Told you next update would be quicker ;). Hope you enjoy the new chapter and thank you to everyone who showed their support last chapter! It all means so much to me! Enjoy :)
Chapter XII: A Gift
Theresa took a sigh and closed her eyes before walking away from the door. She scratched behind her ear and admitted to Erik who was standing still with his back toward her, "I had an obstacle in my way." A rather big obstacle, at that. Theresa looked around on the rooftop and realized that it was the first time that she had been up there since the night of the ball. She never realized, during her moment of hysterics how beautiful it actually was. It was calming to go up there when you want to forget many things, she sensed. She looked over to see Erik's cloaked body lean against the nearest statue.
"An obstacle?" Erik asked her curiously. Theresa missed his melodic tone, though she had heard him in the theatre, there was something entirely different this time. His voice was gentle, not threatening and menacing. Theresa slowly followed where he went. "What sort of obstacle stood in your way?"
Theresa tapped him on the shoulder lightly and Erik took a moment before looking over at her with his green eyes. Theresa had to brace herself and she swallowed before gesturing to move over next to him with her dainty hand. Erik looked down at it apprehensively before gripping it, his gloved touch almost shocking Theresa before he moved over and guided her beside him against the statue. Theresa leaned her head against it and took back her hand before crossing her arms over her chest.
"People were in my way," Theresa answered shortly. Erik raised his visible eyebrow up to her and frowned. She didn't seem at all happy about those sort of people.
"You took care of it, I assume?" Erik asked her, looking her up and down. Theresa looked back at him and then at the ground of the roof. The woman had a history of being a bad liar, Erik knew. There were several moments when he watched over her that showed him how bad of a liar she really was. But, he had to admit that there was some moments that told him that she was getting a bit better. Why? He might have had some effect on her. She nodded to him shortly, by her eyes, Erik could tell that she was upset about it.
"Yes... I took care of it."
"What sort of people will be wandering the Opera House at this hour, I wonder?" Erik stated, looking forward. "The stage-hands tend to, I'll admit, but lately they haven't been."
"The sneaky sort who don't want to get caught," Theresa sneered under her breath and made a face as she soon forwarded her eyes back at Erik. Erik looked back at her curiously, wanting her to explain what that would mean. Now it was clear that she seemed to be upset about what had happened. "I took care of it, though. I'm here, am I not?"
"That may be true," he said to her. "But, obviously, your head is somewhere else. If I am accurate, I think those words you had said before were well deserved."
She moved a piece of fallen hair behind her ear, "Maybe."
"Might I ask what happened?" Erik asked her carefully. He was going to find out what had happened either way. Theresa tossed a glare behind her shoulder and at the bolted door. Erik took note of this and then peered over her and they both shared the same gaze at the bolted door there. Erik didn't even notice until now that it was bolted shut. Interesting. Erik sighed evenly, "Or why might you be glaring at the door?"
"Because..." Theresa started and trailed off. Henri wouldn't stay on that landing... would he? Theresa wasn't sure how to tell Erik that she thought that someone was either listening in or waiting for her outside. Theresa shook her head mentally, she should be able to tell him, at the very least she should be able to say it, it wasn't that hard to. She took a breath, "I think that... it's ridiculous, but I don't..." the words trailed off again and Theresa soon dropped her voice to a whisper, "he wouldn't wait for me to come out, would he?"
"Would who?" Theresa almost jumped hearing the sound of his voice again. She didn't expect it to be so close and it sent the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. She turned on her heel to see that she was staring at his half-white mask and it was close. She didn't show that she was surprised, but Erik somehow sensed it since he took a step back from her. But he didn't bother to hide that he was still curious about it.
Theresa answered quickly, silently dismayed even more that he had moved away from her, "Henri. The man you painted earlier in the day."
