the purse, saying that you never know when you might need it) and walked to the door.

When she opened it, she saw Erik as she never had before.

His hair wasn't combed back like it always was. It hung loosely around his face and almost reached the collar of his long coat. The coat almost reached the floor, very much like his old cape. Underneath that he wore a black shirt loosely open revealing his tanned chest and a chain around his neck. He was wearing boots and black pants. He was the very image of his music.

Dark and haunting but breathtaking at the same time.

Christine tried not look at him too long. "Erik."

He smiled and took her hand. "You look wonderful, Christine."

She inwardly giggled when he kissed her hand.

"Shall we?" He said taking a step back.

Christine turned everything off and locked her door before Erik took her arm in his. As they went down the stairs, Erik complimented her once again, "You look beautiful."

Christine smiled. "You already said that."

Erik straightened. "I did?"

Christine broke into a laughing fit.

When they were in the parking lot, Christine looked for his Lamborghini or the Lexus, but instead found a large stretch limo.

"Erik," she asked.

He looked down at her. "Yes?"

"Is that your limo?"

He nodded.

"We're going in a limo?"

He nodded.

"A real limo?"

He smiled warmly and laughed too.

She had only been in a limo once and that was for prom.

He led her inside and once they were both in the limo made its way to Hollywood. He sat across from her and the limo was so big there had to have been at least three feet between them.

There was everything she could ever want in the limo. TV, DVD, a mini-bar and neon lighting. She loved it all. It seemed to be like a fairy tale.

Erik cleared his throat and reached for a box next to him.

She knew he had cleared his throat to get her attention so she looked at him smiling. "Yes, Erik?"

He looked at the small box in his hands. It was rectangular and a bit larger than his hands. "I don't want you to freak out or anything. But I got you something else."

Christine raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Oh?"

"It's borrowed so-"

"You'll need it back by the end of the night?"

He nodded. "You always were a clever one, Christine."

She smiled slyly.

Handing her the box, he said, "Here."

She took it in her hands and read the name on the box. "Tiffany's."

That should have been her first clue. Upon opening the box she gasped. Inside there were diamond teardrop earrings and a necklace that had sapphires and diamonds also.

Christine almost cried.

No one had ever given her stuff like that. Not even Raoul. Her last birthday he took her to an opera, he never gave her jewelry.

"It's beautiful," she said more to herself than to Erik.

"You like them?" Erik asked hopefully.

"I love them," she said earnestly.

"Everyone else would be wearing jewelry like that, if not even more extravagant. So my assistant Lucy did me the favor of calling Tiffany's. They'll let you borrow it for tonight."

"Wow," Christine said taking the earrings out and putting them on.

He shrugged. "Being in the business has its perks."

Christine laughed as she struggled to put on the necklace.

Erik stood awkwardly and sat next to her, saying, "Here, let me help you with that."

She turned his back to him and he took the necklace in his hands. His fingers moved gracefully at the back of her neck and when he had clasped the necklace, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "There, perfect."

His hands lingered there a little longer than what would be considered normal. It was as if he was remembering a memory long since gone.

She turned towards him. "Thank you."

They didn't speak a word more until the driver lowered the small window in the limo and said. "We're almost there, sir."

Erik nodded. "Very well."

When Christine saw where they were headed, she was surprised by how many cameras there were at the entrance.

Erik smiled at her right before he opened the door. "Big smiles, everyone."

As soon as he opened the door, Christine thought she had gone blind again. The flashes were everywhere and when Erik helped her out of the limo, they seemed to intensify.

Erik took her hand and whispered in her ear, "Did I tell you that I'm with a big time recording company?"

Christine smiled.

They had to have been out there for more than five minutes. They took pictures of them both some with Erik alone and Erik would talk to some of the reporters. And all the while, he was holding Christine's hand.

She was glad that he wouldn't let her go. Frankly, she was scared of some of the reporters there, who would constantly take pictures of her when she wasn't looking.

She was thankful when someone else arrived. Then all attention went to them, letting Erik and Christine get into the large building.

"That was easy," Erik said smiling.

"Too easy," Christine said continuing his joke.

Christine recognized half the people there. They were all either on magazines or on TV.

