So...I won't lie. I was extremely discouraged by the lack of reviews on the previous chapter, hence why this took me so long. I guess I was expecting more, considering it was the first meeting between Erik and Christine, and I got very little on it. I'm so sorry if the meeting was boring or too short or didn't meet expectations. I know I shouldn't have expected anything to begin with, but...reviews are really the only fuel I get to keep writing. To the six people who did leave me their thoughts on chapter eight, thank you so much. It means everything to me.

Nothing But A Lie

Chapter 9

It was not until Christine was in line in the dining hall for lunch that she realized what had been strange about Dr. Gabriel's face. The top half had been so smooth that it was unnatural looking; so smooth that it had even shone a bit in the dim light of the hallway they had been standing in. Normal faces did not shine like that, and there was definitely something off about it. The strangest part was how the smoothness had just…cut off around his mouth and chin. His lips had been extremely thin, and his gaunt chin had been slightly discolored compared to the rest of his pale, plastic-looking face. Sort of grayish…yellow…

Did he…wear a mask or something?

Her swirling thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Christine, hey! Over here!"

She heard her name being called as she carried her lunch tray to the dining area, and when she looked in the direction of the voice she found Reymundo waving to her, beckoning for her to come sit with him. At the same table were a couple of girls Christine recognized from the music department, Caroline and Jamie, also looking to her expectantly. Caroline was a powerhouse vocalist, and Jamie played the cello. Taking a breath, she tried to fix her feared, worried expression to one of relaxed happiness, and strode over to the circular table.

"Hi guys," Christine murmured, setting down her tray and sitting. "It's nice to see you all again."

They each chatted animatedly with her for a while about classes and jobs and whatnot, and Christine was able to act natural throughout most of the conversation. But then, her stomach dropped when Rey brought up Sky about halfway through lunch.

"Oh! Christine, you should tell us how you met your older boyfriend!" he'd exclaimed, like it was a good thing. Christine tried not to be frustrated with Rey. It wasn't like he had any idea on what was going on. She tried to keep her expression natural as the attention shifted to her.

"Wait, Christine has a boyfriend?" Caroline then asked with shock, while Jamie gaped, the girl's brown eyes disbelieving. Surely good-girl Christine Daae had not been spending her time with a man…

Christine was sure her face was flushed, though not for the reasons her friends might think. "Oh, uh, yeah. My b-boyfriend. Um. We live in the same apartment complex, so we met there." She swallowed, trying to repress the nausea she suddenly felt.

Jamie giggled, nudging Rey's shoulder. "Look how red she is! Aw, I've never seen her like this. It's adorable." Jamie smiled dreamily at her, and Christine bit her lip, looking down at her half eaten lunch.

Caroline rolled her emerald green eyes, twirling a strand of her curly red hair with her pointer finger. "Guys, stop embarrassing her, she's shy." Christine would have been grateful, but then Caroline leaned forward with a grin, quirking a perfect brow upward. "So, what does he look like? Is he hot?"

"Um…" Christine could feel her stomach twisting, her heart racing.

Rey chimed in, nearly choking on the drink of soda he had been taking. "Oh my God! So, he's tall, with a super hot bod. He dresses nicely, and he's obviously crazy about Christine. You should have seen his body language."

Jamie squealed, clapping her hands together, and Christine took a deep breath, trying her hardest to keep a smile on her face. "Well," she murmured, unable to meet any of their eyes. "It's still new, so…yeah. Heh. There's not much to tell. What about you guys? Any flings happen for any of you this summer?"

Thankfully, Caroline immediately launched into a detailed tale about a "gorgeous baritone" she had worked with during the summer show she was in, and Christine could have very nearly kissed her with relief and gratitude. The last thing she wanted to discuss was Sky. She was finally away from him for once, for heaven's sake! Plus, he was no doubt listening to every word they said, and would know if her words got suspicious.

There was no way she could talk about him like a normal gushing teenager in love would talk about their significant other. Not even if she tried. She was a terrible actress, after all. And she hated Sky with her entire being.

