Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Phantom of the Opera, or Taylor Swift. This story is in the present year between Erik and Christine.

We were both young when I first saw you

I close my eyes and the flash back starts

“Christine, hurry up.” Meg shouted at me.

“Okay just give me a second!” I called rolling my eyes. I loved my roommate and was glad that I actually had a good person who just clicked with me while I was at college.

I finished putting on my makeup and turned around. We were going to the first party of our sophomore year at college, and Meg wanted to hook-up with some guy and 'relieve all the stress of going back to school' which I didn't really agree with. Sex was something that should be between to people that really love each other.

We paid the taxi driver and walked into the party and from the sound of it, it was going strong. I felt Meg grab my arm. “OMG Christine look at the ass on him.” Meg practically drooled in my ear. I giggled. Then I felt someone slam into me and I felt the breath get knocked out of my chest.

“Hey watch where your going dumb ass!” Meg screamed at the guy, and I waved my hand at her and panted “No...it's...okay...wasn't...watching.”

“No, no I'm sorry.” The guy said placing his hand on my back. When he did I felt an electric shock run through my whole body starting at where the stranger's hand was.

I'm standing there, on a balcony in summer air

See the lights see the party the ball gowns

I had been dancing a moment ago, that I was certain of, why though I wasn't sure. It was very dim when I really noticed my surroundings, and the whole room became very quiet. I looked around and everyone seemed to be staring at one thing so I turned my gaze to see a very tall man dressed in red, wearing a skull mask over the top part of his face at the top of huge staircase.

I felt an hand tighten on my arm and I jump slightly looking around to see a very handsome man holding onto me, looking furious. He let go of me and turn around, to which I ignored, I didn't know this man, and didn't know why he was holding onto me.

The man slowly in red started coming down the stairs, very graceful and drew his sword brandishing it at people yelling at them to perform better. I was confused to what exactly he was talking about, but listened nonetheless, his voice seemed to be hypnotizing me, and I allowed myself to fall into it.

See you make your way through the crowd and say hello

little did I know that you were Romeo you were throwing pebbles

The man in red walked slowly to me, reaching his hand out, and the most sensible thing for me to do was to place my hand in his, but when I tried to raise it, it wouldn't.

“Christine, come back to me, and I can make you great.”

I tried to nod my head, I would do anything for that beautiful voice, but my head wouldn't oblige. His hand, that was still hanging in the air, slowly came closer to touching me, and I though he would touch my face, but instead he reached down and grabbed a necklace, that I didn't know I had been wearing and tore it from my neck.

Then my paralysis broke.

I was trying to catch my breath and hearing Meg scream at someone who ran into me.

“Your sure your okay?” The guy asked and I jerked my head around. It sounded so remarkably like the voice to the man in the red. My eyes widened and I nodded my head.

And my daddy said stay away from Juliet

And I was crying on the staircase, begging you please don't go

Meg reached down and grabbed my hand and I was lead away from the man who had captivated me.

“You don't want to talk to looser like him Christine, you can do so much better than him.”

I loved Meg like a sister, but didn't know why she had to be so mean to people sometimes, and I looked over my shoulder and gave the poor guy a small smile, I didn't think he was a loser. The further Meg pulled me away from him, the more I wanted to run back to him and hold him.

I felt a plastic cup being shoved into my hands and I looked down into it.

“What is it?” I asked Meg.

“It's diet coke and vodka.”

I shook my head. “No thanks.” I said handing her the cup, “You know I don't drink.” I said and felt frustrated at Meg. “I just need to catch my breath.” I said making my way towards the back porch, but making it only to the stairs. I leaned against the newel post shaking my head at Meg.

And I said Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone

I'll be waiting, all we have to do is run

After a few deep breaths I turned to face the party and apologize for storming away from Meg and was face to face with the guy who knocked into me. I blinked in surprise and took a small step back, being startled.

“You seem to be always running into me.” I said with a smile.

“I just wanted to apologize for knocking into you, I just wasn't watching where I was going.”

