Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opear

Chapter 13

A week had gone by very slowly for Aubrey. No calling Erik, no hanging out with Jane or any of her friends, nothing, but when she came home from school after giving Erik a kiss on the lips she walked into her house.

"Mom" Aubrey called out as she went through the house looking for her.

"What is it Ruthie?" Her mother answered her.

"Well it has been a week since you grounded me, am I free?"

"Yes, yes your free, I have already hooked everything back up in your room." Lacey said to her daughter.

Aubrey gave out a quick thanks and rushed up the stairs and got on her computer. She probably had hundreds of e-mails waiting for her, which she did, but sifted through the junk mail quickly. As she did this she saw a familiar e-mail address, but couldn't place it instantly.

Aubrey opened the e-mail and looked to the bottom of the page. It was from Lawrence! Aubrey hadn't though of him in a long time

Dear Aubrey,

Hey honey! I have missed you so much. I'm out of school for a week for spring break and I know your birthday is in the same week, so I have convinced my mother to let me come visit you. I have saved up enough money to stay at a hotel the whole time. I am leaving on Monday, and I can't wait to see you. I'll be staying at the Super 8 in town, so come by and see me after school because I don't know where you live, and I will be there after school.

I love you so much,

Lawrence.

Aubrey was dumbstruck. Hadn't she made their break up perfectly clear? Today was the day Lawrence was talking about…what was she going to do!

Aubrey snatched up the phone and dialed Erik's number.

"Hello" Erik said.

"Erik I need to talk to you. You remember that guy that I told you about that I was dating in my own town?

"Lawrence right."

"Yeah, well I told you I ended it with him, and I made it clear, but he sent me an e-mail and he is driving up here to see me and still thinks he is in love with me. He is here in town right now expecting me! What am I suppose to do?" Aubrey wailed.

"Calm down Aubrey, it's okay. Why don't we just go over there, and you can hang out wit your friend, and just make it clear to him that he is only that, your friend." Erik said trying to sooth Aubrey.

"We?" Aubrey asked skeptically.

"Yes, we still may not have gone public, but you know people know we're dating, but we can tell him. Maybe he will see that you are serious and happy, and leave you alone."

"Thank you Erik!" Aubrey gushed. "Will you come get me, I need to get this over with."

"Yes, I'll be there in a few minutes."

Aubrey got off the phone and ran downstairs and told her mother exactly what Lawrence had said.

"Lawrence is going to be heart broken." Lacey said.

It was a good thing Aubrey had had enough sense to tell her mother that she was dating Erik, Aubrey didn't want to get in more trouble for keeping things from her mother.

"I know, but Erik is going to go with me, so he can help me handle this." Aubrey said.

"Well okay, just don't let things get out of hand."

Aubrey waited out on her front porch for Erik to show up and when he pulled into her driveway she rushed into his car.

As soon as Aubrey got in the car Erik grabbed her hand and placed a tender kiss on her hand.

"Okay, so what did you mean everyone knows were dating?" Aubrey asked him after she told him where to go.

"Oh come on Aubrey, they can see how we look at each other, and how we are together all the time."

A small smile came to Aubrey's face. "Yeah, I guess your right. Well now you can at least give me a hug at school and hold my hand then, but I think we should hold off on that kind of things why we are around Lawrence, at least until he understands what's going on."

Erik pulled into an empty spot and Aubrey ran in and asked what room Lawrence was staying in and got back in the car and told Erik to drive all the way to the end.

Aubrey saw Lawrence's crappy car and Aubrey pointed it out and Erik parked next to it. Aubrey took a deep breath.

"Erik, I don't think I can do this." Aubrey said with a quiver of fear in her voice.

Erik took Aubrey's hand. "I'm not going to force you, but he came all the way out here to see a friend, are you really going to turn him down?"

"No of course not. Thanks for coming with me Erik." Aubrey said as she got out of the car. She walked up to the door and knocked on it.

