A/N: Okay, just a little filler and some angst. Have no fear… trust the authoress here. Lol. Thank you all to those who have been reviewing (and not) and special thanks to my beta, Halley. Please don't forget to review!

Oh! And the title of this chapter I stole from a quote in one of my favorite novels. On to the story!

Chapter 21: Angry People Are Never Wise

The next morning Etienne resolved to forget the entire afternoon. There was nothing that could be changed and the less he thought about it, the less awkward it would be for her if he acted ignorant. He wouldn't speak of it and he prayed neither would she. He didn't want to go through the same pain again.

It was his fault, his own doing from the beginning. If he hadn't forgotten about Dan than they both wouldn't be in this turmoil of guilt. He could only hope she could forgive him for being untoward.

Meanwhile, Stephanie was also undergoing a similar check on herself. She thought over what Erik said, especially about the implication of Etienne's dream of finding his Angel. As romantic as it sounded, she didn't like the way Erik had looked at her when he said it. He couldn't have been referring to her! Not when she had Dan…

For the love of God! I don't technically have Dan. Bad enough I have to remind myself…

She noticed her devotion towards him was waning whenever she was around Etienne. To her dismay and shame, she couldn't find it within herself to let Dan Shaw go. Had it not been for him, Stephanie never would have been reintroduced to the world. Her feelings of self-doubt and loathing left as she became a new woman filled with self-worth and passion. Yet it was the old Stephanie inside that kept his rejection in denial. And for the same reasons she couldn't ignore the person she fell in love with.

The lesson had begun discomfited but as they went through the warm-ups, all thoughts of the day before were forgotten. All that mattered was the music.

Well, for Etienne it did.

Stephanie couldn't stop thinking about the near-fatal kiss. Even though she told herself not to, it snuck back into her head. Her eyes were glued to his lips and she couldn't help but remember how close they were and how warm…

She squeezed her eyes tightly. Stop it! Stop thinking about… that! It didn't happen and it will never happen again. Okay. Think about something gross… hmmm… Erik and Christine conceiving—no bad example! Mom and Dad…eww. Hey it worked…

Any thoughts of kissing Etienne died. For a little while.

She looked at her maestro—this time she was focusing on his hands. Such elegant, graceful musician hands… She wondered what it would be like to feel…

No! What am I some schoolgirl? Bad, bad Stephanie!

"Mlle Larson?" Her tormentor called.

Snapping out of the ever increasing fantasies of pianos and hands, Stephanie forced herself to look him in the eye, praying that none of her thoughts would betray her.

"Yes?"

"I believe we should decide what aria you should sing—"

"Could we do 'Think of Me'?" Stephanie interrupted, eagerness flashing in her eyes. "It's my favorite song."

"If that's what you would like," Etienne said neutrally.

She smiled. "Great! I've always wanted to sing it properly. I guess you could say it was the phangirl in me."

"Phangirl?" he repeated, his brows rising.

"Yeah… since I was younger I loved the story and music. And I love your father—err not in that way, of course." She began blushing uncontrollably as she babbled. "And I would often sing them off-key since I was so horrible and um… could you?"

Etienne couldn't help but grin at her flustered state. The rosy hue on her face was most becoming and very agreeable. Noticing where his thoughts would stray to, he cleared his throat and nodded in acquiescence.

Etienne, you fool! Remember where her alliances lie! Never and certainly with you!

The song was a good choice, but he dreaded teaching it to her. The words alone were enough to kill him as well as the history of the aria for his parents. Now he fully understood how his father felt, hiding in the shadows watching his beloved sing of love, which he longed to obtain. Ironically, Etienne was suffering the same heartache without hiding. C'est la vie.

So they started. Twice he had to stop her to correct her posture, but he did so by words and not touches. He was sure that a close proximity would be the end for him.

The two hours dragged on, an agonizing feeling for both teacher and student. How much torture can one take? Etienne thought as the final seconds counted down 'til the end. Even worse, he dreaded afterward. Do not stay. Just leave me. Please leave.

Time.

But Stephanie didn't get up nor did she make an attempt to.

