Chapter 3- I'd Like to Join You
With Erik's encouragement, I decided that I could do it. I could win Raoul. I could totally do it. It would be easy.
But would it be wrong?
Erik didn't seem to think so. He seemed to think that we were doing them a favor. He was certain that Christine belonged with him. I was determined to push my conscience aside. It was being overactive.
This was my chance! This was my chance!
…And I was afraid. How could I possibly allure ANYONE away from Christine, let alone Raoul. I made a list of all the possible things I could do to um… change his affections. Was I really qualified for this job?
Well, no, not really, no. So much so that it was quite funny. Hilarious, actually. So funny I wanted to vomit.
I ran into my house and up my stairs and into my room. And then I closed the door and flung myself on my bed. I stared at the ceiling, then rolled over for a change and stared at my phone, resting comfortably in it's cradle.
I thought for just about a half an hour.
And then I picked up the phone, bunched in numbers I had memorized well, and I waited, rolling onto my back and inserting a ballpoint pen into my mouth.
"Hello, Raoul?" I said, after my dear Raoul greeted whoever was on the other side of the line. Me! He greeted me! Well, unknowingly, but a girl can only take so much depressing logic in one day.
"Hello? Who is this? Christine?" He said, confused.
He didn't even know who he was speaking to, and already I was being compared to Christine.
"Um… close, but not really. It's Meg," Recognition, any time now, if you please.
"Who?"
Any time now.
This was a bad idea. Damn you, Erik Leroux the senior!
"Meg… Meg Giry. You know… Christine's best friend?"
Idiot.
"T-the blond one?" He said. I could HEAR him thinking hard.
This was doomed before it even began. I knew it.
"Yeah… the blond one. Listen, Raoul-," I began.
"How did you get my number? Did Christine give it to you?" Did I detect a glimmer of hope at the mention of Christine?
"No, I got it out of the school directory," This was getting annoying. But I wasn't annoyed at dear, sweet Raoul. Just Christine and her unassuming charm that I had the misfortune to lack. "Listen, though, Raoul-,"
"Oh," he said, disappointment setting in. "Well… why did you call me? Does Christine need something? Is she over there? Can I talk to her?"
Shit, man.
I was beginning to like conversation with Erik Leroux, Mr. Senior. All he may have talked about was Christine, too, but at least he let me get a full sentence in.
"Ah, no. I wondered if you could help me in science class. I'm doing poorly in tests and I need a tutor. Will you help me?" I just blurted it out.
"Oh," he said, disappointed. "I don't know, Meg. Christine might not like…"
"Good God, Man, I just asked you to help me study, not date me!" I cried, annoyed beyond all reason.
"All right." He said.
"All right." I repeated his words, feeling relieved. And that wasn't B.S., either. I really DID need help in science class. I just hoped he was good at it.
"I'll meet you in the library at third frame tomorrow, all right?"
He grunted in response. Wonderful.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow."
Grunt.
"Bye."
I put the phone back on the cradle. Well, he certainly wasn't acting very gentlemanly. He must have been in a bad mood. He must have. He was a very, very, sweet man. I knew it.
I hoped, anyway.
I rolled over on my back again and stared at the ceiling.
My eyes fluttered shut and sleep claimed me.
I dreamt the stupidest thing. I dreamt that I, Meg Giry, had lived in the Opera Populaire and saw a man die before my very eyes.
His body shook, trying to shake away death setting inside his body, hanging from the catwalk.
I screamed, and a fellow ballet girl ran into my arms. "The Phantom! The Phantom! The Phantom of the Opera is here!"
"The Opera Ghost!" I cried, and sat up, screaming back into reality- "MAMAN!"
A/N- I'm leaving for camp today, you guys, so I'm afraid I can't update until my next afternoon off. I'll talk to you guys then. Sorry!
If you liked Two Souls, You also will like Dawn's Harmonium by Mademoiselle Justica! So check it out!