*Jasper’s POV

  Phantom of the opera opur as ever. Thankfully for me, all those humao use a lot of perfume when attending su event, which mostly covers the st of their blood. I still did find the crowd unfortable. Annabell’s body had the same temperature as any other humahe warmth of aher than her was unpleasant to me.

  As we were making our way through the crowd, Annabell grew more restless with each step. She didn’t respond when I called her name, making me worried. People kept pushing around us and Annabell started to tremble with panic. When I embraced her, she let me calm her down and I took her aside from the crowd. There she expined what happened.

  I should have anticipated something like that. Forks was her hometown. She knew even the woods around it so well, that I failed to take into at what she would feel like in a pce she was unfamiliar with. Now I was twice as grateful to the fact that I reserved a loge only for the two of us as I led her through the corridors with red carpet and walls decorated by gold ors.

  The girl showing us to the loge was disappoio see that my panion was a female but I paid her no mind. Annabell suddenly jumped away from her with a start, nearly falling after colliding with my body. Supp her we sat down in the loge. Annabell ied her surroundings with i, making me smile.

  “What a weirdo.” Uttered the woman behih disdain, before her heels cpped away from us.

  My smile turo frown as Annabell quickly straightened up and clutched her hands on her p. Of course she heard her too. “Don’t mind her, Ann.” I put my arm around her waist to tell her that that woman’s opinion had no value. “What happehere, though? Are you really ok?” Did I miss something the woman did to her? Major was more than ready to go and teach her a lesson if that was the case.

  “Yeah… I’m fi’s just… You’ll probably ugh…” She started but I didn’t find anything ughable there. “I mean, isn’t it stupid that someone like me, who has to touch pretty much everything, doesn’t like being touched?” She expined.

  “I see… No, I won’t ugh. It is uandable.” Maybe I wasn’t really helping…? I thought with , slowly letting go of her waist as I recalled all the times she pulled away from me.

  The moment I did, though, Auro me. “No… I like-” Slightly panicked, she covered her mouth and didn’t finish the sentence, while her cheeks turned red.

  I tried to cover the chuckle that escaped me, siold her that I wouldn’t ugh. Lightly caressing her hot cheek, I wanted her to firm what I thought she kept herself from admitting just now. “So you like when I touch you?” Annabell ched her jaw and, a little angry, stayed silent.

  Was it the touch or…? I pulled my hand back. All humor aside, I asked again. “I’m serious, Ann. Please tell me, what does my touch feel like to you?” I had to get her to tell the truth. I was sure that at least sometimes she didn’t dislike my touch. She might not want to admit it even to herself though. But I o hear her say it.

  “When someone randomly touches me like that dy before or in that crowd earlier it makes me panibsp;So that’s why she jumped away from her. I wanted her to enjoy the evening, thinking that she might like a live opera but I slowly came to realize my mistake. she really enjoy herself uhe stress of being somewhere she doesn’t reize?

  "When you touch me…” She paused, reag for my hand. “Your touch warms me, draws me in. It’s calming and I feel protected when in your arms…” fessed Annabell shyly. She was still blushing and looked utterly adorable. However, before I could say anything, the orchestra started pying and I watched as her surprise slowly turo joy when she uood where we were.

  I khe tragic love story. Having read Gaston Lerouxe’s novel dozens of times I visited the Opera house occasionally to see the story e to life. Even though I didn’t have anyone I’d love before, I saw myself as Erik and used to find myself w if I’d ever find someone who would be able to love a monster in the end. Just like him.

  I always came to the clusion that nobody like that could exist and envied Erik. For, he died loving and being loved. Even though he wasn’t able to be by that person’s side, unlike me back then, he krue love.

  When I found the angel in the woods, I couldn’t believe that my wish came true. Back then I was vihat I would tio be like Erik. Uo be with her. Telling myself that I’d stay hidden while proteg the one I love as she would live her happy life without knowing the monster. Now, feeling the gentle, warm hands on mine and watg her dreamy expression as she was engrossed in the music right by my side, I felt happiness I never allowed myself to hope for.

  Every time I went to see the Phantom of the opera it was a little different as it was decades apart. But this time I paid less attention to the performaself because I could hardly take my eyes off of my fasating mate. It was the same as when Rosalie pyed the piano for her. The music pulled Annabell into her own world and I was gd that after all, she seemed to be enjoying it.

  Wheot to the part where Christine finally chooses Erik but after promising to keep his ring, still leaves, Annabell stood up. She seemed unaware of her surroundings as she took a step closer to the railing. I stood o her aly pced my hand to the small of her back.

  “Why…?” She suddenly whispered, sad. “She abandoned him, didn’t she?” Asked Annabell as she touched her ring.

  She couldn’t see it py out but somehow uood exactly what was happening oage. “Yes.” I firmed, w what was on her mind. My chest tightened when I realized that she might have been thinking about leaving me like Christi Erik and I let my hand fall from her bay side.

  Somewhat startled, she turo me. “Jasper?” She hesitantly lifted her hand but the it close to her body.

  “Yes, angel?” I reached to wipe away a siear that was making its way down Annabell’s cheek. When suddenly, she hugged me.

  It surprised me a little and before I could react, she started to pull away. “I’m sorry.”

  I put my arms around her and brought her closer to me again. “Please, stay.” I mumbled into her hair and she rexed in my embrace. We stayed like that until the g of the audience didn’t tell us that the performance was over.

  *Annabell’s POV

  The lyrics alone wouldn’t tell me much but the way they were sung together with the orchestra pying… All those feelings momentarily overwhelmed me and I could almost see the man who hid himself to bee a phantom because no one seemed to be able to love him for who he was. Then he found the one. But even though she accepted his love in the end, it didn’t seem to have a happy end. “Why…? She abandoned him didn’t she?” He’s like me… stantly betrayed and shunned by people. …Even the love of his life wouldn’t stay by his side.