"He would be the sneaky sort to be out at this hour, I suppose," Erik admitted honestly to her. Wandering around at night, he have had the unfortunate pleasure of seeing Henri. It seemed he was in a far worse state than he was in the beginning. But Erik found when he searched her hazel eyes that it was not the ordinary encounter. Something happened between him and her. She would never admit it to him. But her eyes showed that she was. Theresa would have to work on that if she wanted to attempt... attempt to hide something from the man that had known more of what happened in the Opera House than the managers (who didn't know more than the managers?).
Erik then inquired to her, though he might have known the answer, "Was he the obstacle that was in your way, Theresa?"
"Yes," she said through her teeth, turning her back again to the statue and leaning against it. She swiped at several pieces of hair that had fallen down in her face. "Him and a woman that you should have dropped paint on as well today."
"Ah," he tilted his head up, taking that in. "That wouldn't perhaps be Mademoiselle Bellerose, would it?" He, too, leaned against the statue, but not with his back but with his side. He saw Theresa's small, pink lips curl into a scowl at the mention of her name. How did he know that? As if he had heard her thoughts, Erik answered the question she didn't say out loud, "She was the only woman that tried out for the same part as you."
Theresa turned her head at him and nodded understandingly. She shook her head. "Don't know what that woman's problem is with me since the first day I arrived."
"Her voice could use some work," Erik admitted to her. Theresa turned her head toward him and looked him up and down, her voice was perfect in Theresa's eyes. It was so worrisome for her. Clearly both André and Firmin thought that her voice was better, by the looks on their faces it seemed that they hardly expected her to sound like that. Theresa had the strong urge to ask the great Phantom what he had thought of her audition, but decided against it. She was hot-headed the first time he gave his criticism.
Erik continued his opinion, "She went off pitch several times and she seemed to have lacked a great amount of control."
Theresa scoffed at him, "That's because she probably changed what she wanted to audition for the last minute. Everyone seemed to have thought that I was going to try out for Despina," Theresa didn't mean to let that slip out of her mouth, since Erik had raised a dark eyebrow at that, his visible one. Theresa didn't notice right away. "She probably prepared for that one, I think."
Despina? Erik tilted his head up for a moment and then realized who the character was. Theresa had the voice for such a role, he took a look at Reyer's stand where the music for the opera was when he had left it in the theatre one night. He had forgotten what role Theresa was going to audition for, but the maid was in the scheme of the whole charade performed by a man, he couldn't think of anyone that would have the right amount of charm for it. He asked her coolly, "Why hadn't you tried out for that part?"
Theresa seemed frozen where she stood and suddenly her eyes were somewhat distant. She turned her head away from Erik and walked away from the statue to the ledge of the roof. Erik watched her cautiously as she decided to sit down, her feet actually dangling off as her eyes skimmed each of the buildings. Erik looked cautiously behind him and slowly walked toward the ledge next to her and instead of sitting next to her, he stood there looking down at her. "It wasn't the part I wanted," Theresa said to him.
Erik saw how distant her eyes looked. Like before he could tell that there was something else behind them. Did she really think that she could get away with hiding something from him? He tried to think back from recent conversations he would hear in the Opera Populaire's walls. Especially Theresa's. But, how little did he know, that the exact reason was the reason of her rant on the rooftop a month ago, when they first met. "I doubt that." Erik said under his breath, Theresa's ears perked at the sound and she looked up at him.
"Why would you say that?" Theresa asked him, clearly offended by it. Erik went to answer her, but she held up her hand, "We're not here about me, are we? What's the reason that you called for this meeting?"
Erik closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes at her as she sat there stone faced, looking up at him. Erik had a hard time understanding her. He pursed his lips, the matter of him getting interrupted by her wasn't going to be taken likely. He asked her, calmly, "And what I really want to know is who are you to have the nerve to interrupt a man like me, mademoiselle?"
Theresa narrowed her eyes at him and visibly frowned. She stood up on her two feet and she came only an inch below his height as she stood straight. She said to him, "What do you mean a man like you? We've been through this before, I—."
