Change of Plans

Chapter One

"Meg, I can't come," Christine rasped to me. I frowned sadly.

"You have to! Tonight's the first show! Everyone knows you lead the whole chorus, well, at least us chorus-girls know," I told her. She frowned, her curly hair messy and tangled from lying in bed.

We were in the room Mum and I shared. Christine lay in my bed, since we couldn't leave her in her dressing room with such a fever! I was still in my normal dress and ballet slippers that I practiced dancing in, instead of the real deal. Those were still in my dressing room, where I SHOULD be right now.

Christine rolled her eyes. "Meg, do you hear me? If I can barely talk, I much less can't sing. And with my weak muscles, you expect me to dance? You must be insane, Meg Giry!" She smiled but I could hear the disapointment in her voice.

"MEG," I heard behind me and I bit my lip. Caught! I turned around and saw Mum standing behind me. I let out a sighing rasberry and tried to grin. Pack of twenty raging Carlottas? Bring it on! My angry Mum? HIDE IN FEAR!

"Meg Giry, what are you doing here," She said, not really as a question, but more of a statement. She can do that with a totally blank face. I was considerably jealous. I brushed some of my blond hair out of my face.

"Well, Mum, I was talking to Christine about practice, because it's dress rehersal-"

"Yes, it is. And where should the ballerinas be at this momet?" Mum interupted.

"I was just tell-"

"In the dressing room. Go, Meg. Do not worry about Christine. I will take care of her," My Mum comanded. I frowned and muttered under my breath, giving Christine a small smile. She smiled back.

"Good luck," She mouthed. I stepped one foot out the door and suddenly I heard Mum behind me again. "Oh, and Meg?"

I spun around. "Yes, Mum?" She looked at me with her tight lips.

"Today the new owners of the Opera Populaire come. Their names are Monsieur Firmin and André. I want you to welcome them and show them around the Opera. Answer all their questions like I might, Meg. Do you understand?" She told me. The new owners are coming today? I nodded to her firmly. Wonderful, I had to pretend to be helpful and alert like my Mum. But that's what acting is good for, right?

"Yes, Mum," I said to her and she nodded me goodbye. I stepped out the door again, but was interupted yet again.

"And Meg?" I heard my mother call. Goodness, how much can one girl do in one day? I turned to her face. Her normally strict face cracked a rare smile. "Good luck, Meg."

I grinned back and curtsied to her. Then I dashed down the hall, running to the dressing room where the rest of the ballerinas were already getting ready. I practiced my pointes on the way. I quickly burst into the dressing room, where I saw all the other girls getting ready. I rushed over to my costume, a slave looking one and quickly slipped out of my dress, changing into costume.

"Meg Giry, good to finally have you here!" I heard a familiar voice behind me. I cracked a grin. I turned, my blond hair whipping her face.

"Good day to you, Miss Jammes," I said with fake politeness. Cecile Jammes was a good friend of mine, and a fellow chorus member. Except that Christine was a fellow chorus AND dancer, with a wonderful voice. Cecile's voice wasn't exactly worth a pretty-penny, and I'd never say it to her face, but I could sing much better than her. Though I had nothing on Christine's. Cecile smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Enough with the formality, why in heaven's name are you late? Carlotta could kill all of us if we postpone the rehersal!" I sighed and slipped on my good ballet shoes as Cecile went behind me and started to brush out my hair.

"Christine's out sick, got a nasty fever!" I explained.

"For God's sake, today of all days?" Cecile exclaimed.

"Yes, and Mum's there taking care of her right now," I sighed. "I was trying to get Christine out of bed, but her voice was bad, and to walk may not have been possible, much less dance!"

"How dreadful! And she is such a wonderful dancer! Also brings up the Sapranos in the chorus, I don't think any of us could sing as good as her to save our lives!" Cecile chuckled. I rolled my eyes, but knew she was right.

"What about La Carlotta?" I said, with fake admiration and batted my eyelashes. Cecile whacked the back of my head with the brush. "Ow!"

"I didn't even hit you very hard, Meg! You're such a drama queen!" Cecile laughed. "Come on, we must do your makeup, and quickly!"

I rose up and followed Cecile quickly to the makeup mirror. I pirouetted my way to the mirror. "Show off," Cecile smiled. I grinned. I plopped down and quickly, Cecile slathered on something wet, then patted my face with something. After that she focused on my eyes. I kept them closed the whole time and it felt weird on my eyelids. She brushed something over my cheeks, then added lipstick at the end. I opened my eyes and smiled.

"Lovely, as always, Miss Jammes!" I complimented. I hopped out of the chair and we raced to the curtain where things were just beginning.

*Disclaimer* Aktress owns nothing but this clever idea of putting Meg in the spotlight :)

Please be nice! It's my first PhanFic! :3 Anyone who reviews gets a state of the art Phantom Mask! EEK!

Best Wishes, Aktress.