I woke up the next morning for rehearsals. I dragged myself out of bed, still depressed from the night-before's events. I got dressed and went to meet all the other dancers. My best friend, Meg, immediately noticed something was wrong with me.
"Christine? Are you okay? You don't look so good…" She whispered, so we wouldn't get caught talking.
"I thought I was doing a good job of hiding it," I said softly. "But, no, I'm really not okay. Raoul accused me of cheating last night. I swore I wasn't, but he wouldn't believe me. He doesn't want to see me anymore." I felt tears well up in my eyes.
"That's horrible!" Meg said. "Christine, I'm so sorry. I d-"
Meg was cut off by her mother, Madame Giry. "Meg Giry! Christine Daaé! Are you two going to join the rest of us in rehearsals, or are you two going to talk while everyone else works?!"
Not wanting to be scolded anymore, we went on through rehearsals without a peep. But afterwards, Meg rushed over to me wanting to know all the details. I told her what happened, leaving out the part about Erik. After hearing the whole story, Meg pulled me into a hug, trying to comfort me.
"Christine, that's so unfair. How dare he accuse you of cheating! What kind of woman does he think you are?!" Meg proclaimed angrily.
I shrugged. "I don't know," I sighed. "I'm just so depressed about it. Did you see how horrid my dancing was? I can't even focus."
"It's okay, Christine," Meg said smiling. "Your dancing was fine. In f-"
Meg was once again cut off by her mother. "Meg, you have socialized enough during today's rehearsal. Tell Christine good-bye, you'll see her tomorrow." Madame Giry took Meg's hand and led her away. Meg turned around and waved good-bye to me.
I had nothing else to I returned to my dressing room. What I really wanted was to talk to Erik, but I didn't know how to find him.
Sighing, I returned to my dressing room. "Erik," I whispered. "Erik, if you're there, please come. I need someone to talk to."
I buried my head in my hands. I don't know how long I stayed in that position, but I heard a voice calling my name.
"Christine?" It called.
"Erik! You-you heard me?" I asked astonished. I lifted my head from my hands, and looked to see Erik standing in front of me. I knew Erik was always somewhere close; he had been since I was a child. But I didn't think he would actually hear my call.
"Christine…" He said in a hushed tone. "I will always be here for you. No matter what. If you ever need me, I will be willing to help. All you have to do is call for me." As he talked, he walked towards me, inching closer with every word. He was standing so close to me, our noses were centimeters apart. I could feel his breath on my face as he talked.
"Erik," I said, still whispering. "you don't know how much means to me. Thank you. You're the best friend I could ask for."
His dark eyes met mine for a moment, and I wondered what he was going to do. I half hoped he would close the gap between us, but another part of me knew nothing could ever happen between us. He moved his hand to my shoulder, and smiled. I thought for a minute he really was going to kiss me, but he suddenly pulled back as if he were struck.
Erik began to pace around my room, his eyes glued to the floor. "I'm sorry Christine," He apologized, "I didn't mean to let my….emotions get in the way."
"It's okay, Erik," I said smiling. "I le- wait. What emotions are you talking about?"
Erik looked up at me. He smoothed down his wig with his left hand, even though it didn't need fixing. A nervous habit, I presume. "Erm….never mind. I'll tell you another time, Christine." And with that, he disappeared.
"What do you think? Did it seem okay?" I asked Erik. I was in his lair again, and I showed him the dance I was supposed to be learning. I felt so out of everything lately, and I felt my dancing was suffering. I had started practicing with Erik, and he always had some sort of helpful advice or criticism.
"That was wonderful," He said, a hint of a smile forming at his lips. His answer surprised me. I figured that he would, as always, tell me at least something I needed to work on. I felt both proud and excited that he enjoyed my dancing.
"You really think so?" I asked.
"I wouldn't lie to you, Christine,"
"I know, I know," I replied. "I just…I've been having a harder time focusing in rehearsals. I'm afraid if it keeps going like this, I won't be needed as a dancer anymore." I sighed. "Thanks again for letting me practice with you Erik."
"Anything for you," Erik said as he always did. Whenever I thanked him, I always got the same thing. "Anything for you, Christine,". It always made me think. Would I do anything for Erik? Does he mean as much to me as I do to him?
I shake my head; an attempt to get the guilty thought out of my head. "I still feel like I owe you something. You do so much for me, yet I do nothing in return. You deserve something from me, Erik."
"No, I don't," He said, a sad look coming into his eyes. "I don't deserve anything. If you knew the things I have done, if you knew the sins I have committed, you would agree that I do not deserve anything but pain. One of the reasons I do all this," he said motioning with his hands towards me, "is to make up for everything I've done."
I knew he didn't mean for it to, but his last remark hurt. Was the only reason he was friend to me because he felt like he needed to make up for his past sins?
"Erik…" I started, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what sins he was talking about, and I had a feeling it was something he didn't want to share.
He backed away from me. "I'm sorry, Christine,"
"Erik, you need to stop apologizing to me. You've done nothing wrong."
After that episode, he began to give me a music lesson, and we both seemed to forget about what happened. But, when he was walking me back to my dressing room, I realized he never told me what the 'other reasons' for being my friend was.