I have not attempted a Phantom of the Opera fanfiction story in a very long time, for one main reason. I just didn't think I would do it any justice. But I really really wanted to have a go because I am obsessed with all things POTO and the story of it is just AMAZING! :) So here, I bring you the first chapter of this story. At the moment, I don't really have any plans for where I'm going with this. I guess it depends on how people perceive the first chapter. But anyway enough rambling from me...obviously I am not Gaston Leroux or Andrew Lloyd Webber so I do not own these set of wonderful characters...but enjoy my take. Mwahaha. :)
So Lost, So Helpless
I shuffled onto the stage, finding the vast amount of space both admiring and daunting. My fingers wrung through the fabric of my skirt as Madame Giry waved me over.
She met me in the middle, seemingly oblivious as the other dancers stared and snickered. I dropped my gaze to the shaded stage flooring, feeling ridiculous in my ballet costume.
She brushed my shoulders down and upon catching my gaze again, gave me a rare encouraging smile, her hands squeezing my shoulders gently.
"Don't be afraid, child," she ushered softly. "I am sure Monsieur Lefevre will be more than accommodating given that it is your first time on the stage."
My head bobbed up and down in agreement, my curls gathering around my face. We watched the Ballet de Corps rehearse the dance we were due to be performing in a week's time, their movements so graceful, making the dance look effortless and elegant and my breathe caught when Madame Giry pushed me forwards, urging me to take part. I stood pathetically at the back, keeping my gaze locked on my stubby fingernails in front of me and praying this was to end soon.
As soon as the music began, I tried to watch the others and repeat the movements, having forgotten most of the arrangement already. I turned to my left without glancing, my breath catching as I fell against something hard, knocking me over.
The others laughter echoed loudly in my ear as I clambered up from the floor, my cheeks tinged with a scorching red as I glanced at who I had fallen into.
Another girl, with vivacious blonde curls and wide, bright blue eyes peered back at me as she lifted herself back up with the same grace naturally given to the others.
Her rosy lips turned upwards into a heart-warming smile and I realised from her appearance that it must have been Madame Giry's daughter, Meg.
"You must be Christine." She presumed, probably from the spectacle I had just made.
I nodded. "Y-yes…are you Meg?"
Her smile deepened, highlighting the fair dimples on each of her cheeks.
"That's me," she sang cheerfully, offering out a hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." She added, bowing down theatrically.
I giggled at the sight, making her laugh too.
The rest of the rehearsal went by without much more disruption, though I clumsily blundered on some of the footwork, much to a few of the other girl's amusement.
Meg was lovely; bright and lively and-despite my awful attempts to dance-told the other girls in no uncertain terms to remain quiet.
By the end of the lesson, I was prepared to scuttle back to the dormitory as quickly as possible and forget about this terrible rehearsal and as I journeyed back with Meg, we advanced towards the door, which was ajar, only to hear mumbled whispers from some of the corps de ballet inside.
"Did you see that new girl? She was horrendous! At one point, I thought she might end up sending us all down with her!" A shrill voice came from inside.
My throat felt restricted and I desperately fought back the sob wanting to break free as we listened on.
"-And as for her hair! I've never seen anything so ridiculous; can the girl not afford a hairbrush?" Another voice grumbled and after a second, an eruption of laughter came from inside.
Burning tears fought their way free from my eyes as I began to tread away from the door in a desperate need to escape. Meg reached for my arm, promising that she would scold them for such ghastly behaviour but I shook my head briskly, keeping my head turned away.
"No please don't," I begged, frustrated as a few sobs slipped past here and there. "I-I don't want any trouble." I insisted, before striding away as swiftly as my feet would allow. I knew the direction I was heading immediately, for it was the one place which almost felt like home. I shut the chapel door behind me and bent before the picture of my father, lighting a candle as I did.
As soon as my eyes caught the oval picture hung beneath the flickering candlelight, I could no longer hold back my tears of despair and disappointment. I had hoped to prove myself worthy, to make my father proud but in the six months since I had arrived here, I had not succeeded. I felt as though I had failed him. And worse than that, I had not yet been visited by the Angel of Music, like he said I would be which surely meant that I was not good enough to be spared such luck. I felt like such a fool, having already blabbed to Madame Giry like some overexcited child.
I could have been sprawled across the chapel tiles for minutes or hours, I could not tell. But I began to hear a heavenly voice, quietly singing a beautiful lullaby. I snarled, believing it to be one of the girls from the ballet, mocking me.
"If you have come to mock me, then I beg you, please leave me be!" I grumbled. The voice suddenly stopped and I sighed, knowing I had been right.
"Why do you cry child?" A soothing voice called out in the same beautiful, musically-textured voice.
I gasped at how close the voice sounded, turning my head from the left to the right but finding nothing but empty air.
"You cannot see me because I am invisible. I can see you however."
I stared forwards, trying to comprehend what the voice was saying. It was obviously some sort of prank, set-up by the other awful girls from the ballet!
"Nobody is invisible! And I am not stupid; I know this is a prank made by the other girls. Leave me alone!" I bellowed, before dropping my face into my hands and crying again. I had had enough. I missed my home but most of all, I missed my father.
"Did your father not make a promise to send you the Angel of Music, there on his deathbed?" The voice called out again ever so softly, I had to strain to hear the beautiful melody tone.
My sobs resided and I could not resist peeking through the edges of my fingers as though somebody might jump out and announce the prank I believed it to be. But there was nothing but the eerie silence of the chapel and I began to wonder how this stranger would have known about my father's promise if he was not telling the truth.
"H-how did you know about that?" I whispered brokenly, hoping against odds that this was what it appeared to be.
"The Angel of Music knows everything, little Christine." The voice spoke back.
I gasped at the stranger's knowledge of my name and despite myself, felt my hope begin to rise at the thought of my dreams finally coming true.
"A-are you really the Angel of Music? This is not deceit?" I asked hesitantly, my eyes flickering from one wall to another as I waited rather impatiently for the stranger's response.
"Yes I am, child. I am finally here to accomplish your father's wish." The voice confirmed.
A smile graced my lips for the first time in a very long while as I dared to believe that I could finally make my father proud.
So what did you all think? Reviews are love and if you enjoyed the first chapter, then please show some love! :) Reviews are like yummy cookies to me! :) Lol. Also...as I have not much idea where I'm going with this right now, I sort of have a half-chapter which I wrote ages ago. It's set after all the events of POTO but I was wondering that if I have done the characters enough justice, whether people would like me to continue this and do little insights into things that happen in POTO, such as when Christine meets the Phantom for the first time, Raoul and Christine on the rooftop etc? If people believe I have made the characters believable so far and would like that, then I would definitely give it a go for you guys. :)