Christine sighed. "Poor you, you get to rub elbows with the richest people in America."

Erik laughed at her comment.

They walked around the very large room, Erik stopped at various tables and conversed with people that Christine could only dream but meet at one point in her life.

Erik introduced her to them all and they all seemed very glad to meet her. Around the walls there were many pictures. Some were of Erik, all of them in black and white and the others were of a girl. She had hair that shined with radiance and a smile that must have taken years of the orthodontist to make.

The girl was sitting on a swing with pigtails and a lollypop. She reminded her of Britney Spears and her first album. She seemed so childlike.

Her name was on the bottom in bubble letters: Melody.

She heard a voice behind her but didn't turn, recognizing it instantly. "She's the one I told you about. She spends all her spare time with Noah. They came together too."

Christine cocked her head. "She seems so innocent."

"That's the idea," Erik said close to her ear. "It appeals to younger audiences."

"And you to the older ones?"

He chuckled, making his breath tickled her neck. "Exactly. Mostly teenage girls."

She smiled broadly. "I know a couple of girls who would pay a lot of money to be in my position right now."

Erik didn't say anymore, he took her hand and led her away from the pictures. "I want you to meet someone."

That someone, turned out to be Noah Granger. He was older than Erik with what seemed to be by ten years. His salt and pepper moustache didn't match his black hair and his dark eyes didn't seemed to give off any warmth.

It was as if she was watching Raoul in twenty years. All life seemed to be drained from him because of his work.

In his arm was a young girl that seemed too happy to be tied down.

"Ah, Erik," Noah said as he shook his hand. "Nice to see you again."

Erik nodded. "Noah, I would like for you to meet Christine Daaé. She and I go way back."

Noah shook her hand warmly. "Someone from Erik's past? He seems to be very secretive about it."

With reason, she wanted to say, but kept her mouth shut. She only smiled. The girl on Noah's arm was wearing a pink dress that Christine thought was absolutely gorgeous.

Since no one was going to introduce Melody, she stuck out her own hand and introduced herself. "Hi Christine, I'm Melody."

"Melody," Christine said to her. "Nice to meet you."

Melody gave a smile so bright it seemed enough to light a light bulb. "Christine, can you come with me to get a drink?"

Christine looked at Erik. When he said nothing, she said, "Sure."

Melody took her arm in her's and went to a bar where they served free drinks.

She reminded her of Meg when she was her age. She was so giddy and happy and hyper.

Christine followed her to the bar where the bartender gave them both drinks that Melody had asked for.

Melody drank in it, Christine just stared at it.

"I hate these parties, they're frightfully boring."

Christine looked at Melody. "Really?"

Melody nodded as she swallowed. "Don't you find them boring?"

Christine shrugged. "This is my first one."

She sighed. "I only came 'cause I'm performing."

Christine smiled. "Really? When?"

She shrugged. "Don't know." Then her eyes widened. "There's Maya, I used to love her!" Melody placed her drink on a table and took Christine's arm. "Come on, let's go into their conversation."

Maya was a dark colored woman with a lot of make up. By the way Melody said used to, she figured she was a has been. She was conversing with two other women Christine had never seen before. She thought they would mind that they were cutting in, but they didn't. They laughed at the jokes Melody made and asked Christine how she was doing.

They seemed interested that she went to UCLA and she answered all their questions as best as she could.

"Performing arts!" one of the women said. "You must be very talented!"

Christine shrugged. "That's that they tell me," she said nervously.

"What did you do to get it?"

"Well, I was recommended by my teacher to fill out scholarship, they came down, heard me and wanted me in their program. "

"They heard you?" Maya asked.

She nodded. "Yes, we were doing a musical and they heard me sing and wanted me to be-"

"Sing for us!"

Christine's eyes widened at Melody's request and it wasn't because she had practically screamed it, it was because she wanted her to sing in front of people who actually sing for a living. And make millions of dollars a year for it.

"Uh," Christine said. "I better not."

"Come on," Maya said to her. "You should."

Christine shook her head firmly. "I'm no where as good as you all."

Melody sighed. "What a shame." Then glancing behind Christine, she said, "Got to go. Pleasure talking to you ladies."

