Your Teacher (Phantom of the Opera Fanfiction)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Christine stood still at the balcony staring down at Erik with wide, surprised eyes, and Erik stood in the foyer looking up at her with an urgent expression on his half-covered face.

Christine was having a hard time believing it was really him she was looking down at. I never thought I'd see him again… It made a few tears spring to her eyes. She was just so glad, yet also very skeptical. What is he doing here? Is he here just to make the pain worse? She assumed he'd read her journal. There wasn't really any other explanation for this appearance. But what did he want to say about it?

Erik stayed calm while he studied her facial expressions. She was confused, most definitely… but where was the anger? It would have made sense for her to be extremely angry with him, but it didn't look like she was. How very strange.. What was stranger was the way they were standing staring at one another. It made him feel a bit like Romeo and she Juliet. They stood like that for a few moments more before he finally decided to speak. "Christine-"

She chose the exact same moment to question him. "What are you doing here?" Honestly, she was frightened. The look on his face made her think he had something important to say, but did she really want to hear it? I can't stand to feel any worse than I already do, can I? She didn't think her mind could take much more rejection.

Realizing they both probably looked silly standing the way they were, Christine slowly went downstairs while mentally preparing herself for more pain.

"Hello," Erik said softly when she reached the first floor. He noted that she looked almost scared. That was worrying… "Would you like to take a walk with me? Outside, of course," he added quickly.

Christine became more confused, if that was even possible. "Why?" Why would he want to spend any amount of time alone with me?

He remembered her words from earlier when she'd given him her journal. "I think you'll understand everything more clearly."

She blinked remembering the words. "Ok." Erik opened the door, and they both left the house. Christine assumed her parents were spying somewhere, so there was really no point telling them she was leaving. They walked down the driveway, down the neighborhood street, across a city street, and towards a park without speaking one word. It was more like she was following him rather than walking by his side. By the time they arrived at the park, Christine had taken just about enough. This is stupid! What is he thinking?

Erik didn't know where to start. He wanted this auspicious night to be memorable for her, not just himself. Already, he would remember this day for the rest of his life, but he wanted her to believe it was just as special. The walk had seemed like a good idea. Erik thought it would be nice for both of them to enjoy the fresh air and reveal their feelings for one another in peace. But it wasn't starting out well. Time was slipping away, and he still had yet to say a word.

Their walk continued while neither spoke. Erik tried to think of what to say when, suddenly, a tree caught his attention. They had now walked a good distance from her home and it was growing darker. He stopped walking and turned to look at the tree while remembering a certain day from a long time ago.

Christine stopped, too, and frowned in confusion. What is he going to say? Maybe he's just going to tell me how silly and childish he thought the journal was. It was a stupid idea to give it to him..

"I remember a day when you were twelve," he began with a distant expression on his face. "You were on your way home from school but had stopped to sit under this very tree. You were reading Pride and Prejudice. Do you remember?" He looked down at her intently.