Search for the Opera Ghost: Rewrite

XIII.

I can't let anyone know diary. I love Erik despite the things he does to me. I want him...but he does not want me in the same way. I can not help but wonder if I will ever find out about his past. Erik keeps telling me that he wants to ask me questions and then avoids doing so. What am I to do now? It seems that no matter what I do I can not break through his wall. He is so confusing and I cannot stand it. I know that he has good in him, but he does not wish to show it. Oh, what will I ever do with him?

Zuri

Zuri ripped the page she had previously written from her diary and hid it in her suitcase. A few days had passed since the kitchen incident and she felt no closer to answers than when she came to the opera house. She sighed as she shut her suitcase and put her diary back where Erik had it. If he ever found out about her private want for him, surely he would flaunt it in her face. She could not stand that.

She worried about him though. He never seemed to eat or sleep. She had brought him a tray of food one day and he had pushed it in the floor leaving her to clean up the mess. Zuri did not know what was the matter with Erik. In some way, she wished she could help him, however it seemed that she could never do that. He was solitary and always wanted to stay near his organ writing God knows what.

Zuri wondered if she would ever know Erik. She wondered if she would ever get out of the opera house or if Erik would keep her in his home forever. She sighed as she looked at the bedroom wall in desperation. What would she do if she could not go back up?

xxxx

Erik had noticed Zuri hiding pieces of paper in her suitcase. He had not talked to her about it because he had wanted to find out by himself what she was hiding. He decided that he would have to distract her in order to see what she was hiding. Erik called Zuri into the main part of his home and ordered her to make him some tea even though he really did not want some.

Zuri shot him an angry look, "No need to order me around Erik. All you have to do is say please. Or is that something that you cannot do."

He rolled his eyes at her as she crossed her arms. "Please make me some tea."

"Of course Erik. Thank you for being polite." She then walked off towards the kitchen.

Erik smiled to himself then took this as his chance to go to look in her suitcase to see what was being hid from him. He quickly walked up to the bedroom and found her suitcase. He opened her suitcase and rummaged through her clothes till he found the pages. Erik picked up one and looked at the content of the page then smiled again. So now he knew what she truly thought of him and this was going to give him an advantage.

xxxx

Erik slowly walked into the kitchen and leaned against the archway. Zuri heard his footsteps and said hurridly, "I'm hurrying Erik."

"No need to. I want to have a discussion." Erik replied as she looked at him and paled when she saw the pieces of paper that she had written on in his hand. "You are quite interesting dear. I had no idea that you had been hiding such interesting thoughts."

Zuri nearly dropped her cup as she gasped. "You have no business..."

"It is entirely my business." He interrupted her. "After all, you want me."

Zuri whirled around to avoid blushing in front of him. She put the cup on the counter then gasped once more as Erik pressed her hands against her sides and pulled her against his hard chest. "Why do you turn from me? Are you are blushing? Or maybe it is because you are afraid to admit you wrote it."

"You read my personal thoughts. How could you?"

"Then it is true."

Zuri silenced herself quickly, but too much had been said. "I want you...but not like this. Besides...you do not want me. I am as curvy as a ruler remember?"

Erik whirled her around and pressed her into a nearby wall. "Do not be sarcastic with me."

"But it's true!"

Erik kissed her lips harshly, she gasped while his tongue slipped in her mouth and collided with hers. She grasped his forearms and tried to push away from him. Erik stopped kissing her and met her eyes. Her eyes searched his as he finally said, "I lied Zuri."

Zuri shook her head in disbelief. "You lie to me."

"No Zuri, I do not lie."

"Why should I trust you? You told me you lied to me."

Erik growled loudly. "I lied because I did not like you at the time."

"So miraculously you like me now?! I believe that you only want me to sate your needs."

"And what about your want for me my dear?" Zuri blushed as he smirked at her and whispered, "You want me. There is no doubt in that."

"Erik..."

"Yes."

"I do not want you like this. You are acting smug and I don't appreciate it."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Smug? Why Zuri...I have never been so insulted."

"Erik...I want you. That is the truth. However, I never imagined it in this way. I wanted nothing more to help you and you won't accept my help. You won't even talk to me. If you feel like you have some advantage because I wrote those things then continue to think so. I am not going to let you sate your need with me."

Their eyes met as Erik's mouth dropped open in astonishment then he narrowed his eyes at her. "Come off your high horse Zuri."

Zuri's eyes widened in surprise then she shot him a glare that spoke of her anger. "I am through being your prisoner. Take me up now Erik! Take me back so I can go home. Thank you for proving my thoughts and feelings for you were entirely wrong. Thank you for proving that you are a heartless man who could care less about women. No wonder Mademoiselle Daae left you!"

Erik roared as his hand collided with her cheek, "You don't know what you speak of you spoilt brat!"

She looked up at him as her hand covered her cheek. Erik watched as first shock riddled her then pain then finally tears began to well up in her eyes. He backed away from her as she slid to the floor and looked up at him as if she could not believe what he had done.

He panted softly then finally told her, "You don't know me." Erik then turned around and stormed off leaving Zuri behind holding an injured cheek and wondering why Erik seemed to bring out the worst in her.