Erik held up a hand for her and she looked at his hand pointedly. He wanted to talk about being interrupted? He was doing the same thing! Erik tilted his head up at her curiously looking her up and down while doing so. "A man like me," he repeated to Theresa. Theresa looked up at him and away from his hand, her eyes softening as she heard a growl almost, "who can overpower you, very easily. I was about to answer you and you knew that I was. It is rude even for an outspoken woman like yourself."
Theresa's face fell and she took a step back from him. She tossed a look behind her shoulder and at the bolted door being tempted to raise her voice at him. It was like Erik know that she couldn't. If Henri was still there, then he would surely hear. Theresa turned her head back toward Erik and puffed out her chest. She pouted her lips at him as she struggled against yelling at him to argue that, or to just give up. She told him in an almost growl like his and coolly, "I see you as a man like any other, Erik. Not the Phantom."
With a huff, she sat herself back onto the ledge, swiping loose hairs from her face. Erik gritted his teeth for a moment as a silence between them passed. Theresa crossed her arms over her chest and sighed deeply, the air between them suddenly got cold and stiff. Theresa broke the silence. "What do you want, Erik?" Her voice. Erik heard the bite that was held in it. Had he done something to displease her? He almost forgotten what the reason for the meeting between them was himself.
She explained, "The meeting. What is it for? You said in the letter that you wanted to show me something."
"Rather give you back something," Theresa looked behind her shoulder with her eyebrow raised as Erik took his place next to her on the ledge. He went into his cape and Theresa waited with bated breath. She didn't know what she was expecting, but when she saw him take out a few pieces of parchment, her face lightened a bit. Tied in a black ribbon was the music that she couldn't find. Her father's original work and the piece he played for her mother all the time. Theresa was going to ask him where he had gotten this, but Erik explained himself, "I found this one night. You must have left it there."
Theresa slowly took it out of his hand slowly and looked through the pieces of parchment. "I've been looking for these. I... I didn't think about looking in that practice—." She stopped herself when she saw three more sheets of parchment that was there. Theresa's face fell for a moment and then pulled it out, seeing dried up notes that she didn't recognize at all. Erik sat there watching her intently where he sat and waited for what she would say to it. He gulped inwardly to himself as she studied it.
It seemed beautiful. Theresa couldn't wait to hear how it sounded. But where... she looked over at Erik slowly. "I never saw this piece before..." she stated to him slowly.
Erik nodded, already knowing it. "That's because it's new." Theresa looked back at it and hummed the rhythm in her head, she suddenly wished a piano was in front of her. She would love to do nothing other than play it. New. It was new. Where had he gotten it? He left the Opera House? Theresa's eyes searched for the title at the top, but unfortunately it wasn't found... for it wasn't there. Nor was the composer. He asked, "Do you remember that midnight when I had found you?"
Theresa raised a brow before inquiring to him, "Playing?"
"Yes."
"Vividly, actually," Theresa had not forgotten their last meeting. It was better than their first and better than their tense moment in his lair. She thought that she glimpsed past his hard exterior. Theresa also had never had not a thought about Erik in the days of his absence. She was always curious about what he was doing. Erik raised a brow of his own, clearly he wasn't expecting her answer and didn't know how to follow up on it. Theresa went back to her humming and realized how familiar it sounded... Then it suddenly hit her.
Theresa slowly looked up at her with her humming ceasing, her lips curved into an appreciative smile, "You finished the song you couldn't get out of your head?" Erik nodded to her curtly as she took out all three pages that were neatly put together. She looked at each page, her smile growing larger and Erik found himself staring at that smile. No, his mind told him firmly and there was almost a firm reminder of the ring he kept in his pocket from six years ago. "It looks beautiful."
She went to look back at him and Erik quickly looked away from her lips and into her hazel eyes. He found his hands getting clammy a bit underneath his gloves, and he knew that it wasn't from the warm air around him. He cleared his throat loudly and said to her, "I thought... that you would like to see it. You were giving suggestions on how it should sound, so I thought that maybe you'll help with the finished product."
