"Whats your name then?" Gustave asked. 

The girl didn't answer. 

He smiled, even in the stillness and silence she was beautiful. 

Not beautiful, he corrected. Just a girl. A stupid girl

He helped her into the small boat.

"I'm Gustave, im a bit of an introvert myself." He laughed.

After a few moments, she sighed and whispered, "For a Introvert, you talk an awful lot." 

She did not say it rudely, merely factually. And Gustave supposed it was true. He wasn't at all as shy as he used to be.

He had been viewing his friends as a stumbling block, a trip that knocked him down a staircase. Anabel had just been a step to get him somewhere else.

"Do you want to sing something?" He asked.

 She stared at him as if he was the one deformed. 

"I'm sorry if here its customary to take girls through sewers and sing but where I'm from it considered a teeny bit odd." She said masking a smile.

Gustave frowned, "Oh."

He hadn't thought of that. "Do you think I'm odd then?"

She smiled her eyes glistening and daring. He saw a different side to her, a risky, independent mischievous side. 

"I think you're the oddest boy I've ever. But I'll tell you a secret." She leaned over and Gustave stopped rowing. 

"All the best people are odd," she whispered in his ear.

He grinned and she smiled. The rest of the journey was silent.

Gustave almost felt like it was wrong not to sing that song as he rowed. I mean she was here, he was there.

Was it really that weird?

Why did he care what she thought anyway.

They soon approached the gate. 

"It's me!" Gustave yelled. His voice boomed and echoed, yet she didn't flinch nor did she speak. 

He rowed to the dock and helped her out. Erik peered through the window. 

Gustave was starting to figure out that when the girl did speak it was carefully chosen words that were important. He paid extra attention every time she spoke. He wasn't exactly sure why.

It wasn't a crush he told himself.

 It wasn't like the first time, though he supposed it wouldn't ever be like the first time. 

"What first time Gustave? There was no first time get ahold of yourself." He internally scolded. 

It was new. And he wasn't sure if he liked moving on from Anabel that quickly. He wanted to mope over her for at least two more months. Or at least until the baby was there. 

Erik came out to help dock the boat. His eye fixed warily on the stranger. 

"Why does he wear a mask?" Autumn asked.

This time Gustave was the one to remain silent.

They entered the small house and neither spoke. Erik stood by the piano and bowed as she entered. She smiled and did a small curtsy. 

"Who's this Gustave?" He smiled knowingly. His voice masked a hint of betrayal. There were rules Gustave was expected to follow esspcially about vistors and yet he insisted on breaking them.

"A student." Gustave grinned. 

The girl blushed immensely. 

Erik approached her with a kind smile, "A singer then? And to be one of my students a very special singer."

She looked towards Gustave and he nodded reassuringly. 

Christine entered the room, stumbling back at the sight of another girl. 

"Ah!" She exclaimed somewhat sternly, "I didn't know we were expecting company, Gustave."

She was still wearing her nightgown ad Erik was momentarily distracted by the beauty of her figure and smiled.

"Sorry mother." Gustave blushed.

Autumn smiled kindly, "You must be Gustave's parents. I'm honored. How strange, all of this!"

"You aren't afraid?" Christine asked in intrigue. 

"Only of the unknown," The girl said spoke back quickly. "And all I have seen now has become known, and no longer frightens me."

"Do you want to see the rest?" Erik aaked micheviously drawing a severe look from his wife.

She nodded.

She wanted to see everything very desperately.