Chapter Nine – The Secret Talent

Christina's POV

I got changed into my Pajamas, pulled on my pale blue dressing gown and slipped my feet into my slippers. I then collected my bathroom things and left the room. When I made it to the girl's bathroom I saw Natalii and Zara chatting by the sinks. "Hi Christina" they said when I entered. "Hey guys" I said and walked into a cubicle. When I came out again I washed my hands and face. "Are you feeling nervous about Saturday at all?" Natalii asked. I shook my head and dried myself off with my towel. "No, I'm very excited about it" I said smiling at them. "Are you doing anything for the performance?" I asked. "Oh yes, us and the rest of the girls and cast are going to be performing a few musical numbers" said Zara. "I'm really looking forward to seeing it" I said turning back to the mirror and cleaning my teeth, Natalii and Zara did the same. I then gathered my things up. "Night, Girls!" I called over my shoulder as I left the bathroom.

When I made it back to my room I closed the door, turned off the main light and switched on the two lamps on my bedside tables. I stepped out of my slippers and sat in the middle of the huge bed. It was then that the mirror slid aside and he stepped into the room. "Did you have a nice dinner?" he asked coming towards me. I nodded smiling up at him "Yes it was nice. And I couldn't stop thinking of the story you told me." He grinned back at me and sat down on the edge of the bed.

His face then turned serious "You haven't told anyone about me have you?" he asked and I shook my head "No, not a soul." He sighed in relief "Good thing you didn't. If you did, it would put my life in great danger." I shifted closer to him. "Why?" I asked. He looked straight into my eyes "All my life I have lived in secret and stayed hidden from the danger from up here. Down below is my sanctuary and if anyone should discover it, I would be lost and ruined." I still didn't understand what he meant "But what do you mean by "danger up here"? Why do you live down below anyway?" I asked but he shook his head "Christina, I will explain everything to you soon, when you are ready. In the mean time have patience." I sighed and nodded "Ok I'll wait. And I promise that I won't tell anyone about you. It's just today has been so wonderful that I feel like it's a story worth telling the world. But at the same time who would believe such a story?" I said staring into space. "Your friend Meg perhaps" he said cheerfully, I turned back to face him. "She would I suppose, she is someone who listens and understands."

For a while we just sat the looking into each other's eyes and smiling. Then he said "There is more about Meg that only I know about." My smile dropped "What do you mean?" I asked curiously. "She has a secret talent that she has been hiding from everyone. It's something that she does every night before she goes to bed. If I'm not mistaken she might be doing it right now." I jumped off the bed and put on my slippers "Where?" I asked. He stood up and said. "Two floors up in music room two."

I turned, hurried out of the door and down the corridor to the stairs. When I made it up two floors I then heard the sound of music. As I stood outside room two the music was even louder and so beautiful. I quietly opened the door and saw Meg wearing a yellow dressing gown, with her back to me, playing on a silver flute. I stepped into the room and closed the door silently behind me and leaned against it. Meg hadn't heard me and carried on playing so beautifully. When the tune ended I clapped and she gasped in shock, spinning round as if she had been electrocuted. "Meg, you play so wonderfully. Why didn't you tell me?" I said walking towards her. "Christina! How did you know I was up here?" she gasped. "I heard you playing" I lied. Her face dropped "All this time I didn't want anyone to know about this, but now…" She dropped into a chair looking sad. I sat next to her and put my arm round her "Don't feel bad Meg, this amazing talent you have is something you shouldn't really keep a secret. Maybe you could perform it on Saturday in the concert." I suggested. "But my mother thinks I will successful as the lead ballerina. And anyway I would be too nervous to even to reveal it to her and Dad." I thought for a moment then I had an idea. "You could play a song and I'll sing along?" She blinked "You would do that for me?" she said in disbelief. I nodded and stroked her arm "Yes I would." I got to my feet and went to have a look at the music sheets on her stand to see if there was a song I recognized. "Yes! We could do this one Meg. I really love this song." She came to stand beside me and read the song title. "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion. "I love this song too" Said Meg. "Shall we have a go at it right now?" "Yes Meg, let's try it." She picked her flute back up and I cleared my throat. Meg played the opening to the song and then I came in. As the song went on the more beautiful it became, both Meg's playing and my voice.

