Alaina jumped as she awoke the next morning. She had had quite an interesting dream. At least, she thought it had been a dream, but she wasn't sure. All she saw was a figure standing over her. The figure had been totally covered in darkness, except for a white mask that seemed to glow. Had it been him? The Phantom of the Opera, watching her sleep? No, she must have been dreaming. Why would he even go near her? Alaina shook off her excitement and went to the small window and opened up the curtains. The darkness of her bedroom turned to light as the bright sun shined through the window.
Alaina thought of the fact that today was going to be the auditions for Phantom of the Opera. Originally, everyone got a copy of the script and sang the songs using it, but Alaina practically knew the wonderful musical by heart. She doubted she would need the script at all.
Alaina walked over to her suitcase, which she forgot to unpack yesterday before she went to bed. "Oh, well," she thought to herself, "Note to self: Unpack suitcase tonight."
She then picked out her leggings and a simple, red t-shirt. These were her normal clothes for practicing her assigned dances. The outfit looked almost like every other dancer's, as this was the easiest type of outfit to move in when practicing ballet, besides a tutu or dress that is. After getting dressed, Alaina yawned as she put her hair up to keep it out of her way and walked out of her room and to the stage. This time, she was able to see all the things she had remembered the day before, telling her which way to go. Now if she could only find a way to tell which direction she was going at night.
Alaina recognized Anna's red hair and freckled face as she walked onto the stage to join her fellow performers. "Morning," Alaina said as she stood beside Anna, doing warm ups and stretches.
"Hello there, how did you sleep in this grande old opera house?" Anna laughed at her own little joke, and Alaina rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh at her friend's sillyness.
"Very well, thank you, this place is quite enchanting actually," said Alaina, smiling as she looked around the stage in awe. Madame Giry watched their stretches and helped those who needed improvement in their stance.
"Good morning ladies," she said, smiling to Alaina and Anna.
"Good morning Madame Giry," they said in unison, smiling at their instructor.
Just then, James walked in and onto the stage. All the dancers stopped stretching, and all the singers stopped warming up their voices and talking to each other. Everyone faced him excitedly. Just like always, everyone, even the dancers were asked to audition if they wanted to. James usually believed everyone deserved a chance at the spotlight, that is, until Erica's father bribed him to make her the star. James was a good man, but he was greedy when it came to money.
Everyone filed off the stage as the auditions started. Erica went first, naturally, despite the fact that auditions usually went in alphabetical order. Alaina and Anna sat in the seats of the opera, mocking her and laughing as silently as they could while Erica sang in her nasily, annoying, head voice. They both waited until it was Alaina's turn.
"Why don't you try out this time?" Alaina whispered to her best friend after Erica finished and everyone had clapped with fake enthusiasm.
"Even if I do try out, I never get solos, you know that. James thinks of me better as a dancer," Anna sounded like she didn't care, but you knew that she would like to get a part sometimes.
"Alaina Belleneux," James called her name, and Alaina stood up so fast she made Anna jump. Alaina walked anxiously toward the stage and when James handed her a script, she refused to take it, just as a small challenge.
"Very well Alaina, what song would you like to sing?" James asked. Alaina thought for a moment and decided on a song that was written as a duet between the phantom and Christine.
"I want to sing the second part of "Angel of Music", you know, the duet between Christine and the phantom?" said Alaina excitedly, blushing when she mentioned the phantom out loud. James looked impressed at her decision, but probably didn't know why she'd really chosen the song.
The legend says that if the person singing the duet with the phantom is good enough, that they will hear his voice sing back to them. Alaina had heard this rumor and desperately hoped that she would hear his voice. She took her place on the stage as the orchestra prepared to play the song. Apparently they'd started learning the songs long before the musical was announced to anyone else. Most of the members were adults that knew how to keep a secret, much to the dismay of gossipers.
"Whenever you're ready," said the director of the orchestra. Alaina nodded and the orchestra began to play. Originally, the phantom had started off the song, but Alaina knew that since he hadn't heard her voice yet that he would not sing to her.
When the time came, Alaina nervously opened her mouth and sang with all her heart into the song, desperately wanting to sound as amazing as she could. She started to sing the words, sounding as confident as possible, but still soft like the song demands. "Angel of music, speak, I listen. Stay by my side, guide me. Angel, my soul was weak, forgive me. Enter at last, master" she held the last note until the director's cut off.
