Christine's POV
4:15pm Shit I thought to myself as I tried driving the legal limit back to my house. My final exam before I graduate took way longer than expected always daydreaming. The traffic light was about to change from yellow to red and I took that opportunity to speed right through and make an illegal right turn onto my street. Thank God there wasn't too many people on the road let alone the village's useless police officers. This sleepy town's officers only source of action was to hand out tickets to people like me. I pulled into the driveway and grabbed my purse and bolted to the door and up the stairs barely hearing the greeting from my foster mother, Valerie.
My laptop was plugged in charging on my bed, unplugging it and setting it up on my desk I logged onto Skype. The clock on the corner of the screen read 4:26pm Thank God. I caught myself in the computers reflection, I look like a hot mess. I wiped the sweat away from my brow and flipped my hair to the side, my cheeks were red and I was still panting when the video chat square popped up along with the famed Skype ringtone.
I accepted the call and there I was on the screen, but as always his side appeared black.
"Good afternoon, Christine." He said.
"Hey!" I said, flustered I am really out of shape.
"How was your final, final exam?"
"I think I did ok, I can't believe it's finally over. Come Saturday I will be a High School graduate and then I am off for New York City!" I still couldn't get over that I was finally going to be moving to my dream city to pursue musical theatre. It was going to be great, my best friend in the whole world, Meg is going too and we already signed the lease on our apartment. But the best part about moving to New York was that I was going to finally meet my voice teacher in person! I began these Skype lessons the end of sophomore year, he was the one who convinced me not to go to college but instead take voice, dance and acting classes that I chose myself.
"I think a 'congratulations' is in order, my dear." My dear… he always makes me feel so safe and special. I know it's wrong, but over the last couple of years I have grown this attachment to my voice teacher, even though I have never seen him, it didn't matter.
Both my parents had died when I was in my freshmen year, my whole life was turned upside down. Up until then I was singing and dancing all the time, then all the sudden I was living with a foster family, my grades were slipping and I lost interest in everything. If it wasn't for Meg's mom, I might have given up entirely. Meg's mom, Ellen Giry worked in New York City in a casting agency and she knew this guy that was and is one of the greatest vocal coaches in the city, however he was very selective. It was a blessing he decided to work with me, for free too. I knew that I had to make it, I wanted to prove to him I was a worthy investment and hopefully I could pay him back somehow.
Before I knew it the hour was up and my least favorite thing to do was to say goodbye to him.
"Well the next time you see me I will be in New York City!" I was beaming and I didn't care.
He was silent. The mood of the last hour seemed to change almost instantaneously and I regretted being so stupid.
"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" was I actually pouting? Get a grip, Christine.
"No, my darling you did nothing wrong," I had a sigh of relief, but he continued. "Sit down, Christine there are somethings we must discuss, if you have a moment."
I have all the time in the world for you. I sat down at the desk, I was nervous again.
"Christine, it appears that you have learned all that you can from me. When you move to New York, I think it would be best that you seek out a new teacher." He continued talking but I only heard those first two sentences. He went on and on about my progress and that a new opinion would be good for me. I didn't want to hear it, I must be dreaming, no I was having a nightmare. My whole future was decided based on his opinions, what he said to me, how he made me feel. And now as I am about to leave to be with him he tells me this?
"Christine? Are you alright?" I guess he finished his bullshit rant about whatever he was talking about.
"With all due respect, shouldn't I be the one to decide whether or not I wish to study with you any further?" Was all I could muster to say. This could not be happening.
"And with all due respect, you haven't been paying me for my services over the last two-years." Wow, that was cold.
"Is that what this is about?" My voice raised, I couldn't control it. "Because I can pay you, my parents left me a lot of money that I wasn't able to touch until I turned eighteen-" he cut me off right there.