I smiled at him. “There's nothing to forgive, it was an accident.”

“Do you want to dance?” He asked and I grinned at him.

“Yeah that would be nice.”

I grabbed his hand and led him away from the stairs, which seemed to be a busy place and started dancing with him. “I don't even know your name, I'm Christine.” I said loudly in his ear so he could hear me.

“Erik.” He said back, it was hard to hear him over the thumping music.

“What?” I shouted back over the music. “Let's go outside, maybe I can hear you out there.” I shouted and nodded my head towards the open doorway.

You'll be the Prince, and I'll be the Princess

It's a love story baby just say yes

“So what did you say your name was?” I asked when we were finally out of the loudness of the house.

He chuckled. “I'm Erik, it's nice to meet you Christine.”

“So do you go to school here?” I asked him.

“Yeah, I'm a senior, you?”

“Sophomore.” I said with a smile. “It seems like I know you though.”

“We went to high school together.”

I was surprised, “Really, how do you know that.”

“I remember you. You were the prom queen right.”

I laughed. “I was, but I don't remember you, but you are a few years older than me, so that's probably why, but why do I know you then?”

“I was the prom king in my year.”

So Meg was wrong, he wasn't a loser, and I knew it. “I guess that makes us royalty.” I said with a grin.

So I sneak out to the garden to see you

We keep quiet cause were dead if they knew

I rolled over, not having gone to sleep. I had been six weeks since Erik and I met at the party. I saw that it was a quarter to midnight and I silently crawled out of my bed, putting my street clothes back on. Meg had no idea that Erik and I had been dating, and I wanted to keep it that way. At least for now. No one knew about the two of us.

I walked through the silent halls, which I thought was odd, it was almost midnight, but of course it was only a Tuesday, people must be actually sleeping instead of partying, like normal. Erik and I had planned to meet out by the fountains. We never got to spend a lot of time together, he had his classes and friends, and so did I, but we found plenty of time for each other nonetheless.

When I got there, Erik was already waiting for me and he turned when he heard someone walking up on him. He was holding a single red rose in his hand and I grinned at him. I kissed him on the cheek, on both cheeks and could smell his aftershave.

“You didn't have to do that.” I said grinning.

“Well you deserved it.” Erik said. He pulled me close and I placed my arms on his shoulders, linking my hands behind his neck, with the rose poking out of my fingers.

“I love you.” He whispered, and though my cheek was on his chest I knew he would hear my small intake of breath.

“Oh, I get it.” He stated simply trying to pull him away.

It was after a second, after he was out of my arms that I frowned at him.

“Just where do you think you are going?” I said with my hands on my hips.

He turned his back to me and I sighed, grabbing his arm and turned him to face me. “I love you too, I just couldn't believe you said it before me.” I said with a smile and quickly crashed my lips to his, making him gasp in surprise.

So Close your eyes, escape this town for a little while

Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter

“So a week at your parents, then a week at mine.” I said throwing clothes nervously into my suitcase. We had finally told Meg about us, and now it was time to tell the parents. We had now been dating for three months, and it was just the right time.

The week with his parents were lovely. They accepted me, just like a member of their own, of course it was nice having met them before, we did grown up in the same town, though we were a few years apart, the smallish town we came from, everyone seemed to know everything about everyone, one reason I was so glad to escape to college.

“Christine, you have made Erik so happy. So when are you two tying the knot?” Ashley, Erik's mother asked.

“Geez mom!” Erik said shaking his head. “Do you mind!” He said rolling his eyes.

I grinned up at Erik and patted his hand. 'Don't worry about it' I mouthed to him with a wink and he winked back at me.

Besides that one painfully embarrassing moment, the rest of the visit went very smoothly.

And my daddy said stay away from Juliet, but you were everything to me

I was begging you please don't go

The trip to my house however wasn't as grand as I hoped it would be.

“Christine, I don't like this one bit.” James, my father raged at me.