"It's not finished yet?" Theresa's smile faltered hearing that and Erik suddenly wished that he could take back what he had just said to her. "Didn't you just say—?"
"There's no title." Erik said to her quickly and though his better judgement told him to not do this, he moved his place closer to her, so that they were barely touching and he pointed to the top. "You see?" Theresa's eyes followed his finger. Erik told her gently, "I thought that maybe you'll help me with that."
"Oh..." Theresa looked over at the notes that were there as Erik removed his finger. "I would love to, Erik. Like I said, it looks beautiful." She had forgotten what had put her on the edge before. "How would I be of help?"
"Just play it," Erik told her quickly, folding his hands over his lap. "The name will come to you, I believe."
Theresa collected the music in her hands and then slipped it between the knotted ribbon that was flawlessly tied. Theresa could see the care that was tied in it too. She placed it on her lap, her hands on top of it keeping it secure there. Theresa looked over at him to see him quickly turn his head away and busy himself looking forward. No matter how much she wanted to ask about that, she inquired to him, "It hasn't come to you?"
Erik answered her distantly, "Not yet. I played it a couple of times but no names came to mind." Theresa smiled at him and nodded understandingly before looking forward as well. The view from the rooftop was magnificent. She could sit there all day if time allowed her. Erik looked back at her once he thought it was safe to look at her without getting caught. He noticed once again that her mind was somewhere else, but this time he could see that it was somewhere good for she was smiling for once that night. He was fond of that smile.
"Well, I'll be more than happy to help." Theresa said to him still distantly. Even in the dark she found it captivating. Calming, almost. Imagine how it would be during the day? Theresa would never leave. She said to Erik, "I never realized, but it's calming out here. I wish I had more time to go up here."
"Yes," Erik said to her, agreeing. He looked forward as well and found himself nodding. "I sometimes spend times up here... to think mostly."
"I can see why." Theresa yawned and covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes water. Erik looked back at her, thinking that this would be all over now and she should go back to her room. There was another way to get off the roof, a passage way that wouldn't be anywhere near Henri waiting for her if he was. But once he went to get up, she asked him quickly, "Erik, I don't know what you may say to this, but that ring that you had... was that...?" Theresa trailed looking over at him and he frowned hearing her question.
Maybe it wasn't the best to ask. But he didn't have to tell her. She added quickly after, "You don't have to answer that. If, of course, you don't want to. It is a little personal, I'll admit, so I don't want to pry."
Erik's jaw went stiff and he looked beside himself at the ledge. He said reluctantly to her, "Yes, it was." Erik moved somewhat away from her and Theresa frowned that his arm was now barely skimming her own. Theresa looked down at her lap and shifted where she sat to be closer to him. Erik looked over at her with his eyebrow raised as she placed her hand tentatively on top of his shoulder. His frown wasn't as deep as it was before but it was still there.
Theresa understood what the ring was. An engagement ring. She asked him slowly, "Why her? How did you—How did you meet her?"
Erik looked down and put all the restraint for him not to tremble as he would answer her. He wasn't over what had happened six years ago the night of the fire. He didn't know if he ever could get over his pupil rejecting him in the worst way. Or the look on his angel's face when she saw him without his mask. She was frightened. Erik braced himself before answering her, his tone more even than what he was mentally at the moment, "I taught her how to sing and got her to where she is today."
Theresa smiled sadly at him and went to remove something off of her neck. Erik's eyes followed her small hands curiously as she pulled out a chain that was hidden underneath the bodice of the dress. She unclipped the necklace from its back and gathered it in her hand before Erik could catch a glimpse of what was bunched up. She suddenly took his hand and opened it from being clenched together. Theresa slowly placed the necklace into his hand and then with both of her hands she closed it, cradling it gently.
"Take it," she said to him and pushed his hand forward. Erik looked down at it as Theresa moved her hands away. He opened his hand slowly to see a gold chain with a cross at the end of it. Theresa watched him furrow his brow at her confused at what he was given. She explained, "That was my father's. It's one of the few things that are left of him. I want you to have this cross, I have no need for it."
