Christine sat there. Auditions were so boring, if it weren't for the millions of butterflies swarming in her stomach. She read her music again and again and again.

"Christine Daae?" A woman called her name, "You're next."

'Thank…" She started to say, but the woman left, "you."

Yep she defiantly hated auditions. Who made her do this anyway? Meg…that little shit. She should not have agreed to this. That brat was just lucky she knew this music already. Christine looked up feeling someone trop by her. Instantly was up and to the woman.

"Oh, are you alright miss?" Christine asked

"No!" Her voice heavily accented, "'ow dare you!"

"Pardon?" Was she going to get yelled at again?

"You little whore!" The large woman exclaimed climbing to her feet, "'ow dare you trip the Carlotta!"

"I'm sorry Miss Carlotta." Christine sighed,

"Miss Daae!" The woman with the clipboard came up to them, "It's your turn."

"Thank you," Christine nodded, and silently thanked God for getting her away from that woman.

"Carlotta is a little high strung." The lady said as they walked, she seemed to disappear. Christine walked from the curtains and out to the stage.

"Miss Daae?" A man's voice echoed from the blaring light, "Miss Christine Daae?"

"Yes sir." She tried not to squint,

"No stage resume?" The question was from a different man,

"No sir/" She shook her head, "I have had some high school stage."

"Alright," Came the other man's voice, "What you going to sing for us?"

"Think of Me." She answered and the music started to play. She sand a little weary at first but soon her voice became accustom and she sang. Her heart felt lighter, her stomach's knots untied and her body stopped shaking. She felt home and she felt her father smiling. For once in a long time she felt truly happy. But the song ended too soon and there she was again, plain Christine.

"Thank you, Miss Daae." The voice sounded impressed but was clearly trying to hide it, "We will call you for the part."

"Thank you" She smirked and left the stage.

"So did you get it?" Meg called her,

"I'll find out in two days." Christine smiled despite herself.

"You're smiling!" She squealed "I knew you would like it!"

"Stop gloating." Her smile didn't leave her face,

"So what are you doing tonight?" The girl on the other line asked,

"Unpacking." Christine sighed, as she looked around the room. "A lot of unpacking. I didn't know I had so much…stuff."

"Moving will do that to you." She shrugged, "But you have room left over right?"

"Yeah that's the weird part." Her eyes narrowed, "I plenty of room left over."

"We get to decorate!" Meg squealed, "I'm excited now."

"Correction," Christine stopped her, "I get to decorate, and you can help."

"Fine." She sounded disappointed, "Anyway Raoul is taking me out tonight so I'll talk o you some other time. Bye."

"Bye." Christine hung up. Yep there was a lot to do to this apartment. There was a knock on the door. She got up to answer it.

"Hi!" A guy with short blond hair and chocolate eyes smiled at her, he was dressed in a suit as if just coming from work.

"Hello," She smiled back, wishing she was wearing something other than her sweat pants right now.

"I know you're new so I came as the welcome wagon." He said, "I'm Chris." He held out his hand, "Chris Nixon."

"Christine Daae." She took it, happy to meet someone if she ever needed any sugar.

"Daae?" His eyes grew thoughtful, "I've heard that name somewhere."

"My father was a violinist as well as a composer." Christine nodded, "One of New York and Chicago's best."

"That's right!" He sobered, "I was really upset when he died, but who live in the past any more?" She giggled something she hadn't done in a while, "Anyway I wanted to get here before some damn lawyer scared you off."

"You're definitely the first." She smiled,

"Good," He looked worried for a moment "You didn't run into the big snots that live here yet, did you?"

"No" Her head shook,

"That's a relief, because trust me, those damn single corporate guys here just want some, so watch out." He looked at his watch, "Well I got to go. Just wanted to say welcome and see you sometime."

"Alright." Christine closed the door as he waved and talked away. Her first new friend that was cute, and came to her door. She had to admit that was a pretty good welcome.

"When do you find out?" Meg voice came through the phone,

"Today!" Christine said in a hurry, "So get off!"

"Alright!" She hung up. Christine smiled, so that was how to get her off the pone…. The phone rang and in a flash she was upon it.

"Hello?" Her voice sounded professional at least

"Ms. Christine Daae?" The man at the other line asked,

"This is she." Christine could feel her heart racing,

"I would like to tell you," He paused, and her heart just stopped "That you are the understudy for Ms. Carlotta, who is playing Beatrice."

"Thank you sir." She said, not sure what else to say, feeling a bit deflated but she still had something.

"Your welcome," His cheery voice said, "You will be needed at practices, which are at one to five, everyday but Sunday, and they start tomorrow. Have a nice day Ms. Daae."

"Thank you," She smiled, "You too." Then she hung up. Understudy, well what you expect when you barely sing any more. But for some reason she felt she should have gotten better. She knew it was stupid but just feeling…wait…Carlotta? That was that bitch! The one that tripped and blamed her! If there was a God she damn well sing like an angel.

Christine decided there wasn't any God. Sitting there for only an hour made her ears bleed and head hurt from listening to the woman sing, if you could call it that. From Christine's experience to sing was words flowing, smooth and soft, and Carlotta had somehow thrown her experience away. Even the conductor of the orchestra put ear plugs in. Why did they pick this woman? OH because she was famous in Europe and soon to become famous in the US opera scene. Yes, Christine had learned that in the first ten seconds. And the worst part was she hadn't seen Meg since Meg was in the ballet room.