Swallowing hard, Etienne kept his stance rigid and his expression emotionless. "You are dismissed Mlle Larson."

"I know," was her soft reply.

"Then why are you still here?" he snapped, inwardly wincing at his harsh tone as she flinched.

Oh please go! Do not make it more troublesome.

"We need to talk," she said empathically. "About yesterday—"

"No."

She looked sharply at him, surprised by his abrupt attitude. Yet why should you be? You were the one who rejected and embarrassed him.

"All I wanted to say was—"

"I believe I already told you you were dismissed," Etienne emphasized. "Please go or I shall extend tomorrow's lesson."

Stephanie balked at him, her patience running short. Why must you be so damn difficult!

"If you think that will stop me, then you haven't figured me out yet," she retorted, jumping up and sticking out her chin out of stubbornness, eyes glittering defiantly. "Newsflash: no matter how much you threaten me, I'm going to keep on staying until we talked this out. Because I am sor—"

"Enough!" he barked. "I don't want to hear your apologies. What's done is done and that's all there ever be."

"No it's not! Listen, I'm much at fault too and I want to clear this up."

"For all I care, I believe this is already settled. My pride is no longer inflicted with hurt and it doesn't bother me."

"Yeah, uh-huh, sure. If that was the case then you wouldn't keep interrupting me," Stephanie exclaimed. Rolling her eyes, she snorted. "Typical."

"Excuse me?"

She glared at him. "What the hell is wrong with you? No… what is wrong with all men? You say it doesn't bother you but it really does. Isn't that always the case? Your masculinity is wounded when the girl doesn't fall for your charms? Why can't you say what is in your mind? God, it took me forever to have Erik open up. You can't keep ignoring your feelings forever."

"Oh I can!" he yelled, his face growing red. "I can do whatever I damn well please! If I don't wish to confide my feelings with you, then I won't. And what is it with women? You think that merely speaking your feelings will solve everything when it actually makes things worse!"

Her jaw dropped. "Someone has to, you buffoon! If you won't step up then why shouldn't I?"

His body was taut, his fists clenching hard. "You forget your place, mademoiselle."

"Oh really?" she glowered. "Enlighten me. Where is my place?"

Etienne made his way over to where she stood, breathing erratically down at her. "Do not test me. You cannot and will not understand what plagues me day in and day out. Your sarcasm and insolence is more than I can handle."

"Do you truly think I wouldn't understand? Oh no. No. No. No. I understand more than you ever could."

Stepping a step forward, Etienne shook with fury, his dark eyes narrowing at her. "I am giving you a chance to leave or so help me—"

"Help you what? Go on. Tell me what bothers you most about me that cannot be said civilly."

"Infuriating and idle woman! How my father or any man can put up with you I will never know."

"How about you? Having trouble finding a missis?" Stephanie sneered in contempt. "I suppose having a husband as a composer isn't in demand like you thought. Or could it be that you can't even satisfy a woman?"

"Why you—" His arms flew out as if to strangle her.

"So Erik never passed on any romantic traits? Pity."

"And you think you're even better, you devilish vixen?" Etienne twitched as he circled her. "I cannot seem to fathom what your beau sees in you. Though, I must give my congratulations for his patience to put up with you so long. Clearly he's in deserving of sainthood."

"How dare you!" Stephanie growled. "Don't bring Dan into this. He has nothing to do with you."

"Let's talk about dear M. Shaw," Etienne taunted, ignoring her murderous stare. "You love him so much that you would spend all your time with a single man. And this said man you nearly kissed too! What would ol' Dan have to say?"

Her nostrils flared, her chest rising as her hand was itching to slap him. "Don't."

"Yes, indeed, I would love to know what he would have to say on this matter. Or better yet, you can go on and tell me what a wonderful, great man he is. He is so worthy of your affections after all for allowing another man—"

He didn't finish the rest of his statement as her hand flew across his face, hitting him hard enough to leave a mark immediately.

Gaping, Etienne held his hand over where she hit him.

Tears sprung to her eyes but they did not fall. The look on her face was killing him slowly.

"Stephanie, I'm—"

She ran out before he could finish.

TBC…