Christine finished her lunch with haste and apologetically told her friends that she needed to get to her last class of the day early to ask the professor a question. Of course, that had been a lie, but she didn't want to risk being asked about Sky again, and she quickly made her departure from the dining hall.

Last class of the day.

The thought was depressing. In any other circumstance, Christine would have been overjoyed to be done with class so she could go home and relax. But now, she dreaded being done. That meant that she was that much closer to having to be near Sky again. She shuddered at the thought, walking slower on the sidewalk toward the classroom center. The realization brought her back to the question: what on Earth was she going to do about her situation?

Telling anybody verbally was out. It wasn't like she could march into the campus police department and tell them what was going on without Sky knowing and hearing everything. He'd also made it clear that he was tracking her every move, so she couldn't go anywhere off campus to tell anyone. So what then?

Christine was one of the first people to class, the teacher not even there yet, and she picked a seat not too near anyone else toward the center of the huge room, sighing and rubbing her temples for a long moment. She had no idea what she was going to do, the possibility of being caught and the consequences that would no doubt come with that nearly paralyzing her with fear. She could not go anywhere, tell anyone…

Unless.

With a low gasp, she dug into her backpack with shaky hands, pulling out her notebook and a pen. Yes, she could not verbally tell anyone, but she could write a note! Yes! How had she not thought of this earlier? She had no idea who she was going to give it to, but surely it would work!

It had to…

Christine's heart raced in her chest as she scrawled the following note down, her handwriting nearly illegible with how hard her hands trembled:

My name is Christine Daae. I am being held against my will by a man named Sky Payne. I have been repeatedly threatened, harmed, and forced to do things I do not want to do. Please, send help as quickly as possible. Sky Payne's address is-

Someone sat down in the seat right next to her, and she couldn't help but feel annoyed. Out of all the open seats they chose that one? She immediately shut her notebook, trying to seem nonchalant about it, but when she glanced at who the person was next to her, her heart stopped.

"Hey baby," he murmured, a smug smile on his lips.

Sky.

She wanted to scream. Wanted to retch. Wanted to punch him and kick him and hurt him the way he so easily stole her life from her.

Instead, she whispered, "Sky…what are you doing here?" She looked around the room, wondering if any other students were listening, or close enough to hear. Most of them wore headphones, engrossed in their homework or the Netflix they watched on their laptops instead of studying. No one paid any attention to her, or the grown man sitting next to her. After all, college wasn't just for people in their late teens or early twenties.

Sky held up a notecard, and Christine's stomach dropped when she realized it was the very same one she had written Dr. Gabriel's information on that morning. "Funny enough," Sky began with an easy smile, "A false alarm is why I am here. Though I am curious as to who this man is…?"

He waited, and Christine swallowed. "My new voice teacher. My previous one…passed away. I didn't know until this morning. I was only going to introduce myself, like any good student would." Sky nodded after a moment, seeming to buy it. She needed to know, so she took a shuddering breath, and then hesitantly asked, "How…how did you get that, Sky?"

"I see everything, Christine," was all he responded with, staring at her intensely, and she felt as if she would faint as she put it all together in her head.

It had to have been the man she had collided with on her way out of the library, the same man she had seen a few other times that day, seemingly minding his own business. He had to have snatched the note from her, thinking it was the cry for help she had just written in her notebook.

He had to be working for Sky.

When Christine glanced behind her shoulder and saw that very same man in a couple rows behind her, ball cap on, relaxed and leaning back in his chair, watching her, it only confirmed her suspicion. A heavy gasp left her lips, and she felt drained and completely helpless as her body sagged into the classroom chair she sat in.

Sky watched Christine figure it all out, saw her realize that she had a man following her and watching her every move, and he smiled. "Yes, that's right, sweetheart. I know everything, I hear everything, and I see everything. And I always will. Think about that before you try something funny, okay?" He gestured to the notebook she clutched in front of her, and her eyes began to sting.

