Small Anomalies (Phantom of the Opera Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: Outside Together

Raeann's POV

It's snowed a lot since I arrived, and the late November wind nips at my cheeks. I shiver, but Erik seems accustomed to the cold.

I smile at Erik, who looks even more mysterious in his black cloak and hat. He smiles back, and I forget about the chilly weather completely.

"Come on," I drag him off the porch by his hand. He's hesitant, but eventually goes along with it. He flinches when the sunlight hits him, and I roll my eyes. You'd think the guy was a vampire.

"You really don't go outside much, do you?" I raise an eyebrow and Erik shakes his head, annoyed.

"Only to pick up supplies," he stands and lets the breeze hit him, unsure what to do.

I begin wandering towards the edge of the woods. I don't go too far, because I'll get lost and embarrass myself more than I already have today. My boots crunch against the powdery snow and I shudder, pulling my cloak tighter.

I look back at Erik, who stands unsuspecting. Giggling to myself, I bend over and bunch up snow, patting it together to form a snowball. I wait until Erik is looking away, then I aim and launch it at him.

The snowball hits Erik in the face. He panics and quickly checks that his mask is still on before glaring at me.

"What was that for?" He asks angrily.

"Gosh, Erik," I chuckle. "Calm down. It's a snowball." I laugh at the snow that got stuck in his hair and on his shoulders.

"It's not funny," he crosses his arms and continues glaring. I erupt into a fit of laughing, and I can barely stay standing. Before I know it, a snowball hits me square in the chest.

"No you didn't," I scold. I scoop up another snowball and hurl it at him, but he jumps out of the way.

I instantly run to hide behind some trees as I see Erik making another snowball. I bend down and get one, holding it close in case I have to use it.

Slowly, I creep out from the trees and go behind Erik, who's looking for me. He whips around and we throw our snowballs at the same time. I jump out of the way and land in a pile on the ground, my glove-less hands numb when they're burried in snow.

I see that Erik is now kneeling on the ground searching for something with one hand on his face. His mask must have fallen off when I hit him. I know I should help him look for it, but I'm sure he wouldn't want me near him while he's without it.

I watch as he picks it up and quickly returns it to his face. I pretend to be looking the other way. Erik rushes over when he sees me on the ground with a look of concern that's familiar now.

"Are you okay?" He asks, offering a hand. I take it and stand it, shaking the snow off myself.

"Yeah. You?" Erik nods and leads me to the porch, where we both sit down on the steps.

"I think we've agreed to stop throwing snow by now," Erik shudders, using his sleeve to dry his wet mask.

"Definitely," I lean forward and cross my arms, shivering from the cold.

"Would you like to go inside?" Erik asks protectively. He seems to care about me... Could he possibly like me as more than a friend?

"Not yet," I shake my head, deciding to test Erik's feelings for me. I slide closer to him while looking forward so he doesn't suspect anything. Carefully, I rest my head on his shoulder.

I gasp when Erik puts an arm around my shoulder. I wrap an arm around his waist, and snuggle into him. I feel as though I can stay here forever.

I turn my head so our eyes meet, and I realize how close our faces are. His brown eyes hold the world, and his lips look soft. Suddenly, Erik begins to close the distance between us. His lips almost touch mine before he pulls away suddenly.