Lawrence opened it after a second. His hands shot out and pulled her through the room and pulled her into a huge hug.

"Aubrey! God I have missed you so much." Lawrence said.

Aubrey pulled away from him and turned to see Erik walk in and close the door.

"Hi Lawrence." Aubrey said.

"Who is this?" Lawrence asked looking at Erik.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lawrence this is Erik, Erik, Lawrence."

Lawrence briefly shook his hand.

"Why did you bring him along Aubrey, I though we could have some time together since we haven't seen each other in a long time."

"I know Lawrence, but your e-mail had me concerned." Aubrey said looking down at her feet.

"Why would you be concerned?" Lawrence asked leading her over to the bed.

"Well Lawrence I was concerned because your e-mail made it seem like you are still in love with me, and we are still dating…"

Lawrence sat down on the bed next to Aubrey, and she saw Erik walk over towards her and stand in front of her, like a shield.

"Aubrey I do still love you, and we are still dating." Lawrence said and Aubrey jumped off the bed and rounded on him.

"No Lawrence we are not still dating. I made perfectly clear on the phone after I got here that I wasn't in love with you anymore, and we were not dating." Aubrey shouted at him.

The look on Lawrence's face is what bothered Aubrey the most. It looked as if she had reached through his chest and pulled his heart out and pounded on it.

"I'm sorry if this was so blunt Lawrence, but I tried to tell you clearly before, and you wouldn't listen."

"Is this why you brought him along!" Lawrence shouted back at her. He bounded to his feet and pointed his finger towards Erik who was standing between Lawrence and Aubrey. "You wanted to rub this in my face."

"No Lawrence, Erik is here to support me because I didn't want to hurt you." Aubrey said in a whisper looking horrified at what Lawrence said.

What happened next was a shock to Aubrey. Lawrence had shoved Erik hard to the side and took the step closer to Aubrey and slapped her across the face. Hard.

Aubrey felt the sting on her face and her hand went to the spot he struck, but not before Erik had grabbed the back of his shirt.

Erik spun him around and punched Lawrence in the mouth. "Don't you ever touch her again!" Erik yelled at him.

Lawrence got off his feet and got in Erik's face.

"No!" Aubrey shouted and pushed herself in between Erik and Lawrence. "Stop it both of you! Erik lets just go." Aubrey said as she started to push him gently in the chest towards the door.

"I'll get you for this." Lawrence shouted at them as they left the room.

Erik put his arm around Aubrey and led her to the car. He made sure she was all the way in before he got in the car himself.

Erik quickly pulled out of the hotel and stopped at some stores parking lot. He took his seat belt off and turned towards Aubrey. He gently grabbed her chin and tilted her face towards the window to get a look at her face.

"There's definitely some swelling, and I think there is going to be a nasty bruise." Erik said.

"Yeah my face hurts." Aubrey said lamely as she reached up and touched the left side of her face. "How bad do I look?"

"You still look beautiful. I'm so sorry he hit you, I was trying to keep that from happening." Erik said gently.

"It's not your fault Erik, I was so shocked that he would actually do that to me."

"Well lets go home and put some ice on that." Erik said as he started to drive towards his house.

Once they got there Aubrey called her mother and told her that she was over at Erik's house, and she would tell her what went on with Lawrence when she got home.

Erik brought her a rag with ice wrapped in it, and was grateful because the ice did feel good on her skin.

"Well that could have gone better." Aubrey said and for some reason started to laugh, and Erik just shook his but grinned at her all the same.

So first off I want to dedicate that chapter to FYInichole because they sent me a message and helped me get off my but and hurry up and update. So Lawrence was a total scumbag huh! That idea came to me all of a sudden and I though I would run with it. Please review and let me know what you think. I want to say thank you to anyone who has reviewed my story, or added it to their favorite or alert list. Also thank you to anyone who added me to their favorite list or author alert list, you have no idea how much that means to me!

Desiree'