She felt his hand brush her cheek, and she flinched away from him, batting his hand away without thinking. When she turned to him in horror, realizing what she had done, he was shaking his head at her in disappointment.

"You'll be punished for that."

She felt as if she were under water, everything around her moving in slow motion, as the class began to fill with more students, signaling that class time was nearing. Sky got up from his chair, and after bending down to kiss the top of her head, he whispered, "I'll be waiting for you outside."

And then, he left, leaving her sitting there in a room full of people, with tears clouding her vision and not one ounce of hopefulness left inside of her.

Sky was sitting in his car, waiting for Christine to get out of class, when his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. An incoming call from his father had him sitting up a little straighter in his seat, clearing his throat before he answered. "Hello, Dad."

"Hey kid," his father greeted him gruffly. "I'm just gonna get right to the point. Listen, I thought a lot about what you asked me to do and…well, it's not fair that the bitch is keeping Peyton from you. No matter what you might have done to deserve it."

Sky groaned. "I already told you and mom, I didn't do anything. She over exaggerated."

"Whatever, kid, I don't care either way. The thing is, I offered to pay for her trip and then some, and she finally agreed to come up for Labor Day weekend. Of course, she thinks you're not gonna be there. So we're gonna have to make it look like you came uninvited. Got it?"

Sky sighed in annoyance, and then muttered. "Fine. I'll be made the bad guy, once again. God knows everyone believes it anyway."

"Yeah, yeah. She'll be arriving that Saturday morning, so don't show up until the afternoon, alright?"

"Got it. It'll give you all a chance to meet my new girlfriend, too. And she'll be able to meet Peyton. So…yeah, sounds great." Sky grinned in excitement.

"Oh, really? Got you some new ass, huh?"

Sky rolled his eyes. His father had always been a little vulgar when it came to women. His poor mother... "Please don't talk about her that way. She's…unlike anything you could ever imagine. A real life angel. She's young, and sweet, and so beautiful…"

"Whoa, whoa," his dad interrupted with interest. "Just how young we talkin' here?"

"College girl. Twenty one," he lied about her real age of nineteen, not quite ready to disclose that even with his father. He would already get enough weird looks from the rest of his family when they saw her. After all, how could Sky ever get someone like her? His teeth clenched at the thought.

The older man whistled into the phone. "Well, damn, son. Can't wait to meet her. Sounds like a peach." His tone held approval, and Sky smiled smugly. It was rare when he felt any sort of approval from his father. "See you in a couple weeks."

When the line went dead, Sky put away his phone in his pocket, and just in time too. He looked out the windshield, and Christine was walking toward the car slowly, looking terrified and distraught. He remembered how she had batted his hand away in defiance earlier, and how he would have to punish her for it. What ever was he going to do with her?

He got out to open her door for her without a word, and it was a very quiet ride home as well. Christine had no idea what lied ahead for her, whether it would be physical pain or something sexual—she flinched as she thought the word—and she hoped it would be the former this time. She was sure she would not be able to handle anything…tactile so soon after what had happened the last time.

Christine had to admit to herself, however, how stupid she had been to respond so negatively to a gentle touch to her face. She really needed to control her emotions better. Hadn't she made a deal with herself to pretend? To behave and do whatever it took to avoid punishment? She groaned inwardly, calling herself every dirty name she could think of in her head.

When they arrived home and Sky guided her into his apartment with a hand to her back, she bit her lip and felt her stomach twist with nerves.

"Do you have a lot of homework?" he asked conversationally as he set his wallet and keys on the table by the door.

Christine quietly cleared her dry throat, going to the kitchen for some water after setting down her backpack by the couch. "Not yet, since it was the first day. I'll have to check out some books at the library tomorrow, though. I have a few reading assignments due by Wednesday." She took a long sip of the cool liquid, trying to remain calm. She could handle whatever was to come. She would handle it. She had to.

"I can drop you off a little early, if you need me to."

"Oh…okay. Thanks."