I had tears in my eyes. “Daddy, please don't do this, not now. I love him, and he loves me.” I cried out.

“He isn't right for you dear. You were supposed to get out of this small town, not be dragged back to it by a local boy.”

I shook my head. “I'm going to do what I want, I'm an adult now, and he makes me happy.”

James walked closer to me and put his hands on my shoulders. The comfort I used to feel from his touch didn't come like it once had. “You have to respect my decision.” I said softly, feeling the temper tantrum I had just thrown start to melt away.

He pulled me into a hug. “Then I guess that's all I can ask for.”

“Thank you.” I whispered. “Just be nice to him okay daddy?”

And I said Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone

I'll be waiting all we have to do is run

I opened Erik's door at my fathers house, he refused to have us sleep in the same room, and saw him already waiting for me. I quickly stepped in and closed the door behind me.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” He asked quietly, and I nodded my head. I led him out the window, thankfully he was on the ground floor, so it would be easy to get back in. After that I followed him to a strange location. It was in front of a pet store that I had been to before, of course it was locked.

“So what are we doing here?” I asked in confusion.

“Kiss me.” He said, and I greatly complied.

“Now why did I kiss you in front of this pet store?”

He grinned at me. “This is where I had my first kiss, and I wanted to kiss you here, erase the old memory and replace it with a new one.”

“Gah Erik. I just stole some girls spot.” I said even though I was grinning. “You are too weird.”

Erik grinned back at me. “You have to admit, this is a better memory to have.”

I did agree.

You'll be the Prince, and I'll be the Princess,

it's a love story baby just say yes

Both Erik and I were going to Erik's 5 year reunion. Of course I knew everyone there, they were just a few years older than me. We were dancing to some of the 'good old music' as Erik kept referring it to when I felt something being tied around my middle.

I turned to see that years class president and looked down at the sash I was now wearing. It was bright blue and had silver writing as cutest couple. I turned to Erik and he was wearing the exact same sash. I laughed out loud and he pointed proudly to his chest. We heard courses of 'speech, speech' and we were dragged up to the stage and walked to the podium.

“Well I just want to thank you for making us royalty at our reunion.” I said into the microphone, and everyone laughed.

“This was very unexpected, and we would both like to say thank you for this.” He pulled me close to his side and I looked up at him and he kissed me, and I could hear wolf whistles and I pulled away grinning and shaking my finger at the crowd, making them laugh harder.

It was nice to be back in my old town, but not at the same time. The reason I didn't like being back, was because of my father. He was an only parent, and wanted me to succeed and get out of this town, of course I still had one year left of college, and I had every intention of moving back to my hometown after I graduated, along with Erik. He was still hanging around the town our college was in for me.

Romeo save me their trying to tell me how to feel

This love is difficult, but it's real

I felt the tears streaming down my face as I left my own house to walk to Erik's house. We were planning on returning to the college tomorrow, and I wouldn't be staying with my father the rest of this day, or tomorrow morning.

He had once again tried to tell me to break it off with Erik and get out of this town while I still could, but I refused, and we had really gotten into it. I just couldn't understand how he could be so uncaring as to how his only child felt, and he seemed to not care that the words that came out of his mouth cut me deeper than if he had taken a knife to me.

I blindly found Erik's parents house and knocked on the door, trying to whip the tears that were coursing down my cheeks.

The second Erik saw me on the front steps, he pulled me into a hug, not bothering asking what my tears where, he knew what they were about. I silently thanked him by not bringing it up, I didn't want to talk about it, at least not right now.

“You know I'll always be here.” He whispered in my ear and I nodded my head. He led me into the house and made me sit, and he said everything would be alright and not to worry about what people said, our love would conquer everything.

Don't be afraid we'll make it out of this mess

it's a love story baby just say yes.

“Christine, please stop crying, it breaks my heart to see you cry.”

I nodded my head and blew my nose on a tissue. I grabbed another tissue from the box and dried my face.

