I was still a little shaken from our last encounter. I had to go into work today. I had felt what 'sparks' felt like. And what happened between Erik and I was definitely not 'sparks.' It was something else. I gave a shaky sigh as I pulled into the parking lot. Nautia was waiting for me at her car.
"He asked about you today." She told me. I gave a hum of a reply.
"What happened on Friday?" She asked.
"Nothing you would understand." I replied; she gave a click of her tongue, the rolled her eyes and got her car. I walked into the building.
I sat down in my cubicle and propped my head on my chin. I checked to see who was working this evening. Peyton and I, of course, he came in and sat down.
"Hey Lee." Peyton told me. I smiled at him
"Hi Peyton." I replied. He gave me a smile I blushed a little and looked away. I noticed that Erik wasn't there. I looked at my watch and saw it was seven thirty. I needed to give Erik his supper. I nearly reluctantly went into the cafeteria and got Erik's food and then went down to the basement.
My hands shook as I took the keys and tried to unlock the door. I nearly squealed as I dropped the key ring. The clatter echoed through the hall. I picked them up and unlocked the door. I felt the restless energy on the other side. I heard his quiet yet nearly panicked footsteps pacing the length of his room. I opened the door.
"Hi Erik." I told him, stepping in. He seemed to be ten feet tall but he seemed nearly insane. His disheveled hair and twisted shirt and a mad light in his eyes made me question his sanity guiltily.
"Lee please forgive me. I'm so sorry I didn't know that I could still do that." He told me, practically pouncing on me. I had to lean back to keep some sort personal space. I knew he wasn't insane. I wanted him to be sane.
"It's okay." I told him. The sigh of relief that passed through him was loud and ragged.
"I never meant to do that to you." He told me. I nodded.
"It's fine, really. I need to go back or Peyton will be worried." I told him. He took his food and sat down at his little table.
"Could you bring me something?" He asked me.
"What do you need?" I replied.
"Music sheets and something to write with. It's coming back to me Lee. The music, it fills my head again as it did when I was young." He told me. His voice hinting obsession. I nodded.
"Yeah I'll bring you some." I told him. I was worried. When music filled his head he was a madman. I bit my lip nervously as I stood in the dark of the passage.
"You okay Lee?" I screamed at Peyton's sudden appearance. Erik's worried voice sounded from the room, lightning fast shuffling and his shadow fell across us. When he saw it was a false arm he receded to his room.
"Are you sure he isn't... You know... Crazy?" Peyton asked quietly.
"Yes, Peyton I'm sure." I told him.
"He seems awful protective of you." He replied I scowled at him and went upstairs.
"Lee, Lee, what the heck?" He called after me; I heard his pounding footsteps as he ran after me.
"He isn't crazy. He's just not able to express what he feels the proper way. He wasn't raised right and that has some bad effects as an adult." I told Peyton I turned as he came to my side his grey eyes were wide and puppy-like.
"Look I don't know. I've never spoke to the guy. Just be careful Lee." He told me. I nodded.
"I am being careful." I told him.
"Are you sure? Talking to him when you're the only person at the asylum isn't being careful." He told me.
"He isn't crazy Peyton!" I yelled.
"He's sweet. And sane. Don't judge him because he's in an asylum." I told him. Peyton swallowed.
"Okay Lee, sorry." He told me, backing away a little. I frowned and we returned to the cubicle and sat down. My mind wondered off to Erik. What would he have done if it was a deranged patient instead of Peyton? I wondered about Erik in general. I stared at a blank sheet of paper as I thought of my mysterious suitor. I wish I knew enough about him to fill this paper and many others just like it. He really was a complete enigma. I knew a few things about him, but his name didn't really matter. I knew he had been the Opera Ghost back in the 1800's. I realize that I believed him. He just seemed ageless. I gave a sigh and closed my eyes.
"Are you sure you're fine, Lee?" Peyton asked. I actually questioned it at the moment.
"I don't know." I told him.
"Maybe you should take some time off. He's fine at night; Nautia will only have to stay a little bit longer to give him his dinner." He told me. I frowned.
"I'd have to ask him." I said.
"Lee, he isn't your boss. He can't run your life if you don't let him. I think you should stay away from him for a while." Peyton replied. I scowled.
"Peyton he isn't controlling me." I told him.
"I saw the way you reacted when you two made eye contact that first night he came out of his room. What he can do to you… it isn't natural. Or safe." He said. I glared at him.
"Peyton, I'm FINE!" I spat at him. He slid his in chair back a few inches from me. I looked back down to the desk, ignoring the awkward tension that had settled over us. It was time to do the rounds. I stood up and started out of the cubicle, Peyton grabbed my arm as I was going to the stairs to go to Erik.
"Maybe I should check on Erik for you. I think I heard Honey wake up." Peyton told me. I huffed.
"I'll go check on her but I'm the only one with clearance to go down there by myself." I told him. He looked down. Worry in his eyes.