  “Yes.” Answered Jasper quietly. I got so lost in the incredible performance of the orchestra and sihat I hardly noticed him standio me this whole time.

  However, I was fully scious about the fact that the f warmth of his hand now disappeared from my back. Afraid that he was leaviurned around. “Jasper?” I wao feel him. But what if he really wao leave.

  “Yes, angel?” His fingers brushed over my cheek taking a tear, I didn’t even notitil then, with them and I couldn’t stand still anymore.

  Hugging him, for a sed I savoured the feeling of having him this close again but he didn’t move. He probably wants me to let him go… With a heavy heart I apologized, trying to step away from him. Suddenly he pulled me back, his strong arms enveloped me and pressed back to his chest. “Please, stay.” I heard his quiet voice above me. Could he… have been thinking the same? Pushing my worries aside, I let myself rest against him.

  *

  “Ummm…” We were walking through the halls again. “I… could use a restroom.” I didn’t know if we were going home from here or not but either way, I o go before we left.

  “Alright. Hmmm…” Jasper stopped for a moment. “This way.” He said finally and led me in a little different dire than before.

  I noticed a somewhat familiar st and it was getting stronger. “Ah, Mr Whitlock! How did you enjoy the performance?” It was the woman from earlier. She was talking to Jasper like I wasn’t there but he kept on walking. Just when we were about to pass her, she stepped in front of us. “But Mr Whitlock, you ot go there. Ladies only.” Her tone didn’t allow objes.

  “I’ll be fine, just tell me where it is.” I reassuringly smiled at Jasper. I really had to go and who knew how long she’d argue with him about it.

  It was the woman who answered me, though. “Left door, just around the er.” Giving her a polite smile, I relutly let go of Jasper and taking careful steps I felt my way along the wall. When I reached the door I sehat I wasn’t alone in the hall but they didn’t move nor speak so I didn’t pay them any mind and walked in.

  When I was done and found a sink to wash my hands, I heard the door open and someone walked in. Thinking it’s just a couple of girls in need of a toilet I wasn’t paying attention to them. However, when the door closed behind them, I heard the lock clid turned around. “What are you doing?”

  “Heh, look at that. Such a pretty little thing… and blind.” Said a male voice.

  “Yeahhh man, aren’t you feeling lucky? We enjoy ourselves and she won’t be able to tell anyone.” Chuckled a sed one. Two guys?

  “How did you get here? She said-”

  “Haha, you mean Hayley? Of course she wants to have fun too. Why do you think she stopped your boyfriend there?” Laughed the first one again, making me frown.

  These two slowly closed in on me. “Stay away from me.” I warhem, getting angry.

  “O-ho, no do, doll. Who in their right mind would pass up su opportunity to enjoy themselves?” Asked the sed one and I sensed his hand ing closer to my face. When I dodged it and took a step back, he made an annoyed noise. “Hmpf, you sure she’s blind?” He asked the other one.

  “You watched her e in here with me, dude, you tell me.” So it was them in the hall? They were waiting for me…

  “Whatever.” Huffed the sed one dismissively and closed the distance again. The other followed. Too te I realized that I backed into a er and couldn’t retreat anymore. “e here and be a good girl.” He chuckled again and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me from the wall to him while I felt the other one move behind me.

  “Don’t touch me!” I demanded and when I felt the one behi his hands on my hips, he got an elbow to his face.

  “Ow! You bitch!” Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to incapacitate him. Pissed off, he locked his arm around my neck, pulling me backwards to him. However, in the meahe guy in front of me was trying to take off my dress and when I got pulled back, the thin ribbon on my chest became undone. Making them both chuckle again.

  I clutched the dress to keep them from falling off me but that left me with only one hand to fight. I also noticed that the idiot behind me, whose free hand found its way to the split on the side of my dress, was standing on them. Because when I tried to move, I heard how the fabric got strained. I didn’t want to let them undress me but I wanted for the dress to get ruined even less.

  Now I wished I could use my painst humans. I was rendered pretty helpless. “That’s more like it…” He muttered o my ear. No! Jasper! Fear crept its my spine when I felt a hot hand on my thigh. “Let me g-nh!” My yell got silenced by the uy’s lips. I was trapped between their bodies. They were too warm and smelled of strong cologne and sweat.

  I bit him and he pulled away. “You little-” I knew he lifted his hand, ready to strike me, but with the uy’s arm around my neearly strangling me, I had no way to dodge it. Just when I braced myself for the impact a loud bang resohrough the room and the man’s hand stopped before it could hit me.

  “Get away from her!” Growled Jasper.

  “How did you…?” Gasped the guy in surprise and the moment he flew away from me.

  I felt the uy’s grip loosen so I pushed my elbow into his ribs. Once he staggered and I felt that my dress got free, I ran from him. “y path again, and you won’t be walking away.” I heard Jasper warn them and then they ran. I was saved. Wheensio my body, I fell to my knees. “Annabell!”

  I knew he was worried about me but when I felt his hand approag my shoulder, I involuntarily moved away. Sensing that he straightened up again I started to panic, thinking he’s leaving. “I didn’t mean-!” Then he leaned clain and ed something around my shoulders. His jacked? Jasper’s st enveloped me. I took a deep breath. It was like a balm on my nerves. “Thank you.” I couldn’t help a relieved smile.

  “Do you think you stand?” He asked, worried.

  “Yes.” I reached out my hand towards him and he helped me stand up. “Ummm… you help me with this please?” I motioowards my dress, I was still clutg to my chest.

  “I should have killed those bastards!” I heard him growl before he reached for my dress.