A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading, you're all amazing! So just as a heads up, I'm thinking about taking of the prologue off this story since I realized that I really don't need it. So hopefully there's no confusion if the number of chapters suddenly decrease. I apologize if a certain someone in this chapter is a little Oc in this chapter, I did the best I could... Now, I hope you enjoy the chapter :3
Isabelle(1st person):
The weeks went by quickly and before I knew it, almost three months had passed. Everyday was basically the same but I didn't really mind it. It felt nice I suppose, to know that there was a schedule to follow and control. Each morning, I would get up at the same time as Meg, Emma, and Christine and we would quickly bathe before heading to breakfast. On our way there, we were usually met up by Wilhelm, Jasper, and sometimes a male dancer named Archer. We would quickly eat together before the other dancers and I returned to our dorm to dress. After dressing, we would go and be in rehearsals until noon. At noon, we would get a short break to relax and eat lunch.
Once our break was over we would practice until around four then we were left to enjoy the rest of the day. I would then meet up with Meg after changing and I would do a two-hour lesson before we separated. Then I would go to the storage room and get Fenris, usually taking him to do his business and get him new food and water. As soon as I finished that, I would go to box five and quickly clean whatever dust had appeared and whatever mess had been made.
Once I was satisfied with my work, I would go to dinner and sit and talk with my brother, Jasper, and the others. After dinner was done, I usually went on a walk with Meg, Christine, Emma, and I would take Fenris. As soon as our walk was finished, we would go back to our dorm and get ready to sleep. If I spotted a white rose on my bed then I would wait until everyone was asleep to leave and meet Erik. He had picked the chapel as our lesson location since he feared that we might get stumbled upon by Wilhelm if we went to the roof. Erik would teach me for a few hours before I left to sleep.
At first, I thought it would get boring doing basically the same thing each day but it wasn't. I had friends to make it enjoyable and I had a growing career that I loved. Knowing I had people who cared for me and cheered me up made the pain go away.
I had never admitted it to Wilhelm or anyone but I was beginning to miss by home. I missed my friends and my father and it hurt to think that I may never see them again. I worried about how my father was doing since he was alone now. When my mother had left, my stepfather had been heartbroken and had been in a depression ever since. Thinking about what he was now going through made my heart clench painfully and tears fill my eyes. There was a part of me that believed that me and Wilhelm were stuck here forever but the other part kept telling my that I would return. And even though I really missed home, I didn't know if I truly wanted to leave.
Meg, Christine, and Emma were the greatest friends I had, I was close to them and they didn't judge me. They were so unlike the friends I had at home and I considered them sisters. And Erik, he was also a great friend. Even if he was still pretending to be my Angel of Music, I felt that I could trust him. He was always kind to me, never yelling or getting mad if I couldn't do something right the first time. Erik always encouraged me and always had kind words to offer me. And during my lessons, I found out that his nervous laugh was the most adorable thing ever.
One night during a lesson he had said something that he wasn't supposed to, I don't really remember what, and he had began to stutter. I could practically hear the blush creep up to his cheeks. When he finished stuttering, he had tried to make a joke out of it and when I was silent, he had began to laugh nervously. It was so adorable! It was like he had no clue what to do and just decided to laugh. The sound of his adorable laugh had caused my own laugh to emerge and he had quieted as soon as I laughed. It had taken a few minuets, but I had finally regained control of my laugh and we had returned to my lesson.
A sigh left my lips as the memory passed over and I took my usual seat by Wilhelm, greeting him with a soft 'hello'. I began to eat slowly since it was Saturday and it meant that I didn't have to rush to get ready since our rehearsals didn't start until noon. My heart clenched painfully when I began to think about home and I shoved the thoughts away, telling myself not to think about it since it would only make me sad.
"Hey Izzy! Guess what's coming up in a week?" Wilhelm grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.
"The opening night to Magic Flute?" I asked, lifting my head to look at him with curiosity. Wilhelm shook his head and told me to guess again. "Um... a holiday?"
"No," Wilhelm rolled his eyes. "It's your birthday!"
Wilhelm laughed as my mouth dropped open and my eyes widened in shock. I had completely forgotten about my birthday, being to distracted with my singing lessons and the up coming opera to think of it.
"Oh I didn't realize it was so close," I murmured. "What day does it land on?"
"Thursday," Wilhelm replied. "It's right before the opening night to Magic Flute!" I narrowed my eyes when I saw the look in his eyes change. "So... What do you want for your birthday?"
"You don't need to get me anything," I told him, shaking my head and grinning. "I'm fine with what I have..."
"I know that I don't need to, but I want to," Wilhelm smiled at me, ruffling my white hair. "You're my little sister and you deserve to always have the best birthdays. So, even if you don't tell me what you want, I'm still going to get you something!"