They all said their goodbyes to her and resumed the conversation they were previously having.

Christine was hardly listening, behind the ladies, Erik was at the bar talking to a man as if they were fighting. The man seemed quiet, poised but Erik seemed to be a second away from doing something he might regret.

Christine excused herself and women let her through. She walked to him quickly, knowing how Erik was very short tempered. He would probably do something that would cost him everything he had worked so hard for.

She placed the champagne cup on one of the empty tables and went to his side. She slipped her hand into his and when he looked down to see who it was, she gave him a reassuring smile.

He smiled also, all anger drained. "Christine." He said her name as if he were relieved somehow.

She looked at the man before them. He was dressed much like Erik only he wore a lot of jewelry while as Erik wore none.

"Christine, this is my very good friend, Nadir. The Persian."

Christine smiled at him and gave him her hand to shake. Only he didn't shake it like the others, he kissed it slightly. "Miss Christine, you are very beautiful."

Christine smiled. "Thank you Nadir."

"When I was on tour last summer, I met him in Iran. Composes music like myself."

"Always a pleasure to meet a composer."

The Persian laughed. "Thank you, kindly, child." There was something about him that put Christine at ease. Maybe it was the cool green eyes or the soothing voice.

Just as Erik was about to say something, he was cut off by Noah. He whispered something to him and said to both Christine and the Persian. "Excuse us, please."

They left, leaving Christine and the Persian alone. The stood in silence for several minutes.

"Drink?"

Christine shook her head. "No thank you, I don't drink."

He laughed. "Good girl, I find it most vile. But these Americans can't seem to get enough of it."

They conversed for a while until a man came over the speakers. "Ladies and Gentlemen," the voice came from Noah. "Thank you all for coming tonight. Full Moon records would be nothing without its fans. I know many of you are out there."

Some people cheered.

"So now, we are to give you a treat. I hand the mike over to Erik, who will perform Passion for you all!"

Everyone, including Christine cheered and a lot of them flooded to the stage where Erik came out with a band.

He had changed from his coat and clothes to black leather pants and a black shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to reveal his full arms.

The guitar began, followed by the drums. She could hear a violin playing followed by a piano. The combination was beautiful and his voice was heavy from power and emotion.

Christine could tell he loved to perform. His voice was full of energy as was he. He would stand on one side of the stage and sing to one group of swooning women then the other.

She felt Nadir's hand on her shoulder. "I admire him greatly."

"Me too," she said, but it was inaudible from the blaring speakers.

The song finished with a piercing guitar solo and a grand round of applause. Erik bowed and left the stage. Christine whistled with the crowd but remembered that she was in front of sophisticated people and composed herself.

"Woo," Noah said as if panting. "That was some performance, huh? Now give me some more of that energy with Melody!"

Everyone cheered and a whole different beat came on. It was bubbly and kid like, it was nothing like Erik's music.

Melody came on, her voice almost computerized. She did cute little dance moves with some male dancers. It was so…. Pop.

Suddenly, she felt big hands o her shoulders. "Let's get out of here," the familiar voice said close to her ear, making her flesh rise in goosebumps. He took her hand and led her away from the commotion and went through a swinging door away from the noise.

There were many people there, and stoves and food. It was the kitchen.

Erik led her though the kitchen and to a back door that led to an alley. They walked through the alley. They walked through the alley, holding hands with Erik in the lead.

When they got out of the alley, they turned down a street and into a multi floor parking lot. Erik took out some keys from a pocket and pressed a button. A black Lexus's lights blinked and Erik walked to it, not hesitating.

He opened the door, and she got in. Then he walked around and turned on the car.

Once out of the parking lot and onto a street, Christine asked. "Where are we going?"

"Where do you want to do?"

"Are you serious?" Christine asked.

"I gave Travis the night off; it's just you and me."

"C-can you do that?" Christine asked. "You can leave whenever you want?"

He shrugged. "They won't miss me. Since Melody's CD is coming out on Tuesday, all attention will be on her."

Christine laughed. "This is so cool!"

He laughed also. "So, where do you want to go?"

Christine thought for a moment. "Let's go to the beach!"

Yay, long chapter! Okay, stay for the next chapter:
The Beach