The Phantom's opera

Count De Changy

I realised that he was taken aback because I didn't know who he was. It probably shocked him that somebody in France, in Paris none the less, didn't know the famed Comte De Changy.
"Well thank you for helping me when I fainted Count De Changy." I said honestly.
"Please call me Philippe. Count De Changy was my father." He insisted.
"Well then Philippe, it was a pleasure to meet you." I replied as I went to continue on my way home, but once again was stopped by Philippe.
"Are you not going to see the show?" He asked, clearly confused.
"No, I work as a costume designer here now." I clarified.
"Did you end up seeing the show again? I haven't seen you around and I've been to each show. I have my own private box if you would like to see it tonight." He offered.
"That's very kind of you, but I did go see the show again. I guess we must have just have missed each other. I really must be going now. Maybe I'll see you around." In finishing the conversation, I headed home to Erik knowing full well that it would not be a pleasant earful that Erik would receive.

"What are you doing home so late. I've been waiting for you to return for hours!" He barked at me as soon as I arrived home.
"I learnt from the best." I remarked dryly. I saw him shrink back the tiniest bit, almost as if he knew he had done something wrong. In response to this, he tried to play dumb and moved the conversation away from him.
"I believe you lost a bet." He smirked. I couldn't hold in my anger anymore.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" I yelled at him. "Do you think I don't know how you manipulated me?"
He stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, knowing full well that he was on thin ice.
"I don't see why your so upset over a silly bet." He replied "it was just a strategy to win it."
"It was not a strategy! It was manipulation. You manipulate me in order to win the 'silly bet'" I argued back.
"Look, your just upset that you lost the bet." He insisted, trying unsuccessfully to sooth my anger.
"I don't care about the dumb bet!" I fumed "what I care about is that you used my emotions to get what you wanted. I want you to to see that it's wrong."
"Alright." He sighed, giving in. "What do you want me to do then?" I thought about it for a second. I knew what he did wasn't that bad and he was trying to win the dumb bet.
"Just apologise and admit that what you did was wrong." I decided. I noticed Erik tense a bit when I said this.
"I'll apologies but I can't admit what I did was wrong." He gave in.
"What do you mean you can't?" I shot back. "Do you not think what you did was wrong?"
"It's not that it's just I can't-" I didn't even let him finish.
"Your unbelievable Erik." I said as I stormed away to my room and closed my door. I wasn't going to tolerate this from Erik, especially when there was so much at stake in the future.

Instead of going to bed that night, I grabbed a bag that I had bought to put costumes in to carry down costumes just in case I wanted to work back here. I had yet to use it, so the large bag was empty. I began gathering things that I would need for the next couple of weeks. I mainly just grabbed things like my dresses, corsets, hair brush and other similar items I couldn't live without.

I waited till early in the morning when I knew Erik would let down his guard. I made sure that he was in his music room when I left. I quietly made my way out of the house and up to my workroom. I knew that nobody was there this early, so I began working on the costumes but soon fell asleep.

I awoke later that day around 11am. Like yesterday, Gertrude wasn't here, so I assumed she was sick again. Now that it was a reasonable hour and that everybody at the opera house would be working, I went to find Madame Giry. I found her quickly, instructing Christine and her friends on how to do ballet. I watched them for a bit, I could clearly tell that Christine was struggling at ballet but she wasn't struggling as much as Jammes, who seemed to be all over the place. I had to suppress a laugh as she bump in Sorelli and Meg, who were both going well before being knocked over by the external force. Madame Giry noticed me soon enough and dismissed the little girls for a break. I introduced myself to Madame Giry, who was just as strict and intimidating as she was in the musical. I explained to her everything, and although she was skeptical at the beginning about the time travel business, she believed me.
"So you need temporary accommodation until Erik's stubbornness gives way?" She confirmed, in which I responded with a nod.
"Well, I cannot offer you accommodation at the opera house since it strictly for performers but I have heard that Christine's guardian, Madame Valerius is looking for a nanny of sorts for Christine, maybe you could look after Christine in exchange for shelter."

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would like to give a shout out all the people who have been commenting and voting on this story, especially lunasimagination and . It has also occurred to me that I cannot write chapter names for the life of me. So if anyone thinks my chapter title sucks and they have a better one, feel free to comment it ❤❤❤