"Off The Page" Contest

Pen Name: r-roberts
Title
: The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside my mind
Book/Written Work
: The Phantom of The Opera
Summary: When a girl has been taught by a phantom inside a opera house and her childhood sweetheart comes in the picture, who will she choose? To stay with the love of her life? or submit to her master? Written for the "Off The Page" Contest

Word Count: 4,087

I felt my knees shaking violently and my palms sweating. Renee was pushing me to the stage, and the felling of stage fright haunted me once again.

- You can do this Bella, I know you can't. You volunteered and Phil loved it. – She said to me caressing my cheek. Her blue eyes penetrating into mine with that mother look on them.

- I know, I just… I'm scared that's it. – I told her. I've always been stage frighten and now it was it, the moment everyone expected. I regretted now that day were I sang to Phil, the manager of the Opera, married to my mother.

Flashback

I was preparing myself to my ballet part on the new play. Alice was standing behind me admiring the show Miss Victoria was giving to them, singing.

- I beat you could do it better. – She whispered in my ear.

- I couldn't Al. I know that's not me. – I breathed with a sigh.

- You were well thought Bella. I know you can.

- Alice…

- I won't insist. Sorry.

A background fell, almost on top of Miss Victoria, just as she sang the last line of her verse. She appeared chocked, until she started screaming. And Phil ran to her.

- Signorita, these things happen! – He had said to her.

- For the past three years, these things do happen! – Miss Victoria screamed on his face, her finger pointing to the ceiling, she turned around pointing to Old Quil, the last owner of the Opera. – And did you stop them from happening? No! – She turned around once more, facing Phil and Charlie, the managers, - And you two! You are as bad as him! "These things do happen!" Ma... until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen! Ubaldo! Andiamo! Bring my doggy and my boxy! – She stormed out of the stage with her maid, hairdresser and seamstress.

Her partner in crime, Laurent, turned to Phil and Charlie, pointing his finger just like Victoria and said, really loudly – Amateurs!

Bye-bye and ciao! Now you see. Bye-bye, I'm really leaving! – Victoria said, really leaving.

There was silence on stage, nobody moved, just watching her leave. I realized now, the play was ruined.

- What are we doing now? – Phil asked, looking at Charlie, his hands on his head.

-Bella could sing it, Sir. – I heard Renee say behind Phil and Charlie.

- What?

- Let her sing for you, she was well taught.

- Alright. Come on then. – Phil gestured for me to come on stage. And I shot a deadly glance to Renee; she smiled and gave me thumbs up, - Don't be shy. Come on. Come along... just... just... – He was interrupted by Sam, the director.

- From the beginning of the aria, then. Please, Mademoiselle! – He shouted at me. My palms were sweating and my feet were shacking.

- Phil, this is doing nothing for my nerves. – I heard Charlie say, cleaning is forehead with a tissue.

- Oh, but she's very pretty. – Phil said, - Carry on.

I took a deep breath and sang on top of my lungs.

Think of me
Think of me fondly,
When we've said goodbye.
Remember me
Once in a while -
Please promise me
You'll try.

When you find
That, once
Again, you long
To take your heart back
And be free -
If you
Ever find
A moment,
Spare a thought
For me

End Flashback.

I was now in the middle of the stage, singing an Opera where I was the star, all eyes on me. The public was looking at me and at my pretty long white dress, my hair was a set of large ringlets that fell down my back, and I had stars on my back, I felt pretty, but scared. And I knew who was watching the play. He was. They were.

We never said
Our love
Was evergreen,
Or as unchanging
As the sea -
But if
You can still
Remember
Stop and think
Of me . . .

Think of all the things
We've shared and seen -
Don't think about the things
Which might have been . . .


Think of me,
Think of me waking,
Silent and
Resigned.

Imagine me,
Trying too hard
To put you
From my mind.

Recall those days
Look back
On all those times,
Think of the things
We'll never do -
There will
Never be
A day, when
I won't think
Of you . .

I hear the applauses came from the audience, and looked around for the faces in the crowded and full opera house. I have seen it before on stage, but it never occurred to me that it could end up being me they were applauding.

I looked around once again, and found the set of eyes I was looking for. Those green penetrating eyes, I had seen him today, but he didn't recognize me. He was my childhood sweetheart, we played and danced and sing around when we were about five or six years old. He was so much good looking as a kid, but it wouldn't compare to now.

