Thank you to my kind reviewers.
Enjoy! I wasn't sure how to write the want ads or the name of the companies, so sorry if it's not realistic.
Chapter 1
The next morning, Christine sat at the small particle wood table in the kitchen of her apartment, glaring at the newspaper sitting in front of her that was currently turned to the want-ads. There was absolutely nothing at all on the pages that seemed even remotely interesting. She figured it might have something to do with the fact that she had only spent about five minutes looking at it, and the other hour and twenty five minutes glaring at it, or getting up to fiddle with the thermostat, desperate for something to distract her from the tortuous task. Such was the daily routine of Christine Daae. She sighed.
It had been this way for three years, only breaking tradition for three weeks every other month, on the rare occasion that she found a job. She always managed to lose the job, however, before it payed her enough to get her into college. That was why she had to satisfy herself with a run-down, one bedroom apartment that she shared with her best friend Meg(she slept in Christine's bed - they were far too poor to be embarrassed or self-conscious of this, and Meg refused to sleep on the floor but wouldn't allow Christine to take her place), who had yet to return from her late night partying on campus.
She was currently attending NYU. Christine wondered if she would ever get to know what that felt like.
Meg had gotten there on scholarship alone, as she was even poorer than Christine, and she was blown away when she had received her letter of congratulations from the college. She was now trying for a Bachelor's degree in British Literature, the only thing she was more passionate about than dancing.
Christine was terrible at dancing, and literature - of any kind - bored her to death. Music was her passion, but her scholarship application had been rejected.
Twice.
She wasn't stupid - not at all! She made decent grades in all of her classes - never failing, at least - so she couldn't understand why they wouldn't accept her. But she was determined to get into the college, or at least some college, to prove to herself that she wasn't doing anything wrong. She needed to know she wasn't doing anything wrong.
It was all a matter of waiting it out. And getting the money, of course.
Meg was very supportive, and was always perfectly cheery and optimistic, but Christine knew she was nervous about the whole situation. She was the one who had invited Christine to live with her, after all, even though there was no other choice at the time. Meg's mother had been saving enough money to get Meg to New York for college, and enough for a decent apartment. Christine had had nothing, and so had consented to be her roommate, just happy to have somewhere to live again, and thrilled by the fact that she was moving somewhere like New York City. She had never been anywhere but Paris and her hometown of Brittany. But Meg was highly embarrassed by the fact that she had gotten into college so easily, and had a job dancing in a local ballet company that paid their rent and put decent food on the table, while Christine had nothing. Christine didn't know how to bring it up to tell her it didn't matter, so there was always a subtle tension between them that never faded, and Christine was starting to doubt that it ever would.
God, she needed that job.
She glared harder, before taking a sip of her black coffee. She was feeling rather irritated this morning, especially after that dream. It had stirred up some memories she wished she could forget. She tried to focus on the black print, written so tiny she had to squint and lean forward to see it, but her mind kept wandering to last night's dream, marveling at the fact that every detail was exactly as clear as the minute she had dreamed it. She could even see Raoul's hair, glinting even without the light of the sun. She could see her own self, as if watching the scene from outside her body, burying her head in his chest as his arms wrapped around her. God, she could even feel the warmth of him!
She choked back her tears, holding a hand to her mouth. She tried to push the memories aside, knowing Raoul was safe and sound back in Paris with his lovely brother Philippe - she sneered as she thought of him - and she had nothing to be sniveling about. He had promised he would find some way, any way to visit her.
That was four years ago, Christine, a voice whispered evilly in her head.
"So?" she said aloud, then blushed at her idiotic behavior. She was being ridiculous. She took a deep breath, and forced herself to focus on the paper before her, finally able to understand the ads. She had not been studying it thirty seconds before her cell phone rang.
She slammed the paper down, snatching up the phone in irritation.
"What!" she snarled into the phone, not bothering to check the caller id. The phone had been a gift from Raoul, when she had turned fifteen. She hated when he spoilt her like that, but she admitted she was glad he had given her this luxury.
A lilting, female voice answered her, completely oblivious to her less than friendly greeting.
"Oh! Hey, Chrissy! Sorry I didn't come home last night, I'm at Sorelli's. She offered to give me a place to crash, though um . .I doubt she'll even remember she invited me when she wakes up, she was so drunk. . The party was. .um, a little rowdy, and it lasted longer than I expected. ."
Christine knew this meant that she had met an incredibly hot guy and decided to get to know him. She never did anything else when first meeting them. She always just talked, which sometimes left the guys confused, but impressed. It was classic Meg, always the charmer.
"How'd he look?" Christine asked, smiling softly as Meg instantly attacked the topic.
"Oh, Chrissy he was amazing! His face, oh goodness! He had the most gorgeous eyes, hazel I think . .and he was Italian or something, I'm not sure, and his hair was brown. ."- she paused - "I think . ."- her voice sounded perplexed- "but, I know he was incredibly sexy."
Christine laughed out loud. Meg always spent a good time getting to know them, but she had a hard time remembering which was which. Christine usually was better at remembering Meg's guys than Meg was.