Alaina waited, but heard nothing as the music continued to play through the phantom's part of the song. When the director cued her, Alaina continued to sing, trying not to let everyone watching her see the tears of disappointment that shown brightly in her eyes. "Angel of music, guide, and guardian, grant to me your glory! Angel of music, hide no longer! Come to me, strange Angel..." The director then made the orchestra stop playing as the next part was supposed to go into "Phantom of the Opera".
James smiled bright at Alaina, "Beautiful Alaina, simply wonderful." Alaina gave a small, sad smile and exited off the stage and back to her seat next to Anna. Once she saw the look on Alaina's face, Anna pitied her.
"He didn't sing to you, did he?" she asked softly. Alaina shook her head and silently cried in Anna's shoulder. Anna gave her sympathetic looks and put her arm around her and rubbed her shoulder. "Please don't cry Alaina, by that performance I'm sure you'll get the part of Christine, no doubt," Anna comforted her friend and smiled.
The two friends waited until Anna's name was called. Originally, the people who didn't want to try out said "Pass" and then James would move on to the next person. For a while now, Anna had been passing up the opportunity to try out, but this time she felt that it might brighten Alaina's mood a little if she sang. So, Anna got up on stage and sang the first part of "Angel of Music" that had Meg in it. She did sing beautifully, and Alaina clapped harder than anyone did for her friend. However, when Anna came back, Alaina continued to rest her head on her shoulder until the auditions were over. Even afterwards they sat there in their seats until everyone left. James had announced that most of his decisions were already made and that he would announce all the important characters that had speaking roles later that night.
In the audience Alaina and Anna sat together talking. Anna still rubbing her poor friend's shoulder. Anna knew that Alaina had waited for that moment for a while now. She had wanted to hear the phantom sing to her just to prove that Alaina's voice was worth it. She could only imagine how disappointed Alaina must feel. In her mind, Anna cursed the phantom, saying that he was unfair to Alaina and that she deserved the lead role. Then, Anna reminded herself that she was not the one who believed the phantom was real. Anna mostly just went along with it as to not start an argument with her best friend.
Finally, Alaina and Anna left their seats and just walked around the opera house for a while, making sure they knew how to get back to hear James' announcement. Alaina hoped that she'd at least get a good part in the musical that she treasured so much. She hoped desperately that she would get the part of Christine.
* * *
To the stage ran Alaina and Anna. They had, of course, gotten lost and had been trying to find their way back to the stage for the past twenty minutes. Once Anna finally spotted the door that lead to the audience seats, they raced through it and quietly found a seat. Thankfully, James hadn't started yet; he had just grabbed his clip board that held all the decisions for the roles. Anna and Alaina crossed their fingers and closed their eyes, listening for their names to be called. First, James went through the more minor main characters, like the new owners of the opera theatre, Raoul and Madame Giry in the auction scene at the beginning, and more.
Finally, he got to the more important roles. "Raoul will be played by Brian Caldwell," everyone clapped for Brian and a few of his friends cheered for him. "Madame Giry will be played by Jennifer Abney," more clapping. "Carlotta will be played by Jessica Rushette," Jessica's friends hugged her tightly. "Meg will be played by Anna Spencer," Anna then beamed at Alaina, and they stood up and hugged each other excitedly, but quieted down so they could hear the rest of the parts. "The phantom will be played by Daniel Norvein." Alaina and Anna both found this to be expected, as Daniel was easily the best male singer in the academy. "and finally, Christine will be played by Erica Baldwin."
Alaina's heart sank. Her fingers uncrossed from her chest and her hands dropped down to her sides. She stared at Anna with complete shock. Anna returned the same look. Alaina dropped back into her seat and silently started to cry. Not only had she not gotten the part of Christine, she hadn't gotten a speaking role at all. Anna sat next to her friend and again began to comfort her. Alaina didn't want anyone to see her crying. She got out of her seat and ran out the door and into the hallway. Once she reached the end of it she slid down the wall and folded her arms around her legs and cried. Anna had followed her and now sat with her best friend, rubbing her back and letting her cry.
Anna had no idea what to say, she knew that she couldn't make this better, and that made her angry. "That's totally unfair! Everyone, including James, knows that your voice and acting is so much better than Erica's! He could've at least given you a lead part!"
Alaina wiped her cheeks and eyes, "Erica's probably told her daddy dearest how much she hates me and how much I don't deserve to get a part. She's done it before," she said sadly. Anna didn't know what to say to that either. Alaina was right; all Erica had to do was tell her father how much she hated someone, and he could make sure that person never performed again.