"Carlotta!" One of the managers, Firman came up to them, "We are so happy to have you here!"

"And I am happy to be 'ere!" Even her voice screeched and her h's were over drawn, Italian, Christine had also found that out,

"Mr. Destler will join us in three months." The other manager Andre spoke to everyone, "He is in London at the moment and says he expects to see everyone close to perfection." A couple of people scoffed and Christine's ears perked up at hearing the name. Did he mean Erik Destler?

"But we open in three months!" A girl pointed out

"Well then," Fiman shrugged, "Better practice." The two gentlemen left.

"You heard them!" Carlotta yelled, "Let's get working!"

The people just did as they were told and started to move. Christine rolled her eyes from the side, unfortunately Carlotta saw it.

"An' you!" She pointed to Christine,

"And me?" Her expression was a confused one

"Yes you!" Carlotta nodded, "You are disrupting my rehearsal!"

"Your rehearsal?" If she wanted to she could have laughed it off but after listening to this woman screech for two that wasn't going to happen, "Wouldn't it be the director's rehearsal?"

"Do you see him here?" The woman questioned, "NO! So you will listen to me! You hear me?" Christine didn't answer, "Do you hear me?"

"Yes," She mumbled. Well what could you do? This diva not only could not sing, but screech, scream and yell at very high tones and pitches. It was amazing what the devil could do.

"Well at least she didn't bite your head off." A young man about her age came over. He was cute, very cute.

"I think she snipped it a little." Christine smiled, "Christine Daae."

"Daniel Heart." His green eyes twinkled, "but normally people just call me Dan."

"Christine is fine." She nodded,

"So first opera here?" He asked,

"Yes," Her eyes checked to make sure Carlotta wasn't looking over, luckily she was busy screeching, "First opera ever."

"Really?" Dan looked impressed, "Usually first-timers don't get understudies they get chores, but that must mean your pretty damn good."

"I'm not the best," She shrugged, "but I'm not the worst."

"What are you doing after practice?" He seemed innocent enough,

"Nothing?" Christine smiled, "But I have some things to do at home."

"You want to get something to eat?" His smiled would make girls swoon, but it didn't do anything to her,

"Sure" She gave a similar smile,

"She doesn't even sing!" Dan laughed "She screeches!"

"I know!" Christine laughed along with him, "I can't stand her!"

"At least you don't have to at like you're in love with her!" He scoffed,

"I thank God everyday for that." She lifted her drink in the air to pretend to cheer him.

"The woman isn't even nice to look at!" Christine stopped her drink in her mouth, "I bet her parents just past out at the sight of her! They should switch her with one of the girls from the ballet. Man I like get some of those girls…."

"I got to go." Christine looked at her watch,

"Oh alright," Dan nodded and started to get up with her, "Here I'll walk you to your apartment."

"No, I'm fine." She smiled, "I'll just take a cab."

"See you tomorrow then." He waved to her as she left and just nodded at him. She opened the door to the street and the night air hit her.

Was he really that arrogant? Or maybe he was just stupid. She never mentioned one about Carlotta's looks, yes she was slightly overweight, but the woman wasn't ugly. And what was that about the some of the ballet girl? This guy was definitely not her type, at all. After about thirty minutes of walking she arrived at her apartment.

"Hey neighbor!" A familiar voice said,

"Hello Chris." She smiled as she turned around

"Bad date?" He looked sorry

"It wasn't really a date," Her eyes rolled a bit, "But yea, it was bad."

"You want to talk about it?" He nodded towards his apartment,

"Well I was just…"

"Come on I won't bite." Taking her hand he led her to his apartment. She gave a gasp when she went inside. It was white, but very tastefully done. Color here and there, but not too much.

"It's very white." She commented, "I take it you don't have any animals."

"Nah, I'm allergic." He shrugged, "Do you want anything? Pepsi, Coke or something to numb the date pain?"

"Water's fine." She smiled,

"Make yourself comfortable in the living room." His voice followed his retreating form. Christine went into the open space and sat on a very comfortable, white leather couch. Chris came back with the drinks.

"You must not have a lot of time to enjoy this place." She noted, "With being a…"

"Therapist." He supplied, "So tell me about the date."

"Well it was with the guy I am in the opera with…."

"You're in an opera?" His eyes widened,

"Understudy." She shrugged,

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you, anyway." She smiled, "He was acting really nice, all friendly at practice so we went out to eat. We were talking and he said some things, but I let them go thinking he just slipped up. But then he started calling the lead ugly, which she's not, and I didn't even let him finish what he was going to say about the ballet girl, since my friend is one of them." She paused, "I but it wasn't even about their dresses!"

"I wouldn't doubt it." Chris smiled,

"So how was your day?" Christine tried to sound cheerful,

"Got up went to work came back here." He shrugged, "Saw you and decided to talk to someone normal."

Normal?" Of all things Christine never believed herself to be 'normal'

"Being a therapist you speak with snots, alcoholics, and loonies," His eyes sparkled, "you're pretty normal."

"Right" She took a sip of water, "I should get some sleep for tomorrow's practice."

"Alright see you," He walked her to her door. Christine walked up to her room. Chris was really nice, but there was just something about him that told her he was only interested in being friends. That was fine, right? But something also told her, she wasn't interested in him.

I think that is the longest chapter I ever written. Quite proud actually. Review!

EV