Chapter 6

Katie woke up from her first dreamless sleep in mouths, to the sound of raised voices. The one voice belonging to a woman, and the other a man. The woman was calling frantically for something, while the man just laughed. Her curiosity got the better of her, as quickly dressed, and when to search for the sources of the voices.

"Where the fuck is she Tarek? I know you have her!" Katie recognized the voice to belong to none other than her dear friend Mandi.

"Why Ms. I don't believe you should speak like that in a house of God." He taunted her.

"God damn you! Damn you straight to the fiery depths of Hell! Where is Lotte? I heard you call to her last night. Oh God, what have you done with her?" Katie made her way up a winding flight of stairs, still following the sounds of their voices.

"Your precious Lotte is unharmed-"

"Sort of." She smiled to herself, remembering the blissful pain of the night before.

"But, if I may ask Ms., if you were so worried for her safety, why didn't you come sooner?" Katie found her path blocked by a large door, when she opened it, she found she was standing in the Church she visited daily for her lessons. Mandi was standing before the alter, screaming up at nothing.

"I couldn't just leave all of her friends to worry where we went! I had to say behind to give her an alibi!" She spat at him.

Her fierce nature caught Katie by surprise, and almost knocked her over in shook. This brave furious wolf that stood before her, growling at it's foe was not the shy, timid friend she had known. Mandi wouldn't under any circumstances Katie had seen her face before, voice her opinion so strongly, and refuse to back down. She seemed to bleed Bravery and courage, not the usual spineless, modesty she had come to expect from her. Love swelled up in Katie's heart for her dear friend, as she realized how large of a sacrifice this bravery was from Mandi, the girl who refused to talk to any one who wasn't her friend out of pure fright of people, was standing there ready to fight on her behalf.

"Jammes!" She called out, as she rushed towards her. The two girls met with a tight embrace, as Mandi sighed in relief at seeing no harm came to her closest friend.

"Lotte, your alright."

"Take her." Tarek's voice cut through there heartwarming reunite. Without hesitation, Mandi dragged Katie out of the church, and into her car. After the church was out of eyesight, Mandi addressed the subject on their minds.

"What happened Little Lotte?" She took notice of how haphazardly she was dressed.

"I don't know, he called to me, and I just followed him. I knew I shouldn't have, but my body wouldn't listen, no matter how much my mind screamed to stop. He sang, and I couldn't resist him." She dropped her eyes to the floor of the vehicle, recalling the events of the night before. "I'm worse than Christine." She spoke under her breath, but Mandi caught every word.

"And why do you say that?" She looked up at her friend, not wanting to disappoint her, but needing to get it off her chest.

"She was taken from her dressing room by the sound of Erik's voice, Like I was with Tarek. But she wasn't as stupid as I am, she wasn't as intoxicated by his touch, she didn't succumb to him like I did."

"You slept with him?" She choked out in shock. She parked the car, and gave her friend her complete attention.

"Yeah... I don't know how it happened, but it did."

"Was is good?" Katie chuckled and Mandi's curiosity.

"It was great, he's-"

"Better than chocolate?" Mandi finished her sentence. Both girls laughed, reluctant to have a little comic relief.

"He was... Wow... I never expected... I mean, I always thought I would wait till marriage... Or for My Ang-"

"Your Angel Of Music? Hun, Tarek is your Angel Of Music. All thou I doubt he's that angelic, taking you so easily, and at a young age. Sounds more like Mephistopheles."

"Young? How am I young? I'm only a year younger than you." She retaliated.

"I'm young too! Too young to lose my virtue to someone I had never seen before! No, I'm waiting of the one true love." She spoke happily.

"Your Erik?" Mandi smiled and opened her car door.

"Get out." She asked, as she exited the car.

"Were are we?" Katie asked as she listened to her instructions. She found herself standing in front of the local grocery store.

"I needed to come up with an alibi for you." She explained, as they entered the store.

"What? I needed to buy a pack of condoms before I slept with my tutor?" Just as she asked, an old women walked by, giving the girls a distasteful look.

"No, you went to get more sugary goodness before we started the second round of our Phantom Movie fest." They made their way to the right section of the store, and pilled as much chocolate covered, sugar filled candies as the could find in their cart.

"Good thinking." Katie commented. After stocking with everything from candy bars, gummy bears, suckers, to even a box of Russian tea for shits and giggles, they checked out, and returned to Katie's house. Before they entered, Katie stopped Mandi at the door.

"Not a word to the others?"

"Don't worry, I won't tell them." Satisfied with her friend's word, they entered, returning to their friends' uncomplicated lives.