Author's notes: Anonymous reviews have been enabled once again! Sorry bout that, I forgot that I had been messing around with that, I forgot to turn them on. Anyway, quick update, though still a few chapters ahead of us.
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Chapter 28 – Flights and frights
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The news that they had gotten the job was great, but Amanda wasn't that happy with being delegated with the task of telling the parents. Needless to say, things were a little strange now, and she knew her parents well enough to assume that they would be entirely okay with things. Surprisingly, her father had only raised his eyebrows before congratulating her and her mother, normally twice as sharp as her daughter, actually smiled and said she was happy for her.
Regina's parents, being both artists, were going to take it even better, Amanda was certain. She had made an excuse that Regina still needed to rehearse some stuff (Yeah right, she thought to herself) and thus was unable to come home yet, but that she was completely safe.
Since it was August, Amanda discovered, their dropping out of school was nearing itself, and so was the date of their departure back home. She wasn't that keen to go. Although the shooting was supposed to start sometime mid-September, so that they would be allowed to inform their school of what was going on, she wanted to stay. The bold part of her liked this sudden change of their monotone student lives into the lives of soon-to-be famous people.
Of course, she knew that this was going to crash with their study plans, big-time. Once Regina would realize that she would have to actually study now, she would crack, Amanda was certain. Well, she would keep that moment away for as long as possible. In the meantime, she wondered about what Regina had brought up during their lunch together – what had happened with Leroux, really?
She had purchased his book on the way home and read it whilst listening to some music, old to her ears, new to those of the world. It ended as it should. "Bummer." She muttered to herself. One would think that even G.L. would get the hint that Christine and Erik vanished at the same time and thus presumably together. But no. what was suspicious about that? Sarcasm pouring out of her very presence, she slammed the book shut and threw it away.
Several weeks later, on the plane back home, she was reading Kay and experiencing the same disappointment.
Meanwhile, Regina had been needed to visit the house of ALW himself, to give a "sample" of what she could do. It went well, she was pleased with herself in general and spent the rest of the time arguing with Erik about this or that opera aria and whether or not she would accept his plans.
Amanda turned a page in her book when Regina yawned from the chair next to her. Stretching her hands a bit, she groggily asked: "We there yet?"
"Not for another few hours." Amanda muttered, closing the book and marking her page. They were on the airplane home, sitting together, their parents all sleeping around them. Only Amanda had been awake, and only because her stock of coffee was too great and she consumed it at regular intervals.
They had agreed with the production that someone would be sent over once the time would come to tell the school what was going on, since the school year was less than two weeks away, exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and agreed on the dates. That was enough for them. The contracts had been signed, voice samples had been recorded. In less than a month, they would be heading back.
Regina yawned again. She couldn't wait to see their headmistress´ expression and their classmates´ faces once this would be announced… but for now, she wanted to sleep.
"Even insomniacs need sleep once in a while."
Amanda enjoyed the scowl Regina granted her. She had been calling her "OG" for a while now. OG for Opera Girl. Regina had announced that it was highly unoriginal and stupid. It didn't stop her, however, to call Amanda "DJ" in turn. "DJ" as in Dancing Jerk.
With no pillow to throw, however, the effect was less than she would have wanted.
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Regina buttoned up her white blouse. It was time – September had arrived, and Amanda came to her place, since they were going to school together and Regina's house was far closer to their school than Amanda's. their parents had allowed it, since it was such an important matter. Besides, the pair of them still needed to get to the airport. All had assumed that whoever from America was coming had very limited knowledge of their town.
It was 7 A.M. and they were already ready, both girls in their school uniforms, Regina's father was starting the car and they were fighting over Amanda's hidden stock of coffee. It was going to be a long day. All the documents were prepared. It took them half an hour to get to the airport on the outskirts of the city. However, Regina asked her father to remain in the car – they knew where to wait, since it was a pretty small airport and there was little time for proper introductions.
The two felt both uncomfortable in the uniforms, and naturally, neither was wearing the required jacket – Regina had it in her hands, with the school logo out of sight, Amanda had it tied around her waist. Both, however, wore identical navy blue long trousers and white blouses, the required uniform of their high school. And they felt stupid, since they knew not one other school in town demanded that its students wear uniforms. Naturally, the trousers and the jacket were of the cheapest possible material. The blouse or t-shirt people bought themselves. Still, white was the required color.
