The Phantom's opera

Ankle problems*

Disclaimer: I do not own the song Alina sings in this chapter. The song is No one is alone, from Into the Woods. The song belongs to talent Stephen Sodiehiem. I've included a recording of the song above from the 1989 stage version, which the whole show can be found on youtube. If you've only seen the movie I would recommend you watch this version as it is quite different and in my personal opinion, is much better than the movie.

I felt a slight headache as I began to wake up. I realised that I was in my bed. I hadn't even opened my eyes yet when I realised what happened.
"Damn, I fainted again." I murmured groggily, as I tried to move into a more comfortable position. I cried out involuntary when pain shot up from my right foot when I moved it ever so slightly. I was now fully awake from the dose if pain I just received and it seemed Erik was too. He had pulled up a seat beside my bed and must have fallen asleep while sitting there.
"Your awake." He commented, looking down at me "and by the sounds of it, in pain."
"My foot hurts." I explained bluntly. Erik at had a look at my foot which looked more like a bloated red ball than an an ankle.
"Your ankle is swollen." He observed.
"Really?" I replied sarcastically. He guessed that I must had hurt it when I fainted due to the fact that I one foot in the boat and the other out. At first he was unsure it was broken, which led to him trying to feel if the bone was broken. To do this he had to touch my foot, which both of us responded awkwardly to, with neither of us were able to get the hot blush off our faces as it happened. Erik just bandaged me up and told me I had to stay off my foot for a couple of weeks and I should be fine.
"Great, weeks off work." I responded sarcastically "that will really ease the stress." I didn't expect my comment to really freak out Erik.
"Alina stop thinking about work! I don't want you fainting again." He scolded.
"I'm fine, I can deal with a few faints." I protested.
"Alina you were out for 3 days." Erik stressed "I was begging to think that you wouldn't wake up."
"3 days" I repeated, shocked "but last time I was only out for a couple of minutes."
"Well it must be getting worse and unless you stop stressing about work, then I'm going to get the managers to fire you." He threaten.
"You wouldn't." I said, trying to call your bluff.
"I would Nina and you know it." He replied, not backing down.
"If you did, then I'd never forgive you." I concluded.
"I would rather live with you hating me then live without you Nina. Next time you faint, you might not wake up. Your all I have Nina." He held. "Beside they've already hired someone else to fill your job while your sick."
"How'd they know I was sick?" I asked, confused.
"I wrote them a letter." He replied simply.
" Won't they think I'm in kahoots with the opera ghost if you wrote a letter explaining why I'm away?" I pointed out.
"I didn't write it from the opera ghost. I wrote it from Erik, Alina's friend." He assured me.
"Just before you were sleeping." I realised out loud, changing the subject accidentally.
"I guess I was." Erik confirmed.
"I've never seen you sleep before." I mused.
"That's the first time I've been able to sleep in a very long time." He admitted.
"I'm sorry if I worried you." I apologised. "I guess your right, I should stop stressing about work so much."
"I'm glad to hear it." He replied "it's not like you'll be back to work any time soon."
"I'll be back soon, I'm awake now." I told him.
"With that foot your not." He laughed "I'm not carrying you up to and from work each day."
"Then what am I going to do?" I protested "stay in bed all day."
"It's probably for the best. You'll need rest." He justified. I let out a groan. If there was anything worse than being stuck in the 18th century, it was stuck in bed in the 18th century.
"Look on the bright side." Erik teased "You'll be able to spend some time with me."

It had spent 3 weeks in bed because of my foot. Luckily for me the swelling had gone down so now my ankle was recognisable. Erik had bought me multiple books to read to occupy me and I had also sewn my costume for the masquerade ball, which Erik told me about the day it had been announced. Erik had wanted to see it but I refused, saying that he would have to wait until the masquerade ball.
"How are you this morning Alina?" Erik asked cheerily as he walked into my room.
"Your in a good mood today." I commented skeptically.
"Am I not allowed to be?" He asked with a grin.
"You are," I answered "but there's usually a reason as of why, like successfully terrorising the ballerinas or managers."
"Well if you want to know, your able to begin to walk around today." He informed me. Without waiting for Erik to say anything else, I jumped out of bed but thanks to weeks of unuse, my legs gave way but luckily Erik caught me. He chastised me for not being patient and told me that if I wasn't careful then my foot would get worse. After his lecture, he asked if I could feel any pain and I truthfully told him that there was a little bit of pain, but it was nothing compared with when I first hurt it. This answer seemed to satisfy him as he stopped asking questions about my foot.
"Can I go to work tomorrow?" I asked eagerly, hoping that Erik would give me his permission. Erik thought about it for a second before saying anything and I swear the anticipation almost killed me.
"Since your job doesn't involve much physical activity, you may go." He settled.

The idea of going back to work tomorrow really put me in a good mood. I know that most people hated their job, and I know at times I don't like my job, especially when it gets stressful. Despite this, I like my job on a whole and I did find it very enjoyable, especially when I could watch Christine and her friends came an played while I worked. I was actually working on a dress for Christine for Christmas, since it was coming up. It wasn't exactly a princess dress, but it would definitely would be something a princess could wear with how extravagant it was. I was in such a good mood that I began to sing a song that had been stuck in my head.
" mother can not guide you, now your on your own. Only me beside you, still you are not alone." I sang softly as I continued to sew. It was a strange song to be stuck in my head. Usually it was the catchy songs from Six or Dear Evan Hansen that I got stuck in my head. I guess that the song hit home a little since my transportation to the past. I would have sung more if Erik hadn't barged into my room.
"What's up?" I asked, a little embarrassed that I had been caught singing.
"The opera house?" Erik answered slightly unsure and clearly confused. I made a mental note to hurry up a give him a crash course in modern sayings that I had been planning to do.
"I didn't know you could sing." He said, shaking off the confusion from my question.
"That's because I can't." I replied, blushing furiously. I was usually embarrassed when people hear me sing but it's a thousand times more embarrassing when the phantom of the opera hears you.
"My ears beg to differ." He fought back.
"Your ears must be wrong then." I replied, hoping he would drop the subject, which unfortunately, he did not.
"Alina." He said sternly "if there's one thing I know, it's music." I know I offended him with my comment, but I knew he was must be joking with me.
"Then you would know that I haven't had lessons and that means that I can't sing." I shot back.
"Just because you haven't had lessons does not mean you can't sing. You have one of the best untrained voices I have ever heard. With my teaching you could be better than Carlotta. You could be the best singer in France." He tried to convince me. I wasn't going to lie, I did love the stage. I had always wanted to stand on a stage and have everybody to watch me. I was well aware of the rush it brought and how much I wanted. I did love sewing and I had always satisfied my longing for the stage by reassuring myself that without me and my job, performances wouldn't be able to happen. That thinking had given me the ability to be satisfied with what I did, but now that Erik was offering me more, I knew I couldn't fool myself anymore. I as much I hated myself for it and tried to hide it, I wanted to perform.
"Fine, I'll let you teach me." I have in, pretending like I didn't want to be doing it, hiding the fact that I was enraptured by the idea of what he was promising.