He was, indeed, a god on hearth. His green eyes against his pale skin made a beautiful contrast with the bronze locks of his hair. His cheeks were not like I have knew them, but they were still his, and his jaw, that was now clenched, was so strong that you could not call him a boy, but a man. Edward Cullen was in the Opera house, looking at me, listening to me. Would he recognize me?

~Edward

I looked as the girl came out of the backstage and started to sing. I was absent minded but as some as the first notes came out of her mouth, she got my full attention.

Brown hair and brown eyes against soft looking pale skin, voice like an angel? I knew her. I remembered back in the days when I was a kid and played with the little girl with brown locks cascading on her back. She sang like an angel, just like the one that was on stage right now.

She looked at me and her face fell to the ground, she was shy, just like Bella was. I saw the blush I knew so well come to her skin. She had changed but it could be Bella.

Can it be?
Can it be Bella?

I screamed Bravo to the crowd and clapped my hands to her.

Long ago,
It seems so long ago
How young and innocent we were
She may not remember me
But I remember her...

~Bella

Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade
they have their seasons, so do we
But, please, promise me
that sometimes
you will think of me

I finished the song and the crowd erupted in applauses once again. I took a bow and smiled at them. Turning my head to the say I could see Alice bouncing up and down clapping her hands and smiling at me.

I was brought to my room by Renee, the both of us trying to escape the reporters; she opened the door to me and dragged me inside.

- No, no, no – She said to the people outside the door and closed it behind her, on their faces. – You did very well my dear, - she said turning to me and grabbing the rose with the black bow that was on my dressing table. – He's very pleased with you. – She handed me the rose, laying it on my palm.

Renee left and shut the door behind her, leaving me by myself with that rose in my hand. He had left it, my teacher, my master. I heard the door click.

- Little Lotte let her mind wander, Little Lotte thought: Am I fonder of dools, or of goblins of shoes, - He begun.

- Edward. – I smiled.

- Or of riddles of frocks. – He said, making me remember our childhood days.

- Those picnics in the attic – I said, locking my eyes with his.

- Or of chocolates.

- Father playing the violin.

- As we read to each other dark stories of the North.

- 'No - what I love best,' Lotte said, 'is when I'm asleep in my bed,' - and I sang the next part, still with me eyes locked in his, his face inches from mine, - 'and the Angel of Music sings songs in my head!'

'The Angel of Music sings songs in my head!' – He sang with me, - Oh, you sang like an angel tonight. – He said, hugging me.

- Father said, 'When I'm in heaven, child I will send the Angel of Music to you'. Well, my father is dead, Edward, and I have been visited by the Angel of Music. – I told him, confessing him my dreams.

- Oh, no doubt of it - And now we'll go to supper! – He got up and started walking towards the door. I stopped him.

- No, Edward, the Angel of Music is very strict. – I said without getting up from my chair.

- I shan't keep you up late!

- No, Edward, No! – I warned him.

- You must change. I'll get my carriage. Two minutes - Little Lotte. – He said to me laughing and walking out the door.

- No, Edward, wait! – He was already gone, the door closing behind him.

After watching a man die on stage I could tell I was frightened. The Opera House was not safe anymore. He was around. The phantom was around. The legends were true, there was a man in the opera, and he claimed the opera as his.

After my encounter with him I knew what to expect.

The man fell from the ceiling with a rope around his neck, the crowd panicked and I could hear the screams from Phil and Charlie - Do not panic, please sit down. – They screamed, but it wasn't enough to stop it. – It was an accident, just an accident!

The crowd was in pure shock, in panic if you must. I saw Edward passing through the crowd that had formed in the backstage.

- Are you alright? – He asked nudging my shoulders.

- Come, we're not safe here! – I grabbed his hand and took him out of there, up the stairs, I saw Renee passing by my side and giving me a motherly look.

- Why have you brought me here? – Edward asked.

- We can't go back there. – I said to him, not turning back.

- We must return.

- He'll kill you. He's eyes will find you there!

- Bella, don't say that.

- Those eyes that burn…

- Don't even think it…

- And if he has to kill, one thousand men – he cut my word

- Forget this waking nightmare… - He tried to reassure me.

- The Phantom of The Opera will kill…

- This Phantom is a fable, believe me.

- And kill again!

- There is no Phantom of the Opera! – Ha said again, his voice was mad now.

- My God who is this man? – We sang together.

- Who haunts to kill? – I asked

- This mask of death? – He asked to himself.

