Chapter 4- Learn to be Happy

Erik woke somewhat early. He looked over at the clock on the bookshelf by the window. It read ten o'clock. Damn, Nicole's already left. He said to himself sitting up and rubbing his eye that wasn't covered by the mask.

"Mornin'" Nicole said cheerfully with a slightly southern accent. Erik jumped as he spied her sitting at the table.

"How long were you sitting there? Aren't you supposed to be at school?" he asked. "Wait…you go to school. Since when do women…?"

"Since someone stood up and said women should have equal rights." Nicole answered, taking a sip from her coffee. Erik rubbed his temples and groaned.

"Headache?" Nicole asked, looking up from the book she was reading. Erik nodded. Nicole got up and briskly walked over to him.

"Hold still, otherwise it might hurt a little." Nicole instructed grabbing Erik's hand.

"What? Why will it hurt?" Erik asked in a panicked tone of voice. Nicole scowled.

"Just relax, I won't be able to do it if your muscles are all tightened!" she exclaimed irritably. Erik sighed, trying as hard as possible to relax.

Nicole ran her middle finger from Erik's wrist to down in between his thumb and finger. She pinched the skin hard making Erik gasp, but as soon as she let go Erik's headache had been lifted. He looked up at the girl.

"What are you?" he asked. Nicole let out a chuckle, walking back over to the table. Her body swayed back and forth as she walked in a slightly seductive way causing her waterfall of strawberry blonde hair to glisten in the orange light of the sunrise. Her uniquely patterned skirt ruffled around her ankles as she walked and her black, turtleneck shirt fit tightly to her upper body.

"A human, Erik, just like you." She answered.

She spun back around quickly.

"Wanna see something cool?" she asked, smirking. Her blue eyes glistened with life and happiness.

"I'm actually quite content with the temperature right now." Erik said. Nicole snorted.

"Come on." She said grabbing his hand and leading him over to the window. She swung it open and climbed out onto the fire escape.

"Follow me…and don't look up my skirt!" she said, beginning to climb the ladder to the roof. Erik sighed, turning his head away as he followed her.

Once on the roof, Nicole led Erik over to the edge of the building.

"New York is actually very beautiful to watch when the sun is coming up and when the sun is going down." Nicole said, biting her lower lip as she finished. A breeze gusted by and blew her hair back behind her as well as Erik's. Nicole closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the feel of the wind on her face.

"What is it like?" Erik asked softly. Nicole turned to him, her hair blowing wildly about her face.

"What is what like?" she inquired curiously, attempting to tuck her hair behind her ear. Erik looked away, his eyes downcast ad his black hair ruffled about his face. Finally he looked back up at her.

"What is it like to be happy?" Erik answered. Nicole felt her heart stop. Her mouth hung open slightly and her eyebrows creased in sorrow. Erik just stood there, expressionless, waiting for her reply. His eyes looked hollow and without life as he looked at her.

"Maybe…you can learn what it is like to be happy." Nicole said shakily. Erik blinked and turned away, looking back over the New York landscape.

"Perhaps…" he said softly.

"Okay, this is my cell phone number. Only call me if it's an emergency. Do you know what makes it an emergency?" Nicole asked the slightly dazed Erik. He shook his head.

"Blood, Fire, or Death." She explained, handing Erik the piece of paper. "Now I have to go or I'll be late. I'll see you at three and then I shall take you to get some new cloths. You can take a shower if you'd like, now that you know how. Okay, don't get into trouble. Bye!" The door slammed in Erik's face. He looked feebly at the paper in his hand then back at the door.

"But I don't know how to use the telephone." he said softly.

Nicole didn't come back to answer him. He let out a sigh and trudged back to the bathroom to take a shower as Nicole suggested. He took off his mask and set it down on a small table just outside the bathroom. He wouldn't need it if no one was here, but something in the pit of his stomach told him he should have kept it on. It was probably nothing. He always felt as if he needed to have it on. Nicole clearly showed him differently.

