Chapter 3- A Little Meeting

Crystal stood in her bathroom doorway not knowing what to say or do. A man, a tall handsome man, with a white mask pressed against the right side of his face, was firmly pressing his hand against her mouth. Even though she was taken aback by the beauty he possessed, she was furious and scared. This was her room, and whoever he was had no right to come in. Especially while she was dressed in nothing more than a thin silk robe revealing the top of her chest.

The man, continuing to hold her mouth shut with the palm of his gloved hand, said to her in a deep yet soft voice, "Do up your robe girl, you'll catch a chill."

With that he released his hand and Crystal re-tied her robe.

He turned his back toward her and began walking to a cushioned chair in the corner of the room.

Crystal quickly walked over to her bedroom door ready to usher him out.

As she slowly began opening the door, the man was there in an instant. He slammed the door shut and locked it.

Still facing Crystal, he began walking toward her with fire burning in his eyes. Crystal became frightened. She walked backwards as far as she could until she hit the wall behind her. The man continued to walk to her still.

He stopped finally when his head was almost above her own. He had leaned his hands on the wall beside her head, with his body tightly pressed against hers. His stomach was firm and he was much taller than her. He had a muscular build, though not too muscular.

Crystal's heart was racing and she feared he could feel it. She was scared, scared for her life. She didn't know what he was going to do next. And than, he spoke.

"Mademoiselle Blyth I believe it is. Whenever I am in this room along with yourself, you don't ever open that door. Understood?" he said with his eyes glaring into hers.

Crystal nodded her head and made a sound of acknowledgement. She was far too scared to speak.

The man walked away from her and made his way to the chair, where he finally sat.

Crystal's wet towel wrapped in her hair was dampening the wall she leaned on. She took a step forward not looking at this strange man for what seemed like hours.

"Well are you going to stand there all night and say nothing?" the masked man asked her.

Crystal turned to face him.

He sat with his legs open, with his right hand to his chin while his elbow laid on the armrest. The other arm upon his leg. He studied her as his eyes moved up and down he body. She found it very uncomfortable and looked away.

Finally she gained some courage and said to him, "Who are you and why are you in my room?"

"Oh I think we both know who I am. Whether you believe I exist or not. I am the Phantom of the Opera!" he said as he stood up. "As for why I am here. Simply to congratulate my new pianist on becoming part of the Opera Populaire." He said in a calm voice.

As much as she didn't want to believe it, she did. She always knew he existed; she just didn't want to believe.

"I thank you for congratulating me. But you have no right in being here, especially as I'm about to dress." Crystal told him. Her lips were pressed together and her eyes widened.

"I have no right being here?" he said as he once again walked toward her. "This is my Opera House and I may go and do as I please. Never you forget that!"

She became nervous and prayed that he would not pin her against the wall again for it was slightly painful with the pressure of his body leaning against hers.

He stopped walking when he reached her and gave her a hard look before he turned and walked toward the bathroom.

He bent down and picked up her clothes before walked back to her.

"You must get changed for your dinner this evening. You won't want to be late." He said handing Crystal her clothes. "By the way," he began, "there is no need to get changed in the bathroom. That is a place to bathe." He told her as he walked toward the large mirror.

He pushed the hidden mechanism to open the mirror.

It slid open.

He walked through and turned to Crystal who was clenching her clothes tightly to her chest. Her eyes staring into his. He then said to her, "Hopefully you will be wise in not telling Meg Giry and anyone else about our little meeting tonight, and any of our future meetings for that matter." He paused "And another thing. Perhaps you should wear your hair down tonight."

With a smile he closed the mirror and was gone.