"Hey, at least you'll be able to show off to everyone your wicked dancing skills," said Anna, trying to cheer up Alaina. Alaina laughed a little at what she said, and stood up slowly.
"That's better, now let's go back and start rehearsing, hm?" Anna said, wiping more tears off of Alaina's face. Alaina nodded and followed Anna back to the stage, and when James asked them where they'd run off to, Anna lied and said they'd gone to the ladies' room.
Once Alaina was able to stop crying, she joined the other dancers in learning the routines from Hannibal to start out in the "rehearsal" in the beginning.
* * *
"Damn it," Alaina cursed herself as she fell once again from losing her balance.
"Alaina, you keep bending your knees at the wrong time. Focus, child!" scolded Madame Giry softly. She helped Alaina up once again, and once again Alaina apologized for being clumsy.
As she stood up, she saw Erica give her a dirty look, for Alaina had been making everyone repeat the same part over and over every time she fell. Though, Alaina felt a secret satisfaction that she was annoying Erica, who kept repeating the same lines and dancing the same part whenever Alaina would fall.
One more time they all tried, and Alaina worked on bending her knees. She landed the turn perfectly, and finally, rehearsal was finished. She had learned all of the steps and memorized them, and everyone had memorized their parts in the beginning scene.
After everyone left, Alaina convinced Anna to stay with her and help her practice more. Around the stage each of them spun, and each time Alaina got better. She quickly took a glance around the audience and private boxes as she spun around, twirling like a ballerina.
Then, she stopped on purpose.
Alaina stared at Box Five. Someone stood there, staring back at her. It was a man. He was dressed in all black, and wore a white mask.
"The Phantom of the Opera!" Alaina screamed in her head. It had to be him, unless her eyes were decieving her. Though, they were not. There he stood, staring back at her, watching her dance. How long had he been there? Had he seen how much of a klutz she was when it came to keeping her balance when she twirled on her toes?
Suddenly, the phantom turned and disappeared out of sight. "Wait!" Alaina called, surprising her best friend as she yelled at nothing. Alaina ran off the stage, Anna following her, calling her name. Out the doors Alaina ran, but Anna caught up with her and grabbed her hand and spun her around.
Anna sang sternly to Alaina, "Alaina where are you going? What has made you run away?"
Alaina sang back desperately to her best friend, "Anna, it is him! The Phantom of the Opera. He was there, watching us, I want to find him. I want to see his face!" Alaina turned and ran from Anna.
Anna ran after her and sang her disapproval, "And what will you do when you see him? He will not trust you Alaina; you will run from him!"
Alaina did not agree. "I will not run from him! I've wanted to see him for so long! I've wanted his approval, and now is my chance, and here you are trying to keep it from me!" Alaina ran down the hall and turned to go up the stairs that lead to Box Five.
Together the friends sang their argument to eachother, "Alaina/Anna you/I will/won't run from him! You/I will/won't turn away from his monsterous/beautiful face!"
They reached the door to Box Five and Anna yelled to her friend, "He could kill you Alaina!"
Alaina froze. Her hand on the door knob. "He would not do that Anna!"
"How do you know?! He's done it before!" yelled Anna.
"People change, Anna! They deserve a second chance!" Alaina yelled back.
Anna tried to calm the situation, she walked slowly up to her friend and sang gently, "I don't want to see you get hurt just because of your curiousity. I don't want to see your frightened face when you run from him."
Together they sang, "You/I will/won't run from him!" Then, Alaina pushed open the door and walked inside.
The private box was dark and empty. Alaina groaned in frustration. "Damn it, Anna! Why couldn't you just let me see him?! If you hadn't been trying to stop me I would've gotten up here earlier! I would've seen his face!"
Anna argued back, "You would have run away from him Alaina!"
Alaina turned away from her, "I would not have! You know I wouldn't! I wouldn't run from someone I trust! I'd never turn away from the Phantom of the Opera," she said quietly.
Anna sighed and didn't say anything. She knew that Alaina was right. She would never run from someone she's wanted to discover for this long. She would not turn away from someone who's approval she craved so desperately. Defeated, Anna stared at the ground and mumbled, "I know, I'm sorry."
When Alaina did not say anything, Anna looked at her and was about to repeat herself. However, she noticed that Alaina was not paying attention to her. She was staring at one of the seats in the box with a look of disbelief on her face. Anna walked up to her friend, "Alaina what-" but she stopped mid-sentence when she saw the chair.
On it lay a single dark red rose with a black ribbon tied to the stem, and a note with a red skull, wax seal.