- I can't escape from him. I never will! – I sang terrified.

- Whose is this voice you hear, with every breath?

- And in this labyrinth, were night is blind The Phantom of the Opera is there – We sang together.

- Inside you mind. – He finished.

- Inside my mind. – I quoted.

- There is no Phantom of the Opera. – He tried to reassure me again.

- Edward I've been there to his world of unending night, to a world where the daylight dissolves into darkness . . . darkness. Edward, I've seen him! Can I ever forget that sight? Can I ever escape from that face? So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face, in that darkness . . . darkness . . . – I didn't need to look up to see his eyes locked on the red rose with the black bow that was in my hands. - But his voice filled my spirit with a strange, sweet sound. In that night there was music in my mind. And through music my soul began to soar! And I heard as I'd never heard before.

- What you heard was a dream and nothing more. – He tried again.

- Yet in his eyes all the sadness of the world. Those pleading eyes, that both threaten and adore.

- Bella, Bella… - He approached me.

- Bella. – I heard the voice that had haunted me for years, the voice that had killed a man tonight, call.

I shivered, and soon Edward was behind me, holding me. My body trembled and my breathing itched. He held my hand and pulled me up the stairs, we were near the balcony and I let go of the rose. The emotion in his eyes was see trough, and I felt an electric spark in my hand.

- No more talk of darkness, forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here, nothing can harm you, and my words will arm and calm you. Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears. I'm here, with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you. – He said caressing my cheek.

- Say you'll love me every waking moment, turn my head with talk of summertime. Say you need me with you now and always, promise me that all you say is true, that's all I ask of you.

- His green eyes looked dark, and he sang the next verse with full emotion in his voice. - Let me be your shelter, let me be your light, you're safe, no one will find you, your fears are far behind you.

- All I want is freedom, a world with no more night, and you, always beside me, to hold me and to hide me.

- Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime, let me lead you from you solitude. Say you need me with you, here beside you, anywhere you go, let me go too, that's all I ask of you. – He said holding me, his arms around my waist, his chest next to mine, singing to me.

He was asking me to marry him, to be his wife but using other words. And he put it out in the prettiest way I could ever imagine.

- Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you. – I gave it to him and he kissed the top of my head, his fingers laced into mine. I wanted him. Badly. Would he say it again? Could it be true?

- Share each day with me, each night, each morning.- We said together.

- Say you love me. – I asked, looking into his green eyes.

- You know I do. – He told me, caressing my cheek again.

- Love me, that's all I ask of you. – He turned me around, his hand on my left cheek, after he sang, he bend his head and kissed my lips softly. I snaked my arms round his neck and caressed the hair behind it softly, he seemed to like it because it made him chuckle. He held me in his arms, lifting me off the floor and spun me around, kissing me again and again.

I grabbed his hand and dragged him to my room. I tried to open the door while on his lap but he managed to get it before I could.

- I love you, so much. – He said when he dropped me in my bed.

- You know I do too. – I confessed, holding his gaze.

His hands started ripping my clothes off, - You won't need those anymore tonight, love. – He said, tearing my dress apart, then my corset, and then his hands were in my breasts, his lips making contact with the skin of my neck and then my jaw, and then my neck again, my breast bone and then –

- Argh! Oh God. – His moth was on my left breast, his teeth biting gently on my nipple, and I arched my back from the bed, my hips bucking into his. – Edward, this is hardly fair. – I pointed to his clothes, my fingers methodically unbuttoning his shirt, while his lips explored my right breasts' flesh.

I managed to rip his shirt from his chest and my hands travelled from his neck to the skin on his navel, studying his marvelous abs, soft as marble, hard as stone, perfect. I tried to unbuckle in pants but his hands stopped me, he shook his head at me and removed my socks from my feet, always so gentle, kissing the new exposed skin.

His lips got to my tights and I could feel the moisture forming between them, I didn't knew what that was but it must have been something good because Edward smiled at me and I felt more fluid leaving my body. He bend his head again and caressed the skin on my left tight, my head feel into the pillow. – Can't you… hurry?

- Well, someone his demanding, Little Lootie.

- Edward, please.

- Your wish is my command, my love, my Bella. - He pulled my underwear down, and I felt the wave of shame wash through my body, never in my life a man had seen me without my clothes on, I felt ashamed, so ashamed that I started to close my legs. Edward noticed what I was doing. – What's wrong, love? – He asked, I could tell he knew the answer, judging for the blush I felt in my face.

