After the Lair

The Proposal

|| Christine Daae ||

I had only been asleep for eight hours, and they felt the need to put me in a hospital.

Ugh, men.

When I woke up, Erik was in the corner of the room, pacing and Raoul was holding my hand.

"Erik, she's up," Raoul said.

He ran to my bedside.

"Oh, Christine. Thank the heavens," he said, pulling me into him. He smelt like darkness, if that even was a smell. I guess it was.

I remembered what he had thought about me that night at the graveyard, that I was a cheating whore. Well, if he wanted to play dirty, I was about to win.

"Get off of me, you lying, backstabbing..." I went off on a tangent, Erik's face falling with every word I said. Raoul stood in the corner speechless. "How dare you come and claim me now? Do you think that I've forgiven you in the past eight hours? You let me go. I could've died. I almost did. Don't you dare say you were trying to protect me, because when you came you were still drunk off your ass. You haven't even kissed me since I saved you from your own freaking lake. Leave. NOW!" I screamed.

"Christine, I love you," he said as he closed the door.

Raoul stood in the corner, completely dumbfounded and speechless.

"I didn't know you could yell like that," he said. I laughed.

"I need to get out of here. He's going to come back. I need a hotel room," I quickly rambled, but Raoul heard each word.

"Lotte, are you sure?"

"Just because I'm at a hospital doesn't mean I wont kick your sorry ass. Hotel room. Now," I said.

A few minutes later, I was admitted out of the hospital.

"Two blocks down, room 24601, name is under Daae," Raoul said.

"Thank you, Raoul." We embraced, quickly and awkwardly. I think Raoul was afraid I would have another outburst. I giggled at the thought of it. He took my arm.

"What're you doing?" I asked, still laughing.

"I'm escorting Christine Daae, the most adored person in France to her hotel, if that is alright with her. From what I hear, she's a diva," Raoul joked. His light tone caused me to laugh even harder.

It felt good.

After he signed me in, he left. I fell asleep on the couch. I dreamt of Erik.

"Start a new life with me, Christine. Marry me," he whispered.

"Yes!" I squealed and he pulled me in, our faces inches apart when-

"Lotte, wake up," Raoul cooed.

"Why. Why would you do this to me. Raoul Vicomte de Changy I am nineteen years old and I demand to be aloud to rest, or I will unleash every last hormone in my body and attack you," I threatened, turning myself onto my side. The couch was quite comfortable...

"No. Get dressed. I laid something out for you. You have no choice," he said as he walked out the door.

"Sounds familiar," I mumbled to myself, but I did as I was told.

The dress was gorgeous.

It was black and ruffled, and gold lining every hem. It was long sleeved and fell to the floor, with a simple neckline and an elegant aura. I did my hair and make up, giving myself a smoky eye and pins holding the curls out of my face. I slipped on black flats