Okay I am sorry for changing it AGAIN but I read through it again to get some ideas for the next chapter and I realised there were still a lot of mistakes so… being me I edited it once again and I hope this is the last time I do it to this chapter

Please review x

Dear Diary,

So, today I arrived at the new children's home. God I can't wait 6 months until I am finally 18 and can get away from this; from everything. It' s not that it isn't nice but 8 years of living with other children moving place to place and being rejected over and over isn't exactly the life I wanted. I got transferred here because the home said they needed more room for the younger children, the real reason: I am too old for anyone to want to foster/adopt now.

I know it should bother me, but it does. I knew from the moment I arrived I was "Past my Prime". People don't want to adopt miserable ten year olds.

Well, tomorrow I start my new school, middle of the year, middle of the exams... great. This isn't the only thing bothering me though, it's how people don't want to know you once they find out you have no family and no home. Because for me, nowhere is home; of the 6 different homes I've lived in none of them have been home. Anyway, it's getting late and like I said: school tomorrow. So I'd better get to sleep. At lest here I have my own room, I've always shared but it's nice, I can finally have some peace.

Bye for now

Christine x

Christine snapped her diary book with a clack and placed it under her pillow. She didn't know of any of the kids in here and even though there was nothing of value in her new room she didn't want anybody getting there hands on this. If they did she wasn't sure what she'd do, all her innermost thoughts had been spilled in this diary. She tried to get comfy in this unfamiliar bed and even though she couldn't she was so tired from the days travelling she fell asleep despite of it.

She awoke the next morning, her hair a mess and bags under her eyes. When her eyes opened, she glanced around in confusion wondering where she was and then, understanding, her eyes filled with tears at the thought of starting a new school and trying to fit in. Blinking them away she sighed and got out of bed adding a gracious stretch as she stood up looking like a cat awakening from a long sleep.

"Christine?" A voice asked from the other side of the door, she sighed again and tying her hair up in a bobble walked over to the door and opened it. Her eyebrows raised and her eyes staring unwaveringly at the woman stood in front of her. The woman shifted uneasily as the gaze bore into her skin.

"Yes?" Christine asked still annoyed at the woman, trying to blame someone for the mess of her life. Christine's eyes never left the care workers, she only did this because she knew it intimidated people but she found you could read a lot by looking at anyone's face and the shifts in their expressions.

"Just checking you were up, school today" The woman told her nervously. Christine raised an eyebrow and the woman carried on feeling even more intimidated. "Erm, well I see you're up" she said gesturing towards the girl standing in her doorway, somehow still managing to look graceful and pretty in her pyjamas and a distasteful expression on her face." So... you obviously haven't forgotten, so, yeah. I will be going" The woman gestured behind her then scurried off trying to work out why she was so intimidated by this girl.

Closing the door she leant against it and sighed, she hadn't meant to be like that but she just wasn't in the mood today. "Argh" she said slamming her fist against the door. She needed to calm down before she burst into tears. She did the only thing she knew would calm her down, singing. She went over to her most prized possession: her iPod. It had taken about 3 years to save up for one of these and another year just for the CDs, all of which were safely locked away so no one could get to them but her. It might be surprising but all her music was opera based and as she put it on she felt herself relax and get lost in the music, and eventually singing it. Little did she know the woman she had just a moment ago scared, was listening in wonder at the beauty of which she sung with.

Stepping of the school bus she looked around at the school, it seemed new. It was relatively easy to find the main office where she collected a map and her timetable noticing with relief she had music first. If they didn't have good musical facilities she had no idea what she would do. She let out a breath of relief as she rounded the corner to the music building, it was as new as the rest of the school, perhaps newer but the hall where the stage was certainly wasn't, it looked old but beautiful. It filled Christine with a sense of wonder as she stared upon it and made her eager to get up on the stage and sing.

"Christine?" Instantly she regained her control and turned to face the man who spoke to her, he was aged but had a friendly face. She smiled at him and replied.

"That's me" she said still smiling, she hoped this was her music teacher and wasn't disappointed when she found out he was. He seemed to be someone who would listen to her and perhaps help her out if she got lost. He showed her the way to the music classroom.

"Is there anything in particular you studied or excelled at in music at your other school?" He asked her.

"Singing" she replied without hesitation. He looked a bit taken aback by this but asked her to sing for him anyway. She agreed to it and they set a time to perform after school so he could see whether she should continue with this chosen subject. The rest of the music lesson passed in a blur where she tried her best not to be seen by anyone in the class, she didn't want any attention from anyone. But by lunchtime she discovered that staying invisible wouldn't work as everyone looked at her and whispered about her. As she walked past a table with her lunch a girl stood up and invited her to their table.

"Hi! I'm Meg" The girl was cheery it almost made Christine feel sick. But she swallowed this feeling and smiled back.

"Christine" She said looking Meg in the eyes. Meg shifted uncomfortably under her gaze and Christine realized she was doing her staring thing again and averted her eyes to look at the table where there was a space free. Meg followed her gaze.

"Would you like to join us?" She said gesturing to the empty seat. Damn. Christine thought, this is what you got when you didn't look someone in they eye, it sent out wrong messages. She sighed inwardly and knowing how rude she would seem if she refused, accepted and sat in the empty seat staring downwards at her food. Thankfully, nobody asked her about herself and she was glad when the conversation was about trivial things such as: what was on TV last night and the latest celebrity scandals. Christine just nodded in agreement whenever she was asked a question even if she didn't know what it meant; she didn't watch a lot of TV because it meant having to socialize with the other people in the home, and the children who would be gone in a couple of weeks, gone to a new family. Something Christine would never have.

