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

Chapter 15

When Aubrey woke up and realized it was her birthday. Finally 17. Aubrey couldn't believe in one short year she would be 18 and be moving out of the house soon.

Aubrey got dressed and went downstairs and found that her mother had made her waffles.

"Yum! My favorite." Aubrey said as she sat down and started eating.

"Now Aubrey, I know normally we have a huge family thing, but I know last year you told me you were to big for that. If you want, we can just wait for this weekend, and we can all just go see a movie or something."

Aubrey's eyes lit up. "Really! Thanks mom. You're the best." Aubrey said as she hugged her mother.

"Does that mean I can go out for my birthday with my friends?" Aubrey asked.

"Well no, there's something already planned."

Aubrey groaned. "Aww mom, you said no family thing!"

"It's not a family thing. It's just a surprise though, so after school come home okay."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Okay, if you say so."

Aubrey heard a knock on the door and a smile came to her face. "Okay, I'll be home after school. Bye mom!" Aubrey said as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

"Bye honey, happy birthday!" Lacey shouted to Aubrey's backside.

Aubrey threw open the door and there stood Erik in a dark navy blue shirt, and black jeans. Erik stood there with his arms open and Aubrey gladly went into his arms for a hug.

"Happy birthday Aubrey," Erik whispered into her ear and Aubrey felt a chill run down her spine. "Ready to go?"

Aubrey pulled back from their hug. "Yes I suppose." Aubrey said with a smile on her face.

Erik held the door open for her and Aubrey sat down in his car.

When Erik go it Aubrey turned to him. "So how bad does the bruise look now? Jane has been putting this paste stuff on my face; I think it has been helping." Aubrey asked hopeful.

Her bruise had faded to a murky brown color, and the scratches under her ear had turned into a pink puffy scrape. Between the scratches and the murky brown of her bruise where Lawrence's knuckles struck her was a yellow color.

Erik reached up his hand and placed it gently on her cheek. "It looks much better. You could probably cover it up now if you wanted."

"Yeah, I know, but I hate wearing foundation, it feels like I'm frosting my face." Aubrey said with a laugh.

The school was pretty shocked to see Aubrey yesterday. The bruise was much worse, and people assumed it was Erik that had done it, of course Jane help tell everyone that it wasn't and it was just something that happened.

Today wasn't much better because the whole school already disliked Erik, and still found Aubrey new and exciting. People couldn't understand how Aubrey would date that cold hearted, masked man.

Aubrey didn't pay any attention to them. Jane had told Aubrey that the whole school secretly had a crush on Erik, but was to ashamed to say anything about it.

Today though Jane, and everyone else seemed to have a huge smile on her face. The table that Aubrey sat at for lunch was used to Erik sitting with then now, even the guys that sat with them.

Finally after all the girls had smiles on their faces Aubrey burst out "What! What is everyone so smiley about?"

As soon as Aubrey said this their smiles disappeared, but she could tell they were trying to hide something.

"Fine, don't tell, me it's only my birthday." Aubrey said with her arms crossed.

The rest of the day went like that. Her friends smiling at her and giggling all day long. When the bell finally rang Aubrey was so ready to get out of school and away from the secrets.

Erik drover her home as always. "I'll see you tomorrow okay." Erik said after I had given him a kiss through his open window.

"I wish I could see you later tonight, but my mom said that there is something she is going to surprise me with something. It's driving me insane, I want to spend my birthday with you."

"Don't worry about it, we'll do something this weekend. I promise." Erik said with a smile on his face.

Aubrey went inside and the second she stepped in her mother ambushed her.

She took the bag from her shoulder and tied a cloth over her eyes.

"Mother what are you doing?" Aubrey shrieked at her.

"It's part of the surprise." Lacey said with a huge smile on her face.

Aubrey felt herself being led upstairs and into her parent's room.

Lacey started to pull a brush through her hair. "Okay I'm going to take this off your eyes, but you have to keep them closed.

"Okay, just tell me what's going on." Aubrey said with a sigh.

"Nope, it's a surprise!" Lacey said.

So Aubrey closed her eyes and let her mother poke and prod her. Then after a few minutes Aubrey heard Jane's voice.

"Has she figured it out?" Jane said.

"No, you can do her makeup if you like." Lacey said.

Jane started applying foundation to her face. "Wait Jane, no! I don't like foundation, where it is that you guys are planning on taking me, it doesn't need foundation."

Jane sighed. "Aubrey, we have to cover up that bruise, and this is the only thing that will do it.

"Fine," Aubrey said.

After what felt like two hours her mother was done with her hair and Jane was done with her makeup.

"Don't open your eyes, because we still have to get you dressed." Jane said as she grabbed Aubrey's hand and pulled her into her room. "Okay Aubrey, strip, I need to get you dressed, and don't open your eyes yet."

Aubrey pulled her socks and shoes off and her pants as well. "Wait what about my shirt, I would have to pull it over my head."

"NO! Oh wait, I got it." Jane shouted.

Aubrey heard the menacing sound of scissors. "No Jane, this is one of my favorite shirts." Aubrey moaned.

It was to late though. Jane had cut a line right up the back and pulled her shirt off from the front.

"Okay lift your left leg up," and Aubrey did, and felt something soft and cold. Jane told her to do the same with the right leg. Aubrey could tell it was a skirt, then felt Jane pull it up higher, and figured it was a dress.

"Put your arms out in front of you." Jane said.

Aubrey was being jerked around as Jane tried to fit a very tight dress on her. "Okay let me zip you up, and put these on." Jane said as she handed Aubrey some panty hose.

"Gah, I hate these." Aubrey moaned.

"Quit being a baby, and just do it." Jane said with a smile.

Aubrey had a hard time putting them on and could feel the dress was fluffy.

After she did though Jane put some shoes on her feet and Aubrey could tell they were high heeled shoes.

"Okay you are done!" Jane said with a clap of her hands. "You look stunning."

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Aubrey asked.

"Well I suppose so." Jane and Aubrey opened her eyes and looked into the full length mirror, and was shocked.

The dress was a full length formal dress. It was a soft blue and white color that was stripped like a candy cane on the skirt part. The top part was white and had sequins on it. The straps were like a tank top, and the straps were thick. On her arms were bands that went across the top part of the arms only three inches thick.

Her hair was elegantly piled up on top of her head in curls, and had little jewels around it. She could barely see the bruise on her cheek. Her eye shadow had a hint of blue, but there was some white sparkle on the lids.

Her lips were colored a soft pink, and there was a rosy color on her cheeks.

Aubrey was speechless and turned to Jane with her mouth hanging open. There was a huge grin on Jane's face. "Do you like?"

"Yes I love it! Where are we going though, your not even ready yet." Aubrey said, she was still too stunned to say anything.

Jane rolled her eyes. "I'm not going with you. I believe your ride is downstairs, I think I heard the door open a second ago."

Aubrey just nodded her head, still confused.

"Just follow me." Jane said as she walked out of her room. Aubrey followed and walked downstairs.

She saw Erik standing at the bottom of the stairs looking stunning in an elegant tuxedo. It was a classic black tux with a white shirt and a black bowtie. He was holding a blue corsage in a little see through box.

Aubrey made it to the bottom of the stairs. "Erik, wow, you look absolutely amazing." Aubrey said looking flabbergasted.

"Are you ready to leave?" Erik said with a huge smile on his face.

So I have waited to update until today because I'm going on a well deserved vacation, and I will be gone for a week. I have also updated my Twilight story as well. I want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story, it means so much to me, and yay for reaching over the 100 review mark! Thank you to everyone who added my story to their favorites, or added me to their favorite authors.

Desiree'