Hey all! This is my first Phan phic. Actually, it was a dream that I'm tweaking a bit. Okay, a lot of tweaking. Emphasis on a lot. Anywho.
This takes place in modern times. So, there is an Erik, same deformity, same everything. The only difference is that he isn't as cold as the real Erik. Kind of like his reincarnation.
Oh, and he isn't the composer Erik. The Broadway show exists. But the movie doesn't.
Disclaimer: In no way do I own Erik or any other character from the Phantom of the Opera that I might mention, nor will I ever own them. They belong to Leroux, Webber, and Kay.
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A flute trilled away at the piece of music. But it stopped. Serena stared at the music before her and sighed as she brushed her straight chocolate tresses from her eyes. Her sister had cantered up the stairs to tell her to stop 'that insufferable garbage.' Well, didn't that just make her feel loved?
Her mother called from the kitchen. "Serena! You're going to school in half an hour. Why are you playing so early?"
She groaned as she looked at the clock. 'Crap. Six forty-five and I still haven't changed yet.' Thankfully, she had bathed already. She dragged her body to her armoire and tugged out her tight dark blue jeans and a cream off the shoulder peasant blouse with green vines around the neckline.
'Seven o'clock. Damn, why do I take so long to put clothes on?' Serena quickly shoved her feet into her tan high-heeled boots and brushed her hair back into a loose clip. She applied her mascara and gloss. That's all she ever wore. She ran downstairs and grabbed a piece of bread, her lunch, and her backpack and flew out the door. She would never understand why her parents made her leave the house so early. School didn't start until eight o'clock.
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The car ride was silent. It always was. That is until her father broke the silence. "Serena dear, why do you continue to go on with this choir, band, and musical obsession. You're smart. You are a straight A student. You could be a doctor or a lawyer. Something else besides a simple fashion designer."
"Daddy, for the last time. I can't stand blood, and I don't like to argue. And those aren't the only professions that bring in money."
"A fashion designer won't make much."
"Hello? Versace? Dior? Chanel? Are they just designers?"
Her father grimaced as the pulled up to the school. "That's a one in a million chance."
"Gee, thanks for your support." She got out and slammed the door in his face.
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The seventeen year old walked over to her friends who were waiting for her in the entrance. Kathy, Rachel, and Alex were all like her. Well, not exactly. But the four of them were obsessed with the arts programs and were all natural beauties. But honestly, they didn't flaunt it. They all stood at 5'9", give or take an inch on each. Serena had waist length chocolate hair and large green eyes with a tint of blue. Kathy had soft blond wavy hair and the world's brightest blue eyes ever. But she hid them behind glasses. Unlike Serena and Alex, she refused to get contacts. Rachel had dirty blond hair pulled into a tight braid. Hazel eyes and a small mouth accented her pale skin. Alex was a cross between Serena and Kathy. She had brown hair, but with natural blond highlights. And she too had blue eyes.
The four girls walked down the halls, desperately trying to not attract attention. The sat down in front of their homeroom. Alex spoke up.
"Just for sakes, maybe we shouldn't walk all at once. You know, to avoid the jocks?"
"Or," Kathy piped up, "we could just take a different route."
Rachel just rolled her eyes. "Like that would help. Hey guys, we still have half an hour until the first bell rings. I'm going to talk to the dance instructor about rehearsals." The other three sniggered.
"Otherwise known as Mom to you?" Serena's eyes danced merrily. They loved to tease poor Rachel about the fact that her Mom worked at the school.
"Whatever. See you guys first period." And she scampered off.
Kathy peered over the rim of her book. "Heh, she probably just went off to try and catch a glimpse of the new teacher." Serena and Alex perked up.
"New teacher?"
"Yeah. You know how our choir teacher had a baby? Well, she's going to be out for the rest of the school year. No substitute can teach for seven months without knowing how to sing. So they hired another teacher."
Alex was in deep thought. "Well, what's her name?"
Kathy laughed. "Actually, the teacher is a he, and that's all I know."
"Well, I have choir before you two, so at lunch, I'll tell you so you know for class." Serena shook her head. 'I hope he can sing.'
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AP Calculus was Serena's first period class. She was fortunate enough to share it with Alex. Their teacher, Ms. Malone, well there wasn't a nice way to put it. She scared the crap out of everyone in the class.
Add that to the dull way she taught, and you have the world's worst math class. It was easy to see that, considering the fact that more than half the class was nodding off. But no one dared to actually shut his or her eyes, for fear of the teacher.
Boys had downloaded games, and were passing the time of class playing them. It appeared that only the girls were taking notes on the dull lesson of limits.
Serena anxiously awaited the bell to ring so that she could go to her choir class. That's what was pulling her through this class. Her curiosity.
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Serena sat in her choir class, waiting for her new teacher to make his debut. No one knew who he was, only that he was to temporarily replace the current teacher who was on maternity leave. Everyone was whispering to each other.
"I heard he's really hot." A few of the sopranos gossiped.
"I overheard from the mailroom that he's already got his master's in music, and he's only twenty three!" This caught Serena's attention.
"But," she sputtered, "that means that he graduated high school when he was fifteen!" No one person could be that smart.
It was almost ten minutes into second period. There was absolutely no sign of Mr. Whatever. There was an unwritten rule that if it was ten or more minutes into the period, and the teacher was a no show, you were allowed to leave. So the cluster of singers gathered their books and laptops and scurried out the door.
Being slow at clearing her things, Serena was the last one to leave. She strolled out the door. Or at least, she tried. Her friend, Rachel, ushered her back in the room.
"Serena, you have got to see the guy blocking the way of the hallway. We can't get to the cafeteria."
"Just cut through the guidance office. What's the problem with that?"
"Well, I'm not sure about the guys, but there is definitely a reason as to why the girls aren't moving a muscle." Rachel looked giddy, obviously impressed by the man in the hall.
Serena was confused. "Why?"
"He's a major hottie!" Serena shrugged, obviously not interested. "And I know that you haven't looked at a guy in a while because you haven't found a spark, but just see for yourself!" And with that, she dragged Serena down the hallway to the blockade.
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The two girls cut through the band room, ignoring the complaints of the concert band. But when they reached the place where the man should have been, they only found the class huddled in a corner. The man was at the opening with his arms crossed. He wore black dress pants with matching shoes. He wore a dark gray shirt with a black blazer. In one of his hands he clutched a piece of paper.
Serena walked up to the clustered girls. "Now what's the matter? Why aren't you goggling at him like she said you were?" She thrust a finger at Rachel. An alto spoke up.
"Alright, as hot at he may be, we're scared shitless of him. Rena, talk to him."
"Ugh! Do I always have to do everything myself?" This earned her a glare from Jodi, her rival since the sixth grade. "Alright, alright. First of all, fine, I'll talk to him. Second of all, don't call me Rena." She sauntered up to the well-dressed man. "Who the hell are you?" She demanded.
"Now, now," he looked at his paper, "Ms. Montgomery. Is that any way to talk to your teacher?"