- I just… I'm… - I tried to speak but the words were stuck in my tongue.

- Embarrassed?

- Yes. – I confessed, looking into his emerald eyes.

- Are you afraid?

- Yes, but not off you.

- He's not here Bella.

- He scares me, what if he hurts you?

- I'll never let him hurt you. I promise. – He said, lifting himself and snuggled into my bare chest.

- Do you still want me?

- Always. – He got up and took his pants and underwear off. I looked at his naked figure. He was indeed beautiful. I could never imagine him like this; my dreams had made him no justice. His legs were has muscled has his chest was, he was a man, a real man, not the boy I knew before, tough he was still there in his eyes, and in that crooked smile that I knew and love since I was a little girl. His hands found my most intimate place, in between my legs, and he began to rub something there, it made me buck my hips to his hand, and then he slid to fingers inside me.

My back arched even further, and I could feel myself burning, I didn't knew why, it hurt, but I loved the felling. He kept pumping his fingers, in and out of me, harder, faster, stronger, and I began to feel numb, my legs, my arms, my head, and then something in me clicked and I had the most wonderful felling in the world, stars coming to my view and all the sudden I felt numb again and fell onto the mattress.

- Are you alright? Bella?! Bella?! What's wrong? – Edward asked, coming to my side holding my face in his hands.

- Oh dear… God! – It was all I could say, the felling was still in me, but then it started to fade away. No! Don't go now! I wanted to say, it was the best felling in the world, better than the one I felt on stage. Better than my first kiss with Edward, just a few moments before.

- Are you alright, sweetheart? – He asked again, his hand caressing my cheek.

- I love you. And I want you to give that thing to me again, please. – I pleaded, holding his face, I could move my arms already but my legs were still numb.

- That what? I thought you were going to die!

- It was too good, Edward.

- What did you felt?

- Like you loved me, and like I was in a world alone with you, just you, loving me, and letting me love you.

He didn't answer; he got up and put his body between my legs. I felt something in the same place where is fingers were before. What was that? I got up to see and my body went into shock. His member, I mean, that thing that… it was touching my most private place. Could it fit in me? – It is going to hurt, I suppose, you were so tight around my fingers, love. I promise I'll try to be gentle. – He answered my unspoken question, I looked at him with fear and he smiled. – Are you ready? – I nodded and he got into me, making me scream in pain and arch my back away from the mattress once again, he didn't move for a second and I could hear his apologies while my body tried to adjust to him. It hurt, but it also felt good, too good.

He started to move slowly, getting in and out off me with slow moves, his body on top of mine and the only sounds in the room were our whimpers and moans and the skin on skin touch.

I felt that same felling twice more, and on the third time I also felt him grow inside me, like somehow that was possible. His body was covered in sweat and I could tell it was sensual, really sensual. He started to moan harder and move faster when his member started to grow, so he felt it too.He moved once last time and the felling came to me for the fourth time, and something exploded inside me, making me see twice as many stars. I silently screamed and then felt his head drop to my chest. He fell asleep on top of me, inside me while I played with his hair. I heard him say "I Love you Bella, my Bella" before sleep got the best out of him. And before it vanished through me, I heard a sob, not Edwards', but a familiar sob. I tried to get up, but Edward grip around my waist was too hard.

He didn't speak, but I could already see the new rose on my bedside table. I let go off the worries, and fell asleep in my love's arms.

50 Years Later.

Edward~

I held the music box that she had described all those years ago in my lap, while my servant lead me to her grave, the wheelchair rolling down the graveyard and all the emotions coming back to me, I remembered that first night with her, that gentle night, and then our life together. After the fight with the Phantom he let me stay with her forever and ever. It was just too bad that forever was nothing but a fairytale.

We got to the grave stone and I got up, my servant tried to help me but I refused politely. I wanted to be the one leaving the box with her. I used all my strength and got up off that ridiculous chair, approaching the stone. I let the boxe on the stone and read the words. "Countess Cullen, Beloved Wife and Mother." And above, "Bella – 1854 ~ 1917". I sighed and smiled, trying to avoid the tears that wanted to fall from my eyes.

I turned around to leave, but turned my head again to the grave stone again, just to see it one last time, and then I saw it.

A red rose, with a black a black as the night bow, correctly tied around the rose.


Followed the original piece. Sorry.

This is my first entry for a contest so pleeease be nice :)