12) Why I see her dancing there
"I´ll be so happy when all this is over.", Meg told Christine in a nervous whisper. It was the intermission between act two and act three, and her scene would be right at the beginning. "You have to believe in yourself. You know you can dance it… Erik knows it as well." Thinking of Erik made Meg a little calmer. They would meet again after the performance; Erik had sent her another note. Of course Christine was right. There was no reason to be worried.
When the music started Meg entered the stage gracefully. She began dancing, trying hard to forget the many people who were staring at her and only her right now. Her mother´s voice sounded through her head. ´Don´t you dare have stage fright! Just think of it as another rehearsal!´ As she followed this piece of advice she regained her self-confidence and was able to dance with more expression.
Christine watched her best friend, though it was difficult without being seen by the audience herself. Meg was fantastic tonight, she moved with an elegance and effortlessness that was unusual even for her standard. Christine admired her way of dancing, but she was jealous at the same time. She didn´t envy Meg for the scene as Christine knew she could not have performed it that well.
No, Erik was the reason for her feeling that way. Erik, who was probably sitting in Box Five now, looking at Meg, fascinated by her talent and beauty. Erik, who should love her and not Meg. Erik, who was only Christine´s teacher. Fighting back tears she bit her lip so hard that she tasted her own blood and forced her attention back on the stage.
But what was that? All of a sudden the music became faster and faster. Meg tried her best to keep pace with it, but it was impossible. The orchestra played as if the musicians had signed a contract saying that they would finish earlier today. In a desperate attempt to adjust her steps to the music she tripped over her own feet and fell to the floor. Laughter could be heard here and there, but apart from that it was completely silent. As dignified as she could Meg stood up and left quickly. Christine wanted to go after her, but Mme.Giry caught her by the arm and pushed her onto the stage, together with the other characters for the next scene. The performance had to be continued.
As soon as possible Christine started looking for Meg. She had to comfort her, to tell her that such things simply happened and that it had not been her fault. But she didn´t know whether she would find the right words to make her friend forget this public humiliation. The thought that something like that could happen to her as well made Christine shudder.
At the door of one of the other girl´s dressing room she met the last person she felt like talking to now. "Oh, aren´t you with your friend, the great dancer? I bet she´s sitting in a corner, crying her eyes out.", Nicole said with a smirk. "Honestly, I´ve never seen such a pathetic performance! And I thought you had no talent. A horse would have been more-"
"Hold your tongue!", Christine exclaimed impatiently. "Meg will always be better than you. Maybe … maybe you were behind this! After all, you spend each lunch break with another orchestra member, gossiping and giggling." Nicole only smiled in her usual self-satisfied way. "Even if this was true, you´d never be able to proof it." With these words she opened the dressing room´s door and went inside.
Christine ground her teeth for she knew the other girl was right. The musicians wouldn´t confess having done anything to please Nicole, and it wasn´t very likely that she would let the cat out of the bag herself. All Christine could do was give Meg her support. But then she recalled that her friend had a meeting with Erik now. She had asked Christine whether they could use her dressing room again, and of course she had said yes. Christine wondered why Erik insisted on this particular place, but with a sigh she realised that it was none of her business.