I gave him a mock glare before chuckling and pushing him lightly with a roll of my eyes. Wilhelm patted my head once again before saying bye and he left. My breakfast was only half way gone when Emma came running toward me with an excited grin.
"Guess what!" Emma said excitedly, ignoring the irritated looks some of the other dancers and stagehands were giving her.
"Um... what? I'm horrible at guessing," I explained to her when Emma pouted.
"Aw well okay," Emma's excitement calmed for a moment before it burst right back up. "You know Archer right? The cute blonde and green-eyed dancer?
I nodded my head in conformation, Archer was the boy who was absolutely smitten with Emma. It was actually kind of cute how shy and nervous he was when ever he was around her. He was a very shy and quiet man, it was almost weird that he decided to become a dancer. I mainly thought it was strange because I knew that he came from a wealthy family and most upper class families didn't want their children to have anything to do with performing arts. "Well he asked to take me on a date tomorrow at seven! I'm so excited!"
"I'm so happy for you," I beamed, happy that my friend's dream had come true. More excitement bubbled in Emma's eyes along with hope and I had a feeling that she had more to say. "Is there something else?"
"You caught me," Emma nodded her head. "Well Archer asked if it okay for one of his friends that he hadn't seen in a long time to come along on the date. I said yes of corse but I felt bad because I thought his friend would feel awkward so I um... I kind of..." Emma looked at me nervously. "Volenteredyoutogowithhimashisdate!"
I frowned, I had absolutely no clue what she was saying, she had talked way to fast. "Can you repeat that, Emma?"
Emma took a deep breath before she said slowly, "I kind of volunteered you to be his friends date for the night."
"You WHAT?" I asked, anger flashing in my eyes. Emma chuckled nervously and I saw that she looked guilty. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. "You couldn't have asked me first?"
"I was worried that Archer would end up calling off the date," Emma said softly. "I'm sorry, Isabelle... I should have asked you first."
"It's fine, Emma," I ran a hand over my face. "Just please don't volunteer me again... Well at least I have something to do tomorrow..."
"So you're going to go?" Emma asked hopefully. I was about to answer when I shivered and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. It felt like someone was watching and almost daring me to answer. A frown made its way to my lips and I told myself that I was being paranoid.
"I think I will," I told her quietly. I could almost feel someone's glare and I looked around for the person who I pissed off. But I found no one and I continued to tell myself that I was being paranoid. "What's the worst that can happen? It's not like I'm going to end up marrying him! What's his name anyways?"
"That's a secret," Emma gave me a cheeky smile before she bounced with excitement. "This is going to be so much fun!" A laugh escaped my lips as I watched her before standing up and throwing my plate away, following Emma out of the kitchen. "Let's go tell Meg and Christine! They're going to be so excited!"
Wilhelm(3rd):
The midday summer air was warm in the slightly crowded streets of Paris. Wilhelm almost let out a groan as he, once again, came out of a shop that had nothing that he thought Isabelle would want. It had been a shop full of dresses but the colors had been terrible and he knew he would have to continue his search. He eyed the bookstore a little ways away and debated on whether or not to go in. Through the windows, he could see shelves full of books just begging to be bought.
So with a soft sigh, he pushed the doors aside and stepped into the bookstore. Wilhelm looked through the books, trying to find a few that his sister would like. A lot of them he just walked by, not seeing how anyone could find the topic interesting. He groaned when he still saw nothing that would interest Isabelle and he stepped out again. Once again, he found his way to the street and he began to look for another shop to enter.
Wilhelm hadn't been paying attention as to what was in front of him and he crashed into a body. He gasped and quickly regained his balance before he could fall over. The man he had crashed into caught himself in time also and he looked at Wilhelm with shock.
"Sorry about that," Wilhelm apologized, giving the man a sheepish smile. The man looked like he was the same age as Wilhelm but he looked more innocent. He had dark blonde hair and soft blue eyes that held kindness. His face was clear of any hair and he had his long hair slicked back. He was less broad and muscular than Wilhelm and held himself with an elegance that Wilhelm didn't posses. Wilhelm swore he had seen his face before but he couldn't remember where. "I wasn't paying attention as to where I was going."
"It's fine Monsieur," the man told him. "It was partly my fault as well... I shouldn't have stopped in the middle of the road."
Wilhelm smiled at him and was about to turn away and say goodbye when a question entered his head. "Not to bug you but do you happen to know where I could get a gift for a girl turning seventeen?"
The man gave him a strange look before slowly nodding his head. "I know of a place... I could take you there if you wish."
"That would be great," Wilhelm smiled in gratitude. "I'm Wilhelm by the way!"
