Chapter 14

"Happy Birthday Christine! Blow out your candles!" said my father.

As I took a deep breath and blew the flames out, applause erupted from Erik and my father.

"Go on Christine, open your presents."

As I made my way to the other table, there sat many presents just waiting for me to rip them open. All of them had "From Daddy" on them, but I noticed that one had Erik's name on it. I decided to keep that one for last.

Beginning with my fathers, he had went over the edge this year. A new Ipod nano, many more books, gift certificates to my favorite stores, and to top it off, a golf cart.

"We live in a country club, Angel! You need to have a golf cart now like all the other girls your age!"

"Thank you, Daddy!" I said hugging him tightly.

Once finished with my father's gifts, I picked up Erik's. Placing my hands delicately around it, I unwrapped it gently. He sat directly next to me, watching every move. I started to pull it out of the box when it began to make a sound.

I pulled quicker to find it was a music box. A child who looked exactly like me playing with a male angel who looked like Erik watching over me.

"Erik..." I said to him.

"Play it." he said with a smile.

I did and it began to play, "God Help the Outcasts."

"The first song I sang for you." I said

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"Yes, more than anything." I said, wrapping my arms around him.

Later that night while I was cleaning up, the doorbell rang.

"Hello, is a Miss. Christine Daae here?"

"Yes, that's me." I said.

"Well, you have a written telegram here from a secret admirer."

"Thank you." I said taking it from him as I closed the door.

As I opened it, I wondered who it could be.

"Dearest Christine,

Ever since the first time I saw you sing in Italy, you have stolen my heart. I want to meet you very much and would like to talk with you. Please meet me for a very special birthday dinner at La Bistro in downtown Paris at 8pm tonight. I'll be wearing a red rose on my lapel.

Signed,

Your Secret Admirer

I wasn't sure if I should go, but I didn't want to disappoint a fan, so I rushed to my room to put a nice dress on.

Just as I was putting my hair up, Erik knocked on the door.

"Where are you going love?"

"I...uh..."

"Christine? What's going on?"

"Well, I got this invitation in the mail today to meet this fan at a restaurant tonight for a birthday dinner."

"Oh, well, that's very nice. But why were you trying to hide it from me?"

"Well, it's a male fan."

"Oh, well, I trust you, Christine. Just go and have dinner, have a great time."

"Thank you Erik." I said as I kissed his cheek.

"Be sure to back early though." he added, "I still have another present for you." he said with a wink.

"I smiled as I walked out the door, towards the limo.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, I walked in to find a very young man waiting for me. He had baby blue eyes and very blonde hair. He wasn't handsome, at least to me, but then again, many girls go for that type of guy. As I looked at him more closely, he looked oddly familiar.

"Hello Christine. I'm the one who gave you the wild flowers after your performance in Italy. My name is Raoul De Chagny."