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

Chapter 18

Aubrey was somewhat shocked. She was shocked to see him standing there, but not shocked because he said he would visit. It was nice to see a friendly face when Aubrey didn't really know, besides Jane, who was on her side, and who was just pretending.

"Harry! What are you doing here?" Aubrey asked him as he got out of his truck.

He walked over to her and she pulled him into a hug. "Aubrey, it's so nice to see you too." Harry said with a chuckle.

Harry had started to pull away, but Aubrey clung to him tighter. "Are you crying?" Harry asked concerned.

Even though Aubrey was crying she shook her head no. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you by coming here." Harry said softly.

Aubrey pulled back. "Oh no Harry, it isn't you. I'm sorry, I have just had a bad day and it's nice to see a friendly face."

Before Harry could even ask about Aubrey's day, she dived into telling him everything. She told him that she and Erik had started dating after Harry left, she told him about them trying to hide their relationship, and about Lawrence, and even her birthday. She finally got to the part where she saw Ashley locking lips with Erik, and even the small fight with Ashley at Jane's house.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in." Harry said. They had moved into Harry's truck so they could actually sit.

"I know, you didn't want to hear that right after you left I started dating someone else, but I just don't know who to talk to."

Harry reached over and grabbed her hand. "I'm not going to say everything is going to be okay, because I don't know, but you should know that you will always have a friend in me."

"Thanks Harry, I really need to hear that right now." Aubrey said giving him a smile. "So what are you doing here?" She asked as he let go of her hand and started the truck.

"Well my grades aren't doing very well, and my parents thought that taking me out of the school I have been going to since kindergarten was harsh, so they asked me if I wanted to stay with my grandparents so I could finish school, and here I am."

"You're moving back here!" Aubrey asked surprised.

"Yup, I moved my stuff into my grandparent's house yesterday. Tomorrow I start going back to school."

Aubrey was glad to hear that. "Well do you think you could pick me up for school tomorrow? I would ask Jane, but she usually picks some of the other girls up, and I really don't want to be around them right now."

Aubrey also knew that her showing up to school riding in Harry's truck would make Erik very jealous, and that is exactly what Aubrey wanted for him to feel right now.

"Yeah I can get you, but you have to tell Erik so he won't pound my face in for driving his girlfriend to school."

"I am not his girlfriend now. That's one thing I can't stand is for someone to cheat on me. That is an automatic breakup." Aubrey said as he pulled into her driveway. "Do you want to come in for a bit and hang out?"

"Yeah, my grandparent's won't mind." Harry said as he got out of the truck.

They walked into the house "Mom, look who's moved back!" Aubrey shouted.

Lacey walked into the front room from the kitchen. "Harry, what a nice surprise, when did your family move back?" Lackey asked with a smile on her face.

"Oh, just me. I'm staying with my grandparents until I graduate next year." Said Harry.

"Well it's nice to have you back." Lacey said as she walked back into the kitchen. Aubrey could hear her washing dishes in the sink.

They walked to the couch and sat down and put something on. They settled down into a comfortable silence.

"Do you still love him?" Harry asked suddenly.

Aubrey didn't really know what to say from that. Yes of course she still loved Erik, but cheating was the ultimate betrayal, and she couldn't forgive him for doing that, especially with someone who she thought was a friend.

"That means there is no hope for me right?" Harry asked softly. "I can tell you do still love him just from the look on your face. I still like you a lot you know."

"Oh Harry." Aubrey said sighing. "I don't mean to hurt you, but I do still love Erik. I don't know what to do though! How could I ever forgive him, or even trust him again. I'm always going to be wondering now who he's with."

Harry put his arm around Aubrey. "I know your going through a rough time, and I will behave myself, but I do still like you, but I want you to be happy, and if he makes you happy then you should talk to him."

Aubrey nodded. "Your right, but I think I better cool off. I will talk to him tomorrow at school, but I still want you to drive me." She said pointing her finger at him.

He smiled. "Well, I should really get going. I still have a lot of unpacking, but I will be here, but tell Erik not to pick you up." He said as he headed for the door.

Aubrey sighed and headed upstairs. She didn't want to talk to Erik right now, so she decided to write an e-mail. She logged onto her computer and signed off on her messenger, because she didn't want to talk to him through that either.

The e-mail was simple and straight forward.

Erik

What you did to me today is unforgivable, but I am willing to talk to you tomorrow at school. I do not want to see you, or talk to you until then, so do not pick me up for school tomorrow, I am having someone else pick me up. You have hurt me more than I thought you could.

