Chapter 14

Practice

"Call you me fair? That fair again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair! Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet air more tunable than lark to shepherd's ear, when wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear," Anna recited as Erik sat in the audience area. Mme. Giry had allowed the two to stay after school for practice. He had been calmly sitting there watching. "Sickness is catching: O, were favor so, yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go; my ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye, my tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody. Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, the rest I'd give to be to you translated. O, teach me how you look, and with what art you sway the motion of Demetrius' heart."

Anna stood silent, breathing with confidence as she looked down to Erik who stood up. "That was...fine. You were a little weak."

"Where? I thought I hit Helena's speech as sorrowful and melancholy as I could," protested Anna who watched as Erik ascended the stage from the right.

Erik wasn't one to stop criticizing when it came to theater. Though he favored music, he still had a tongue for Shakespeare. "You forget that yes, Helena is acting as a woman in grief. Of course though because the man she loves spurns her, but you forget that this isn't just a speech of mourning. She is thinking back on those happy days with him. She loves him; still admires him. She is looking for the sense of love and joy she had. Think on that."

Though Anna hated criticism, she had to admit that Erik was right. She hated herself for that and she sometimes was annoyed at Erik for that, but she knew that he meant for her to be able to perform her best. Grabbing her bag, she said. "Maybe we should call it quits today. I have homework that needs to get done."

"You hate my criticism, don't you?" Erik could tell how hasty Anna was to get out of that room. She stopped just a few paces before the stage steps. "Attitude like that doesn't do anything if you ever hope for a career in the theater."

Anna sighed turning around, hating to admit that Erik was right about her again. She smiled, dropping her bag on the stage.

"Should we continue?" he purred gesturing to center stage. "We have time and I have a car."

Anna pulled out her script again before strutting to the center. She sighed, breathing out her anxiety as Erik stood to stage left.

Opening her eyes to the audience, she nearly felt ready to cry. It wasn't due to anxiety or criticism, but because this was a feeling she thought she knew so well. It was so overpowering and heartbreaking, she thought she heard her own soul cry from the inside.

"Call you me fair? that fair again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair! Your eyes are lode-stars; and your tongue's sweet air more tunable than lark to shepherd's ear, when wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear," she recited dropping her own script to the stage floor. Subconsciously, she took a few steps forward, tears beginning to pour from her eyes. She felt more like she was singing instead of reciting lines. It was strange to know this feeling, this deep strange feeling which seemed to tear her apart and heal her back together. "Sickness is catching: O, were favor so, yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go; my ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye, my tongue should catch your tongue's sweet melody. Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, the rest I'd give to be to you translated. O, teach me how you look, and with what art you sway the motion of Demetrius' heart."

Suddenly at the last syllable of heart, she thought she sang out reaching a note so high and pure and mighty, Anna believed she had been struck by a lightening bolt.

Her knees grew shaky under her and suddenly she fell to her knees, the intensity and shock paralyzing her being. Grasping her chest, she breathed so heavily she was afraid she losing oxygen and everything looked blurry. Never had she been more relieved that she wasn't fond of make-up. The tears trailed down her cheeks and before Anna had the chance to collide with the hard wooden floor, she found herself in Erik's arms.

"Anna! Anna!" she heard him cry, "Anna! Open your eyes! Anna! Anna!"

The vision was slowly returning back to Anna's perspective. Wiping her tears, she looked up to find Erik's masked face. Her fingers slowly reached up to his mask and when they came in contact with the texture of his mask, his fingers grasped hers and they were cold and unfriendly.

"Anna," he sighed pulling her fingers away. "Please...it's...it's just not the time. Are you all right?"

She retracted her fingers and wiped away more tears from her eyes. "I-I'm sorry Erik. I-I don't know what came over me."

Though Anna knew she should have tried to get back to her feet, her will wouldn't let her. She preferred it the way they were at that moment. It was like she didn't want it to end, but realized that it would have to eventually.

"Come on," Erik helped her back to her feet. "Let's not bother with wasting time right now. Are you all right?"

Anna sighed, uttering a light giggle. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Did you understand that feeling?" Erik asked returning back to their prime focus. Theater was his life to this boy.

Anna who had recovered from the impact of this experience managed to formulate her words. "Y-yes...I-I...I think I understand what it feels now...maybe. I don't know what came over me in that last part."

"You mean when you sang out?" Erik was more casual than she was. "Yes...that was quite odd."

"I think I was just caught up in the moment," Anna replied laughing a little to lighten the mood. "I feel weird."

Erik quickly caught her before she could collapse again. He gently led her to one of the chairs on the stage. "Here sit down and I'll go get you some water."

"Thanks," Anna managed to gasp smiling at him.

Before her vision could blur again, she thought she saw Erik smiling back at her before he raced out of the auditorium to get her water. As he exited the theater, Anna sighed smiling to herself. These last few days and weeks with Erik had given her the most happiness. She loved rehearsing with him and his family were so kind to her. Gaspard and Addie were becoming like an older brother and younger sister to her.

Suddenly she heard the door open. Thinking it was Erik she called out to him.

"No, it's me, Nadir!" she heard the voice of Nadir. After blinking a few times, her vision finally cleared and she recognized the dark olive-skinned boy with the curly dark hair standing before her. He was carrying his textbooks on police force and law.

"Oh hello Nadir, how are you?" Anna straightened herself a little as Nadir ascended the stage. He set his back pack and law books down.

