Sixteen. I was sixteen when I fell in love with a man named Erik.
Yes, yes, you all know who I'm talking about. Devilishly handsome, charming, quite dangerous. Also known as the Phantom of the Opera.
Some things you should know about the original story that I found out to be untrue or misconstrued:
Erik never killed anyone. The gypsy was later revived, and Buquet, contrary to popular belief, slipped off the ledges. Pinagi was stuffed into a closet backstage. So no, Erik is not a murderer.Erik went insane when Christine started off with Raoul, but he later (not when he met me, later as in 20 or so years later) realized that he never truly needed her. She was never something hindering our story.Erik was cursed by the gypsies whom he escaped, forced to live out his life at the age of 17. Of course, being 17 he could pass himself off as 20 or so, should he choose to live in the real world. If he could ever find someone to have sex with him (and for the gypsies, that meant marriage) and do it with true love, his curse would be broken. Yes, very Disney-eque, I know.Erik's deformity only covers half of his face, and he DOES have a nose. He's really quite handsome, although most never take the time to find out.Erik still lives in the opera house to this day. Through various owners and multiple paranormal investigations he has stayed there at all times. About 10 years ago a family took ownership that allowed him his pay and artistic license with the runnings of the place. That family would be my own.Who am I, you might ask? My name is Elliot Nikolayevich, Ellie for short. Well, I might as well hurry on with my story, because my love affair with the phantom isn't quite so interesting as what I know will happen now. So, a quick run through (plus I may fill you in through flashbacks, who knows?).
I moved into the Opera Populaire at 15. Before then I lived with my family in Illinois, although we had owned the opera house since I was 6. When I was 15 my mother finally decided it was time to move there and start playing a bigger part. By that point I had established myself as a flautist, as well as an… okay singer. My true calling has always been the flute though. Anyways, I lived there for a year with only mysterious notes from O.G.. Then finally I heard his voice echoing through my room (the one that was reportedly Christine's, I had it and the dressing room brought together to form my own living quarters. We built another room for the performers). I sat on the stage that night, waiting to glimpse him. Finally he appeared and took me down to the lair. We sat and talked all night, and every night after that as well. Slowly but surely we fell in love. He proposed the day I turned 17 1/2. I said yes in a heartbeat. We were so happy… until we decided to have sex. That night… I took his mask off. He threw me to the ground and slapped me in an outrage. I broke my arm that night. When I got back from the hospital that night he wasn't there waiting for me. I stood on stage and sang. Rolling in the Deep. When I was finished he stepped out of the shadows—I knew he was there. A very emotional scene ensued (I'll write it later, maybe), but I left him his ring encased in wax. I told him that I would be back someday, and if he hadn't let go of me to have this waiting for me—there was a chance I'd take him back but I needed time. So the next day I left the Opera Populaire, never to return until now. I went to college back in the States, and now I'm back, just as I promised him.
Although there's one stipulation—my fiancé arrives tomorrow. I met him at college, I played in the orchestra and he was a trombonist. We hit it off immediately. It took some time, but we ended up together. I love him so much. I'm just worried about living here in Erik's domain. Yes, Shaun knows all about everything. Absolutely everything. And he still wanted to come here, so I supposed I can't say much. But I know this is going to be hard.
So, instead of standing here like an idiot, I'm going in. I open the double doors and walk into my old home, walk into where I'm going to be performing for the next 6 months, until the wedding. And even then I might stay for a while, do a few of the other productions. It honestly depends on what Shaun wants. But whatever it is, I'm going to be happy. I'm marrying the one I was truly meant to marry, that's all that matters. I keep repeating that to myself as I walk to my room, knowing what I'll find there…