Muahahaha! More of Amile cuteness! You know you like the cuteness. YOU KNOW IT!!! Hehehe...um, yeah. Oh! This is the last chapter when she is all little-ish. It goes kind of fast because I'm tired and sick, so forgive me, please. NOW READ!
Chapter 6: Best Friends
Now Amile was nine years of age. Still as sophisticated as possible, but in her father's opinion, when she wasn't with him in the opera house, she was insane. But he noticed something about her. She was becoming a bit depressed. She drew herself away from her regular schedule of running around the opera house like it was her playground. He knew that she was experiencing what he had experienced when he was around her age. The playground becoming a domain.
He found her one day, laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, just not seeing it. He smiled awkwardly at her. "Are you okay Amile?" he asked gently. She let out a sigh that was traced with a feeling he had known too well. Lonliness. She sat up played with the end of her dress. "I'm just all lonely. That's all." She had lost the childishness of her voice which he was beginning to miss. The reality that she was growing up was bearing down on him. He sat next to her. "Well, how do you think you can fix this?" She shook her head.
"I don't know. I wish I had like a sister or something. Or maybe a brother. You're always running around or singing to Christine and I'm always by myself."
And it was true. He had been leaving her alone for some time. She stood up abruptly and pulled her red blanket around her. The 'Blood Ghost', as she had now been so lovingly called, took over her. Whenever she donned the ratty old blanket, he knew she was someone different. She brushed past him and took the mirror passage up.
In her spot on the rafters, Amile swung her legs back and forth, staring meaninglessly at the theatre. She sighed sadly. Erik wasn't like he used to be. He used to always play with her. Now he was always giving Christine singing lessons. While she was sitting there, she heard a childish voice much like her own. "Mama, is the Phantom really real?"
"Yes darling, he is."
Amile recognized the second voice as Madame Giry. The younger one was obviously her daughter, Meg, who was only about a year younger than her. Then inspiration struck. From what she had heard, Meg and herself were not too different. Meg could see though, but they liked to dance, liked to listen to music, and they were both doted on by their guardian. Amile smiled and skipped across the rafters.
She now took her place down in the backstage area. She heard Meg approach. Amile found that people had a certain sound when they walked. She pulled her blanket off and sat on a crate, staring aimlessly at a wall. As she planned, Meg came up to her. "Are you okay?" she asked squeakily. Amile nodded. Meg was silent for a moment before speaking. "What's your name?"
"Amile."
"That's a pretty name, my name is Meg Giry. My mama is Madame Giry. She's the ballet teacher and she cleans up sometimes."
"I know she does."
Meg looked at Amile closer. "Why're you staring at the wall like that?"
"I'm blind." Amile said swiftly. Meg was silent again. "I'm sorry." She said gently. She sat next to Amile on the crate and smiled at her. "Who's your parents?" Amile shrugged. "I don't have any parents. My mama and daddy died when I was a baby." A shocked silence took over Meg. "How'd you take care of yourself?"
"Someone found me."
"Who?"
"The Phantom." Amile said, smirking. Meg opened her mouth in shock. "He is?" Amile nodded and smiled at Meg. "Yes." Meg touched Amile's hand gently. "Would you like to be my friend then? I only have one other." With a grin, Amile nodded happily. "Best friends?" she asked. Meg grinned back. "Yes, best friends."
The silence of the lair was penetrated by Amile galloping through there and throwing herself onto her bed in a happy daze. Erik stood over her, eyebrow raised. "What happened to you?" Amile giggled. "I got a best friend now." Erik smirked casually. "And whom, may I ask, is your best friend?" Amile sat up and smiled at her father. "Meg Giry." Erik sat next to her and stroked her hair. "I was hoping you'd become friends. You know Madame Giry well enough." Amile was now delighted.
"I know! That's the best part! She can actually come down here and I can go up there!"
Erik did a half-smile, half-frown. "Yes, but remember..." He was cut off by her finishing the sentence for him. "Don't get caught. I know. You don't need to remind me all the time."
With that, she curled up on her bed and took a cat nap since it was still daytime and it was just what she did. He looked down at her with a soft smile on his face. "I know."
