Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera characters.

My second attempt at a Phantom story! I hope you like it and God Bless and Chocolate oranges (from Trader Joes of course!)!

-Liane

…………………

"Christine!"

Christine Daae whipped around to face her friend Meg Giry who apparently was flushed by her news. All she could see was Meg's face…then pink ballet shoes as her friend jumped up and down backstage auditorium of America's California high school 'Rain High.' Which many students called 'Storm High' for mostly the cause was final exams.

A slow smile crossed over her face. "You got the part…?"

Meg nodded eagerly, taking a few steps back as she showed Christine perfect poise as she twirled on her tippy toes.

"I did it! I did it…I can't believe…well, that I got in! I never thought this would happen…. and…sorry," Meg blushed, embarrassed about her excited shouts. "How about you? Did you get a part?"

Christine shook her head, a little sadly. "Um…I don't know…. I think I just got in the chorus. Oh well, it's alright." It didn't matter really. She and Meg were just sophomores. All she wanted was to be on stage and perform just like her father had with his wonderful music…

She wobbled her head a little and gave a quick reassuring smile to Meg, who was oblivious to what her friend was feeling at the moment. No, of course she didn't have to notice, Christine didn't want to put a damper on anything.

"Here, I'll, um, check if you want me to," Meg offered.

"Huh? Oh no, its okay, really…I'll check them! Does your mom know that you got in?" She added excitement to her voice, disguising her momentary sadness. Ugh. She better stop feeling sorry for herself. She should be happy for Meg!

"No! She doesn't know yet! Guess I better go tell her huh?" Christine laughed at the twinkle in her friend's eye. Mrs. Giry, Meg's mother, was the ballet instructor, a very nice woman, although the stress usually gave out when she handled fifteen ballerinas.

"Yeah!" Watching as her friend walked off with a skip, Christine squinted her eyes. There was a figure in the back of the auditorium watching her silently. Determined to be polite, she flashed a quick smile, not noticing that he had dropped his gaze, realizing that she spotted him.

The last thing she noticed was that she couldn't see the other side of his face.

……………

Erik, just 'Erik' felt redness creeping up his face and even under the white gauze that covered his face it stayed. The girl caught his attention as soon as he came in. Her light brown hair and face reminded him of his mother immediately. Except…. there was a friendliness of her face that held his gaze.

He saw her before, just not so… up close. They didn't have classes together and she sat across from his side of the lunch cafeteria.

A rapid beat started to form in his chest. The room began to feel slightly dizzy as he noticed her smile. It was directed at him. Quickly, before anything happened, Erik lowered his stare and disappeared, using the double doors as his exit.

He had to get out of here.

………….

Mrs. Giry waited as her daughter left, then looked at the stare of Erik's face. Following his gaze, she reached a figure, who she knew all too well but Meg's close friend, Christine.

'The poor boy,' she thought to herself grimly. Erik…well, she knew him a long time, you could say that. A senior he was, and he had an astonishing musical talent. He was rather solemn and reserved-maybe even shy to her that was what Mrs. Giry could only say when other teachers asked her of her relationship with Erik, curious about the white gauze on the half side of his face.

The gauze. That terrible mask. Most of the time, she regarded Erik with respect, not trying to become close. But it was sympathy, sympathy when a few girls look at the poor boy and whisper about his face. Yet-when she was around him, Erik would only nod when she told him the favors she had done, asking the principle for what he would ask, using an excuse for his, 'face.' Then he would say a silent thank you and leave.

Giry just couldn't figure out the man. But as she watched his every emotion that flickered onto his face as Miss Daae smiled at him, she tried to convince herself that he's humans with feelings, and emotions.

Especially arrows to the heart.