How long since I updated! Eek! My apologies to you all. Excuse- the same as ever. I had my first exam on Tuesday which was my Spanish oral. The actual written exams start in a couple of weeks. So updates may be taking a little longer. This one is nearly finished though... and I won't start any more until after the exams... if I can control myself.
Anyway... I have discovered a new book that I like that isn't Phantom (shock, horror). If you guys like swashbuckling things, try the Scarlet Pimpernel. OK, so it's still France but I also love the Three Musketeers... must be something about French literature...
Emma-J-Riddle: I honestly am sorry about the gaps. There was a play that I was in, Les Mis for thatmatter,when my friend came in late and made up a whole new thing... very cool...
maluruloki: I liked this in the film, but not so much in the play. For me the best trak on stage is 'The Phantom of the Opera' especially when they're on the boat and all the candles come out of the floor.
Miss Mary Lou: That Jeremy shirt taking off thing was just for you, I'm glad that you enjoyed. Feel free to call in Sam the Spam and yep, you're right. He isn't exactly over the moon at the new dance. The Point of No Return will come... next chapter actually. But not in a dungeon...
toomanycurlz: Thanks for the link. Gerry's good but Michael has the haunting quality in his voice.
Mizamour: Aww... thanks. Yeah I like both Erik and Raoul but I will admit that I am an R/C fan... most of the time. I don't have the Persian in this... I should have done really. I'll put him in 'Words'. He is cool. Especially that bit when he and Raoul are in the touchure (sp?) chamber. Raoul going mad... it's kinda funny.
LiTTleLoTTie1991: Yep, she's pretty confused. Jeremy's voice is one thing really going for him...
blackrose569: Aww... thanks. I'm glad you like it
Nyren: Well, as you gathered, Sam isn't exactly over the moon. The thing that you have tto remember about Jeremy is that he does have a very hynotic voice, and he can control Ali... and she strangly is sorta attracted to him.
Kerrie-A: Happy Birthday! I hope that you had a good time... who needs a celebration when you've got fanfiction?
Asia1st: Thanks!
IndiaPyro: Hope that you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for reviewing.
I hope that you guys like this chapter. We're getting to the end now so climax... hopefully. Sorry if I have any typos with the 't' key. It's broken and keeps typing 'tt'. I think that I have them all but if not... that's why.
Cya
Maska (M.K)
I don't own the Phantom of the Opera. You know I don't. I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. I would be out abusing my power... unfortunatly that joy goes to ALW and Leroux.
Last chapter I posted a list of things to like about Raoul. That wasn't my own and the site didn't come out... it was phantoms-opera... check it out
18. The secret's out
Ali and Jeremy received many odd looks when they came offstage. No-one said anything about their spontaneous choreography because it was the last night. Mrs. Sinell shot long hard glares at them and Sam was obviously making a big effort to keep his mouth shut by pursing his lips together. His jealously was apparent but he had made the sensible decision not to disrupt the sensitive relationship that he had with Ali at the time. However the audience seemed to have loved it and Ali was shocked to find flowers in her dressing room after the performance. The only person who didn't seem to have noticed the spontaneous choreography, or failed to mention it, was Debbie who walked with Ali chatting excitedly about how the last performance had gone. She was waving an application form for a ballet school that Mrs. Sinell had given and seemed completely oblivious to the strange looks that Ali was getting. She was over the moon to find that she had received flowers even though she did not know that Ali had quietly asked one of the workers to put a bouquet belong to her into Debbie's dressing room.
Sam was secretly stewing in fury at Jeremy's behaviour. How dare he touch Ali in that way! She didn't want him to. She couldn't have enjoyed it at all. Not with him! And so soon after their sort- of break up. Sam cursed Adam again for that picture. He had got on with his brother so well before and now he had come back from University going to great lengths to break up his relationship. Sam walked out of the theatre to give his stuff to his parents before going to the cast after party. To his fury it was not his Mum standing by the car but Adam.
'Sam!' his brother called in a friendly tone. 'How did it go?'
'The performance went well thank you,' Sam said coldly.