"Theresa," Erik started to her gently, and went to give it back. It was a nice gesture, really it was and Erik would forever remember this moment, but he didn't... Erik wasn't a religious person so he would not have a need for it either. "It's not mine to receive. He—." Theresa held up her hand with a small smirk developing at him being flustered for her gift. He stopped talking and looked at her carefully.
"I don't care, Erik." She said to him with her smirk growing a bit. She closed his hand back up again and pushed it back toward him again. Erik's eyes furrowed back to his hand and his face grew softer as her soft hand was still on top of his. He suddenly wished that Erik could actually hold that soft hand within his, it seemed that it would fit into his perfectly. "I know that you are probably the last person to be religious and I'm not giving it to you because of that reason, Erik."
Erik gulped and looked up into her hazel eyes. He asked her, "Then what might that reason be?"
"When my father was alive, he had told me: Dopo succede qualcosa di brutto, qualcosa di buo0no si trova nelle vicinanze. And that means that 'After something bad has happened, something good is close by.' Now," Theresa noticed Erik not really impressed by that piece of advice. So she added quickly to him, "I don't know what happened in your life and how much bad was in there, nor do you have to tell me, but no matter how much there is, there is always going to be some good in your life. Just... remember that."
Erik blinked feeling his heart go heavy from what she said and looked down at the necklace in his hand, opening it up again. He told her, "Thank you, mon chéri. I..." he trailed off looking for the right words to say to her, there wasn't many that he had received kindness from. The only other people were Antoinette, who had saved him from the gypsies, and Christine, who was the only one who would listen to him. Now there was Theresa. Theresa's smirk turned into a smile and Erik, once again was quite fond of that smile. But he told her honestly, "I still do not understand why you would give it to me... of all people."
"My father told me that when he had given this to me. It helped me a lot when I was alone and I remembered that single phrase he would say. I thought that maybe you would like it. Well... do you?"
Erik showed that he liked it by putting the gold chain around his neck for her to see. He didn't shed a smile to show his gratitude, but when Theresa saw his eyes shimmer with happiness as he put it on, he didn't need to. "Very much. It was very... thoughtful of you to do so. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Theresa said to him softly. The both of them sat there for who knows how long. Theresa sat there as Erik was looking in her eyes. Her heart was beating fast against her chest and she had no idea why it was either. A pit at the bottom of her stomach had formed, from nerves maybe? Might as well had been. Theresa glanced down to his lips, they seemed soft and perfectly shaped. She wondered how they would really feel when they kissed. And slowly before Theresa actually knew what she was doing, she moved toward him even closer, causing Erik himself to be frozen where he was.
Erik suddenly felt her lips on the unmasked side of his face and his breathing became somewhat hollow. The kiss on his cheek was soft and gentle, but little did Theresa know that it meant a great deal to him. Theresa slowly moved back as Erik sat there stiffly and frozen still. She suddenly thought that she might have made a mistake in doing what she did. Erik cleared his throat and felt heat come to his face. Theresa parted her mouth as she watched him rise up from where he stood. Did she upset him?
He brushed down his dark clothing as she furrowed her eyes at the bottom of the building that she had faintly saw. Their meeting ended. Theresa gathered the music he had given back and the music that he had just written in her hands and went to get up without help, but she noticed his hand outstretched to her to help her up. Theresa sat there looking at that with her eyebrow raised confused, but slowly she gripped it only to be helped to be brought to her feet. "I feel that our meeting has ended." Erik said to her evenly.
Theresa slowly nodded, understanding him. But she didn't make a reply back to him, holding her music to her chest tightly. Erik added on, "I'll walk you down to your room then." He tugged her forward as Theresa looked to the bolted door worriedly, no, Henri was there. The Phantom couldn't be seen with her nor could he be seen period.