Aubrey

Aubrey took a deep breath before clicking on the send button. She knew that he would end up calling her so Aubrey headed back downstairs.

"Mom, if anyone calls for me tonight can you take a message? I don't really feel well." Aubrey said making herself look sickly.

Lacey placed a hand on her forehead, "Well you're not running a fever, why don't you go lie down and I'll tell anyone who calls that they will see you tomorrow."

"Thanks mom." Aubrey said as she headed back upstairs.

When she reached her bedroom she unplugged her personal phone and put in a CD to help her get her mind off everything. It was the first Avril Lavigne CD and she turned it down on low.

The phone started to ring and Aubrey knew it was Erik. He had read her e-mail. Aubrey rolled over on her bed and curled into a ball and let the tears fall freely. She couldn't understand how Erik could do that to her? Was that just the type of guy he was? If he wasn't getting everything he needed at that time he had to find someone else?

Aubrey thought that Erik was different from the other losers. Even Phantom Erik seemed to be mocking Aubrey now. All those dreams of Phantom Erik saying that Erik loved her and for Aubrey to do good to him seemed like a lie now. All Aubrey wanted to do was leave and never look back. Just forget about how her heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

Aubrey was desperate to know exactly what was going on in his mind, and she wondered if Erik had maybe written her back. She plugged her phone back in and signed back onto the internet. She once again closed out her messenger and clicked on her e-mail.

Her first e-mail was from Jane.

Aubrey,

I know your hurting right now, but if you need to talk call me tonight. I really laid into Ashley after you left; she had no right to do that to you. If you want me to pick you up tomorrow call me, otherwise I'll assume you will find your own way, if you're even going to go, which I can't blame you if you don't want to. Just know that I'm here for you.

Jane

Aubrey smiled and knew that she had at least two friends at school now that didn't hate her and was on her side. The next e-mail was from Erik and Aubrey contemplated weather she really wanted to read it or not. She clicked the delete button without even reading it.

Aubrey closed her eyes and unplugged her phone cord again, and made her way to her bed once again. She couldn't understand how her life had been so happy one second, then so miserable and horrible the next second.

Life was so damn hard and Aubrey didn't want to be surrounded by all this horribleness, she wanted to be surrounded by someone who did love her and wouldn't hurt her. Would it be so terrible to be with Harry again? She did care for Harry, and even though they had some little fights before they broke up, Aubrey didn't really think that she should just completely forget about Harry.

Was it right for her to forget about Erik completely? He did hurt her beyond what she thought he was capable of. She was on the verge of plugging her phone back in and calling Harry, but decided against it.

She rolled over and saw that it was 10 o'clock at night and Aubrey was shocked, she had been in her trance for several hours now. She knew her parents wouldn't be asleep, but in their rooms, so Aubrey silently opened her bedroom window. She crawled out of the window and onto the little roof thing below her window. She was on the second floor, but she doubted that the fall would be to long, so she jumped.

Aubrey started walking towards Harry's grandparent's house. This was a small enough town for everyone to know where everyone lived. When she got there she figured his grandparents would be asleep, and wasn't sure which bedroom would even be Harry's. She then saw a light flick on in a room on the first floor and the blinds start to lower, and before they could reach to the bottom she saw Harry.

Aubrey ran quietly to his room and tapped on it because the blinds were now all the way down. She saw him lift one slat of the blinds and saw his eyes staring out at her. Then they were pulled up to a shocked Harry.

He opened the window. "Aubrey what are you doing here?" Harry asked in a whisper.

Aubrey stared openmouthed at Harry. He was wearing grey track pants and no shirt. She saw that Harry was very toned. Aubrey knew that he was fit by just looking at him, but seeing him without a shirt was very different. She could see every muscle in his stomach, chest, shoulders and arms.

"Is everything okay?" He asked. He sounded very worried. Aubrey shook her head to try to get the image of him out of her mind.

"Yeah I'm okay; I just needed a friendly face." Aubrey said softly.

Harry turned to look at his bedroom and climbed out of his window. "Harry, I just wanted to let you know, that you are not out of the picture, and I don't want you to give up on me."

Harry look surprised. He reached out for her and pulled Aubrey close to him and kissed her.

First off I want to say: Katie, this chapter is for you, and I know things will turn out okay. So I told you I was going to spice things up a bit! Let me know what you think! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and added this story to the alerts or favorites, or added me to their updates or favorites. That means a lot of me. I also need some reviews because I did something really stupid to my hair, and it's very upsetting. If you want to know what I did, you could just ask.

Desiree'