"Pleased to meet you, I'm Vicomte Raoul de Changny," the man shook his hand. Wilhelm's eyes widened slighty when he realized that it was the man who Christine ended up being with. "But please, just call me Raoul..."
"Only if you just call me Wilhelm," he responded, earning a nod from the Vicomte.
"Wilhelm... That's not a French name, is it?" Raoul asked as they made their way to the shop.
"It's German," he responded, nodding his head.
"Ah so you're from Germany," Raoul mused. "Your accent isn't very noticable, it's almost like you were born here."
"I was taught French before German so that may add into it there!"
"I see," Raoul stopped once he got to a smaller shop that didn't have many buyers. "Here we are... It might not look like much but they have a lot of jewelry and dresses for women. It's where I get most of my sister's gifts."
"Thank you for showing me," Wilhelm shook his hand. "It might not seem like much but it means a lot."
"I don't mean to pry but who are you getting a gift for?"
"My little stepsister, she turns seventeen next week on thursday," he smiled softly, not noticing how Raoul stiffened "I've never been great at getting her things for her birthday so this year I'm trying to make up for it."
"I hope she loves the gift you choose for her," Raoul smiled, snapping out of whatever thoughts were running through his head. "It was nice talking to you, Wilhelm. Perhaps we'll meet again?"
"I think we will," Wilhelm gave him a knowing look before saying goodbye and walking into the shop. He was imminently hit with the scent of lavender as he entered the brightly lit shop. His eyes widened as he took in all the jewelry and dresses. The shop owner smiled at him as he entered and told him to call on her if he needed any help.
Wilhelm decided against getting Isabelle a dress and wandered over to the jewelry. Almost instantly, his eyes were drawn to a necklace and an arm band. 'These are perfect,' Wilhelm grinned. 'Why didn't I come here first? Would have saved me a lot of time!'
Wilhelm quickly paid for the jewelry and put it into a nice bag before going back to the Opera Populiare. He was glad that he got shopping over with and didn't have to worry about going back. Shopping was almost torture to him, not having the patience to go from store to store looking for different things.
"How was shopping?" Jasper asked as he walked over to his tired looking friend.
"Horrible," Wilhelm responded, rubbing his hand over his face. "It took me forever to find the shops and I had to ask someone to show me where I could get something for a teenage girl. It was embarrassing..."
"Could have been worse," Jasper laughed. "It could've started raining!"
"True," Wilhelm yawned before following Jasper to where there room was. He pushed open the door and walked over to his bed, nodding to Archer as he did so. Wilhelm placed the jewelry into his trunk and under his clothes so no one would get curious and look through it.
"Is Isabelle excited about her date?" Archer asked, glancing over to the frozen Wilhelm.
"Date? What date?" Wilhelm demanded. Archer shrunk down a little and scolded himself for ever mentioning it.
"Yeah... Me and Emma are going on a date tomorrow and a friend of mine was going to join. Emma thought it would be awkward for him so she volunteered for Isabelle to go as his date," Archer winced when he saw Wilhelm's angry face.
"And when did she plan to tell me?"
"I don't know! I didn't ask her, Emma was the one who confirmed it for me."
"Was denkt sie?" Wilhelm growled in German, standing up and stalking out the room. "Sie ist so tot ist..." Wilhelm stalked toward the storage room, knowing that she would be there. He slammed the door open glared at the startled Isabelle.
"Whats wrong, Will?" Isabelle asked, her eyes worried. "Are you okay?"
"You're going on a date?" Wilhelm hissed. "And you didn't bother to tell me?"
"I didn't think I had to tell you," Isabelle bristled, not liking her brother's reaction. "Plus, when I did go to tell you, you were gone! So don't yell at me for not telling you!"
"Do you even know who you are going on a date with?"
"Emma never told me," Isabelle shrugged. "It's not like he's a rapist since he's a friend of Archer. So lay off and stop treating me like I'm a child!"
"You know I'm just worrying about you..."
"I know Will, and I appreciate it but you're over reacting," Isabelle sighed. "You're acting like I wasn't planning on telling you... Trust me Wilhelm, I can take care of myself. I don't need you holding my hand all through out my life."
"I just don't want you to make a decision that you end up regretting," Wilhelm frowned.
"It's just a date Wilhelm, it's not like I'm getting engaged to him or anything," Isabelle shook her head. "If this date goes horrible and he ends up being a creep, I promise that I won't ever go on date with him again. Okay?"
"Fine," he muttered before grinning. "You better not go past the point of no return," Wilhelm joked, earning a pout from Isabelle.
"That was my joke!"
Translations:
Was denkt sie- what is she thinking?
Sie ist so tot ist- she is so dead