"But... The door is bolted shut and Henri, if he's out there—."
"I know another way off the roof and I can come back," Erik said to her quickly, leading her away from the ledge they sat on. Theresa shook her head and looked behind her shoulder doubtfully. Erik felt that her grip on his hand was looser than what it would usually be, so he stopped and turned to face her. "Theresa," Theresa turned her head toward him in a flash and saw Erik's narrowing eyes at her and brow furrowing at her concerned. "Do you trust me?"
The question caught her off guard. Did she trust him? "You never have given me a reason not to, Erik."
"Then let me walk you down to your room, you're tired and you won't get down quickly without me." He told her knowingly and Theresa's breathing had become rough. She blinked a couple of times and soon nodded to him slowly as he tugged her along the way.
Theresa didn't know where the other door was, but he opened it out of nowhere, it matched perfectly with the stone wall and the door knob with it was camouflaged. Erik let go of her hand momentarily to hold the door open for her and when she stepped the light beaming from the moonlight was their only source of some sort of light. She suddenly knew that they were in the passageways hidden in the Opera Populaire. When Erik had let go of the door, it immediately slammed shut causing Theresa to jump. She was now overcome by the darkness of the passageway he took her in.
"Don't be afraid," Erik said to her gently and he moved around her as Theresa followed the sound of his movement and his voice. She could tell that she was safe with him... at least and that he was in front of her. She heard a match flicker in front of her to see a small light. The small amount of light that illuminated onto Erik's mask as he went to grab a torch on the wall, made it look menacing. Theresa thought the opposite of that, however. She felt that it was more intriguing.
When the torch was lit with the match, the dark lessened around them. Erik stared at Theresa for a moment, moving the torch away from her and in front of him as he transferred it into his other hand. Erik held out the one that held that torch toward her. Theresa stared at it for a moment. "Come on," Erik said with a nod of his head toward where they were going and reluctantly Theresa gripped his hand even tighter than she had the first time he had led her through the passages. Not wanting to get lost.
Theresa was careful where she stepped as Erik safely guided her through. They were both silent as they walked, stopping here and there as Erik grunted and then led her away from some sort of trap laid for the people that dared come through. The trip to her room was such a blur and her eyes were beginning to water, making her sight blurry. Theresa managed to not fall asleep on their way and soon they were in the familiar passageway that she had once walked through behind the mirror. Theresa didn't know if she could make it.
Erik heard Theresa dragging her feet behind him and then looked over at her behind his shoulder to see that sooner or later she would pass out if she continued to walk. Erik told her gently, "We have a bit more to go. Do you think you could walk the rest of the way?"
Theresa snapped out of her drowsiness and realized that Erik had stopped walking to turn and look at her concerned. She slowly nodded, but Erik didn't believe it. He took the torch and replaced one of the not lit ones with it, dropping the unlit one onto the floor. Erik then put his arms under her own and under her knees, sweeping her off her feet. Her eyes widened by the sudden movement, but she found that it was much more comfortable than walking. Though her eyes were closing, she said to Erik sleepily, "I'm fine."
"I doubt that," Erik murmured under his breath only to hear a low chuckle from her. Then Erik walked the short distance to her room and though it wasn't easily nor smoothly, he somehow pressed a button hidden on the slide that moved the mirror out of his way. He was welcomed by a single candle light lit by her bed and he looked around carefully before he walked toward her bed. Theresa meanwhile was falling asleep onto his chest, sometimes opening her eyes repeatedly to keep herself up.
Then she felt herself being descended into her bed. Theresa, through her blurry vision, saw Erik take off his gloves and place them aside on top of her night stand. Then tentatively, he went to her neck to untie the cloak she wore, even though she was laying on top of it, he some how managed to get it away from her. Swiftly, he pulled the covers out from under her and Theresa helped by lifting her legs and folding them so he could pull them completely out. Then just as tentatively, he tucked her in securely.
Theresa smiled at him sleepily as he knelt down next to her when finished. She asked him, "Can you tell me something? In all honesty?"