She hated moments like these. Simple conversations, pretending like they were a normal couple, while waiting to see what his next point of attack would be. She gulped the rest of her water, and as soon as she set the glass down, Sky was pulling her into his arms.

"I missed you today," he murmured, burying his face in her hair and inhaling that unexplainable, delicious scent of Christine. Before she could reply, he tilted her face up and crushed his mouth down on hers, kissing her hard. She whimpered, but responded like the good girl she was. He groaned, her plump, pink lips tasty as always, and pulled back before he could get too carried away. He'd almost forgotten about the decision he'd made after her tantrum the other night. It would still be a while longer before he touched her again.

His kiss had been unexpected and, of course, unwelcome, but she'd known better than to fight it. It had only lasted a few fleeting seconds, and she felt aching relief when he'd pulled away so soon. He merely looked at her now, his dark eyes screaming his desire for her and making her quiver with fear.

Oh, God… "What's my punishment?" she squeaked out quietly, needing to know.

"I'll let you choose," he sighed. "The knife, or the basement for an hour?"

Though part of her was relieved that she would not have to do anything…gross, another part was terrified. How could she choose between one of her biggest fears that would not hurt but would fill her with anxiety and awful memories, or getting her skin cut? Why couldn't he just choose for her?

She chewed on her lip, tears welling in her eyes as she thought long and hard. When she spoke her decision, her voice was a mere whisper. "I…I choose…the knife."

Sky's brows raised in surprise. Did the dark really frighten her that much that she would rather have physical pain inflicted on her? What a strange girl…

"Alright," he eventually said, pulling her to the couch with him. "Whatever you say, you weirdo."

He did it fast, cutting the exact same place he had last time, and Christine only cried quietly, not fighting. It amazed him how good she was being, but that usually seemed to be the case afterward whenever she slipped up and broke one of his rules. After wiping the blood, he applied Neosporin to the thin wound and bandaged her gently, then brought her some more water to calm her tears.

It wasn't the worst thing, Christine decided. No, being in the basement or being forced to touch him was much worse than the burning pain of the cut. But what about…being touched? She remembered how she had felt the night Sky had gotten her drunk and taken advantage of her. How…good it had felt. Though it ashamed her to admit it, maybe she would choose that over being cut…

Christine, no… She shook those thoughts away in self-disgust, praying silently for forgiveness.

Later that night, when Sky was about to get into bed, he had pulled off his shirt, much to Christine's dismay. She stared at his naked torso with wide eyes, a slight flush forming on her cheeks.

Sky smirked at her eyes on him, which reminded him of a certain lunchtime conversation he'd listened in on that day… "You should have told me about your friend," he said as he sat next to her on the bed.

"W-what?"

"Reymundo, was it? How he is totally gay? I wouldn't have gotten so worked up over your friendliness to one another if you'd told me."

"I…Sky, it's not my business to tell that sort of thing," she stammered. "How did you…?"

"'He's tall, with a super hot bod,'" Sky quoted with a laugh, and Christine remembered how he had been listening to her every conversation. "It's pretty obvious."

"Oh…" was all she could manage, avoiding his eyes.

He relaxed into the pillow, bringing his arms behind his head and flexing before hesitantly asking, "Do you think I have a 'hot bod', Christine?"

She gulped, her cheeks burning, repressing the urge to shout "no!" and flee the room. He would not like that. "Uh…I…d-don't know?" she breathed, earning a chuckle from him.

"Tell the truth, baby," he teased, smiling that charming grin that made him look actually handsome.

The truth? Sky did have a very nice body, and Christine knew that as she looked on his toned, chiseled abs and arms. But the fact that he was going to make her admit it made her want to cry tears of embarrassment and anger. Instead, she just groaned and put her face into her hands. "Fine. Yes." The words were muffled, but Sky still cheered.

"That's my girl!" he crowed, pulling her into his arms and holding her close like he usually did each night at bedtime. She fell asleep long after he did that night, tense and constantly praying that he wouldn't use said body to his advantage.