Thought Of Everything And Nothing

Chapter 2

Christine

I woke to the sound of whispering.

"How do you think she feels, I mean, almost all her family's gone!"

"Well, she is a fighter. I know that she'll pull through this."

I lifted up my head slowly,

"Hello?"

A pair of arms suddenly flung around my chest.

"Christine! Oh my God, are you okay?! I swear. . .you are going to get through this! You are going to be fine, you hear me? FINE!"

I blinked, still try to process what was going on.

I looked around the unfamiliar room, feeling quite confused. It looked like a hospital room, with a heart monitor in the corner. I looked closer at the man in the bed.

"Papa?"

That's when all the memories flooded back to me of the night before. I got up and stumbled a little.

"I thought that this was a dream. . ."

They looked at me sympathetically , and Meg's mother, Antoinette spoke, her French accent adding a soothing coat of honey to each of her words. "I'm sorry, chérie, it'll be alright. "

I sat back down in my chair, staring blankly in front of me for  a while and let my thoughts consume. Suddenly, my clothes felt too tight, and itchy, and I could feel my hair greasier and more matted by the second. This petty thought nagged at my brain until I couldn't handle it any longer.

"I'm need to go get some fresh clothes." I paused, thinking for a moment, "Do you need anything?"

They shook their heads, so I fled, racing to my father's car, desperate to get home.

I hummed a song from Hannibal as I left the hospital. As soon as I made it to the car, I began to full on sing.

"We never said our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea, but if you can still remember stop and think of me!"

I looked around the parking lot, and saw only a man in all black so I kept singing.

"Think of August, when the world was green, don't think about the way things might have been."

I kept driving, and saw a black car behind me, I drove a little faster, so that I wouldn't hold them up.

"Think of me, think of me waking, silent and resigned, imagine me, trying too hard to put you from my mind! Think of me, please say you'll think of me, whatever it's you choose to do, there will never be a day when I won't think of you!"

I smiled, remembering how when we did Hannibal at school, the father would always come and play the violin for us in the orchestra. I always cherished getting to sing while he played the violin.

"Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade. They have a season, so do we but if you can still remember stop and think of me!"

I laughed as I finished on the last note, feeling happier than I had for a while.

I went into my house and took a shower. After I got dressed, I went to check the mail. In it was a large yellow envelope.

I went inside and opened it quickly. It was from Garnier Institute, the college of my dreams.

Dear Miss Christine Daaé,

It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the Committee on Admissions has voted to accept your application to Garnier Institute. I am happy to offer you a place in the first-year class for the fall of 2016, with a full ride scholarship from the opera department.

I have enclosed information explaining details of your admission and enrollment. During the next few weeks, you will hear from other members of the Institute offering their congratulations and provide you with additional information. When you have reached your decision to attend Garnier, please complete and return the required Enrollment Form. This must be sent by May 1st to confirm your place in the class.

I am pleased to speak for the entire Garnier community in extending to you this offer of admission. I look forward to welcoming you to the Institute as a member of the Class.

Sincerely,

Eleanor Louise Morgenson,

Dean of Undergraduate Admissions

I looked at the letter again to make sure I wasn't dreaming.

It was real.

"I'm going to Garnier. . ." I whispered, leaning against the counter. I smiled, running my hands through my still damp hair. "I'M GOING TO GARNIER!"

I danced around the kitchen with excitement, and then ran out to my car, clutching the letter as if it were my lifeline.

I drove like Hell was chasing me all the way to the Hospital, but in the parking lot, my state of Euphoria faded away as I thought of my father. This moment was nothing without him.

I walked back to the hospital room and plopped down.

Meg was smiling and I looked at her curiously. "What?"

She turned her gaze to the hospital bed and I followed it.

It was Papa.

His grey-streaked hair was messy, but his eyes, his brown, laughing, eyes. . . were open.

He opened his arms, and I ran to  him as fast as I could, hugging him as tightly as I could, tears streaming down my cheeks. "I love you so much!" I mutter, hoping that he heard me.

"I love you too, Little Lottie. And I'm so grateful that you saved me. "

I laughed, shrugging, "It was nothing."

He chuckled, ruffing up my hair. I played with my hands, before clearing my throat. "Papa, I have news. I just recieved an acceptance letter to Garnier Institute. And they've given me a full ride!"

He shared at me for a minute before shouting. "Little Lottie! My sweet daughter, I knew you could do it!"

I wiped away my tears and sat down. "But this means that I'll have to leave you!"

Father chuckled kindly, "I know like it seems like that," he said patting my head, "But in truth, you're just starting a new life with me just a phone call away."

I laughed and hugged him again.

"I Love you, Papa!"

"I Love you, Lottie!"

What I didn't know was that someone had been watching our little moment.

Erik

I watched as Christine hugged her father, and told him about Garnier. Little did she know that I worked at Garnier and that it had been I who had granted her the full scholarship.

I had made sure that the school would give Christine a full ride by calling in a favor with the Principal, and the Dean of admissions.

Now, with my plan in motion, I would get to listen to that flawless instrument, and sculpt it to perfection.