A/N: I must warn you on the outset this story has been sitting on my laptop for god knows how long. I wrote this when I was 16 and was new to this. I didn't publish it because it isn't my best work but hey why not.

I was on a train. I was on my way to my new school. My mother had sent me packing after my father's death. That was her way of doing things, to get things over with as fast as possible. She never lived in the moment and always sought the next moment, good or bad. This was such a case. My father had died young from pneumonia, he was only 59. He had a can do attitude and always ignored his needs. The doctors said if he had come in sooner he would have most likely survived.

That was a month ago. The funeral and legal stuff was finished. My mother would have it no other way. But I was still mourning. How could I not? But my mother thought it best I leave the city and away from home and away from the memories. My mother was a doctor, very rigid and analytical.

But she wasn't being unkind, she knew my talents were with the arts and decided to send me to a boarding school. Gaston Leroux's school for the Dramatic and Visual Arts. It was a very small high school from the brochure. Only about 400 students, 100 in each grade give or take. The brochure listed many stars who had graduated and most who graduated went on to esteemed arts universities. Many went to Julliard, but those who were talented enough were able to start their careers.

I was surprised when I got in; my mother had arranged a private audition to get me in. She was leading neurologist and had become very affluent. So maybe it was the money or maybe my talent, but I was accepted. I thought it odd my mother to send me away now. I was a rising senior at my school and it didn't make sense to transfer schools if I had only a year to go. But no matter it wasn't as if I was leaving all that much behind. I would only miss my boyfriend Raoul, but was leaving school as well. He had graduated a year early and was attending NYU.

I had only a suitcase with me and I felt alone. The school would be very different from my public high school with 3000 students. There were uniforms and acted like Hogwarts. I knew I was but a few hours from home but as the skyscrapers became forests it felt foreign.

I was thank goodness not going to be the new kid coming in in the middle of March. I was starting the same day as everyone else. But after a taxi to the school I realized how little I packed. I saw people rolling trollies into the various dorm building. My building was very odd. I was placed in a single room rather then a two-person room.

I asked the woman who led me to my building and she said, " Building S is for students who have exceptional talent and require a private room to study or practice in."

"But I didn't ask for this building, I had written down Dormitory A," I had responded. When I had to decide where I lived I picked the cheapest option, because my mother was already spending quite a bit to send me here.

"Well you landed here," she shrugged.

I walked in to the very nice Tudor style building.

"Welcome, I trust you are Christine Daae?" a tall dark haired woman said.

"Yes ma'am," I said.

"I am the staff in residence. My name is Madame Giry," she said sticking her hand out to shake.

I shook her hand Madame Giry led me to my room.

"As you will see Building S is those who showed exceptional talent at their audition. There are in total 34 students who live here. My daughter lived across the hall from you in fact," she said.

"I will be glad to meet her," I said shyly.

I was left to unpack my suitcase, which took half an hour. I hung up my 5 identical uniforms and my spare clothes. I unloaded my textbooks and reread my schedule. Classes started tomorrow September 6th.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

7:00-9:30 Classical European Literature - Hudson

9:30- 11:30 Calculus III-Fawkes

11:30- 12:20 Lunch

12:30- 2:30 Chemistry- Wilson

2:30-4:30 World History- Gold

Tuesday and Thursday

9:00-12:00 Acting Theory- Foster

12:00-1:15- Lunch

1:30-4:30 Mixed Classical Dance- Giry

7:00- 10:00 Private Vocal training-unknown

I had finished reading my schedule when a bouncy blonde came into my room.

"Hi! I'm Megan Giry! Call me Meg. My mother says you're new," she said shaking my hand enthusiastically with both hands.

"Christine Daae. I met you mother a few minutes ago," I said a bit shaken. Meg was the first person I had seen who was happy in a while.

"Yeah, my mother. She teaches dance. Are you in Mixed Classical Dance?" she asked.

"Yes," I said handing my schedule to Meg.

"You have a Vocal track. I am on the Dance track. Who would have guessed the daughter of the dance instructor being a dancer," Meg laughed.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Simple. Everyone had a private class with a specialized instructor. It's the only way this school churns out so many award winners. I bet you can guess my private instructor?"

"Your mother?"

"Yes. It's simply horrendous!" Meg sighed.

"It seems we just have dance together. That's okay! At least I wont have to suffer alone."

"Suffer?"

"Yeah, the girls on the dance track are pretty snippy. Some aren't but most are," Meg scowled, "mostly at me. They think I get special attention, but they all have their own private instructors. My mother tried to transfer me to another teacher but I am the top dancer and my mom is the top dance instructor."

"Noted," I laughed. I hadn't smiled for a while.

"Oh my mom wanted me to give you this," Meg said thrusting a piece of paper out. I noticed it was a scribbled on blank music sheet.

Miss Daae,

Welcome to the school. I will be your vocal teacher. You need not know my name but rest assured you will. I am asking you to meet me in the music hall building 5 room 1260 tonight at 6. I wish to introduce myself before lessons.

Sincerely,

Your Teacher

"So?"

"My vocal teacher wants to meet with me tonight at 6 I guess," I said.

"Poo! You'll miss all the welcoming activities," Meg bemoaned.