Adam chuckled
'I meant with Ali.'
'Oh right,' Sam said pleasantly. 'Well I showed her the photograph and she denied everything.'
'As can be expected,' Adam said in a snobbish tone.
'Then I dumped her.'
'Well done. Now let me take your stuff and-'
'I'm not finished yet,' Sam interrupted harshly. 'I then followed her outside where she me this supposed other boyfriend of hers. It turns out Adam, that Ali never betrayed me at all. That in fact you were the liar. The photograph was a fake. So if you don't mind, I think that I'll take my bags with me.'
Sam turned his back on his brother and began to walk away.
'Sam,' Adam said, his previously confident tone, now shattered.
Sam ignored him and Adam began to rush after him.
'I'm sorry Sam. I honestly am. I had to! I had no choice!' Adam pleaded.
Sam turned onto his brother.
'What do you mean, you had no choice?' he spat.
'There was a man. He said that he would tell Claire things about me. He had her number.'
'What was he going to say about you?'
'A couple of months ago, I made a terrible mistake. I was drunk. I kissed her friend Helen. It was an accident. Helen and I agreed to forget it. Claire must never know. She'd finish with me.'
Sam shook his head in disbelief and began to walk away.
'Sam!' Adam cried.
'You selfish bastard!' Sam shouted. 'It's OK to ruin my relationship as long as yours is alright? It's OK to paint Ali as a cheater as long as you can carry on lying to your girlfriend?'
'It's not like that!' Adam said.
Sam turned round and punched Adam so that he fell to the ground.
'It's exactly like that! You know, I hope Claire does find out the truth. So she can see the lying, cheating scumbag that you are.'
With those words Sam walked away back to the theatre
Jenna had organised the cast after-party at her house and everyone, even Ali and Jeremy, had been invited. Ali had thought about turning down this offer since she felt guilty about going to someone's house that she hated but Debbie had persuaded her otherwise. When Ali arrived at Jenna's house, it was obvious why she had wanted everyone to attend. For no other reason than to show off. Her house was huge with extensive gardens, a swimming pool and tennis courts. Ali was surprised to see that Jeremy had come but like his usual self didn't socialise much. He leaned against the wall with a bottle in his hand. It seemed to be a never-ending bottle of drink because from time to time, he would take a sip from it and he would never need a refill. Ali didn't notice him slip after her as she went to get a drink and gave a small scream when he stepped out in front of her. Ali tried to walk past him but he stepped in her way. Grimacing, she stepped the other way but again he blocked her path. As Ali looked up angrily into his smug face, Jeremy placed his hands on her shoulders and pinned her against the wall.
'What do you want?' Ali spat. 'What was all of that tonight in 'Point of No Return'?'
Jeremy chuckled arrogantly.
'But you enjoyed it didn't you?' he smirked.
'I did not!' Ali lied trying to forget the feelings that Jeremy had stirred up in her. Feelings which came from his touch and voice. 'It was very uncomfortable for me.'
'You reacted,' Jeremy said.
'I had to. We were onstage. We were acting.'
Jeremy placed his hands on the wall either side of her head and leaned towards her. Ali could feel his warm breath on her cheek as he whispered in her ear.
'We don't have to.'
Ali ducked under Jeremy's arm and tried to walk away. He grasped her wrist with his lightening fast reflexes.
'How dare you!' Ali hissed trying to pull away.
'I'm sorry', Jeremy said.
Ali looked curiously at him.
'I need you Ali.'
'What are you talking about?'
'You're good for me. You're the only person that can drive away my demons. You're the only one that can calm me.'
Jeremy's voice dropped so he was speaking in no more than a hypnotic whisper. Ali pulled her wrist out of Jeremy's grip.
'I don't know what you can do with your voice to make people do what you want but I'm telling you that it will not work on me,' Ali said before turning her back on him and walking away.