The rest of the day went slowly with Christine trying to catch up on the work she didn't know but eventually figuring out it was useless... there was just too much.

By the end of the day she felt ready to burst into tears but held onto the hope that Mr Daroga would let her carry on singing. She made her way over to the hall, struck again by the beauty and age of it all. Mr Daroga was waiting for her.

"Christine!" He exclaimed beaming at her warmly. She returned the smile. "Any song you would care to sing?"

"Well I had one in mind if you would be able to play it?" She asked tentatively and trying not to look into his eyes so she wouldn't intimidate him.

"Ah, I won't be playing it. This man here is going to play it for you, if you'd let him? I've recently taken care of him and he is paying me back by playing music for the school production, I thought he could have a bit of experience first." He said gesturing to a figure sat on the stage Christine hadn't noticed until then. She was a bit shocked at this and nervous, she didn't know what this man was like, what if he laughed? She got herself together though and spoke to him.

"Would you be able to play The Jewel Song from Faust for me?" She asked still wondering if either of them knew the notes for it. But at this the figure on the stage straightened up and seemed to pay more attention, she continued looking at him trying to see his face through the cloud of darkness but finding it impossible.

"So, can you?" Mr Daroga asked as he turned to face the figure. The shadowed man turned his body to face the teacher and snorted. "Have you forgotten who you are talking to, Monsieur?" Christine was shocked into silence by the sound of the voice, melodic, smooth and yet something unrecognizable lay beneath it. It was beautiful, even as he talked to Mr Daroga in that indignant way.

Suddenly, the owner of the voice stood up and Christine realized he was over 6 foot tall! The figure stepped forward out of the darkness and it took Christine everything she had not to gasp in shock as she took in the whole six foot of him, he was all dressed in black just like the darkness around him; the only thing not black was the stark white of the mask that covered half of this mans face. Why would someone wear such a thing she thought? And as she stared at him she realised he was staring back, not seeming at all undisturbed by the stare which was strange, he was the only person she'd ever met who met her directly in the eyes for a lengthy period of time. There was something about him that she couldn't quite place her fingers on. Maybe it was the subtle shift in expression for as she continued staring his eyes seemed to deepen with something only explained as loneliness and pain but as soon as it was there, it was gone.

Mr Daroga coughed and they both broke their 'stare contest'. Christine glanced down and blushed slightly hoping this man didn't think she was staring because of the mask, she wasn't she knew that for sure. But if she wasn't... then what was she? Maybe because he seemed lonely, in that moment she had wanted to reach out and comfort him. Laughing at herself inside Christine was the first to break the silence. Who wanted to comfort someone they'd only just met? It bought a smile to her lips which confused the two men around her.

"Shall I sing now?" She asked trying to calm herself from the emotions that confused her.

"Of course! Quick, onto the stage. You" He said, pointing to the masked man and then to the piano. The man nodded his head slightly and made his way over to the piano keeping his masked side turned away from them both. He took a seat at the piano and Christine took this as her cue to get onto stage. Mr Daroga smiled at her encouragingly as she took her place centre stage but hardly had time to register it and return one as the music started and she took a breath and started singing. The piano playing was exquisite it was intricate and beautiful, if she hadn't been so absorbed in it Christine would have been speechless, instead she sang and became one with it letting it take her along for the ride as the music escaladed and then came back down in a crashing crescendo, she couldn't believe only one person was making this incredible music. There were no words to describe how she felt at this moment, instead she accepted it and when it was done her knees gave way and she fell, seeing the stage crash towards her face. There was no time to scream but as she prepared herself for the impact she felt strong, sturdy hands grab her around the shoulders before she hit the floor.

She gasped for breath trying to work out why she hadn't hit the floor and craned her neck around to see a white mask staring down at her. She gasped again but this time in wonder as she felt the hands that had only moments ago played the most incredible music she had ever heard. He looked down at her and she could see a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Are you okay Mademoiselle?" He asked still staring at her. She stared back and found she could only manage a nod.

"My God. Christine!" Mr Daroga shouted running up onto the stage, his face red. "Are you okay?" The masked man looked at him and nodded and a look of confusion and amusement crossed her teachers' face which confused Christine even more. Why was everyone laughing at her? Maybe she didn't do very well, after all the piano accompaniment seemed to own the piece. But these thoughts were soon squashed as Mr Daroga exclaimed.

"You were remarkable Christine! Absolutely amazing! Why, I have never heard such a remarkable voice!" During this the masked man had placed Christine back on her feet and let go straight away as if she were a disease. But in doing so Christine also heard him mutter something under his breath which sounded an awful like, "She could be better" This offended Christine to some extent, she had spent most of her life training to be as good as she was now. She turned to him and was about to remark something when the masked man silenced her "You can leave now" He told her with harsh brutality. For some reason this bought tears to Christine's eyes and she glanced down, covering her face with her long curly brown hair to hide the hurt she felt.

"I'm late anyway" She told him, making sure her voice was cold as well so as not to betray the hurt he had made her feel. She didn't even know him! Why was he making her feel like this! Only after turning to walk off stage had she realised Mr Daroga had been watching this whole exchange with a knowing smile on his face. Christine was now even more confused but her teacher stared past her at the masked stranger with an eyebrow raised and he seemed to be hiding a smile.

The melodic voice sounded behind her but it sounded menacing and cold. "Shut up." Christine didn't know who he was talking to but it seemed to be aimed at Mr Hall more than her but still, the atmosphere was too tense in here to stand so headed home as quickly as possible.