"I think that's the guy you went out with last Tuesday," Christine said, a smile in her voice. Meg went silent, thinking.
Finally, after a minute, she spoke again, completely unfazed. "You're right. Oh well. Maybe I should go out with him again. I have his number somewhere. ." she trailed off. Christine waited, knowing she didn't even remember his name, much less where she put his number. Christine remembered his name was George. He had even come over to the apartment to drop Meg off. Christine admitted that he was incredibly sexy, and also very nice. She wasn't wild about his name, but he was Meg's best choice yet. And his eyes were green. Christine laughed to herself.
"So, how's the job hunting goin'?" Meg finally asked, changing the subject. It was the real reason she had called Christine at 9 in the morning, knowing it was how her friend spent her mornings.
Christine sighed.
"Well, I found a few things. ." she quickly scanned the page, and repeated the first ad she spotted into the phone. "Secretary wanted to work full time at Regan's Pumps." She furrowed her brow. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to tell Meg. .
"Um. .Chrissy? Do you even know what Regan's Pumps is?" Her voice sounded amused.
Christine blushed.
"Of course, Meggy! A plumbing company."
She winced. How wonderful.
Meg laughed. "And you want to work there? Come on Christine, don't lie to me. And it's a refinery. The secretary's do nothing but answer the phones and deal with sweaty, stinking, oil-covered pervs. Well, most of them are that way, anyway."
Christine sighed, then looked down. She hated the newspaper. Her eyes locked on the ad located beneath the one she had just read. She looked over at it, read over it and decided it was decent.
"Well how 'bout this?" she asked, then started to read. "Seeking full-time assistant- ." Meg sighed in agitation, but Christine pressed on, repeating it a little more forcefully. "Just listen Meg! Seeking full-time assistant at De Mare Imagery - he's a photographer, Meg! - Assistant will be responsible for answering phones, taking messages, and filing. Will start at minimum wage for the first month. Apply in person or by calling Sonya Baker at the front desk."
She waited silently for Meg's consent, biting her lip. Please Meg,. .I don't want to burden you anymore. .
Meg mulled it over at Sorelli's dorm, the aforementioned person sprawled lazily over her bed, still drunk. Meg had slept in her roommate's bed, who was still out partying. Meg tapped her fingernails against the wooden table she was sitting at, a bagel sitting untouched in front of her. She thought it sounded decent. .at least better than her other jobs, which had usually been hole-in-the-wall restaurants who only wanted Christine for her pretty face, but soon found she lacked the spunk of their other waitresses. She just wasn't very. .happy. .anymore.
Meg had become very critical of Christine's job choices, lately, hoping to prevent her from choosing jobs that could only lead to failure. It would crush her esteem, and she would eventually give up.
Meg nodded to herself. Yes, this would work. Or at least be better than her other jobs. Maybe Christine would eventually be able to take up some of the rent, so they could be comfortable. She was aware of the tension that existed between the two, all because she had things Christine wanted. She didn't care if Christine didn't pay for anything, she had more than enough at the time, but she knew Christine felt awkward. She wanted Chrissy to feel comfortable.
"I think it's cool, Chrissy, you should go for it. But uh. .put on some decent clothes and try to look like you want to be there, instead of looking like a lazy bum. Love ya, babe." She hung up the cell phone, laying it on the table. She stared at it sadly, hoping the best for her poor friend. She finally sighed pushed back her chair, standing and going back to the empty bed. She collapsed onto it gratefully, lulled by the sound of New York City traffic. Oh, how she loved the weekends. .
---
Christine smiled. Meg was always completely honest, damned the consequences. That was what was so great about her. She sighed, rolling up the paper and throwing it in the trash after writing down the address and phone number. She stared down at the small piece of paper, brow furrowed.
"Fifth street, . ." she mumbled to herself. She would have to borrow some of Meg's money again to get her a ride to the business. She sighed, deciding she would hold off the interview until tomorrow. Right now, she just wanted to sleep, and get over her dream. She wasn't sure why she had even forced herself to get up this morning. Perhaps because she constantly felt as if she were running out of time . .
Well, that was ending. Tomorrow, she would get that job and put her life back on track. She would get enough money to pay for tuition at some college, and graduate and start living her life.
She collapsed onto her bed, wrapping the comforter around her and breathing in its comforting scent. Sometimes, being jobless had its luxuries. .
----
Well, there ya go. The next installment of "You're Already There." I hope you enjoy, and thank you SO much to my reviewers who are already supporting the story! I hope it appeals to you!
And no, Raoul isn't going to be out of the story in Paris forever. That'd be cruel, and Raoul is a critical character in this. (Well..duh. :slaps forehead:)
And George, the Italian hunk, is based off a SPANISH hunk by the name of George Kelly, who can SING. -faints- He was on America's Got Talent! And I swear I think I sat through it with my chin in my lap. He was..wow. And so sexy too.
Sorry if the chapters are short, mine have a habit of turning out that way. I TRY to make them long, but it never works very well. :(
Anyway, please review! -pleading smile-