When the song ended we both looked at each other in amazement. "Oh Meg, we'll blow everyone away with this. And I'm sure your Mother and Father will be very proud of you." Meg nodded slowly her sweet smile lighting up her face. "So you'll be there with me?" she asked squeezing my hand. "The whole time" I said squeezing her hand back. "We'd better head back now, we're gonna need a good night sleep if we're going to amaze them tomorrow." Meg threw her arms round me in a quick hug then gathered up all her things. We left the room together and headed back downstairs. When we arrived on our floor we gave each other one last hug and said "Good Night"

I walked back to my room alone, when I got back inside I found him still there sat on the edge of my bed. He rose to his feet when I stepped in "You were right" I said closing the door "Meg plays the flute so beautifully, I can't believe she has kept it from everyone." I kicked off my slippers and sat on top of my bed on the left side, he walked round and sat back down in front of me. "Your voice goes beautifully with her playing." He said smiling. I blinked "Could you hear us from down here?" I asked. He shook his head. "I followed you and watched the both of you". That didn't make any sense. "But I closed the door, how could you have seen it? All you could have done is listened from the other side of the door." He shook his head again. "I didn't follow you that way" He pointed his thumb at the mirror "I have my own secret ways, remember?" I suddenly understood "Oh yes! The Trap-Door Lover!" He gave me an amused smile.

He pulled out his pocket watch to see the time. "Come on, it's time you got to sleep" he said slipping the watch back into his pocket. I took off my dressing gown and threw it onto a chair. As I settled myself under the duvet and he switched off the lamp on the right side-table. He came back to my side his white mask glowed in the remaining lamp light like the setting sun. Then he gently tucked the duvet up to my neck smiling warmly down at me. Just as he was turning to switch off the lamp I reached my hand out from under the duvet and took his hand in mine. He turned back to face me "Thank you for the lesson today, I'm really looking forward to our next one tomorrow." I said. He squeezed my hand "So am I, very much" he said. A wave of happiness flowed through me as I looked up at this wonderful man. I brought his hand to my lips and kissed it. His eyes widened and his mouth was agape in surprise. When his hand slipped from mine he stared where I kissed it, staring as if it had been a priceless treasure. Then he stared back down at me and my smile widened. "Good night" I said turning on my side still facing him. His smile returned and he reached forward and stroked my hair "Good night Christina, sweet angel" Then he switched off the lamp and in the darkness I heard the mirror slide open and him stepping through. After hearing the mirror slip back in place I settled down closing my eyes. I slept peacefully through a dreamless sleep.

When I opened my eyes I picked up my phone beside the lamp and peered at the time. It was twenty-past eight. I stretched and rubbed my eyes before slipping out of bed. I pulled on my dressing gown, put on my slippers and left the room and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. When I arrived there were a few people sat at the tables, I saw Meg sat alone in a table in a corner. Confused as to why I went to the counter and got my breakfast. I carried my tray over to the corner where Meg was sitting. "Good morning, Meg. May I sit down?" I asked and she looked up giving me a small smile. "Good morning. Yes of course you may." I put down my tray and sat down opposite her. As I took a sip from my orange juice I noticed that Meg was stirring her spoon round her bowl of cereal but not actually eating it. I put my glass back down "Are you alright Meg?" I asked and she shook her head "I kept having nightmares last night. You and I auditioned but they didn't like me and forced me to stay in the ballet." She said in a trembling voice. I reached forward and took her hand. "Don't worry Meg, it was only a nightmare it wasn't real. I told you last night that I would be with you the whole time. And I they don't like your performance, well they'll have me to answer to." Meg stood up and leaned across the table to give me a quick hug. "Thank you" She said sitting back down. "You're welcome" I said smiling "You'd better eat you breakfast Meg, you don't want to be hungry later on." She nodded and picked her spoon back up. I took my own and dug into my cereal.

When we were halfway through our breakfast I asked "Can you tell me a bit more about the concert Meg?" This seemed to cheer her up because her smile came back to her pretty face. "Well the show itself is hosted by a character called "Mister Y" who owns the most spectacular theatre performers in the world. He is being played by this guy called Gilles who is one of our great comic performers. And basically he will be introducing all of the acts." I nodded "It sounds very exciting Meg" I said. And we continued to eat. After we finished or breakfast I said "Meet me at the door that leads to stage-left, ok?" She nodded and I gave her shoulder a friendly pat "See you in a bit Meg" and we headed back to our rooms.