"It's not about money!" I thought I had raised my voice, he had gone from this gentle melodic voice to this booming angry tyrant, there was a pause, he had calmed himself, "I'm sorry, Christine. As I explained before, there is no more I can teach you. What you need to do now is find yourself a repertoire coach, work on your book and start auditioning. You have recorded every voice lesson; you know every exercise. I cannot hold your hand anymore."
"Why are you doing this?" I could not contain my tears anymore; they began to trickle down my face.
"Please stop crying, Christine," I couldn't stop, I was full on sobbing by this point. "I can even recommend you to a very dear friend of mine who specializes in rep. Would you like that?"
I couldn't think, I couldn't speak I was completely destroyed. All I could do was nod my head.
"That's my girl," I smiled. "You're going to be fine, Christine. You have trusted me for this long, and how many times have I been wrong?"
"None." I said softly.
"I will give my friend your information, and you two can set up an appointment once you're in the city."
It was like I wasn't even there. It was so unfair, how could he just decide my future for me, and why was I allowing it? I am weak. Christine Daae you are weak.
"I'm sorry, my dear but I have some other appointments this evening," I looked up at the screen, hoping he could find it in his heart to change his mind. "You are going to be fine, Christine. I promise."
It was now or never. "Can I see you? When I am in the city, I mean?"
There was a long pause, maybe there was hope.
"I have to go." He hung up.
My heart sank into my stomach, even more tears came down my face. It was over, I was truly on my own. For after graduation, after my birthday I was to leave Valerie's house and start a new life in a new city with my parent's money. I didn't want money, I wanted my voice teacher, I needed him.
"Christine? Time for dinner!" I heard Valerie calling from down the stairs. I looked at myself in my vanity mirror, God, I look like a mess. I put on a brave face and went downstairs.
Erik's POV
I hated every moment of that exchange, but it had to be done. She thinks that she will never see me again, or should I say hear from me, she never saw me which was a good thing. Someone as sweet and innocent as Christine probably wouldn't have trusted a strange man in a mask teaching her how to sing, no our arrangement had been ideal. She accepted fully that my computer camera didn't work and never questioned why I didn't get a new one. She was a good girl, she truly wished just to sing and I gave her that platform. But things had changed, she was growing up and turning into a beautiful young lady, when I first met her she was a skinny acne prone fifteen-year-old who was awkward and shy but now, a few days away from her eighteenth birthday she had begun to blossom into a beautiful young woman. A woman with curves and the finest pores. I knew if we had carried on as planned I wouldn't be able to hide my attraction towards her. The game had changed, her voice wasn't enough for me anymore, I want all of her. She wasn't ready for that and I would rather her not look at me as her teacher. Though would she ever look at me at all? This damned mask! No, it was better this way, I will keep tabs on her and when the time is right I will appear to her, but not as her teacher but as a man who she would spend the rest of her life with.
And as if on cue his cellphone began to ring, "Ah, Nadir you have impeccable timing!"
"Well you did text me to call you…"
"Take the compliment, Kahn you know I am not always so generous with those."
"What do you want, Erik?"
"I have a student for you, her name is Christine Daae." I was now staring at her Facebook profile. Her senior picture was absolutely stunning, wearing the traditional black cape that was draped on the sides of her shoulders, the tiniest amount of highlight on her shoulders and collar bones that accentuated her décolletage, her hair a beautiful shade of chestnut brown in barrel curls framing her heart-shaped face. Her emerald green eyes were piercing against her alabaster skin, and her perfectly shaped lips smiling enticingly with a deep shade of red lipstick. She looked so glamourous.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the Persian's voice on the other end of the cellphone, "Ok, Erik send me her information and we can schedule a consultation."
"Thank you, old friend." I said smiling at the computer screen.
"Are you having a stroke or something? Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Good bye, Nadir!"
Christine's POV
Today had been the longest day of my life. I cannot say this enough: Thank God for Ellen Giry or should I call her Martha Stuart? She had a serious eye for interior decorating that included paint, artwork, furniture carpets you name it she had a whole concept developed for our two-bedroom apartment in a part of Harlem called Hamilton Heights, which of course we loved considering Hamilton is the biggest musical in the game right now and we were approximately three blocks away from his uptown house.
