Hello everyone! Thanks for all the great reviews.

Vanessa Osbourne: Hello, friend! Yup, though I'm not sure how I know. I just always have!

RoseTheHorrorLover: Thank you! *gasp* A rose? From Erik? For me? I must go brag about this to Lauren!

Heywhatup: Thank you! See you at the Sleepover at Songbird's and my house!

TheTricksterPrincess: Of course I recognize you! Thank you, I've was nervous about how people would react to this story. See you at the Sleepover!

25 Crash 174: Ma'am, yes Ma'am! See you at the Sleepover!

Silronsemwin: I love your comment! I wanted to do something different but not something that would be really strange and thrown together. And thanks for the advice, I'll watch for my punctuation but commas and I aren't friends. XD

Songbird of the Night: YAY, NARNIE! My first reviewer!

The Weight of Words: Chapter Two

It didn't take long for the boy to find his way to the room he supposed was the chapel. And, mere seconds later, the girl reappeared as she had promised. For once in his life he wasn't getting lied to. She led him out of the chapel and down many dark corridors, dodging many people who were wandering around the halls afterhours. Soon they entered a small dressing room.

Antoinette stuck her head out the door and looked both ways. She was glad she had progressed enough in ballet to obtain her own dressing room. She knew it was an honor to have a dressing room to yourself, but it was farther away from the stage, props, ballet studio, and costuming. The dormitories were closer; they had made time management easier. But, now, the room proved useful. She closed the door quietly and locked it. She didn't need anyone coming in the room to find a strange boy inside. Cécile always came in unexpectedly.

When she turned around, the boy was nowhere in sight. But this was a small dressing room, he couldn't have gone far. She knew exactly where he was: wedged in between the wall and the armoire. Many a dancer had hidden in that spot when avoiding the certain doom of a punishment. The retribution for misbehavior was always extremely harsh. Well, she was right.

"You must believe me, boy. Please trust me. I will not hurt you, I swear."

~o~

He wanted to believe her, but he could never be sure if that was the truth. And he was scared out of his mind! His heart was thudding so wildly in his chest, he was sure the girl could hear it. But there was something about her that made him truly feel she wasn't lying to him. He crawled out of his hiding place and stared at the girl with worriment. But she couldn't see it because of his mask.

She smiled at him before speaking. "I'm Antoinette, well, Annie. My friends call me Annie. What's your name?"

Did he remember his name? He had been the Devil's Child so long he might have forgotten his name. Wait, he remembered! But was he sure?

"E-E-rik,"He said he answered hesitantly. Yes, Erik was his name. "Erik."

Annie, as he said his name was, smiled at him again. "What a lovely name, Erik."

He smiled at her complement from underneath the sack that was over his head. It made him feel somewhat...special? Yes, special.

"Thank you, Miss Annie."

~o~

His voice was so sweet, and, almost, musical. She could have listened to him speak all day. But she could already tell that he wasn't going to talk much.

"Would you like something to eat? You must be starving," Antoinette said before grabbing the fruit bowl that sat on the table next to her. Antoinette was always an early riser, so she kept the fruit in her room since the breakfast wouldn't be ready until long after she was. She held it out in front of Erik.

She didn't need to see his face to know that he was staring at her in disbelief. She sighed sadly.

"I know you are hungry. I want you to take the food. You do trust me, Erik," she said. "Don't you?"

He hesitantly nodded.

"Then take some," she said softly.

"Y-you'd let me?"

Would she let him? Of course! Oh, the poor boy, his life must have been terrible if he wasn't even allowed food when he was hungry.

"Yes, of course."

Erik slowly reached out and picked out a plum. Antoinette could tell he was watching her, as if he was afraid she was lying and would snatch the fruit back. She smiled at him then turned to take hold of the pitcher from her wash set. She poured the water into the bowl a soaked a cloth. A bath for Erik would have to wait until the morning when she could heat the water and bring it upstairs without looking suspicious. When she turned around, he was finished the fruit.

"Would you like another?" Antoinette asked.

The boy shook his head.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"Alright. Let's get you cleaned up a bit," she said before reach for the sack on his head. "We'll just take th-"

"No!" Erik cried before falling to his knees, sobbing.

Antoinette didn't know what to do. She had never met a boy like this before. She put her hand on his shoulder causing him to jump.

"Erik," she started, "your face is perfect."

He shook his head slowly.

"N-no," he said with shuddering breath.

"I don't believe that, Erik."

~o~

Why can't Annie believe that Erik thought to himself. And as if she could read his thoughts, Annie spoke.

"If your face wasn't perfect, the Lord wouldn't have made it like that."

Her words caused Erik's sobs to slow. The way she said it...she sounded sincere...Annie had really meant it. But, still, he sat there with his eyes closed tightly, his breath held, as she pulled the sack from over his head, preparing himself for a scream. But the scream never came. He felt cool water over his malformed face.

He opened his emerald eyes a stared up at the girl who continued to wipe the dirt off his skin. She looked down at him and smiled widely.

"Oh, Erik, I've never seen eyes that color before! Your eyes are so beautiful."

Erik was astounded. He had never heard someone say "Erik" and "beautiful" in the same sentence, before. But in the midst of his surprise, he grinned happily.

~o~

Though he has perfect eyes and a perfect smile, people must torment him so! Antoinette's thoughts grew slightly angrier. Why can people be so heartless; why must they magnify the flaws of people instead of looking at the good things about them?

"Miss Annie?" A soft, barely audible voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Are you, uh, a-alright?" Erik looked at her with his stunning green eyes.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem a-angry." Antoinette hadn't noticed how her face had changed to and angered squint while she was lost in her thoughts. "It's my f-fault i-isn't i-it? I-I'm so s-sorry," Erik said on the verge of tears, burying his face in his hands.

"No, Erik! No," Antoinette said quickly. Oh, the poor boy! None of this was of his doing, but, in his mind, it was.

"Erik," she said putting an arm around his shoulder, noticing he didn't flinch, "The only thing I am upset about is how heartless the man was who hurt you, and how the cold the crowd was. Never think anything like this is your fault, because it isn't."

~o~

Erik all but threw himself into Annie's lap sobbing tears of happiness. Someone actually cares about me! No one had ever cared about him before, but Annie, who had been a stranger almost an hour ago, did.

Annie wrapped her arms around him as his sobs slowed, then, ceased. Before he knew it, Erik had fallen asleep in her lap.

Sorry it took me so long to update! So what did you think? Leave me a comment telling me what you liked or didn't like, or some advice. Ask questions, if you have any. Until the next chapter, Au revoir!