You Belong To Me (Phantom of the Opera fanfic)

Chapter 13

            I didn’t expect Ryan to want me to stay, but he did. Oddly enough, he drove me back to the Opera House, but he didn’t seem as into me as before. I didn’t care much, for I knew when he said goodbye to me at the Opera House who I was going to choose.

            Erik was the obvious choice.

            “I’ll see you later then?” Ryan asked, sitting in the car and speaking to me through the open window. I gulped, knowing that I had to find Erik as soon as possible and then never leave again. I had to move everything I loved most into his home, and that would take a long time. The sooner the better, I guess. I wasn’t exactly a procrastinator.

            “I don’t know, Ryan. I have a lot to do,” I said as nicely as I could. He just chuckled, revealing his amazingly gorgeous dimples. Ugh, why was love so difficult? Inside my mind, I shook my head. I was going to be with Erik, no matter what.

            Ryan stopped laughing, but I could see a smile in his eyes. “Let me guess, you’re going to see him again, aren’t you?” When I nodded, he didn’t seem the least bit mad. I guess we were over. “Well, I don’t really mind anymore, Grace. It seems like you really love him. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?”

            Hurt rumbled somewhere down in my heart. Ryan didn’t want to say this. He wanted to lift me in his arms and kiss me, but it wasn’t like that anymore. Ryan understood what I wanted and he was kind enough to now leave me alone. Smiling weakly, I replied, “Thanks Ryan. You’re a really good friend.”

            Shaking his head, he repeated, “Friend.”

            I nodded in response. “Yeah. Friend.”

            We both just stood there until I decided to turn around and head into the building. I was stopped Ryan’s panicked voice as he called out to me, “Please be careful, Grace.”

* * *

            I nuzzled against Erik and let out a sigh of relief. “I love being here, Erik. Your home is so…calm.” With a smile, I kissed his cheek and then rested my head against his collarbone once again. I could feel him swallow, and then take a breath of air.

            “It’s only calm and loving when you’re here, Grace.” He kissed the top of my forehead, sending bullets of love throughout my body. I was lost in how much I was enjoying my decision, not caring about what I’d done to Ryan whatsoever, though I know that was wrong. It sounded horribly rude; however, I loved the way Erik made me feel.

            “When you say things like that, Erik,” I explained, placing my hand on his chest. “girls fall instantly in love with you.”

            He rolled his eyes and then laughed heartily. “Okay, name three.”

            “Me, myself, and I!” I planted a kiss on his soft lips and then put my head down again. He was becoming more and more open to me, which I loved more than anything. This whole time I had lived at the Opera House I had longed for this moment; resting in the arms of Erik Destler and just letting the world fade away.

            “You’re the only one I need to love me,” he replied, tightening his grip around me. I thought I was going to die of pure happiness.

            If happiness was a color, what would it be?

            White, I thought, staring at his mask. White, because Erik is the whole symbolism of love. Even though he’s disfigured, it’s possible to love him. It’s possible to love someone who doesn’t look normal. And then I laughed, because, what is normal?