"Now, let's see if I can remember this…" Erik said to himself as he bent down beside the shower. "This one is cold…" he mumbles as he turned one faucet and brushed a finger under the water. Pain shot up his arm as his finger felt as if it had been lit on fire. He yelped in pain, throwing himself back against the wall.

"No, no, obviously the other one is cold." He exclaimed, carresing his burnt finger.

With much trepidation, Erik managed to take his second shower in the 21st century. The warm water felt so incredibly good over his aching body that he felt as if he never wanted to get out. He let the water run over his face, free of any mask or confinement. I think I can live with this. He thought tauntingly, running his long fingers through his hair in an attempt to clean it. He felt himself smiling slightly. He hadn't enjoyed the last shower this much; maybe because he was in a state of shock last time.

After getting out, he wrapped the white towel tightly around his waist as he stood in front of the bathroom mirror. It had fogged over from the steam to where Erik was just a blurry outline. He rubbed ineffectively at the surface with his hand until he could see his reflection clearly. He leaned in closer to the mirror, inspecting the right side of his face. How does she not fear this? He thought, running a finger around his eye. Christine said she did not fear it anymore either. Is it possible…? Erik began to think. The mirror was fogging up once again. He bared his teeth and ran his hand over the slick surface harder, this time to hear a small click.

To his surprise, and joy, he found that the mirror opened. He quickly swung it open, prepared to see a secret passage of some kind. Instead he was faced with a large box that read TAMPAX on the front and several other tubes and bottles. Erik let out a sigh. He moved the box aside just in case but found nothing. Out of pure curiosity, he flipped up the box lid to see what was in it. He was getting ready to pull out one of the wrapped parcels when a knock at the door made him jump, spilling the white sticks everywhere.

"Nicole, are you in there?" a girl's voice asked. It was timid and sweet sounding, as if the girl had never thought a bad thought against another in her life. Another round of knocks came, this time more forceful.

"Hey, if you don't come out, we're breaking the door down!" another voice said. This one was much louder, though still female. Erik's heart began to pound out of his chest. He bent down quickly and picked up the white sticks and shoved them onto the shelves in the mirror. He slammed it closed quickly causing the louder girl to go "Ah ha!" Erik scanned the room for his mask quickly.

"We know you're in there Nicky! Come out and play!" the louder girl said.

"Nicole, whose mask is this? I didn't know you still liked poto." The softer spoken girl said. Erik's blood ran cold. He had to say something. He cleared his throat, putting on his strongest voice.

"Nicole isn't here." He said, surprised at how squeaky he sounded. There was silence from the other side of the door for a moment.

"Then who the hell is this?" the louder girl asked.

"Kythe!" the softer girl scolded.

"What? I would just like to know who we are talking to." Kythe protested.

The other girl cleared her throat timidly.

"My name is Ren. I am a good friend of Nicole's. We were just stopping by to…"

"Are you stealing stuff?"

"Kythe, don't interrupt me please. We were just stopping by to see Nicole and Charo." Ren ended. Erik let out a sigh. When there was a pause, he decided to speak.

"Well, Nicole has gone to school." He informed them.

"So buddy, what are you doing in Nicole and Charo's bathroom?" Kythe asked, sounding annoyed.

"Kythe? Ren? What are you two doing here?" Charo's voice came from across the room. Erik let out an even bigger sigh.

"We were just stopping by to see you!" Ren answered.

"Ren, give me that mask." Charo said shakily. "Where's Erik?" she asked.

"I'm in here!" Erik answered. Suddenly the door opened ever so slightly and Charo's hand reached in holding Erik's mask. He took it from her quickly, slapping it over his face viciously.

"Are you decent?" Charo asked.

"CHARO'S BLUSHING! Are you cheating on James?" Kythe shouted teasingly.

"NO! He's Nicole's boy friend!" Charo shot back.

"Really? Nicole has another boy friend? I didn't think she'd ever get over Danny…oops." Outside the door, they had all gone silent. Erik quickly dressed and opened the door slowly. He was confronted with three girls, one of which was Charo. The other two just starred at him.

