Chapter Five
DISCLAIMER: OK; I don't own phantom of the opera. Plain and simple
"What's he like?" Meg asked. The ballet girls had gotten the day off due to the day after performances. Meg, Karen, and Iris had gone out to the forest to enjoy a day without the others.
"He's a genius! and He's actually pretty handsome." Meg grinned.
"You know he's got half a deformed face." Meg pointed out; Karen told her she didn't care. "ooh! Karen's got a crush!"
"Just because I don't care about his face doesn't mean I like him. It was a one time meeting and I'll probably never see him again anyway."
"You never know." Meg smiled. "if you can get down their once; you can do it again." Karen shook her head as Iris begged her for an ice treat. Smiling Karen agreed and bought one for all three of them. Meg got Grape; Iris got Raspberry; and Karen got cherry. "Honestly though. Most girls find him repulsive so you wouldn't have much competition; and you said you didn't care for a man's looks."
"Meg. Drop it." Karen had a bit of irritation in her voice. "I got the skull; that was all I went down there for. If I go again he'd probably kill me."
"Why would he do that? You saved his life by lying to Molly. Why do you think she wanted the skull?"
"I dunno." Karen replied. "She probably wants to do some voo doo with it.or use it to scare people. But she needn't a skull for that." They all giggled.
"What if though, she had you go down there to see if he was still there or not; so she'd be able to and steal from him?" Meg asked; Biting off some ice from her treat.
"She wouldn't. I'm not worried at all. He's got a trap that would kill her before she saw anything; and if the traps didn't; he would." Karen bit some of her ice treat as well. The cherry flavor making her toung red.
"Be honest." Meg told her. "If you had the chance; would you-?" She hinted at the last part because Iris was walking right next to them.
"Meg. That's sick. I just took his skull for crying out loud."
"So you would?" Meg smirked; but they let the subject drop. They'd have kept walking if Karen didn't feel hands slipping on her waist. She stopped and looked out from the corner of her eye. She saw Raphael feeling her up; She growled and brought her leg up.
"Leave me alone you pervert." He toppled over in pain; the pain of his nuts being kicked. The girls kept walking; laughing at Raphael's pain; and then finishing their ice treats and throwing them away.
It was strange to have a guest after so long. She had come in search of a skull; a skull in which he owned in case he ever needed it. After she had gone; and he had returned and begun to think it over; he realized that the complete stranger of a woman had come not to reveal him; but to save him. She had spoke of a bet; a bet between her and another ballet girl; and later spoke of her reputation.
"It is better to be wrong; than to be called a coward." As much since as that made; he often wondered why she had not chosen to prove herself correct instead of wrong. It would be far better to be brave and right; than to be brave and wrong. Why only go for half? That was the question that kept him awake. He'd nothing better to think of; so he considered why that strange girl by the name of Karen Edalene would do the job half way.
He had many conclusions; all of which seemed wrong to him.It was only a matter of time before his thoughts lulled him to sleep.. The darkness of the room allowed him to sleep easier; but his mind was still reeling with questions. Why did Karen prove herself brave; but wrong?
Karen lie in her bed in the illuminating darkness of the dormitories. It had been 13 years since she and Raphael had broken their engagement; and after that Karen was unable to trust any other man. She devoted herself to her mother and sister; knowing that her family would take her pain away. After her mother's death; she devoted herself to her sister; and the ballet. But she hated the ballet. It did however; make her meet her best friend; Meg Giry. The opera Populaire had worked to re-gain the city of Paris' trust; and had worked to bring the opera house back up to code. Even then; there was still much to be done. Meg was her best friend; Karen was able to tell Meg anything and everything. Meg knew of Karen's mother's illness; Meg knew of Raphael; Meg knew of everything that ever happend to Karen. Karen knew she could trust Meg; the two were the best of friends.
But as Karen lie in her bed; stairing at the darkness around her; she began to ask herself if friendships were all she needed to gain.
She began to ask herself if she would really allow Raphael; a jerk that would run out on her; to let her swear off love forever. Two years after Raphael had run out; Karen had been courted by a few other men; but in the end; they all realized her heart was inpentitrable; and quit trying to woo her. Although the idea of someone loving her made her swoon; she would not allow herself to be hurt like that. Not ever again.
Now that she is 22; she realizes she only had one love. That love took all of her ambition; and thinks he can just walk back in and retrieve it all. Karen fell asleep thinking of what to do.
Everyone except Karen had left the Opera Populaire. The ballet girls; managers; Ballet instructor; Madam Giry; everyone went out to enjoy themselves in Paris' streets. Karen stayed back to try and think everything she was concerning herself with the previous night over. She found herself on stage; stuck in an imaginary world of which she was an opera singer instead of a ballet girl. The empty Populaire seats were full of men in black tuxedos; and wemon in white dresses fanning themselves. The band sat in their usual spot near the stage; but below the seats; and Karen wore a gorgeous gown that the star was to wear. Meg, Iris, and the other ballet girls were dancing behind her; and all eyes rested on her. A smile spread across her lips as she began to sing to the empty chairs; alone in the theater; and no one would know but her.
Erik had been scouting out the Opera Populaire; knowing that everyone was gone; and he would have the place to himself. He got out to breath new; fresh air; instead of the air in his lair.He had a feeling of freedom; which he knew would be taken away from him once they all returned. He stopped at his box at the sound of Karen's imaginary stardom. She sang; and it caught his ears. He sat in the chair in his box and watched her sing. He watched her voice ring out through the empty theater; and smiled at her. He didn't know any other girl who would stay behind and sing in an empty theater; Her mind allowed her to feel a since of importance.
He found his hands clapping together softly. The sound of them echoed through the empty theater; and caused Karen to look around. Erik quickly stopped but did not leave in time; she had spotted him. He turned to face her; and saw her smiling at him. He stared at her for a moment; and then fled.
"Bye!" She called out to him, waving.
"Karen." She turned and saw Meg and Iris standing behind her. "Who are you talking to?" Karen glanced up at box five and then shook her head.
"No one."
