Her.

Chapter VI

Haya's palms were sweaty with anticipation, and her heart hammered in her chest as she awaited a guest that  hadn't even given her a solid reply. He hadn't even truly give her a reply at all, actually.

Erik had ceased sending her letters with her invitation to her father's party. And to say that hurt Haya would be a true understatement.

"Why are you pacing? I'm getting older today!" Her father exclaimed as he took Haya in his arms and hugged her tight.

"I invited Erik, you know such father, I asked before doing so."

"I am aware, Haya, but the man obtains free will, he shall do as he pleases," Henry replied and kissed his daughter's dark hair.

She smiled, but her hazel eyes lacked the same vigor her father's blue ones did.

"Alright then, father," she replied to him with melancholy etched onto her features.

They went to the table and were just about to eat when there was a knock on the door. Haya knocked the chair over in her haste to reach the door and allow in the visitor.

"Erik," she said heavily, and smiled deeply, the smile actually reaching her eyes that time.

"I hope I am not late," he said quickly and ushered himself inside as Haya moved around him.

"Not at all, old friend!" Henry exclaimed as he approached them.

Erik placed a quick kiss to Haya's hand before he went over to Henry and engulfed him in a hug so unlike the masked-man. Well, maybe it was Haya's jealousy that made her think that a hug was so unlike the masked-man in front of her.

"Happy Birthday, old man."

"I am not old!" Henry argued as he chuckled and showed Erik to the dining table.

He was seated around the circular table right next to Haya and Henry. The deformed-man smiled as Haya sat herself next to him and then looked at her father.

"You eat first, papa," she said shyly.

Now that Erik was there, there was something that was holding her happiness back. Was it the fact that he was so complacent towards her that it really hurt her so harshly as to reduce her happy demeanor?

"I am not going to argue," he replied with a chuckle and then dug into the meal.

Erik looked right into Haya's gaze and didn't break it, smiling at her very unforgivingly. She didn't break the gaze, but when she felt heat arise to her cheeks and sink into her stomach she turned away. There was so much attraction pulling at Haya that she truly hoped he was feeling some of the same.

"Go ahead, the both of you," Henry said and practically forced his daughter and friend to eat.

Haya crossed her legs and felt her right shin come in contact with Erik's calf. At first, she inched to remove the contact, but Erik went on with dinner as if he felt nothing. Sooner rather than later, Haya grew accustomed to the touch and continued, unnoticed, with her dinner. Only a sip into her drink did she feel him shift his heel so that his calf was firmly pressed against her shin. It nearly drove her crazy as she looked around and noticed that her father and Erik were deeply engrossed in their own conversation.

She wondered if he did it unintentionally or if there was more to the small touch that was engulfing her heart in flames. The man was poetic and versed, and Haya could have listened to him talk as much as she imagined listening to him sing! Oh, the thought thrilled her, and everything inside of Haya made the feeling of some type of attraction stronger. It was nearly nauseating as the smell of food wafted from her plate and Erik's. Her father watched curiously as she sat in silence, but laid little mind.

The true curiosity was Erik who ate deftly around his mask, as though he'd been doing it his whole life! Had he really worn that odd thing over the course of all his years? It seemed quite insane, as he must at least take it off when he is alone! Haya put it out of mind when their eyes connected as he spoke momentarily to her for an opinion, then left it again.

She was enthralled, and it wasn't just by his music.

Dinner went on in the same positions that it had started until Haya was nearly pulled from her chair next to Erik to complete the dishes. Their glances were ending towards the piano, and even Henry knew the underlying purpose of furtive gazes when those were done and stowed away, Erik sat down at the piano and pulled out a piece of music from his case that he had brought. Haya could have screamed as he placed the music on the stand and looked at her before returning to Henry.

"I composed this recently with my invitation to your celebration, Henry. I do hope you enjoy it."

Henry smiled widely and sat down on the divan, closing his eyes as Erik played a quick warm-up.

Haya, however, stood at the end of the piano and watched his hands. She was more in the crevice of the piano's turn than at the end, and as she watched nimble fingers lay themselves across the keys, she felt her stomach warm.

She watched until her eyes met Erik's. And then he began to play, his gaze still stuck with hers as they continued to listen. Oh, Haya listened intently, but her mind was cluttered with the vision of beautiful, yellow eyes. They stayed locked, gazes never breaking until the song ended and Erik looked back at Henry seemingly breaking his neck to do so. It was as if it had hurt him to pull away from her hazel eyes.

Haya couldn't be hopeful, though, her father had already made it known that he took no fancy to her and her childish ways.

"Did you enjoy it?" Erik asked evenly, raising an eyebrow at Henry.

"Yes!" He exclaimed and stood from his seat. "You're wonderful, Erik, though I just play favorites to my daughter and say she is just that much more wonderful," Henry chuckled with his statement.

Erik seemed quiet until he spoke clearly his own opinion.

"I quite agree that your daughter is very wonderful."

Henry smiled as if the sentence was commonplace, and Haya could have jumped for joy that he didn't notice any innuendo within it. God, the propriety she was breaking was enough to get her locked away. The thoughts in her mind were devious, and Erik could simply think it was just her music. She could very well be getting carried away.

"Well, I must be heading off. Haya, please keep writing... Both music and letters, Henry it was so good to see you," Erik said and shook the man's hand.

"I'll make sure you get to your carriage," Haya said and walked out with their guest into the cool night.

"Thank you, Haya, for inviting me as the night was wonderful."

"Thank you, Erik," she replied as if she deserved the thanks not at all.

"I surmise we are both in gratitude. Well, I'll be off now," he said and lifted her hand tenderly placing a kiss to the top of it and releasing her soft, tan skin.

"Goodnight, Erik," she said and waved him off.

"Goodnight, Haya."