Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, i've been so busy. Here is Chapter 7, thanks for reading and enjoy!
Gustave's POV
I woke early the next morning for work and was surprised to find the phantom already up and working. He seemed busy so I got ready and headed back up the stairs to the mirror. I was nervous to be around everyone again plus I still had a fat lip and black eye that people would probably whisper about.
We had to practice for another performance for tomorrow night so I was playing the piano for the ballerina's. I was still angry at Amia, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop staring at her. She was so beautiful on stage; so graceful. I wanted to talk to her again, I wanted to be her friend, but I knew she didn't feel the same way so I kept my distance. Every once in a while I would catch her glancing my way but when she noticed me looking she would quickly turn her head.
I saw Angelina again and she smirked at me as she walked by. I wanted to wipe that smug look right off of her face, but now was not the time. We went through the opera once more and were let out early from work. I made my way back through the mirror and down into the catacombs. I looked around for the Phantom and didn't find him anywhere; he must be out.
I decided to take advantage of this time and read some more of the phantom's diary. He hadn't locked the door to his room so I went in and once again picked the lock on the nightstand. I flipped open to a random page and began to read.
9/3
Why has god cursed me with such a horrid face? Why must I be forced to live as such a monster? Is there anyone who can look upon my face? My heart has again been shattered as I am reminded that no one can love me. I went to watch Gustave at his audition today, watching him reminded me of how I used to watch her. As I listened to the sweet music flowing from the piano I closed my eyes and imagined her dancing on stage as she used to do. As I looked back at Gustave I felt that familiar feeling that I always had around him. He felt so familiar, like I had known him my whole life. What is it about him that causes me to feel this way? I first thought that my teaching him was just bringing up memories of the past, but it's more than that. There is something else, so I changed up our lesson and sang with him a song I had recently written about seeing the beauty underneath. Our voices flowed together in perfect harmony and I really began to believe that he would accept me. Being a fool I pulled off my mask. What a horrid mistake. The boy screamed at my disfigurement like no one before. I felt that this boy understood me, that just maybe he could look past it, but he was just like everyone else; disgusted and terrified. He ran out of the room screaming as I kneeled on the floor crying and grabbing my chest as my heart ripped open. It was just like when she stared into my face in fear, that same look spread across the boys face. I am reminded that no one could ever love someone as disgusting as me.
I felt horrible. I had no idea I had made him feel so awful. I looked to him as the only one I could trust here, but I still feared him. I shouldn't have run out screaming though, it was wrong. My mother had always taught me to be kind to everyone; especially people like the phantom. She'd say that the people that seem the strangest are the best people of all. I flipped to the next page and read.
9/8
Last night sat working on my next opera; I was so busy that I was startled when Gustave called my name. I spun around angry that he had dared to come down here again; I never expected to see him again. I was about to scream at him when I noticed his appearance. His shirt was ripped; he had a fat lip, a cut on his arm and a black eye. Someone had harmed him and instead of yelling at him like I should have done I helped him out. He then begged me to stay down here for the night and I refused to let him, but he looked as if he were about to cry and I had a hard time saying no. finally he wore me down and I agreed to let him stay just for the night. He immediately fell asleep and I went back to work. This morning I heard the boy mumbling in his sleep. He soon began screaming and crying, reminding me of my nightmares I woke him up. He seemed upset so I left him be. After sometime I grabbed him some breakfast. He was still scared by my presence and I had no idea how to comfort him, no one had ever comforted me before; except for her. I offered to teach him to cheer him up, but he refused making me feel worse. The day moved slowly, I left to finish up a couple off errands and when I returned I continued my work as always. I suggested to Gustave that he leave and the brat refused! He told me that I had no choice, but to let him stay. This angered me, how dare that little brat tell me what I can and can't do in my own home. In a rage I ripped the stuffed bear from his hand and tossed it into the lake. He shoved past me and dove in after it, for a second I was worried he would drown. I had many traps within the water to protect my home, but he got the bear and made it out ok. Why is that thing so important to him, it's just a childish toy. That little brat will no longer be allowed here.
I turned to the next page and saw it was empty. Instead of flipping back to the very beginning I closed the book, feeling like I had read enough for today. I slipped it away and went to find something to occupy myself.