When I got back I pulled off my dressing gown and kicked off my slippers. Then I changed into my bootleg jeans and my navy blue cable-knit sweater. I brushed through my hair and had a quick look at my phone, it told me that the time was quarter to ten. I ran all the way to the door that led into the stage-left wings. Meg was already standing there alone. She was wearing skinny jeans that showed off her lovely legs and a cream colored lace top. In her right hand she had her flute case and a folder in the other. "Ready?" I asked. She nodded and handed me the folder "Yes I'm ready" I smiled, took her hand and opened the door. We passed a few stagehands at work, then finally making it to the stage-left entrance to the stage. As we walk onto the stage we see that it's already crowded with the other performers. "Morning Girls" I turned to see Leon, Pierre and Henri giving us welcoming smiles. I grin back "Morning to you too" I said.

I then see Jean-Andre sitting in the middle seat at the front of the stalls, writing something on a clipboard. "Jean-Andre!" I call down to him. He looks up and grins at me. "Morning, Miss De Chagny. How are you this morning?" "Very well thank you. I'd like to ask you is, are there any spaces left in the concert to sign up for?" Jean-Andre stared at his clip board then nodded "Yes there is. Are you wishing to perform another song for us in the show, Miss De Chagny?" he asked. I nodded "Yes. Meg will be playing a song on her flute and I will be singing the vocals. May we show you the song now?" I asked him. He stared a Meg then contemplated my question for a moment and then said "Of course you may girls." He clapped his hands for silence and a stage hand rushed over placing a music stand in front of us. As I opened the folder I saw Meg's parents who were watching their daughter with some-what confused expressions. Her mother then caught my eye and stared questioningly at me but I smiled and winked at her. I put the music sheets onto the stand and stood back stretching my arms and cleared my throat. I nodded at Meg and she began to play then I came in with the vocals.

All through the song I kept looking at everyone watching us. But this time their eyes weren't fixed on me like yesterday. They all seemed to be amazed by Meg's flawless playing. I can guess what they were all thinking "Why didn't Meg ever tell us she could play the flute so beautifully?" Mr. and Mrs. Gilson both had their arms round each other, and looked as if they were about to cry tears of joy. When the Song ended everyone burst into a loud applause, Meg looked so amazed by the reaction that she stared at me mouth agape. I smiled warmly at her then gave her a hug. Then the boys and girls ran forward towards us and congratulated Meg and me.
Jean-Andre had by now walked onto the stage and made his way through the crowd towards us clapping his hands. "Bravo girls, that was really stunning. We shall definitely have that in the show. But I must say Meg, it seems you have been keeping something from us." Everyone fell silent once more. And Meg gave a small nod "Yes it seems I have" she said in a tiny voice. Madame Gilson made her way forward "But why did you never tell us that you could do this, dear?" She asked. Meg stared at the floor in disappointment "I don't know. I guess I just thought that you would all prefer me as the lead ballerina. And playing the flute was nothing compared to that. I'm sorry." Jean-Andre put a comforting hand around her shoulder "Never apologize for talent Meg. All talents are gifts no matter how small or uncommon they may be. A talent can help even the poorest person achieve great things. This counts for all of you as well" He said looking round the room "Remember that" Meg nodded her smile returning. Jean-Andre patted her shoulder and dispatched himself from the crowd.

I now put my hand on Meg's shoulder and said. "All this time Meg, you've been playing alone up in that room upstairs at night. And now you've played for all of us. I just want to ask, what do you feel inside yourself when you're playing that amazing instrument?" Meg stepped away from me, out of the crowd and walked to the very front of the stage staring into a space on the balcony's.

(Meg)
I can't really explain it,
I haven't got the words
It's a feeling that you can't control
I suppose it's like forgetting, losing who you are
And at the same time something makes you whole
It's like that there's a music playing in your ear
And I'm listening, and I'm listening and then I disappear

And then I feel a change
Like a fire deep inside
Something bursting me wide open impossible to hide
And suddenly I'm flying, flying like a bird
Like electricity, electricity
Sparks inside of me
And I'm free I'm free

It's a bit like being angry,
it's a bit like being scared
Confused and all mixed up and mad as hell
It's like when you've been crying
And you're empty and you're full
I don't know what it is, it's hard to tell
It's like that there's a music playing in your ear
But the music is impossible, impossible to hear
But then I feel it move me
Like a burning deep inside
Something bursting me wide open impossible to hide
And suddenly I'm flying, flying like a bird
Like electricity, electricity
Sparks inside of me
And I'm free I'm free
Electricity, sparks inside of me
And I'm free, I'm free
I'm free. Free I'm free

The Song in this Chapter was

Electricity – Billy Elliot