Chapter 2: Back in the Opera House
As Christine dragged her heavy suitcase through the Opera house doors, memories came flooding back to her.
She saw the stairs where she and Meg would always come down before an opera, she heard the chatter of the young girls inside their dorms, and of course, she saw the stage where she and Erik performed the unfinished play, Don Juan.
Christine sighed. "I wonder if he's still here," she wondered out loud. All through her ride back here she wondered about her Angel of Music.
Chrsitne made her way to Meg's bedroom. She knocked and opened the door slightly. Meg was sitting on her bed reading a book. She looked up and saw Christine's head poking into the room.
"Christine Daae?" she said in disbelief.
"Meg Giry?" said Christine. Meg got up and hugged her friend. "Oh, it's been so long!" said Meg. "How is going with Raoul?"
Chrsitne's smile faded. "Well, that's why I came back here..." She told Meg the story of how Raoul had lost his job by falling asleep, and gambling their savings carelessly, unaware of the consequences.
Meg sighed. "Men sometimes... You don't know what's going through their heads."
"Speaking of men," Christine said, "is Erik still here?"
Meg's face fell. "Well," she said. "He is, but he's been more trouble than ever. In the past few months he's messed up two dress rehearsals, hid one of our star's costumes, AND left a threatening letter for M. Andre and M. Firmin."
"What did the letter say?" Christine asked.
"Oh, he was just demanding his pay, but he was less polite this time," Meg answered.
Christine thought of Erik, and her stomach gave a funny jolt, mixed with sadness, guilt, and pity.
"This is all my fault," she said. "If I hadn't taken off his mask during Don Juan I wouldn't have left him in so much pain... maybe I should have chosen him instead of Raoul. Besides, he is my Angel of..." Christine's voice trailed off.
"Christine?" Meg said. "Christine? You trailed off there. What's wrong?"
Christine got up immediately, and ran for the door.
"Christine! Where are you going?" Meg called.
"I'll be right back, Meg," Christine said. "There is one more loose end I have forgotten to tie upafter the rein of the Phantom of the Opera."