I sat at the piano and started playing. Once again my head was filled with questions about the phantom. As I began to think about it, we really did have a lot in common. I sat and played till the phantom came back. We had barely spoken all day. I just knew I had to ask him about mother soon; then an idea struck me. I went over to his desk to talk to him.
"Monsieur?"
"What is it?"
"Do you ever leave the opera house for something besides errands?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you ever just go out to enjoy yourself?"
He stopped working turned to me angrily, "Do you think I can go anywhere and enjoy myself?" the venom in his voice caused me to shrink away. "Do you think I can go anywhere without being called a monster!"
"I...I… I'm sorry. I just thought…maybe we could go somewhere."
"Why would we do that?"
"I don't know, to have some fun. It's nice to get out every once in a while."
He thought about what I said for a moment and went back to his work again.
"You can go somewhere, I'll stay here."
"Oh please monsieur, come with me, I need a friend."
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "We can go, but only when it is dark out."
"Thank you!" I went back to my room and took a nap, I had been feeling run down lately and my throat hurt.
Later before we were to leave I went to the chapel to pray that my plan for tonight went well. When I walked in I saw Amia sitting on the floor in front of the candles. I was so stupid; I had completely forgotten that she would be here. She turned toward me and her eyes lit up.
"Gustave."
I turned to leave and she called out to me.
"Gustave, wait. I wanted to talk to you."
I turned back to her, my anger flaring up again
"Make it quick."
"I want to apologize. I shouldn't have abandoned you like that, but I wasn't doing it because I didn't want to be your friend. I was doing it so that you wouldn't get hurt."
"Well sorry for you, even without you I still got hurt. I needed a friend then and you just walked away. I needed you to stand by me and you didn't."
"I know, I feel awful. I am so sorry, please forgive me." She came over to give me a hug; at first I pushed her away, but soon I found myself in her embrace.
"I'm sorry." she said again, I felt her warm tears hit the back of my neck.
"It's ok. Friends?" I asked her.
She pulled away and gave me one of her beautiful smiles. "Friends."
We sat in the chapel just like old times and I filled her in on everything that had happened. I finally told her about the phantom teaching me; I didn't want to lie to her anymore. I also told her about my plan for tonight. She was shocked by everything and told me that my plan was a good idea. After a while I had to leave, she wished me luck and I left to meet with the phantom.
The phantom stood waiting for me. He had his usual white shirt, black pants, and cloak on. He also had on his wig and mask which he now never removed in my presence.
He handed me my small coat that he had taken out of my bag and we made our way out of another secret passage. This one led us outside to the alley behind the opera house. The streets were totally empty and the only light was from a few glowing street lamps. We both stood uncomfortably in the middle of the street.
"Where do you want to go?" the phantom asked me.
I thought about it for a moment and thought of the perfect place for my plan.
"Bois de Boulogne."
He smirked at me. "Let's be on our way then."
I had thought the park had looked beautiful during the day, but at night it was magical. Under the moonlight the whole place felt alive.
I walked around looking at the beauty of everything. The phantom followed me till we ended up in a small grassy clearing somewhere in the middle of the park. In the middle of the clearing was a small scrawny looking bush. I went to kick it when the phantom stopped me.
"Do you know what this is?"
"Some kind of weed?"
He laughed "No, it's a rose bush."
I looked at it again, there was no way this was a rose bush. We used to have a few at home and they never looked anything like this. "This isn't a rose bush, it looks nothing like one."
The phantom bent down next to the bush, "but it is, it's just hasn't bloomed yet. During the winter it will die, but come spring it will grow again and some of the most beautiful roses will bloom.
I bent down next to him as he pointed out the small buds hidden under the leaves. He taught me some more about the plants and then we lay down in the grass and he taught me about the stars.
"Monsieur, how do you know so much?"
"I've learned everything I know from books." He said.
I smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Monsieur, there's something I need to talk to you about."
"Hm?"
"But first, I want to thank you for everything you have done for me; and I want to apologize for screaming at you when…when you pulled your mask off. It was rude and I am very sorry; I should not have done that after all you have done for me."
He looked me straight in the eyes, I saw that there were tears in them, but his expression gave away that he knew something was up.
I had wanted to tell him how much I appreciated everything he had done before I asked him the big question. I might not see him after this and I wanted to be sure to thank and apologize to him, before I left.
