Don't kill me! I'm so sorry that this update has taken so long. Work's been piling on at the moment and I had to organise our leavers dinner which has taken up a LOT of time. Anyway, enough of my excuses, please accept my grovelling.
Kerrie-A: Glad that someone has a mother like mine!
Strange Girl: Aww...another Jeremy fan! Does anbody on this site like Sam by any chance? I'm a bit of a theatre geek, I love my musicals. Is the producers any good? I really want to see it...
Madamoiselle P: Wow! Double review! Do you like Sam at all? He's not that bad is he? But I agree that I would have anyone like Jeremy. I wish guys like him existed. Oh yeah, the six weeks thing. It's just that it would be ridiculous if it was six months like in the musical. And besides six weeks is possible. I was going out with my boyfriend for eight...before he dumped me... evil shmooy, ahem never mind.
OK compared to last chapter, this one is pretty uneventful. It's mainly about what Ali is thinking, stuck between two guys fighting over her.
Enjoy my little angels
Maska (M.K)
P.S. If anyone has ideas for future chapters, please let me know or you will have HUGE gaps between updates as I get over my writers block.
7. Terrible thoughts
The cast was woken early the next morning by Mr. Conclair who had provided each of them with a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. Neither Sam or Ali spoke of the night's events to Debbie who talked happily about how much she had enjoyed the party the night before and how well she had slept. Ali had cleaned Sam cuts and he told Debbie that he had been hit in the face by a door. The tiredness was apparent on both Ali and Sam's faces but both of them tried to continue as if they had slept as well as the others. Jeremy sat at the opposite end of the room in the corner glaring at Sam, slowly stirring his cereal. Ali could sense the tension between both the boys. Neither was eating, just throwing the other the evilest looks that they could manage. Ali sat awkwardly between them, determined to stop any future confrontations that may erupt over her.
After breakfast ended and the hall was cleared up, the cast progressed through to the main theatre where they were to have their first dress rehearsal. The costume hire company had just arrived and everybody helped unload the costumes from the van and hang them on the rails behind the stage. There was a lot a exited chatter as everybody found their costume and headed to their allocated dressing room to try them on. Ali found, to her delight, that everything fitted perfectly and as she twirled around she felt in character. Mrs. Sinell's voice barked that the run through would commence in five minutes. Ali changed into her first costume and walked out of the dressing room to the wings. She smiled at Debbie who greeted her. Ali peered onto stage so she could just see Sam in a wheelchair. His Raoul costume was obviously underneath the blanket and large coat that he wore and his blonde hair was hidden underneath a grey wig.
As the Overture started, Ali was completely taken aback by the sheer volume of noise that had been produced by the orchestra. It was a far cry from singing with Mr. Lamport's piano. Ali was sincerely grateful for the tiny microphone that was clipped to her costume that would help her be heard above the noise. She took a deep breath and ran onstage at her cue, completely her routine perfectly. When Sam entered, he smiled at her gently, causing her to blush and turn away on the fear that Mr. Conclair would notice. He looked very fetching in his Raoul costume now he had discarded the blanket and grey wig. The rehearsal progressed to the scene in Christine's dressing room. Sam held her tightly all through 'Little Lottie' and looked unhappy to leave the stage afterwards. Ali knew this was because Jeremy would enter, and Jeremy would touch her in a way that made Sam writhe with jealously. She gave her boyfriend's hand an affectionate squeeze and he left the stage grudgingly. Jeremy's voice started to boom from the wings. Despite the mixed feelings of fear and respect that she had for Jeremy, his singing never ceased to amaze her and enthral her. She tried to block Jeremy from her mind but the second that he took her hand, Ali could slowly feel herself slipping under his power once again.
'Think of Sam, think of Sam!' she urged herself as she sat in the boat that ran along a track on the stage.
She raised her eyes to look into her phantom's face. He looked just like the Phantom of the Opera, the way his dark hair was slicked back from his face, his perfectly ironed suit and that mask which glistened in the light.
'Think of Sam!' Ali told herself once again as Jeremy began to stroke her neck as he plunged into 'Music of the Night'.
His touch was very sensual and Ali had to fight the temptation to turn around and kiss him.
'Think of Sam!' she screamed inside. 'You're with Sam aren't you? Why are you thinking this way about another boy?'
Ali sighed as Jeremy ran his hands down her arms gently.
'Why is he doing this to me?' Ali cried silently. 'Why is he torturing me so? Revenge for last night?'
The song passed in a blur. As Jeremy revealed the wax model of Christine to her, it was not hard for Ali to look amazed. Whoever had sculpted it had made it look just like her. She stood staring at it for so long that it took Jeremy to put his hand on her shoulder to remind her that she was supposed to faint.
During the interval, the cast were given a thirty minute break. Jeremy was nowhere to be seen and even if he was around, Sam's arm around her waist would have stopped her going to him. She was lost in a world of her own and only brought back to reality when Sam guided her into an empty room and gently lifted her chin towards him.
'Are you alright?' he asked kindly
Ali smiled weakly.
'Of course.'