"Huh, so Nicole still goes for the freaks." Kythe said spitefully, crossing her arms. She had dirty blond hair that was pulled back into a long braid that stretched down past her lower back. She was taller than Nicole and Charo with a very curvy figure. Her sharp blue-grey eyes looked as if they saw right through Erik's mask. At least that was how he felt after her last statement. Charo waved her arms around.

"No, no! Don't call him that! Erik…it's uh…she didn't mean it." Charo explained desperately. Erik looked away.

"Am I really to believe that?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Whoa buddy, don't take it that personally. All Nicole's new boy friends get the Kythe treatment." She continued.

"I don't really understand the term you keep using." Erik spat.

"Well, uh, he's not really her boy friend. He's just sort of staying here until we can get him back to his own time period." Charo spouted. Kythe and Ren just starred at her for a moment before Charo came to her senses and slapped her hand over her mouth.

"You're reaction was slightly delayed." Erik said out of the corner of his mouth.

"Wait, so who is he?" Ren asked this time. Erik's eyes darted to the small girl. She had long brown hair that was pulled back into a perfect ponytail. Her eyes were blue as well, closer to Nicole's color only more of a true blue. Her face had a soft outline. It was very kind and made Erik feel much more comfortable.

"Forgive me." She said before Charo could answer. She turned to Erik. "Who are you?" she asked as politely as possible.

Erik was left without words for a moment. He had never been surrounded by so many women. It wasn't as nice as he had imagined it would be.

"I…um…I am Erik." He said lamely. Kythe snorted.

"Okay, what's your real name?" she asked skeptically. Erik gave her a confused look. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not retarded. I know that the Phantom's name is Erik. You learn a few things when your friend is obsessed." She rattled. Charo nudged her in the arm.

"That is his real name." she said under her breath.

Kythe nodded slowly. "Oh…" Erik shifted his weight. His wet hair stuck to the back of his neck causing trickles of water to run down his lanky back.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Erik. My name is Ren Morrison; long time friend of Nicole." Ren said politely, holding out a soft, elegant hand. Erik took it and was about to kiss it when Ren shook his hand softly as a very feminine man would do. Erik realized that men must no longer kiss the hands of women at first meeting. He smiled weakly before turning to Kythe. She stood with her arms crossed, a look of annoyance on her face.

"I don't know what the hell Nicole's gotten herself into this time." Kythe said venomously. "But I guess I should introduce myself." She said, holding out a somewhat rougher hand. Erik took it cautiously.

"Pleased to meet you…uh…" Erik said nervously, stumbling on her name.

"…Kythe. Kythe Lanore." She said promptly.

"I sense that you don't like me very much. Is it my appearance?" Erik asked, feeling a little bolder.

Kythe shrugged. "No necessarily. I just don't want to see Nicole hurt again." She said darkly, her eyes narrowing in a very fox-like manner. Erik's expression changed into worry.

"Who has hurt Nicole?" he asked uneasily.

"Let's get off the subject." Charo interjected. "Nicole won't be home for a couple more hours so how about we go out for coffee or something! I haven't seen you guys in ages!" Charo exclaimed, lightening to mood with her sudden perkiness. Kythe smirked.

"Ooh, did you and James finally get a piece of that or is there another reason for your glee?" she cooed. Charo turned deep scarlet.

"I…uh….what…..no…..well…THAT'S NOT THE REASON!" she finally yelled. Kythe and Ren burst into laughter.

"Its okay, Charo, she doesn't mean it." Ren said, jabbing Kythe hard in the ribs with her elbow. She grunted and immediately became silent.

"I would like to know more about you, Erik. How did you come to meet Nicole? What are your hobbies?" Ren asked, turning to Erik with a gleam of interest in her eye. Erik took a step back slightly.

"What is there to be interested about? I…compose music." Erik said, shocked that anyone would even show interest in his existence besides Nicole. Ren beamed.

"How fascinating! What else?" she pressed. Erik glanced around uneasily taking another step back until his back brushed against the bathroom door.