"Lee, I'm really worried about you. Please, be careful, okay." He told me. I frowned, feeling guilty. I didn't mean to hurt him. I didn't know what was wrong with me. Maybe I should take a few days off. Spend some time with Mom and Andrew. I nodded.
"I'll ask off for a little while. I guess you're right. Something is messing with me. I don't know what. But maybe spending some time with my mom and brother would do me some good." I told him. He smiled brightly, making me feel better as well. He hugged me.
"Thanks Lee." He told me. I hugged him back.
"Thanks for talking sense into me." I told him. He released me. I went to Honey's room and opened the door, she was asleep. I closed the door and locked it. I went downstairs, Peyton following me. I opened the door Erik's room. He sat in his chair, looking at me with an alluring look in his eyes. I smiled at him; I closed the door and sat down on his bed.
"I'm thinking about taking a few days off. It's been a long time since I've been able to relax. I'll have to ask for time off later today. So I'll buy you some music sheets and bring them tomorrow afternoon." I told him. The look in his eyes was heartbreaking.
"You're coming back?" He asked. My heart pounded in my chest as I unwillingly questioned his sanity. He was just acting so mad that I was seriously thinking that this was all just a huge ruse and that I was the apple of a truly madman's eye. I swallowed nervously.
"Of course, Erik. I'm the only one who is able to take care of you at night." I told him. He looked down.
"Erik, I'm concerned for you. You're acting… you're acting like you're mad." I told him softly. Erik looked at me with a bright light in his eyes.
"Am I scaring you?" He asked softly.
"No, you're just worrying me." I told him.
"I'll try to return to my original state. It's just I have never been this close to being free from my curse. I'm always jittery now. I'm afraid that one day you'll come to me one day and tell me you can't be the one to free me. I was so happy when I met your aunt. I was convinced she was the one. But the day she told me she was pregnant. God I nearly killed her. She acted like she wanted to be with me yet she slept with another man which I never understood." Erik told me. At this moment he reminded me much of a young child. I touched his hand.
"Rest assured Erik, that I will never lead you astray. Alright?" I said. He nodded at me with an appreciation in his eyes.
"Thank you Leamera." He told me. I smiled and nodded.
"It's no problem. I need to go now. Goodnight Erik." I told him. I stood.
"Goodnight, Leamera." He told me, his voice was quiet. I looked over my shoulder at him and left the room with a strange mixture of guilt and relief. I gave a heavy sigh and closed my eyes as I shut the door behind me. I looked to Peyton who was looking at me with a concerned look.
"How do you feel about me, Peyton?" I asked him quietly.
"What do you mean?" He asked as we walked away from Erik's room.
"How you feel about me I don't mean anything else other than what I asked." I told him. He gave a bit of a sigh.
"I really like you, Lee. But I think going after you is dangerous. Especially with him." He told me. I huffed.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"He's clearly into you, Lee. I like you, but I'm not sure if I want to... I mean, I don't want to compete… not that you aren't worth it."
"I understand." I told him.
"You do?" He asked.
"Yeah, you want to date me, but you don't want to compete with someone whom you believe is a madman." I told him.
"Yeah. You kind of hit the nail on the head." He told me. I nodded.
"You're really sweet. But I don't really think that we have that good chemistry. We're good friends, and I hold you near to my heart." I told him. He smiled with that same brightness again. It made me giggle.
"That's great Lee, I guess I'm happy as long as I mean something to you. Plenty of fish in the sea." He said. That made me feel better.
"Good. Erik kind of knew and he told me. I didn't really believe him, but then I did. I'm glad that you're not upset or anything." I told Peyton.
"Yeah, don't worry about it. But it sounds like you kind of 'requite' his feelings." Peyton told me. We sat down in the cubicle I smiled tiredly.
"Well, not really. I just feel like I have to help him." I told Peyton.
"Do you have to?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" I replied.
"I mean if this legend is true. If this guy is the Phantom of the Opera. You know he was originally put here because he really was insane at some point. Mental Hospitals back then weren't exactly top notch. You know, there could be traces of insanity left. You aren't concerned about that, at all?" He asked.
"Of course I am, Peyton. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't help him." I told Peyton. He gave a small sigh and leaned back in his chair. Our gazes were locked on one another.
"How was your sister?" I asked.
"She was good, my niece was born last week and she is the cutest little baby I've ever seen." He told me with a smile. He got his wallet out of his pocket and opened it, Peyton took out a small picture and handed it to me.
"Isn't she beautiful?" He asked me. I took the picture and studied it. The baby was in a soft pink onesie and had the happiest look on her face. She had a soft wisp of black hair and her baby blue eyes sparkled.
"Oh she's precious! What is her name?" I asked giving it back to him.
"Maysi." Peyton told me as he put the picture back in his wallet.
This night was a good one, perfectly nondramatic like I like it. I sat back in my chair and just waited for the time to go by. Peyton and I chatted, I swore I heard Erik's voice from the vent occasionally, but when I would ask Peyton he would tell me he had heard nothing. I was so glad that he was okay with what I was doing. Well I wasn't sure if he was okay with it, but he didn't seem to want to fight. That was great.