Ali ignored Jeremy even though she could sense that he was walking behind her. She had to douse the fire that Jeremy had lit within her. 'He's an arrogant idiot' she thought reminding herself of his temper and obsessive, stalker-like tendencies. Ali caught sight of Sam by the swimming pool and knew what she had to do to make it clear to Jeremy that she was not his. Ali turned around to make sure that Jeremy was watching and then walked up to Sam and planted a kiss on his lips. Ali ignored Sam's look of surprise and smirked victoriously at Jeremy who stood up straight, his face twisting into one of anger.
Jeremy did not approach Ali again for the rest of the evening. He always stood a distance away watching her through slanted eyes. Ali did not venture far Sam unsure of how Jeremy would react if she saw him again while she was alone. However their distancing came to an abrupt end very quickly. Billy, who had apparently drunk too much beer, came stumbling over to Jeremy and placed his arm around his shoulder.
'Having a good time Monsuir Phantom?' he slurred.
Jeremy's back straightened quickly and he removed Billy's heavy arm from his shoulder.
'Go away Billy. I am no longer the Phantom as you are no longer Piangi.'
'No need to get angry,' Billy said stumbling a little.
Jeremy turned his attention back to Ali who was laughing with Debbie. He glared at Sam who held her hand in his.
'What's this?' he heard Billy slur behind him.
Jeremy ignored him and continued to gaze at Ali drinking in every feature of her face. He heard Jenna approach him from behind and stand next to Billy.
'Oh!' she shrieked. 'What is that? Who's it that?'
'It's Jeremy's,' Billy said, sounding like he was making an accusation.
Jeremy turned on the pair, hoping to get rid of them. What he saw drove horror into his heart. Jenna was clutching Jeremy's sketchbook in her hand looking though the pages, her mouth hanging open.
'Give that to me now,' Jeremy murmured with a deadly poison in his voice. 'Now!' he shouted when Jenna ignored him.
His shout attracted everyone in the room and everyone fell silent and looked at the group.
'What is this?' Jenna said, turning through the pages.
Jeremy took a menacing step towards her.
'I am not a gentleman Miss. Smith,' Jeremy said. 'I will not hesitate to hurt you.'
Ali pushed her way to the front of the crowd to see what Jenna had done to make Jeremy so angry. He seemed to be controlling his temper quite well. As she pushed past a group of girls, she could se what had brought about the anger in Jeremy. Her eyes jumped from the sketchbook to Jeremy's face. Having been the victim of Jeremy's wrath several times, she knew when he had been pushed to far.
'Jenna, give it back to him,' Ali said quickly.
Jenna looked up and her face twisted into a smirk.
'You know, I don't think that I will Ali, This is quite interesting,' she said flicking through the pages. 'You seem to be the subject of many of these sketches, ranging from the passive to the slightly more erotic.'
Ali felt her face burn.
'Jenna, I beg you. Just let him have it.'
Jeremy began to advance on Jenna angrily but Ali ran in front of him to block his path.
'Don't,' she whispered to him.
'Now this one is interesting,' Jenna's shill voice cried. 'This seems to explain the mystery of Paul Lummel. He didn't fall, he was pushed, by Jeremy!'
Jenna held up the book and showed Jeremy's sketch of himself pushing Paul down the stairs. Ali gasped and stared at Jeremy with a look of disbelief. He pushed Ali out of the way to approach Jenna from behind. Billy stepped in front of Jenna protectively but was dealt a firm punch in the jaw and fell to the ground clutching the side of his mouth. Jeremy's hand placed itself on Jenna's hair and tugged it firmly until she released the book. Jeremy's pushed Jenna into the crowd, ignoring the abuse that the host screamed at him.
Jeremy looked around. The other members of the cast were beginning to close in on him as revenge for Paul, Billy and Jenna. Jeremy retreated a few steps until he found himself standing above Ali. He pulled her to her feet and smashed the bottle he was holding against the wall ignoring Ali's scream. Jeremy's dragged her to the door and cast his eyes over the other cast members, his eyes hovering longer over Sam's distraught expression. Smirking slightly he slammed his elbow into the light switch plunging the room into darkness.
There was panic in the room for a few moments. By the time the lights were turned on, there was no sign of Ali or Jeremy.