"Perhaps we can finish this conversation over a hot cup of coffee?" Charo suggested hopefully, still slightly red in the face.

Ren nodded. "Let's!"

Erik found out something new today; he hated coffee. Erik sat in the small café with a look of disgust on his face as he peered at the dark drink that sat before him. Charo, Ren, and Kythe had basically forgotten of his existence and had sat there talking for over an hour. He had sat there quietly for the first forty five minutes, but now his patience was dwindling. His fingers drummed quickly across the table in boredom as he inspected his surroundings. People, people and more people.

His eyes flitted lazily to the door as someone entered. Her long, trim figure seemed somewhat familiar. Suddenly, Erik snapped up straight.

"Nicole?" he said quietly to himself. He swiftly left the table, gladly fleeing the jabbering girls, and made his way over to Nicole who had gotten in line. She was wearing a long, forest green skirt that hung loosely around her waist and gathered around her ankles. Her black, long sleeve shirt clung tightly to her torso and arms, the sleeves stretching past her wrists. She was busily reading a small book, her long bangs falling in her face while the rest of her hair was pulled back into a bun of some kind with many strands hanging loosely down her back.

Erik approached her swiftly from behind trying to stay silent. Nicole turned suddenly thinking he was a stalker.

"Look, buddy, I don't….Erik?" she exclaimed, her mood changing as she immediately recognized the masked man. Erik gave her a sincere look, a small smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

"Your friends will want to know you're here." he said soemly, jerking his head in the direction of the table behind him. Nicole swerved her head around him to see Kythe and Ren as well as Charo.

"Kythe and Ren are here?" Awesome! I…" Nicole stopped herself as she saw Erik's head drop slightly as if to say Don't make me go back over there. Don't make me go back over there Erik thought silently to himself. Nicole smiled softly.

"I'll see them when I get home. Come, come have lunch with me." Nicole said, stepping up to place an order.

"Do you want anything Erik?" she asked, gazing up at the menu.

"Anything will be fine, but not coffee please." He answered politely.

Nicole picked a small table near the back of the café and led Erik silently over to it. She ate a small sandwich silently for a moment before looking up to see Erik looking off to the right. She smiled.

"You have a perfect profile." She said before thinking about it. Erik snapped his head back around giving her a confused look.

"I'm hardly perfect in any way." Erik mumbled angrily. Nicole let out a ha.

"Erik, everyone's perfect but no one likes to admit it. So we all get off with the lame 'nobody's perfect' excuse." She said plainly. Erik had never heard such a simple philosophy in his whole life. Yet it was somewhat true.

He looked off into the distance again. Nicole's expression darkened.

"Stop thinking about it." she said sternly. Erik turned his head back around slower this time.

"How…?" he began.

"I took a guess." Nicole blurted before he could finish. She twirled a spoon around in her tea. "You're somewhat predictable." She said without looking at him. Erik scowled.

"Oh really?" he growled. When Nicole didn't look up, he reached over and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

Nicole dropped the spoon she was holding, her eyes wide with fright. She trembled slightly under his grip but soon softened as she looked into his eyes.

"Why did that frighten you so?" Erik inquired softly. Before Nicole answered, Erik's eyes trailed down Nicole's neck where he spotted a large purple splotch, unmistakable a bruise. His long fingers trailed down her neck, caressing the soft outline and gently touching the spot. Nicole pulled back, her hand flying to her neck as shivers ran down her spine. She quickly pulled her turtleneck collar up closer to her chin.

"Who hurt you?" Erik asked in a low, worried voice, his eyebrows knitting together in concern.

"HEY NICOLE!" Kythe's voice boomed across the café, causing it to become somewhat quiet. Nicole and Erik turned to see Kythe waving a hand about in the air.

"Don't be shy!" she called. Nicole smiled weakly, getting up to join her friends.

"I thought you said they weren't dating." Kythe said, turning to Charo. Charo shrugged.

"They could be. He's only been here three days though." she said taking a long sip of hot chocolate. "Wow that's good." She finished, licking a remainder of foam off her upper lip.

