All About Us - Phantom of the Opera Love Story

The Burning Soul

Christine

Christine looked up to see Erik kneeling in front of her, holding onto her bloody hands.

"The photo was photoshopped, wasn't it?" Christine tried to remove her hands from his, but it was no use, she was too weak at this point.

"No, you know it wasn't photoshopped."

"What about the burn on my stomach, how do I know you didn't put drugs in my scotch that night and burn me before taking me back home? I wouldn't have felt it at the time because I was drugged." Christine whispered. She still felt like crying, but no tears could come anymore.

"I didn't drug you, I would never..." Erik said, as his eyes began to water for her.

"Nowadays, there is so much one could do to make them believe whatever they want. How do I know that you aren't just some creep that made this elaborate story up about The Phantom of the Opera and Christine actually being together in the end?"

"Christine," Erik begged as he tried to put his arms around her, Christine couldn't let him, she just couldn't.

"Christine, please, if I wanted to kill you or trick you, why would I have done all the things I have when we were in Europe. I showed you everything, told you everything. You know everything about my life and now about yours."

"How can it just be that easy, Erik?"

"But it's not," Erik said, "there is still so much that we have to do before we can be together."

"Like what?"

"Well, firstly you will need to be the best in my class with your song so you can make it to the showcase. Once you do, that's when my internal planning will begin." Erik said a faint smile appeared.

"I'll humor you, Erik." Christine answered, "I'll believe you, for now. I just hope my hopeless romantic side isn't fooling me."

Erik took her face in his hands, "My dear, this is real. You and me, we are real." Then he kissed her soft but passionately. Christine could feel her heart beat faster and grow hotter as he kissed her. She loved when he kissed her, but she knew that it was too good to be true.

3 months later

Erik

The showcase was almost a week away and planning his escape was his number one priority. He had made Christine's act the final act of the night so he could escape with her without ruining the rest of the show. Unfortunately, these past three months have not been easy for Erik, he could see that Christine was getting more nervous by the second and there had been talk around the school that a teacher had been caught with a student. No one knows which teacher or student, but it was only a matter of time before the staff would find out and then Erik would probably go to prison, or worse. He would then be again without Christine and this time die without her, forever.

Christine

Christine knew that others knew about her affair, but the most important thing was that she deny it every time. She couldn't have this getting back to Roman and then he doing something insane just to spite her. Walking along the grass after school, a few of the cheerleaders from Carlotta's cheer team had stopped her.

"Where's the Teacher's pet going, hm?" Said Myra, the small tanned one.

"What are you blabbering about, Myra," Christine questioned, rolling her eyes.

"You know, your tall mystery man with gold eyes and black hair, who brings your soul to tears?" Said Tiffany, the tall blonde one.

"How very poetic," Christine chuckled and she turned away from them.

"Don't walk away from us, you whore!" Myra said as she clawed Christine's arm to pull her back.

"Oh, my, geez," Christine screamed, "You guys are crazy! Where the hell is your keeper?"

At that, the two girls jumped her, but Christine did not have time for this so she punched Myra right in the nose. "I said stay away from you, you weirdos!" Christine screamed as she got up from her laying down position, but Tiffany stepped on her stomach, preventing her from getting up. It was like an Achilles heel. Tiffany's foot landed right on her scar, immobilizing Christine.

"What, little girl, this hurts? Where's your knight when you need him?"

"Get your foot off of me, or so help me..."

Tiffany pushed harder, "Be quiet, just admit it!"

"Admit what?"

"HEY!" Christine heard that deep voice and begged it not to come closer.

"What do you girls think you are doing?"

Christine turned her head to see who was talking, it was Erik and she hated it. This was the worst possible move that he could have done right now, he can't show that he cares about me or that he even saw what happened.

"You girls need to go to the principal's office right now, Diana!" Erik turned to see the receptionist running out the door towards them, obviously because she heard all of the commotions.

"Yes Dr. Mulheim?"

"Take these two to the principal's office... I'll go ahead and take Miss Day home since we are next-door neighbors. I don't understand what provoked this childish behavior, but this may cost them the rest of the year." Erik growled as he lifted Christine up to try and help her stand.

Christine saw from the corner of her eye, Roman standing and just watching.

"Roman!" Christine called to him.

"What are you doing?" Erik whispered to Christine.

"I'm saving you, you shouldn't have done what you did. Now I have to fix it," Christine snapped back.

"What I did do? She almost crushed you!"

"Christine, are you okay? I saw what happened and..."Roman started to say as he reached for her, but Erik recoiled and held her tighter.

"And yet, you stood there like the coward you are," Erik challenged.

Christine felt like she was going to be sick, but she had to push away from Erik.

"Roman, can you please take me home? I need a friend right now. I don't know what's going on!" Christine pulled her arms out of Erik's grasp and into Roman's. "Of course, babe, you know I always gotcha."

"I know..." Christine replied as she felt her body peel from Erik's and into Roman's. She knew that this was what she needed to do to save Erik. It was the only way. As Roman lifted her up, the pain in her stomach got worse, the area where the burn had been was stinging her and she screamed.

"Christine, Christine..."Roman said, as the world went dark.