Dawn spilled in through the only window in the room. The streaks of orange light rested on the soft, sleeping features of a young, Christine Daaé. Her lashes fluttered in her sleep, casting small, jittery shadows over her pale cheeks. The sighs of her breath created a rhythm within the room, matching up to the rising and falling of her chest. It was unknown to the angelic figure that she was being watched.
The Phantom lurked behind the concealment of the mirror glass. He found a comforting pastime in watching her sleep, especially during the long and lonely nights in which he could not. His eyes grew heavy and he became entranced by the beauty of his treasured pupil. Her sudden stirring further captured his undivided attention.
Christine awoke, gently lifting her head from the pillow. Her unruly locks fell off her shoulder as she propped herself up. Her eyes shifted over to the mirror across the room, unknowingly making contact with Erik's piercing stare. He watched as the girl got up from the bed, tenderly stretching her arms up in the air. A yawn escaped her parted lips. Erik felt a strange, tingling sensation in his stomach. He'd always held a deep admiration for Christine, ever since the day he came to her as the Angel of Music and took her under his wing. She was his prodigy and not a day went by where he didn't appreciate her. However, something was different and so it had been ever since her 15th birthday just a month prior. She had drastically gone from a young girl to the dawn of womanhood and Erik certainly took notice.
Christine carried herself with newfound maturity and was beginning to take her singing as seriously as Erik had hoped. Her voice blossomed along with "other" physical attributes. Speaking of which, Christine approached her dressing area and retrieved fresh undergarments and a corset that hung over her divider. She turned to the mirror and began to slip off her nightgown. Erik caught sight of an exposed shoulder, the cloth sliding down just enough to reveal the top of the newly, budding flesh of her chest. A light blush warmed Erik's cheeks and he quickly turned away to protect her modesty. He waited until the rustling of clothes ceased before turning back to the glass.
Christine tied the ribbon of her dress around her waist. She then gathered up her rowdy curls and let them fall effortlessly over one shoulder. The movement alone was enough to make the Phantom sigh with longing. Christine paused, as if she had heard him. Erik went stiff, careful not to make another sound. He watched a pair of curious, wide eyes peer up into the mirror. He could have sworn she was staring directly back at him.
"Christine!" Madame Giry's voice echoed from outside the door.
The girl jumped at her name and quickly turned from the mirror.
"I'm coming!" The velvety voice called back.
Christine glanced back at the mirror once more before departing. Erik placed his hand on the glass, staring after her as she gracefully slipped out of the room. She'd be off to her studies, then ballet rehearsal and finally back to him for tutoring. He could hardly wait. It seemed that recently he grew more and more impatient with her being gone throughout the day. If he could, he'd spend every waking hour with this girl….this woman. And it was in that moment that the tingling sensation in his abdomen crept into his chest, aching with force. After all this time, he'd grown much too fond of his student. So much so, that he knew his feelings went above and beyond admiration. He was in-love with Miss Daaé, his angel, his muse. The realization caused a strange mixture of happiness and pain to wash over him. Deep down, he knew he could never have her in that way. A young, beautiful woman like her would never accept the hideous and twisted monster that lie beneath the Phantom's mask. A single tear slipped down his exposed cheek and he ripped his hand away from the mirror. What a cruel existence the Phantom was granted, his ugliness denying him of all that is beautiful. Oh, and how he longed for that beauty. With a sigh of defeat and the bitter acceptance of his horrid fate, the Phantom sulked back into the shadows, letting the dark tunnels consume him.