Hey sorry I'm so late I have been really busy with school and all that jazz but it is now spring break and I will try to update as the week passes hopefully every other day or so and I will be rewriting the first three chapters of my book. Enjoy Chapter 1 of The Beauty Underneath (just a by the way I wanted to say that this will be in POVs for the rest of the book)

The Beauty Underneath

By Elli Coast

Chapter 1: Meg's Haunting Tale

My eyes were throbbing and red as I ran into the dressing room labeled Christine Daae. I looked around the emptied room sobbing horribly. I slowly brought myself to look at the human sized mirror and saw my thin body. I had the typical ballet body. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I felt someone watching me. Who was this invisible force lingering over my being?

I started to walk closer to the mirror still sobbing. My blonde hair slightly drooped over my face. I quickly pushed it to the side letting myself see the path in front of me. Suddenly, I saw two eyes staring back at me. I gasped as the mirror opened to fin a man who looked as if in his 20s or 30s. He was dressed in a formal outfit with a black cloak draped over him. The cloak had a hood that covered his face, so I couldn't see much of his face.

He started to walk closer to me and he caught up to me. He grabbed my wrists as I squealed. The man held his boney withered hand over my mouth so my squeals would, at the least, get softer. He calmly shushed me as my eyes were as wide as they could possibly be. I didn't pay attention to his hard grip of my two hands; I could only pay attention to this shadow's chin and bottom lip. I could see parts of his chin were wet, was he crying as hard as I was. He let go of my mouth. "Let me go…" I whisper as my voice quivered.

"Please Meg I-" I stopped him

"No… I don't want to hear your crap… let me got." I said more stern.

He did as I commanded and backed away to give me my room to breath. I looked angrily at the cloaked man. "Who are you…?"

"I am the Opera Ghost," he said staying completely still, "I did not come here to harm you. Only to share your pain. I know what it's like to loose her… to loose Christine… I loved her as well. You know I did. She spoke of me to you. I was the 'Angel' she spoke of. Now it seems I am more of the devil to her." He explained to me. This was Christine's 'Angel of Music'? He was no Angel of Music! He was the Angel of Death! He walked a little closer to me. "Meg, my name is … Erik…" he looked down to his feet.

"Erik… I need to see your face… so I know who I am talking to…" I said not afraid of him as I once was a moment ago.

"N-no… M-meg please…" he said not moving to stop my hand.

"Erik, please, if I am to trust you, you must first trust me." I sighed trying to show him some compassion. I moved toward his hood, I could see his hand moving to mine but it was shaking. I removed his hood and looked at his face. Half was covered by a mask but I can't imagine it was much worse then the uncovered side. His face was withered, as if he hadn't eaten for years, and pale. The poor thing, was he sick? Erik had dark bags under his eyes and wrinkles to make him look as if he was sixty!

I must help him…