A sea of people flood the parking lot, some laughing, some arguing, some silent. I've always enjoyed people-watching, but today is different. The more I look around me, the more aware I am of the fact that I am alone. I pull out my phone from the pocket of my sleek, black trench coat to check the time. It's almost eight… where is he? I wonder to myself. I stick my hands back in my pockets, already feeling the biting cold of the mid-December air weaving through my fingers. Great… face is probably red as a tomato. I can't tell if it's from the cold or from embarrassment. Maybe both. I shrink further into my coat as a burst of freezing air rushes over the parking lot. I knew this was a mistake. Daniel and I had just gotten into an argument after I found out about Sarah…
I shiver. That bitch. No, I shouldn't be angry with her… it isn't fair. He was the one that started things with her. She didn't want to get involved. Right? I don't know anymore. The more I think about it, the more blurred the line of what is true and what is a lie becomes. Still, we've been crazy about each other for over three years. Am I really willing to give that up over a one-time mistake? We'd both been lonely at college, that much is true. Maybe I should cut him some slack. My cheeks flush an even deeper shade of red when I check the time again. That bastard. He probably isn't going to show up at all. I clutch the tickets in my coat pocket. I am just about to check in without him when I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around, but I don't see anyone. Just my imagination and my nerves getting to me. I turn back around again, and…
"Boo!"
"ACK!" I stumble backwards, Daniel grabbing my hand just before I fall.
"Damn, Addie, I didn't think you'd be that much of a klutz," he chuckles, pulling me towards him.
"Jesus, Daniel, I hate when you do that!" I say, frustrated. I let him hug me anyway. We stand there like that for a while together, until he gently lets go and gazes down at me from his tall height. "C'mon, hon, you know we're meant for each other. It's just going to hurt us both to stay apart."
"I don't know," I mumble, looking down at my feet. He brings my chin back up to let my eyes meet his. I try to say something more, but I can't make the words leave my mouth. He's right. I don't want to end things. "Let's go inside," I say finally, walking towards the entrance with his hand still clasping firmly on to mine.
"Good evening," the clerk behind the counter says when we reach the check-in aisle. The warmth tickles my lips as I greet him in return. I hand the tickets, to which he makes a funny face. "I'm sorry miss, but where did you purchase these?"
"Oh, I bought them online," I respond, leaning over the counter to point out the verification at the bottom of the page. "I called a few weeks back, and they said they'd accept online reservations."
"I think you're mistaken," the man says back, not unkindly.
"Christ," Daniel groans.
"A-are you sure?"
"Adeline, what the hell? I thought you said you had it under control!" Daniel grabs my arm. I pull softly, but he doesn't let go.
"If it's a mistake, then I can always pay for the tickets now," I tell the clerk nervously.
"Just a moment," he responds, glancing at Daniel and back at me. "I'll run it through the system to make sure it's valid for you."

I nod. "Thank you," I say quietly.
"I should've known you'd screw this up," Daniel hisses. I turn to him, ready to fire back, but his glare shuts me right up. I direct my attention back to the check-in counter.
"That's my fault," the clerk says when he returns to his spot. "I wasn't aware we'd adjusted the system to include online registration."
"That's totally okay," I say back.
"Maybe I'm a bit behind on technology," the clerk jokes. I giggle back, and I feel Daniel's grip on me loosen. The clerk hands both of us a program. "Enjoy the show," he smiles. He shifts his gaze to Daniel, and I can't help thinking that for a brief second I'd seen anger in his eyes.
The two of us enter the performance room, which is a giant, ornate dome with artwork painted skillfully across the ceiling. Balconies rest just above us, and I wonder to myself what the view is like from way up there. I find myself in awe of the place, getting caught up in the beauty of the scene despite myself. Daniel tugs at my arm and whispers for me to come with him. I come back down to earth and walk beside him. We'd gotten pretty decent seats, despite my miserable bank account. Oh well, I'd had to pay for textbooks up at school somehow.
"We still have a few minutes before it starts," Daniel says once we get comfortable in our seats. "Why don't we look to see who's playing?"
"Okay." I flip open the program, skipping past the long list of people responsible for "making tonight happen." I find the page marked "soloists," but there is only one name marked. Strange. I lean over and point it out to Daniel. "What do you think that means?" I ask.
"Uh, 'Phantom'? I don't know. Must be a stage name or something. He probably doesn't suck if he's the only one performing."
"Huh. Kinda cool," I comment.
"Kinda stupid, if you ask me."
"Come on, act more excited," I joke, elbowing him. He looks at me with an annoyed expression at first, then smiles and squeezes my hand.
"As long as you're here, I don't know how I wouldn't have a good time."
"You're such a dork," I laugh, resting my head on his shoulder. Everything just seems so natural with him. Even though I haven't let him know my answer about whether or not I agree to try again, I can't help but feel like my mind is already made up. Before I can think about it anymore, the lights dim slightly. The crowd claps, and Daniel and I join them. The applause stops when the curtain draws back to reveal a man in a black suit poised elegantly over a large, grand piano. A stark white mask covers one side of his face, and only when he turns slightly towards the audience can the human side be seen. He scans the crowd in a way vaguely like an animal surveying his prey. His eyes fall on me suddenly, for just a moment. I breathe in sharply. Without noticing, I squeeze Daniel's hand tighter.
There is no introduction, no explanation before the man rests his hands on the keys and begins to play. As soon as he strikes the first note, the atmosphere in the room changes. The air moves more lightly as the silence around us is replaced with a sweet, floating melody. It is both tender and troubled, kind and caustic, loving and hateful. His hands become one with the instrument, moving as if this was their sole purpose. The music fills my head, dances through my veins, flutters in the pit of my stomach. My heart races with every chord. I don't have to look around me to know that the audience can feel it, too. We all lose ourselves in his music.
An indeterminate amount of time later, he stops playing. We come back from wherever it had taken us, returning to our bodies again. It couldn't have been more than five minutes, could it? The man stands, and we immediately shower him with applause. Before I know what I am doing, I stand and clap with the rest of the crowd. The man's eyes dart to mine, and I stare back. I am vaguely aware of the rest of the room standing as well. The man does not seem to notice, either. He holds my gaze, then grins slightly before turning and exiting the stage. I stop applauding, but I can't move from my place. It's like I am hypnotized.
"Not half bad," Daniel says, snapping me out of my daze.
"Yeah, he really knew what he was doing, huh?" I breathe. I try to collect myself enough to turn and smile at him. "Whew. All right. Should we go?"
"Okay. I'll follow you back to your place."
"Yeah," I say, too distracted to protest. "I'm going to run to the bathroom first, okay?"
"Right, I'll wait for you outside."
I nod and walk through the thinning crowd to the restrooms.