I stared back into his eyes trying to push my fears away.
"I…I need to ask you something…something I meant to ask you a long time ago."
"What is it?"
I tried to open my mouth, but my lips became dry. I forced my mouth to move, but when it opened nothing came out.
"Come on, I don't have all day." The phantom said impatiently.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "Do… you…do you know…who the...Angel of music is?"
The park went completely silent. I opened my eyes to see the phantom now sitting up; even under the moonlight I could see the color drain from his face. In an instant I was lifted off the ground by my shirt and once again in the hands of the phantom.
"Where did you hear about that!" he snarled.
I was so frightened I wasn't able to speak. The phantom began to shake me.
"Tell me! Where did you hear that you little brat! I want an answer!"
"I… heard it from my mother." I said my voice shaking.
"Stop lying! You haven't seen your mother in years!"
"I'm not lying. But I did lie to you earlier. I did not become separated from my parents when I was little. My parents live with me in America."
"The why in hell did you come here!" he screamed shaking me again.
"Because my mother needed me to come find the Angel of Music; and I know that you know who my mother is!"
"You little brat you don't know anything! I have no idea who your mother is! I don't even know who you are!"
"Yes you do! You have a picture of her in your room! In-"
"You went into my room! How dare you after I welcome you into my home!"
I continued where he cut me off "In your room is a picture of my mother, Christine Daae!"
The phantom released my shirt, grabbed his chest and staggered backward.
There was a long silence between us before he spoke.
"You're Christine Daae's son?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes, and I need to know who the Angel of music is."
"So she and De Chagny had a child." He muttered to himself.
'No, that's the reason I'm here."
He suddenly looked up, "what do you mean?"
"I have recently discovered that Raoul is not my father. The Angel of music is."
His eyes opened wide in shock and he dropped to his knee's griping his chest tighter.
"So I need you to tell me who the Angel of Music is, I need to find him. It's very important."
He had his head bent toward the ground and when he looked up at me he was crying. "The Angel of Music. It's me…" he whispered.
"What?"
"I'm the Angel of music."
I stood there shocked. The man who I had trusted, who I had come to like, who I feared, was my father.
"You…you're my father…" I said.
"It all makes sense now." The phantom said aloud, "that feeling I have every time I'm around you; and that smile, I can never forget that smile, Christine's smile." He began sobbing.
I wanted to go over and comfort him, but I was still scared. I just stood there as he sobbed. We had both taken the information pretty hard. All this time, I had no idea that this man, this thing was my father.
We stayed like this for a long time, until the Phantom's sobs slowly subsided. After a few minutes he stood up and started to walk away. I followed him in silence back to the opera house. Back in his home, he went into his room and shut the door; a little while later I heard the sobs again. I changed my clothes and tried to go to bed. I felt exhausted, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't fall asleep.
I got up from bed and sat down at the water's edge; I took my finger and moved it through the murky water.
"Couldn't sleep?"
I turned my head and saw the phantom sitting at the piano, in his hands was the picture of my mother.
"No," I got up and sat next to him on the piano bench.
"Neither could I." he said. "Do you know what helps me when I can't sleep?"
"What?"
"Music."
I smiled at him and began to play and sing one of my favorite songs my mother would sing to me when I couldn't sleep:
Night-time sharpens,
heightens each sensation
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination
silently the senses abandon their defenses...
The phantom began to sing along with me.
Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor
Grasp it, sense it - tremulous and tender
Turn your face away
from the garish light of day,
turn your thoughts away
from cold, unfeeling light -
and listen to the music of the night.
"You know that song?"
"Mother used to sing it to me when I couldn't sleep." I said.
"Did she now?"
We sat together in silence for a little longer.
"My head hurts, I think I'm going to go lay down."
The Phantom nodded and then placed a hand on my forehead.
"You're a little warm. Are you ok?"
"Yes, I'm fine." I said sliding off the bench. I started to walk back to my room, but after a few steps my head began to spin. I suddenly felt hot and then whole room was spinning; I heard the phantom call out my name and then I passed out.
Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone who continually reads and review's my story! Now that the truth is out what will happen to Gustave and Erik? I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible! And PLEASE dont forget to REVIEW!
