*3 Years Later. Clara is 15*
I wake up in the dormitories. I didn't see Erik last night but I'm sure he didn't mind.
Today at Ballet practice they tell us that in the next opera a girl is needed. It's a silent roll but the part is that of a dancer. I want the part.
But the dancer has to dance with a partner. Our teacher brings in Adam from the boys class. A 16 year old. He's got beautiful blonde hair and gorgeous brown eyes. He's not as tall as Erik, and he doesn't have the same passion as Erik when he dances.
All the girls are taught the moves. Tomorrow is the audition. After our lesson all the girls split up. Antoinette and I sneak to the kitchen, grabbing some apples, peaches, and some leftover bread. I head to the chapel with her following me.
When we are there her and I make small talk.
"So you trying out for the roll?" She asks.
"Yes. I suppose I am. How about you?"
"No. Adam is to obnoxious and his dancing is sloppy."
"Really? I think he's cute" I sigh dreamily.
"Whatever you say" she rolls her eyes.
I smile. I try to usher her out of the chapel.
She stands her ground.
"Clara Marie Thomas I will come with you where ever it is you go. I am your best friend and will be treated as such" she says.
I'm visibly upset. She's stubborn. She will come or I won't go at all.
I groan in defeat, "You can't tell anyone."
She promises. And we sneak through the vents. When we get to the tunnels she looks around.
"Where are we?"
"The catacombs under the theatre."
"This place is amazing!" She says.
I lead her through careful to step over and avoid Erik's carefully laid traps.
When I arrive at his home I do the secret knock.
I don't see or hear Erik. Strange normally he's home. I hear a whoosh and look behind me.
Erik has a sword pressed against Antoinette's neck.
"Who are you?! Why do you follow? You going to expose us?" He hisses.
"Erik!" I say removing the blade from my friend's neck. He's grown again. Nearly 6 ft but not there yet. I'm only 5.4. He's grown into his white mask and dark wig but the cloak. He wears mostly dark clothes and he's taught himself how to sword fight.
He flashes his eyes at me then my friend sheathing the sword.
"She's a friend" I say reassuringly.
He furrows his brows. But leads us inside the house.
Antoinette is in shock and I have to drag her inside. "You promised you wouldn't say anything" I hiss at her.
She nods. "Clara who is this?" She gestures at Erik.
"This is Erik" I say.
He glances at me then Anty.
"I prefer Phantom of the Opera" he swishes his dark gray cloak and walks to the organ. I walk and hand him the apples.
"Oh thank you" he says stuffing them in his mouth.
Anty is still in shock. "This is where you've been coming. All these years. Where did you even find him?"
I take a long slow breathe. "The circus. All those years ago. You should've seen the things they did to him all because he wasn't born beautiful. But Anty I swear he wouldn't hurt anyone!"
"Um. You're not the one who had a sword pressed to your neck!" She curses in French.
"I'm sorry"
She calms down. And soon we are practicing for the audition. Anty grabs Erik and forces him to dance for the roll of Adam
She picks up the violin playing the tune for the dance.
I doubt Erik even knows the movements but as the melody starts he starts walking and dancing. Either kicking, or doing pirouettes.
His body transforms with the movements and he shows so much passion and emotion.
Soon I'm dancing and we are moving in sync. He spins around me and the music whirls us. He twirls me and then picks me up by waist with ease.
Our dancing comes to an end. Anty clapped furiously.
"That. Was. Amazing! Erik You should try out for the role of Dante in the opera"
He stuttered. "Um. No."
"No really you should. You two are perfect for Dante and Rosita!" Anty reassures.
"I'm sure. This Adam is obnoxious, and his dancing is sloppy. But the role of Dante is that of one in which he doesn't wear a mask" he argues.
"Anty it's fine. I don't mind dancing with Adam" I said.
Erik's eyes flashed. He looked upset. He swished his cape and walked into the tunnels.
"What's his problem?" Anty asked.
"He's Alright. He's just a tad emotional sometimes"
*Later*
Adam and I danced on stage. The audience cheered ferociously. Erik and Antoinette were right. His dances are sloppy and his movements aren't precise.
And at the end when he is supposed to lift me up he slips and nearly drops me on my head.
Erik and I laugh at him, especially in his attempts to court some of the ballerinas.
Erik seemed upset that he couldn't dance with me. I knew he wanted too. But still he hid up in the Opera watching from above.
Whenever I talked of boys from the male ballerinas and their attempts at courtship Erik visibly darkened. He would grow cold and not want to speak to me.
As we grew older he grew into his black cloak from all those years ago. His face grew more handsome. He learned how to sing and his voice was beautiful to listen to.
I was 18 now. Erik and I were still the best of friends. He had been teaching me how to sing and when the Operas started auditions for musicals I sang my hardest. Erik has grown into his Phantom persona.
He would leave notes and demand a paycheck from the manager.
He would run around his dark cloak swishing about. The opera became his playground. He knew every nook and cranny.
And was incredibly fast and able to get to places I had no idea even existed.
I worried for him. While he was still kind and gentle around me, around others he was dark and cold. And that scared me to death. And it made me wonder.
Was he really the child of the devil or was he the angel I had grown up with?
I guess. I would have to figure that out on my own.
*hey y'all! How is everyone doing? I'm glad you've made it this far! Please leave a vote and a comment! I'm trying my hardest! I love y'all!
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