"You have to admit I was right about her!"

Erik's only reply was an incompreensible sound.

"Christine is good," I insisted. My mood was good. It had been good for the last weeks.

Getting Erik to give Christine lessons was the best idea I ever had. She became more confident in herself, and a bit happier too. And just like I knew, her voice was each day more beautiful.

"I guess she's not that bad," Erik finally admited. "And she's not too annoying also."

I suddenly became worried.

"You are enjoying it," I said, in a low voice. It wasn't a question.

"I guess it's an acceptable human interaction," he replied, not noticing or ignoring my implication.

Erik couldn't look at her that way. No, never. No man could.

I let out a small laugh. What if he did? A man like Erik was the least of my possible worries. Right?

"You could do better," Erik said.

"What do you mean?", I asked, confused.

"That girl is too... easy to deceive. You could have someone smarter."

I shook my head.

"I don't care what you think I could have."

"I guess not."

My mother entered the room. A smile appeared on her face.

"What are you talking about in such a secretive way, my darlings?"

"About Meg's-," Erik started, but I interrupted him.

"About Erik's new friend!"

My mother's smile grew.

"You found a new friend, Erik? That's wonderful! I knew that phantom phase would pass!"

Erik gave me a suspicious look. I ignored it.

Mother started asking him questions about his friend. He didn't want to lie, it was clear, but he also couldn't say he was pretending to be some angel to give voice lessons to a young female singer in her dressing room. I couldn't be sure if mother would be more shocked or mad or just disappointed. At least he did understand that he should not mention my involvement on it.

Mother soon left us alone again. She was radiant, convinced that Erik was finally behaving like a normal person. She had such hopes for him.

"Christine needs a chance to shine," I told him, when mother left.

"Excuse me?"

"She needs to show the world her voice and her talent. Don't you think she should have a main role?"

"As if Carlotta would ever allow it," Erik said in an unbelieving tone. "Nothing would make her leave her limelight."

He was right. But I had a good weapon.

"Then make her."

"What?"

"Make Carlotta leave, so Christine can take her place. You can do it, right?"

"You must be crazy, Meg."

"Can you do it?", I insisted.

"I guess maybe I could. But I won't."

"Yes, you will, Erik."

He stared at me, then sighed.

"Just use one of your ghost tricks or something."

He closed his eyes, thinking for a while.

"Okay, I will think of something. But I am not going to hurt anyone, okay?"

"I knew I could aways count on the Opera Ghost!"

A man like Erik was the least of my possible worries. I soon met what the biggest possible worry would be.

Raoul de Chagny.

Erik did as I asked, and somehow got rid of Carlotta. Christine sang the main role and she enchanted everyone with her voice. I watched her aria from the wings and felt myself entering a new world. That was the moment I realized that I did love her. My feelings were so big, so intense, and even if I could never be more than a friend for her, I would be happy if I could still be with her. If I could hear her singing. If I could see the bright smile she showed as he received the deserved applause.

But I wasn't the only one who was moved in such an intense way by her. The young Vicomte, just back to Paris, was watching the performance. And he went to her dressing room after it, full of compliments. I listened behind the door. Only the compliments wouldn't worry me so much. But as he revealed that he had met her before, and she confirmed, and they both drowned in memories of their sweet childhood, I felt the ugly monster of jealousy being born inside of me.

How dare a man like him approach an angel like Christine?

He was young, rich, beautiful. He knew her, knew her childhood secrets, shared her memories. How dare him! Hearing behind her dressing room's door, I cried, cried in silence.

Erik found me with my eyes still hurting from crying, hiding backstage. Christine and Raoul left together. I saw their hands tied. I saw their smiles. They didn't see me or my tears.

"Is that what you wanted?", he asked me. Oh of course he would be amused at my sadness!

I only glared at him. He didn't make further comments.

"A singer," I started, after a while. My voice sounded so cold that even I was scared, "should dedicate herself only to her art. She shouldn't be wasting her times with lesser pleasures."

Erik nodded.

"A real singer should not waste her time with some spoiled boy," I continued.

"I told you she was not worth it."

I shook my head.

"Christine should make her choice. If she wants to shine, she shouldn't be seeing him."

Erik stared at me.

"You're not saying-"

"Her angel should guide her back to her right path, shouldn't him?"

"Meg..."

"Shouldn't him?", I shouted.

"I guess," he said, looking down. "I'll make sure he will."