Like Father, Like Son | Phantom of the Opera

vii. So I Met Someone...

"Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye." The words poured out with the notes as I played. Mother could always calm me down; Papa had learned over the years, but sometimes I needed her.

When I had finished the song, my heartrate had calmed down and I had my vision back; she may not have been with me, but even the thought of her brought peace to my heart.

"You play beautifully." A quiet voice rang through my ears like a bell and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I jerked around to see a girl sitting in a chair across the room and I could feel the heat rushing to my face. How had I not noticed her before? I had never played in front of people, let alone sang!

She must have realized how much she had scared me as she immediately continued: "I'm so sorry. I was here already when you came running in. You didn't look like you wanted to be bothered, so I just let you be. I usually come in here to read just because it's the quietest place in the school."

So not only had she heard me play, but she had also seen my panic. Things couldn't get any worse, could they? For a long time, we just looked at each other, trying to figure each other out. I had seen her in the halls before, I realized. She always seemed to be with Jane, that girl William was hopelessly pining for. But now that I was looking at her, I can't believe I hadn't noticed her sooner; she was absolutely beautiful.

"Please don't tell anyone what happened," I finally stuttered. Stupid brain; that was all I could come up with? Really?"

Luckily, she smiled and laughed it off. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me," she said. She stood up and placed her book on the chair she had been sitting on, then made her way over to me and sat down on the bench. At that point, we were both visibly nervous, but neither of us said a word for some time.

Someone needed to break the silence, or else she'd eventually hear my heart beating through my chest, so I took it upon myself to speak up: "I hope I didn't interrupt your reading."

"Well you did, but I wouldn't worry too much about it," she replied. Her eyes were glued on the piano, I noticed, and her hand grazed over the well-worn keys with a sort of longing. "It was a worthy distraction."

"Well, I guess that's cause for some relief on my part," I smiled at her but I didn't think she noticed with her eyes still fixated on the instrument. Her distraction gave me time to think of a way of continuing the conversation, though in all honesty, I found that I was quite distracted myself; in the afternoon light, her blonde hair seemed to shine like gold, and her striking green eyes were like emeralds.

Eventually, I was pulled back into reality, knowing that if she caught me staring, it might not go over well. Finally, a question formulated and my mouth and brain started working together again: "Do you play?"

She dropped her hands to her lap and her cheeks turned a rosy colour. "Oh, heavens no. My mother never approved of me learning music," she replied.

"Well, she isn't here now to stop you," I pointed out, and with that, her gaze shot up towards me. Clearly, she was starting to put the pieces together. "I could teach you something small."

Without a word, she nodded eagerly and a small smile spread across her face. Within a fraction of a second, I could tell that hers was a smile I wouldn't forget.

I positioned my hands on the right keys for the beginning of the song. "Here, place your hands over mine. We'll play it together."

She looked at me with some skepticism. "Are you sure this will help me learn?" she asked.