Ta-da-da-daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Sorryfortaking me so long to write a new chapter. School will be the death of me:(((

Hollie, I still love you:))

Chapter eight

Nadir was sitting in Erik's living room. Since he had got there neither of them spoke to the other. Nadir started to have a feeling that perhaps even he won't be able to pull out of Erik his feelings. However he was sure that Erik loved Christine just as much as she loved him. Erik was just afraid. Afraid of another rejection, another lost love and more pain. But Nadir decided that he'll do anything to prove to Erik that Christine was not a new Luciana.

"I really messed it up didn't I?" Erik finally asked barely above a whisper. He knew in that moment when Christine said she was going home that he had gone too far. First he was trying to convince himself that he acted the way he had to but as the minutes passed he realized that he offended Christine for nothing and by the time Nadir arrived at his home he was totally pissed off.

"Erik" Nadir said "I know it's hard but you should talk about your feelings. I can't help you if you lock your feelings inside." For minutes Erik didn't talk again and Nadir almost thought that he won't say anything but finally he spoke.

"Déja vu" was all he said. But Nadir knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Nadir, finally I've asked her out!" cried the twenty-five-year-old Erik as he stormed into his office at the theatre.

"Finally!" Nadir said relieved. Ever since the season started he was the witness of Erik's infatuation with Luciana Bristow, the new chorus girl on every rehearsal. He was happy that Erik found somebody at last for him. Nadir had known him since he was a little boy and he considered him as a brother. Erik was always shy and reserved but Nadir perfectly understood him. It wasn't easy to live your everyday with a mask on. Erik was always afraid of the opposite sex. He found himself repulsive and unlovable and he always avoided relationships with women. Until Miss Bristow came into his life.

"I'll take her to my home and cook for her. You've always said that I'm a good cook. Let's see if it's right or not." Erik was like a school-boy planning his first date and he looked blissfully happy.

The next day Nadir had to listen to a two-hour-long presentation about how wonderful Luciana had been.

"God, Nadir when I opened the door and saw her I felt like fainting. She was absolutely gorgeous. She was wearing a little black dress and she let her hair hung loosely. And you know what? We talked through the whole night. She's such a smart woman."

"Yes, she was smart" Nadir thought remembering bitterly about her as he watched Erik sitting in his armchair with his head in his hands. "Smart, calculating and ruthless."

The next few months was Paradise for Erik. And even bigger Eden for Luciana. Erik watched her every wish and did everything she wanted. He lavished her with presents and treated her as if she was a porcelain doll. And Nadir watched this with growing worry. He was sure that something was terribly wrong with that girl.

"I'm going to show it to her today" Erik said one day in the break of a rehearsal.

"Are you sure it's a wise idea?" Nadir asked with solicitude. "I know that you feel she's the perfect woman for you but still I do think that you should wait with it."

"No Nadir, I've decided. The time has come when she must see what lays beneath my mask."

"And if she runs away? I know it's cruel to say but she doesn't seem that kind of girl who could tolerate it."

"I feel that she can. She loves me."

"I hope you're right Erik and I wish you to be happy. You deserve it."

Nadir couldn't sleep that night but he was far from that nervousness what Erik felt. He spent a beautiful evening with Luciana. He took her to a fancy restaurant and then they walked to his home. During their journey he was flustered. His heart was beating madly and he was sweating.

When they arrived at his flat he was fazed that he could barely speak. They sat down on the sofa and he just babbled about the running performance in the theatre.

"Erik darling, what's the matter?" Luciana asked after about fifteen minutes of empty chat. 'You seem so out of character tonight. Is something troubling you?"

"Luciana, it's…" Erik swallowed. "We've been together for quite some time now but still you've never seen my face beneath the mask."

"Erik it's not important what is it that it covers. It's not your face that I love but you." Luciana said warmly taking Erik's hands in hers.

"But I want you to show you. I love you and I don't want to hide from you."

"All right, darling. But it won't change anything."

With trembling hands Erik touched his mask and slowly removed it. Luciana didn't even blink. She had a perfectly calm expression on her face what changed into a smile as she gently touched the marred skin.

"You see?" she asked as she pulled Erik closer. "Nothing has changed" she breathed as their lips connected in a passionate kiss.

"Erik you must forget her, and forget everything what happened between the two of you." Nadir said emphasizing his sentence. He knew that Luciana was his first. And it still sickened him that Luciana was capable of using this against him. The pleasures of the flesh were new to Erik and Luciana was well aware of it. So whenever she needed something she just had to push her panties down.

"Oh Erik, I love you so much!" Luciana cried throwing her arms around Erik's neck. "I can't believe you gave the role to me!"

"Who else could play it better than you, my love?" Erik coaxed.

"Hmm… you deserve a present for it" Luciana purred in his ear.

"Oh and what would it be?" Erik asked but he didn't have to wait for an answer for he felt Luciana's hand undoing his pants and she slowly kneeled down.

"What if Christine is the same?" Erik asked looking up at Nadir. "What if she just wants sex? After all she's divorcing and she's free again. What if I'm just an escapade for her?"

"Erik honestly in spite of that genius mind of yours sometimes you can be quite dumb. Why do you think that Christine needs a fast round? On the contrary she needs somebody to hold on."

"And where the hell you know that this somebody is me?" Erik was now standing and nearly shouted.

"Well form a quite sure source. And her name is Meg Giry."

Erik sighed and collapsed back into the chair. "Yes, perhaps she needs me now. But later? Will she still love me or will she throw me away when I've completed my task?"

Erik had a lot to do that day. After the success of the opera with Luciana in the lead the phone in his office was ringing all day. It was well past nine in the evening when he finally got out and went home. When he opened the door he immediately felt that something was wrong. Usually Luciana waited for him with freshly cooked dinner but when he entered the flat everything was silent and the lights were off.

"Lucy, my love are you home?" he called turning on the lights. Nobody answered and as he went towards their bedroom he noticed an envelope on the table in the living-room. He opened it and his world shattered as he read it.

Dear Erik,

Thank you for everything you've done to me, today I'd be nowhere without you. Thank you for helping me with my career, it's your desert that I became a mannered singer. And so because of it you must understand that although I loved being with you I need to build my own life. After the opening night the director of the Metropolitan saw me about singing in his theatre. I knew that you wouldn't let me go in the middle of the performances and that's why I decided to go away without telling you. But please understand that in a town as little as this I'd never have a chance to become a world famous prima donna. I hope you forgive me for this and you'll remember the beautiful moments we've shared.

Luciana

"I still have it" Erik said pulling out a piece of paper from a drawer. "After she left me I read it at least a hundred times."

"Erik, why do you still have it?" Nadir asked. "You must forget her but it won't be possible if you keep every little thing what remained from her."

"Maybe you're right. But I just can't destroy it. Not yet. The memory is too fresh."

"Even after those girls?" Nadir laughed.

"Yes" Erik smiled too. "Even after them."

After Luciana had left Erik he became a punter. At first Nadir was glad that Erik was trying t get over Luciana but soon he realized that it was worse than if Erik had been mourning her loss. He had another girlfriend every week and his bed was always warm. He had all of the chorus girls and female servants in the opera house and he was a regular visitor of numerous local bars from where he never left alone. He learnt to enjoy the joys of the flesh without feeling anything for the woman in his bed. He played upon his partners just as Luciana had done the same. With the little difference that Erik never caused any pain for his lovers.

"So you think I should decide at last?"

"Yes Erik, and believe me, you won't regret it."

HA! Admit that you didn't count on it!

Oh well, review and Erik will take you to watch a movie. Don't and you'll get punjabbed.

Your loving authoress