"I feel like a flight attendant." Amanda muttered under her breath as she swept her brown hair out of her face. It was nothing like the blond straight hair she had had as Meg, but it was way more comfortable.
"That makes two of us." Regina said, sighing and folding her arms. "I swear, next time we go announce anything like this, I won't wear these rags. We're going there to say we won't be going there anymore – what's the point of this?"
"That's the beauty of it – no point at all!" a sigh, "Do you know who's gonna come? You didn't say."
"I don't know." Regina confessed, "But I have a hunch, and if it's correct, it makes me laugh and cry at the same time."
Amanda looked a bit surprised as she looked at her. "Why?"
Regina, still looking ahead, smiled a bit bitterly. "If you look several degrees to the right, you'll see." She then walked towards – three guesses who – and, surprisingly, Joel Schumacher. Amanda assumed that the director had to be very impressed with Regina to be coming personally.
She couldn't help it. She laughed out loud and went to welcome them.
"How was your trip?" Regina was saying when Amanda caught up with them.
Joel waved his hand dismissively. "Horrible, as it usually is when you cross the ocean. Both of you look great, it that a uniform?" he asked curiously, "I thought only British students wore them."
"Yeah, the British and us." Amanda said bitterly.
"There'll be time for observations later." Regina said briskly. "Time is precious – if you mean to catch out darling headmistress before she starts her start-of-term speech, we should hurry. The school's not so nearby and traffic's a horror here. Come on."
She led the way out of the hall, glaring slightly at the nearby group of women whom almost all were goggling shamelessly at them, one guess at who especially.
"If looks could kill, they would be only piles of dust now, and I see that that is your wish." he whispered, "Why so sour, my dear? Is it the early morning, the stress or the unusual situation?"
"They're staring at you." Regina hissed in French. "They think I'm the little sister character and they've got a chance."
"Then I'll play the big brother character and never let go." Erik smiled at Regina's glares and put an arm around her shoulders. "You know that they matter as much as dirt compared to you – you have no reason to be jealous."
"Jealous? Me, jealous? Hark who´s talking! This is the point of no return! Make your choice !" Regina rasped in a dark and gloomy voice. "I'm a completely liberal person compared to you."
"Guilty as charged." Erik sighed, "But understand my position at the time – adoring you from afar and knowing that like the Adam on the painting in the Sistine Chapel, my hand would never touch that of God – or, in this case, a goddess – is very agonizing."
"Don't stereotype me, whatever you do. I just don't like that the ditzy bimbos are drooling all over the floor."
"Staring is always agonizing, no matter the reason behind it. I can tell you from… experience. And staring because I am attractive to them or, how did Amanda say it – hot? – is about as annoying as staring because I was hideous and repulsive to them. As long as you stay by my side, however, I might endure it."
Regina smiled at last. "You know me too well. You spent way too much time behind that mirror, spying on me."
"You read books about me before you knew I existed." Erik pointed out.
"Touché. That makes us even, I suppose."
They exited the airport and Amanda took the lead, quickly moving to introduce them with Regina's father. "These are Joel Schumacher, who directs the movie and Gerard Butler, who plays the Phantom. You guys, this is Jonathan Chael, Regina's dad."
The men shook hands while the girls helped get whatever luggage they had with them into the car. Regina looked at the time. "Any chance we could hurry?" she asked, and they all proceeded to speed up the process.
Once inside the car, Regina proceeded to select one of the many opera CDs as a pastime, even though Amanda suggested that they could lay off the classical music for a while. As a compromise, Mr. Chael chose Les Mis, the musical. The journey was not quiet – since Joel and Erik found out that Mr. Chael was an actor and, moreover, a musical theater actor, they began a debate about various musicals, Regina joining in occasionally, at times singing songs from Les Mis along with the CD. Amanda, who didn't know that much about musicals to add much to the debate raided her purse and found her mp3 player and began listening to the rock file.
By the time they arrived at the school, Act 1 of Les Mis was over – they had skipped a few songs – and the final tones of One Day More fell silent as they stopped in front of the school.