"Well, things have been okay, a little hectic, but good," Nadir smiled pulling up a chair next to Anna. He suddenly noticed how pale Anna was and how much of a mess she appeared to be. "Anna, are you okay? You don't look too well."

Anna grinned taking Nadir's hand. "Don't worry, Erik and I were just rehearsing for auditions for 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. We just found the extreme side of acting."

"Do you need me to call the nurse? Anything?" Nadir squeezed her hand a little.

Anna shook her head and smoothed a strand of hair away from her face. "Erik's going to get me some water. He told me to stay here."

Hearing such news about Erik, Nadir was a little taken aback. He had never usually seen Erik care that much for anyone else except for himself and Nadir. However Nadir couldn't deny that even he was sensing the slow change in Erik from his relationship with Anna. From that, Nadir was grateful to Anna because he saw how much Erik was turning into a more kind and compassionate person than from the cold man he was before. Nadir cared about Erik's well-being and it seemed Anna was the right person he needed.

Taking her hand, she felt warm. "Anna...I want to thank you...for all you've done and I mean for Erik."

It took a few seconds for Anna to process what he said. "Wait! What do you mean? What have I done for Erik?"

"Haven't you noticed how much he's changed from being that cocky arrogant man at the beginning of the year?" Nadir pressed recalling the lunch periods and class periods he had with Erik. "He's changed Anna; he's still changing and it's because of you. You two have known each other for about a month and a half. I've seen how much he's changed because of you. Look at you two rehearsing for your auditions. When are they by the way?"

"Before Christmas break," Anna replied smiling thinking about all that Nadir had told her. "Thank you Nadir, for telling me all this. You make me sound like a miracle worker."

"Hahaha," Nadir laughed patting her shoulder. "Well you have been for Erik. He may not think like that, but to me I've seen him change because of you."

Anna smiled, thinking about how when she first met Erik he had been so cocky, arrogant and a plain jerk to her, Raoul and Meg. Of course he was still hostile toward Raoul, but she could understand why. Thanks to him, Carlotta, Luciana and Piangi haven't bothered her in a while. She still had to deal with them in her History and Drama classes, but that she could withstand.

The doors opened and Erik walked in holding a bottle of water. He walked up onto the stage where he stopped when he saw Nadir. "Oh hello Nadir. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Good day friend," Nadir greeted walking over to gather his back pack and law books. "Well I think I've intruded enough. Time to get home, study and to explain to my mom why it took me so long to get to the car."

Anna couldn't help but giggle; she thought of Nadir as such a sweet friend to Erik. Sometimes she couldn't believe that Nadir was friends with Erik even with his belligerent nature.

As Nadir was exiting the stage he lightly punched Erik's shoulder, a gesture of friendship. "I'll talk to you later Erik."

"Yes, you too Nadir," Erik bid goodbye as Nadir disappeared through the doors out of theater.

Returning back to his focus, Erik quickly rushed over to Anna, handing her the water bottle. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I guess," Anna snickered as she sipped the water bottle. "Thanks for the water."

"Your welcome," answered Erik as he took the empty seat next to her that Nadir had left. "So what were you and Nadir talking about?"

Anna took another sip of water before she answered. "Oh he was just leaving and he stopped by in here. He was wondering when our auditions will be."

Erik nodded, his expression seeming blank under the mask. His thoughts were distracted by the fact that he had yet to let Anna know what he looked like under the mask. He knew he would eventually have to show her, whether she wanted to know or not, but he dreaded that moment because he could only imagine how terrified Anna would be, how much she would scream. Though he could tell she was different than many of the girls he had known in his life, he didn't want to build up some impression of her only for it to be destroyed when she finally saw what he looked like.

That moment when Anna had collapsed into his arms, her fingers were reaching up to his mask. For a split second, he actually thought about letting her take the mask off, finally revealing the monster he knew he was. Perhaps he had thought it had been for the best for her to finally see his face so that they wouldn't linger on this relationship only for the both of them to get hurt.

Yet at the last second, he couldn't allow her to look at him. He only wanted these happy moments with her to last forever.

Even he knew that everything couldn't last.

"Erik? Erik? Erik?" Anna was waving her water bottle in front of his masked face. "Earth to Erik! You there?"

"Oh! Um...yeah, sorry I was just thinking," Erik scratched his head as he stared at her. "I can do that when I'm thinking."

A heavy sigh escaped Anna as she stood up. "Well should we go back to rehearsing?"

Before she could go to retrieve her script that she had left on center stage, Erik stopped her. "Wait! I think we've had enough practice for today. I'm afraid if we do it again, you'll need to go to the nurse."

"Oh hahaha," Anna mocked smiling as she retrieved her script. "Well if the Grand Master of Theater thinks so then perhaps it would be wise to heed his word." She bowed to him theatrically.

At that moment, Erik couldn't help but laugh. "Well how about I take you to my house where we can still go over some lines and other tips before I take you home. Gaspard and Addie can't wait to see you again."

Anna smiled, collecting her bag. "I think I would like that very much.

As she and Erik walked off the stage and exited the theater, a thought came to Anna.

"Erik?" Anna looked up at him as they approached the car.

"Yes?"

"Could we sing again?"

Guys I'm so sorry for the delay. It's been hard for me to find inspiration to keep this story going, but luckily I managed to find a surge of ideas for this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy, forgive me and review. ^_^