"Child." Kythe sneered.

"Hey guys!" Nicole said excitedly, beginning to exchange hugs with Ren and Kythe. Ren's eyes fell on Erik.

"Sorry we never got a chance to finish our conversation. I hope you don't mind." She said politely. Erik shook his head numbly, his eyes darting back and fourth between the women.

"Actually I better hurry! I have about another hour of class left." Nicole said looking at her watch. Erik cocked an eyebrow.

"I thought you said class would be over at three." He said skeptically. Nicole shrugged off his remark.

"New schedule. This way we can get you some clothes. That green shirt is very flattering…" Nicole remarked sardonically. "…but it would be nice if you wore something else don't you think." Erik nodded again.

Nicole hugged her friends one last time. After all hugs were given, she turned to Erik. There was an awkward space between them that Nicole found herself wanting to close. There was a force she felt beating in her that was not there before. It began this morning, when she had taken Erik up on the roof. Too scattered to function properly, Nicole leaned in and kissed Erik on the cheek. Of course, she meant for it to be a short, chaste kiss; instead her lips linger, pulling away slower than intended. Her eyes drooped as she stepped back, gazing down at her feet. Before anyone had a chance to say anything, or Erik had a chance to respond, Nicole had turned on her heels and sped out of the café, her head down and the small book clutched to her chest.

Kythe let out a long whistle.

"Wow…she's got the hots for you man." She said plainly. Erik starred after Nicole for a moment before attempting to calculate what Kythe said.

"What!" he spat confusedly, turning to look at Kythe. Kythe chuckled.

"She must really like you!" Ren piped excitedly. "She's never kissed anyone like that before!" she squeaked.

"But it wasn't even on the lips and there was no tongue action!" Charo said as if it was something she expected in every kiss. Erik flushed slightly.

"Exactly!" Kythe said in a low voice, slamming her fist into her hands. The girls had now totally forgotten about Erik's presence.

"What do you mean exactly?" Ren asked curiously.

"I mean that it was a sweet kiss! Nicole has never given a sweet kiss before!"

"How do you know that?" Charo blurted. "Have you seen her every time?"

"Well no," Kythe confessed. "But it just isn't like Nicole!"

"I suppose not." Charo acknowledged, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"You know…that other man…he always just dove right in. He was never really affectionate towards her." Ren said quietly, wringing her hands. Charo and Kythe nodded slowly.

"It may not be my place to inquire, but who is this other man you are talking about?" Erik asked, trying not to sound as curious as he was. Kythe shot him a look.

"Nicole's old….uh….boy friend. He wasn't very good to her." Kythe said hesitantly. Erik scowled.

"What do you mean? Did he hit her?" he asked, taking a step forward in concern. "Is that what I saw on her neck? Were those bruises?" he asked, now sounding very worried.

"Whoa, she still has bruises?" Kythe asked, a new expression Erik had never seen spreading across her face. It looked like a mix of sadness and anger, something Erik could really relate to.

Erik nodded slowly. "I think that is what those were…" he said thoughtfully. Ren stomped loudly on the floor, her fists clenched.

"I am going to KICK HIS ASS!" She shrieked. The whole restaurant became silent as everyone starred at the small, brown haired girl.

Charo placed a hand on Ren's shoulder. Ren sighed.

"Sorry….sometimes being the quiet polite girl just doesn't cut it in certain situations." She said sounding defeated. Erik let out a laugh causing the three girls to stare at him.

"My dear girl," he said, still smiling in a wicked sort of way. "There are plenty of ways to take out your anger that do not involve screaming and making a scene." He said in a menacing voice.

They continued to stare at him for a moment until Kythe let out a loud "HA HA!"

"You really are the Phantom of the Opera, aren't you?" She asked, smiling at Erik for the first time. Erik smirked, now feeling much more comfortable. He bowed deeply.

"At your service." He said in an ominous voice. Ren hid behind Charo slightly while Kythe returned his smirk.

"Perhaps I shall like you after all…" she said thoughtfully, her eyes gleaming with mischief.