Chapter One.
Meet Erin and Carley!
" 'Mystery after gala night,' it says 'Mystery of soprano's flight!' 'Mystified baffled Surete' say, we are mystified – we suspect foul play!' Bad news on soprano scene - first Carlotta, now Christine!"
"Well, Carlotta can suck André's –,""Em!" Carley cut off the rest of Erin's sentence.
"Awe come on! We all now what her little secret is…" She gave Carley an evil smile. Erin walked over to the CD player, which was already blasting Phantom of the Opera, and turned it up. "PrImA DoNnA! YoUr SoNG WiLl LiVe AgAiN!" Erin squawked every note that Carlotta sung.
"You're horrible, you know that." Carley just sat in the doorway of the small two-bedroom apartment. "Absolutely horrible, you're --," Erin hadn't been listening. She was facing the window of her room while she sung. Carley ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders.
"WHAT NEW SUPRISES LIE IN STORE!"
"NON VO CANTAR!"
"KEEP IT DOWN!" A voice boomed from above. Erin quickly ran to the stereo and turned the volume all the way down.
"SORRY MR. HEMMERSON!" Erin screamed her back.
"Wow," Carley just stared at the ceiling in awe. "Even Mr. Hemmerson complained. And he's deaf!" She and Erin doubled over in laughter. After the final spurts of laughter had ended, Carley stood up and walked to the door. "Finish cleaning your room or NO phantom and fifty lashes with no food or water!" She turned around and walked out the door. Even though she tried to sound serious, they both knew she was smiling behind the door.
Erin decided it was time to stand and clean. Even she had to admit her room was a mess. She only denied it so get a rise out of Carley. Carley, She was Erin's sister. They were more like best friends than sisters were. As soon as Erin was 21, she moved out with Carley and got a small apartment in Minneapolis. Their family was almost out of the picture that was their lives. Sure, they went to Thanksgivings and Christmas but Erin and Carley didn't invite them over for tea or anything. They were quite content with their lives. They didn't care about the little money they had or the poor living condition, as long as they their music to help them. Erin hummed her way through out the cleaning if the room and then walked out to the living area/kitchen. She found Carley folding laundry.
"Well its about time! I was beginning to think you used the fire escape to… well escape."
"Aw…. Yes, that would be truly wonderful." Erin stated as she smiled at her glass of orange juice that she had just poured. "But ya know, when we were painting, SOMEONE," She glared at Carley, "painted my window shut."
"No more running amok late at night!" She smiled at Erin.
"Better watch out. I know where you sleep and you could wake up tomorrow with more than just your window painted shut."
"Oooo, spoken like a true traitorous gooberfish." Carley stood to stretch and then picked up the laundry basket that held her clean, folded clothes.
"Oh I do try." She shouted in to Carley's room. "I do try so hard to please you." As Carley walked out of the room, Erin threw herself at her feet. "I try so hard. See look, I'm even fake crying for you."
"Oh gee thanks." Carley dragged Erin two more steps when the phone rang.
"Hello?" Erin let go and sat up in the middle of the floor.
"Don't fret, I'll get it." She walked over to the wall, picked up the old telephone, and gave a casual hello.
"Um… hey Carley. Is Erin there?"
"She's never really here," She paused to give Erin the phone and a devilish smile. "For you."
"Hello?"
"Hey babe, it's me."
"Josh, Josh, Josh. You should have learned by now to take my threats more seriously." Erin said with a smile on her face as she remembered the incident with his hot coffee and his new pants. "I told you next time you called me and there wasn't a fire somewhere, I would --,"
"I know, babe, I know. I… I'm just so sorry."
"I WOULD STAB YOUR EYE OUT!" She grew angrier. "AND I'M NOT YOUR BABE."
"I'm sorry. Erin I made a huge mistake… please come back."
"You're not my Erik." She whispered. "My Erik would never make me cry. And you did." She mouthed her good bye and hung up the phone. There was a long silence before either of them spoke.
"Lemme guess. He wanted you back?" Erin nodded her head. "What a stupid boy. He nearly kills you and then he wants you back. What a stupid boy."
"Past the point of no return." Erin stood up and slowly walked to her room. Through the door, Carley could hear her turn on the stereo. Carley knew the tune immediately. It was The Point of No Return from the Phantom of the Opera. They both loved the Phantom of the Opera deeply. Carley's thoughts were broken as she heard faint obscenities over the blasting music.
"Just let her get it out." She whispered to herself. "It's better that way. Just get it all out." The song eventually ended and Carley entered the room. Erin was in the corner with her head leaning against the wall. "Hey."
"Hey." She whispered back. Carley walked over and slid next to Erin. There was another long, uneasy silence between them.
"God gave me courage to show you, you are not alone!" After Carley sung, she placed her hand over Erin's mouth and gave her a kiss. Erin jumped up and bounced over the bed to hide.
"Ewwwwwwww! Carley germs! And I'M INFECTED!" Erin fell over dead.
"Oh well," Carley got up to leave, "You're young, you'll bounce back."
"Not this time!" Erin shouted out into the living area/kitchen. "This time I'm REALLY gunna die!"
"The only thing you're going to die of is of the beating Nate is going to give you when he hears your excuse for being late."
The color drained from Erin's face. "It's three already?!" Erin quickly got up and ran to the bathroom where she tried to tame her long brown hair with some clips. "You were suppose to remind me!" She hissed at Carley on her way out.
"Do you want me to write you a note?" Carley said lightly as Erin slammed the door. Carley smiled. It would be a long day after all.
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