He gave me a small smile. “I promise you this will blow over. I know your father wants more for you, he's just being a dad, give him time and he will see how much we truly love each other, and how we make each other happy, so our location shouldn't matter.”

He kissed the top of my forehead and I grinned back at him. Erik always knew what to say to make me feel better.

I sighed. “I know, thanks baby. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I got tired of waiting, wondering if you were ever coming around

My faith in you was fading

“Erik we have been together for 3 years now, when are we going to move on from our current position that we seem to be stuck in?” I asked him as we drove back into our sleepy college town.

Erik never took his eyes off the road, but I could see the small frown on his face.

“I don't want to push you Erik, but we love each other, and if you are not going to make an honest woman out of me, than what are we still doing together?” I asked softly.

After he had dropped me off, he said he needed to get some groceries for our little house we had at the college, I walked to Meg's dorm and cried on her shoulder.

“Why can't he just propose to me? I know he loves me.” I cried on his shoulder.

Meg softly patted my back, not really knowing what could be said.

I had moved out of our little house, and moved in with Meg, and her new room mate. I can't live with someone who has no intention of becoming more that what we already were.

There was harsh words, and tears, but in the end, I did what I felt had to be done.

And I met you on the outskirts of town and I said

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone

I keep waiting for you, but you never come

It had only been a week since our 'break up' and hadn't tried to call, or see me and that broke my heart. After a month Erik had finally cornered me outside of one of my classes. I was so happy to see him again, and I missed him terribly, but I wasn't going to change my mind and it broke my heart all over again to see him standing there waiting for me.

“Christine, I still love you, please come home.” Erik said as he came close to me.

“Oh Erik.” I said with a sigh. The words I desperately wanted to say started to escape my lips, but I held them back.

“Don't you still love me?” He asked with a very hurtful look in his eyes.

I turned to him “Oh of course I still love you Erik, but I can't do this anymore. I've gotten in way to deep, and I can't go anymore, or I won't come back from this heart break.” I said quickly and left him standing alone.

Is this in my head I don't know what to think

He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said

Marry me Juliet, you'll never be alone I love you and that's all I really know

I didn't get very far when he reached me and pulled me to a stop. “Please, I wanted to do this for years, I just never knew the right moment, then you walked out on me, and I have never been as miserable as I have been in this past month. I thought that you didn't want me, but I know that you do. Marry me Christine, I've wanted to marry you since I saw you your first day of your freshman year.”

I looked at him shocked. Was he really saying those words to me, or just trying to get me to believe he really wanted to marry me.

“I love you Christine, and I never want to spend another day apart from you.”

I felt the tears sting my eyes and I smiled up at him. “Aren't you supposed to be down on bended knee?” I asked him.

He laughed and pulled me into a hug. “Does that mean you accept?”

I pulled back from him. “Oh of course it does you silly man.”

I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress

It's a love story, baby just say yes.

We walked hand in hand back to Meg's room to collect my things. “Oh I just thought of something.” I said biting my lip.

“And what is that?” Erik asked me.

“What will my dad say?”

I felt Erik stop, so I stopped as well, and turned to look at him.

“Well I kind of asked for his permission.”

I looked at him shocked. “Are you serious?” I asked.

Erik nodded his head. “So what did he say?”

“Well he could see the way I talked about you, and said your name, and he finally says that we are good together, and just wants to see you happy.”

I laugh and hug Erik tight. “Thank you for asking him.”

Cause we were both young when I first saw you

“Did you really notice me my freshman year?” I asked him the day before our wedding.

“Christine, you were the most beautiful thing to ever step through those doors, and when I saw that curly hair of yours, looking all shy and nervous, I knew at that moment I wanted you forever.”

I kissed him softly. “You truly are the most wonderful man I have ever met.” I said softly.

A bit lengthly I know, but I just couldn't help it! Please let me know what you think by leaving me a review. I hope I havn't confused you to much by taking Something down and adding it as a second chapter to what was originally I Told You So.

Desiree'