"It depends on what that is." Theresa closed her eyes hearing his voice. It was musical to hear it, especially now.
She said to him, "I want to know what you thought of my audition. I want your professional opinion."
"You got offended the first time, what makes you think that you won't be offended again?" Erik chuckled at her, earning a soft giggle from Theresa.
"Well, I can take it now since I'm half asleep. Besides..." she trailed off, yawning, her eyes were now in deep protest of them staying open. When she tried to raise up her eyebrows in a way to keep them open, she continued to him, "I was more offended that you haven't said it face-to-face with me, it was in a note that I don't think I was supposed to read at all."
Erik laughed softly at her amused. He shook her head no as the light from the candle made his green eyes seem brighter. "You weren't supposed to read it."
"I had the feeling," Theresa said to him. There was a long pause between them and the air thickened with anticipation for his answer. Theresa couldn't wait any longer. "Well? What did you think?"
Erik braced himself with a sigh. It seemed that she was too tired for him to go into full detail of what he thought about what her audition was like, but he couldn't go into only half of it. He said to her slowly, "It was good, apart that it held way too much emotion and you hit notes that were barely possible for your voice to hit." Theresa frowned hearing that and the happy glimmer in her eye seemed to slowly disappear, "You lacked the charm of that character and you needed more breath support, I am shocked that you weren't better. Your last performance showed your voice matured... greatly. It was disappointing almost." Theresa's frown couldn't get any more deeper.
All she could muster through her sleepiness was an, "Oh."
Erik nodded, though he could tell that she was disappointed by that answer. He said to her, "You don't fit the charm of that character, Theresa," she looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. What did he mean? "You should try for a different part, the one that you should be trying out for."
Theresa could've rolled her eyes if she hadn't been tired. She knew what exact part he was talking about. She never even thought about looking at the arias for Despina, nor was she planning to. She told him, "I can't try out for her now. I haven't looked at the arias because I'm not planning to, nor had I looked at her speaking parts. It's not for me."
"How would you know if you haven't even looked at it yet?" Theresa drew her eyes away from him to the floor. Erik saw that as her understanding what he just said. She knew he was right. Theresa was being unreasonable about that part, but she didn't... that was her mother's. How could she take that part from her? Erik studied her face and inquired, "What is the real reason that you don't want to try out, Theresa?"
"I—," Theresa started, but found her words coming dry. She took a deep breath before sitting up a bit. This was embarrassing, but she knew that he listened to her rant that she had on the roof with herself. It was obvious if she would just say one sentence to him. He seemed, Erik, to be a man that would never forget a word one says. So, she told him slowly, "My mother... was Despina in Italy."
Oh, Erik now had a further understanding of why. By what he heard, she hated her mother's training and would like to stray away from what she was taught to do. Erik straightened up off the ground and nodded. Theresa slowly laid back down onto her pillow as Erik said to her reassuringly, "I think if you put your mind to it, you will be able to make that part your own and apart from your mother's, Theresa. It is not a reason to not try out for it, but I understand your discomfort."
"You... you really think that?" Theresa asked him slowly. She saw that Erik nodded to her, a short, curt nod. Theresa tried keeping her eyes open, but much to her dismay they were begging her to close them. Then she finally let sleep take over and closed her eyes without a fight. Erik stood there as she pulled the covers up closer to her and then she turned over on her side, opening her mouth slightly. Erik's lips parted as well and he leaned over her bed to see that she really let herself fall into such a deep sleep right away, only talking to him moments ago.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and slowly swept her bangs out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. Then he leaned over her small, sleeping figure and tentatively he kissed the top of her forehead that was available for him to lay one.
I think it's funny how I'm posting it around the same time I posted it last time. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Like I think I've mentioned before, the romance is going to be slow-paced, especially given Erik's situation, since he's not over Christine still. But as you can see, he definitely cares for Theresa... Don't forget to drop a review before you go! I love hearing from you!