Yes, I have changed the name of my story, as well as my summary. I can thank my friend Jack for that one. I also changed the genres to be more suiting... sort of. Anyway, yes. How are you liking it so far? It's going slowly, I know, but it will pick up soon. I am open to suggestions and everything, considering I'll probably get stuck soon! And Ted, I know who ya are hun! hug
The next day, Raoul and Nicole were on the stage, fencing against each other, their foils clashing against one another, making rhythmic taps and rings as they made contact. 'Point, step, step, switch,' Nicole kept telling herself in her head to keep up with Raoul. Both their brows were soaked with sweat. They had been fighting for a while now, possibly hours. After the not sleeping last night, but all of the thinking, she had some angst to let out, but her fighting performance was starting to show that she was unfocused. She had stepped on her own foot and fallen backwards, landing on her rear, which ended in Raoul having her rapier in his left hand, and his to her neck from his right.
"Are you alright?" the out of breath vicomte asked as he set the foils down at the edge of the stage, going back to help her up. Once she was up he motioned to one of the seats in the theater. "Come on… something is obviously bothering you," he said as he leaped down off of the stage and over to a seat.
She followed him to the front row, plopping down in one of the chairs. "I just don't know about anything. What if… if we do find a way back… what if I don't want to leave? What will that do to my family? Mon petit ami? Am I past the point of no return?"
"Oh, so you do have a boy friend back there then?" Raoul questioned, leaning forward in his chair slightly, elbows resting on his knees.
"Well… I do… but I'm not sure if I want to go back to him… he would be the only thing that I have to go back for, but I do not know if he's the one or not… and then I would live my life miserably, having the same day to day schedule. It would be deja vous, in constant repetition. The only person I have there that I really do consider family, other than Elsa and Danielle, is my father, but once Elsa and I moved in together, he left to travel the world. For all that I know, he's probably in Mongolia. "
"You could always stay here. I have never had a fencing partner as competitive as you, and honestly, I like it."
"Thanks… I guess I've always just been one of the guys. I never got along with girls that well until I met Elsa. Even when I met her, it still took a little to get used to. As for my boyfriend… well, I'm not sure what I want to do."
"Do you love him?"
"What kind of a question is that?"
"It's a straight forward question. Do you love him?"
"You shouldn't be asking me this, Vicomte. It's not very gentlemanly."
"It's not a rhetorical question either, so it is meant to be answered. Again, I'll ask it. Do you love him?"
Nicole was silent for a long time now, pondering over the question. After a moment, she rose from her seat and burst into song. "Day after day I ponder what to do. Do I return to the one who calls me his and live a life that I know what is to become of me. Daily routines, silent ravines in conversation… is that the way I want to live? Or do I stay with my friends, my true family, and continue with no more drudgery?" She stopped after she realized what she was doing, a bright red blush coming to her cheeks. As she looked to the ground, shuffling her feet, she spoke with discomfiture, "Damn this opera house. It makes everyone break into song at the most awkward moments."
The vicomte's mouth was hanging half open when she finished, but he quickly regained his composure. "It's the air… there's something in it. And believe me, I know what you mean about the breaking into song part. You all haven't even found a way back yet, so I'm sure you have plenty of time to think about it. I personally wish you would stay," with a rumble in his stomach, he stood, "And now—"
"To supper!"
"Aye, you two and your supper. Geez, can't you think of anything else?" Elsa chuckled, up in the catwalk. She had been standing up there the whole time watching them fence, among the knotted ropes and planks of wood, all in a messy rigging. Once Raoul and Nicole had closed the door on her way out, she backed her self up slowly to leave, but froze. She had bumped into something.
"Oh, please mademoiselle, don't be scared… it is only me. I believe you know me as Erik," the phantom spoke to her in a kind and gentle voice as he rested a hand on her shoulder.
Elsa quickly turned around, making the catwalk wobble slightly with her sudden shift. She was wondering how long he had been there, she hadn't felt him come up at all. "Hello, Erik. I'm Elsa. You never gave me a chance to properly introduce myself the other day."
"No, I did not, I apologize for that. I know how you got here, and your situation. I've been watching you since you sang with your friends to Christine and Raoul. I jumped to conclusions before."
"Yes, I've heard. My friend Nicole saw you when we were out at supper last night. Why reveal yourself to me n—" She was interrupted by Danielle, who was calling her name.
"Come on, Elsa! I know you are up there. Supper again!"
"Damn you, you ninny," she said under her breath before she climbed down the rope ladder. "Do not worry Erik… we can continue this conversation later, and believe me, we will."
Erik smiled as he watched her run off with Danielle. Supper. Again.
Aww... the phantom has revealed himself to Elsa. What's gonna happen next? Who knows?