The whole day was spent watching a bunch of hunky men setting up the final touches of our apartment which included my bed and dresser. The sun was setting and the mayhem of the day was deceased. All there was left to do was curl on the couch with my best friend in the entire world and a bottle of wine. Maybe life didn't suck so much after all?
"Cheers, baby!" Meg lifted the new wine glass in the air triumphantly. "We did it! We are in New York City!" she was so excited it was hard not to feed off her positive energy.
"I cannot thank your mom enough for all she has done for us, this place is really amazing!"
"Well she kind of had too, if you left it up to me this placed would be filled with Ikea furniture and bean bag chairs!" we both burst out laughing! I could imagine a confused Meg on the floor with nails and a hammer trying to set up some Ikea furniture.
"Hey! I could go for some Swedish meatballs right about now!" I declared taking a rather large sip of wine. How I loved the warm feeling alcohol gave me.
"Would you settle for some gluten-free pizza?" Meg winked at me as she got off the couch and headed for the well-stocked freezer.
I have to say, I have the cutest best friend ever! We were polar opposites in looks, Meg was tall and lean, your typical ballet body with amazing legs and feet. She always complained that her athletic body type made her look like a prepubescent boy, but she looked like a super model. Her hair was the perfect golden blonde and was one of those assholes who could roll out of bed and look perfect. She had always wanted to pursue ballet but found the whole thing to be way too hard and exploitative. Besides, her mother told her there was more money to be had dancing on Broadway anyhow.
I picked up the large bottle of Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon, not bad for ten dollars! I poured as another two glasses while Meg put the pizza in the oven.
"This is so cool, Chris." She said picking up her newly poured glass. "This is everything we dreamed about as kids! So I have us registered for a bunch of classes at Broadway Dance Center as well as some spin classes, boxing and hot yoga…" She kept listing off our itinerary in her sweet bubbly voice, Meg was such a light-weight, but her tipsy was the best. She would say and do the most ridiculous things when she got to that just-so-slightly buzzed state. I was envious on how hopeful she was; I was still dying inside over the whole "break up" ordeal. I call it a break up because that's how it felt; total rejection of the worst kind. I was depending on my incredible acting skills to get me through this rough time, the wine was helping too.
My phone was buzzing on the coffee table. Some calendar alerts that stated the following: REMINDER!
10:30am Finance meeting with Max
1:00pm Vocal consultation with Nadir Kahn
I had a few of the classes that Meg signed us up to do on there as well but the first two things on my agenda tomorrow were super important.
"Who's bothering you?" Meg called out to me from the kitchen, the pizza was finally done.
"No one, just my phone reminding me about my appointment with Max tomorrow…" I said walking into the kitchen with my cellphone in one hand the wine glass in the other.
"Oh the money guy!" She slurred.
"Yup, we have to go over my finances and make a game plan for the next year. He was my parent's financial advisor you know, they were really good friends before they…" I stopped myself before I started getting emotional, the wine was definitely not helping. "Anyways, we are going to go over my monthly budget and talk about how much income I will need to make on my own to make this all feasible without dipping into my savings."
"Sounds like a party" She said dryly, which of course made me laugh out loud.
"Shut up! If I want to make this whole New York thing work it is within my best interest that I listen to this guy."
Meg handed me a slice of the gluten-free pizza, cooked well-done just like I liked it.
"Alexa!" Meg shouted at the Amazon echo, "Play 80's playlist!" Alexa complied.
We sat down at the kitchen table eating pizza, drinking wine and listening to sounds of the 80's. I think I am going to like it here.
A/N: Hey there! I hope this story has peaked your interest so far! I am rating this story M because it will turn really quick. I will also be using trigger warnings at the beginnings of chapters when needed. I do not wish to upset anyone with any kind of subject going forward. So please let me let me know how you like it, be nice I am a sensitive soul.