Sam saw straight through her facade but thankfully interpreted her thoughts incorrectly.
'You know that you're safe with me don't you Ali? You know that I won't let him harm you.'
Ali turned her face away from him.
'Ali,' Sam said pleadingly. ' Trust me.'
Ali smiled up at him and placed a gentle kiss upon his lips.
'I trust you,' she replied.
What had she been thinking? How could she have ever had thoughts towards Jeremy when she was so happy with Sam? He looked out for her and he would protect her wherever she went but there was one place that she was not safe. That was the stage. That was when Jeremy sung to her and touched her. That was when Sam was not with her. That was when she was alone. That was when she could not control her terrible, disloyal thoughts.
Sam cupped Ali's face and leaned down to kiss her. She kissed him back feeling safe in his arms. Suddenly Debbie walked into the quiet room when the couple had been alone. She gave a little squeak and backed out again. Ali turned to the door and flung it open to reveal her very red faced, embarrassed friend.
'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!' she cried. 'I didn't know that you were in there!'
Ali couldn't help but giggle at her friend's outburst.
'It's alright Debbie. How could you have known?' Ali asked consolingly.
Sam followed out of the room and smiled at Debbie
'So you caught us?' he grinned.
Debbie nodded sheepishly, muttering something about the fact that she should go.
Debbie, don't be silly!' Ali said. 'Come on, let's go to the café for our last 20 minutes and get a coffee of something.'
The trio traipsed over to the theatre café that was practically deserted. Sam insisted on paying for everybody's coffees although he really only wanted to buy something for Ali and out of politeness had paid for Debbie's too. The friends sat down by the window, sipping their drinks.
'I'm scared,' Debbie suddenly said
Ali and Sam turned to look at her with a confused expression on their faces.
'Of what?' Sam said quickly. The last time he had heard a person tell him that they were afraid, it had been Ali telling him about her experience with Jeremy.
'What if I mess up the performance? What if I forget my words?' Debbie said. 'I know that you guys have more to learn than me but I'm really scared. And if I perform at least one wrong step in by ballet, Sinell will kill me.'
Ali and Sam laughed at Debbie's apparent stage fright.
'Don't worry Debbie,' Ali said gently. 'Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax. Clear your mind, let the music and your personal performance consume you.'
'Ali, that was profound,' Sam said. 'Where did you hear that?'
'I- I don't know,' she replied in no more than a whisper.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
He smiled from the shadows where he watched her calm her friend with his words. Words that he had once spoken to her at one of their distant singing lessons. Ali knew where she had heard this advice, she knew that she quoted him. She only had to lie to that boy to control him. He had not lost her forever, he knew that. He knew by the way that she had responded to his touch. He knew by the way that she had drifted off into a world of her own throughout the day. Her thoughts were full of him. They had to be. Why shouldn't they be?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Their cups were barely dry when Mrs. Sinell appeared in the café, horrified that they should have been drinking coffee in their costumes. After giving a long lecture about how the theatre would loose the deposit on the costumes if they were damaged in any way, she marched them back through to the theatre hall where, to the delight of Jenna, they were told, in front of everybody about how they should think more about their actions. For the remainder of the break, Jenna walked up and down in front of Ali making snide comments.
'Ali, would you like some coffee? Oh no! I dropped it! Your costume is ruined!'
In the end, Jenna had annoyed Ali so much that she got her revenge by offering her water bottle to the girl.
'Water Jenna? Oh, I hope you don't mind the added salt.'
Jenna glared at her and stalked off, while Ali received a pat on the back from Debbie, a laugh from Sam, and a quiet voice whispering:
'Bravi!'
Ali looked around for the voice, but the owner was nowhere to be seen and Sam and Debbie hadn't seemed to notice it. She swallowed, her eyes darting round the room for Jeremy and was very grateful for signal to get changed into masquerade costumes so the run through of Act Two could start.
The masquerade scene was not so good. The girls found it incredibly hard to dance in their large skirts and the movement was very slowed as a result. Everybody could hear the disapproving noises from Mrs. Sinell and knew that after the run through, this scene would been rehearsed countless times to get it right. Jeremy created quite a stir in his Red Death costume. His stage presence was astounding. Ali stared at him, her eyes wide with amazement.
'He really is the Phantom of the Opera,' she thought as he beckoned her.
His fingers ran down her neck gently. Ali sighed, savouring his touch.
'No!' she found herself screaming. 'Sam's right behind you!'
Ali forced her eyes to open again. She could see Jeremy's eyes narrow beneath the mask.
'Your chains are still mine. You will sing for me!' he snarled, snatching the ring and pulling the chain from around her neck.
It came off with a click and Jeremy disappeared in a puff of smoke through the trap door. Sam ran up to her as Raoul and embraced her protectively. Ali clutched him gratefully. Every time Jeremy touched her, she seemed to forget Sam. Every time Sam touched her, she seemed to forget Jeremy. Ali let Sam lead her off the stage resolving that Sam was the most important of the two to her. Jeremy had power over her but that was not what she wanted from a relationship. Sam would keep her safe.
