Chapter 15 is finally here! Shoutouts to mollyjr3, GamerGirl21, karisdaae24601, Angeromaru, and knkubitz1001. And in reply to a review I have received, I don't have a set schedule on when I post, I just post whenever I finish a chapter. Now, Chapter 15! Hope you enjoy :)

Chapter 15

Once we exited off of the stage, Erik took me through a tunnel that we entered from backstage. "How is it that there are tunnels, entrances unseen to the untrained eye, everywhere that have only been used by you? Hasn't anyone else found them?" I asked.

"Not yet. The only people who use these passageways are myself and Madame Giry. Even then, she has to have permission from me before using them. You are the only other person who knows they even exist."

"I feel so honored."

He chuckled as he led me further down the dark tunnel. I had to hold onto his cloak to avoid losing him or running into a wall.

After what seemed like forever, I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel (pardon the pun), my room slowly coming into full view from the mirror door. "Well, this is my stop." I joked, not really wanting to leave him.

"So it seems." He stated, sounding a little put out.

"I'll see you tomorrow, I guess, unless you want to have a lesson tonight."

"No, you need to rest your voice. We can't have you croaking like a toad."

I snorted, trying to keep my laugh in, utterly failing. Erik gave me an amused look. "Did I say something funny?"

"In a way. In the musical about you, you gave Carlotta something to make her sound like a toad while she was singing in Il Muto after the managers blatantly disobeyed your order of having Christine sing instead."

"That sounds like a good idea, actually. It's a shame that I hadn't thought of it before. I could have gotten rid of Carlotta ages ago."

I playfully whacked his arm. "Now, Erik, don't go and do anything I wouldn't do. Although, sometimes I really wish I could tell that cow exactly what I think about her."

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you. It may not go over well with her, nor the managers."

"True. With them wrapped around Carlotta's pinkie, I would most likely be kicked out by the end of the day. It's a good thing I have you, though. You would save me from being homeless."

"And how would you suggest I do that, mademoiselle?" he asked, looking at me with a playful smirk.

"Like always, just scare the life out of the managers."

That earned me a laugh from the masked man beside me. We were both biding our time together before I had to return to the world where he couldn't follow. Why did the world have to be so cruel to you?
 "Pardon?"

Oops, did I say that out loud? Well, what an awkward position I put myself in. "I should go. I'm expecting company in a little bit. I'll see you tomorrow." I said as I opened the mirror door.

"Wait, Mandy, please…" he pleaded as he gently grabbed my wrist.

As I looked back at him, I could tell he was trying to find something to say. "Yes, Erik?"

"If you are able, would you like to join me for dinner tonight? I know its short notice, but-"

"I would love to have dinner with you, Erik." I interrupted with a wide smile. "I may be a little late, though. It depends on when I can get my company to leave."

"Who are you expecting?"

"Madame Giry, Meg, and Christine."

At the last name, Erik's face fell. "Oh no, Christine. I forgot about her lesson tonight!"

For some reason, my heart sunk at the thought of him with her. "That's alright. We can have dinner some other time. That is if you would still want to."

"Of course. Thank you for understanding." He said, kissing my knuckles. Dang, why does he keep doing that?

"I'll see you tomorrow, then. I'll try to wear something nice." I joked, winking at him. He didn't seem to know what to say, so he simply nodded and shut the mirror door.

I mentally smacked myself. Dang, why did I have to bring up Christine? If I hadn't have, I would be able to spend more time with him. Wait, why am I thinking this? It sounds as if I'm jealous. But I can't be…right?

In the midst of my thoughts, I neglected to see the hand coming out of my mirror, laying a red rose with a black ribbon on the little table beside it.

My thoughts were finally broken a few minutes later by two sharp knocks on my door. I jumped at the sudden noise filling the room, then straightened myself up, walking to the door and opening it. As soon as the door was halfway open, a certain blonde ballerina burst into my room. "I have been waiting for this all day. I haven't been able to get it out of my head. Where did the clothes come from? Why were you wearing them? How did you-"

"Meg, enough." I heard from the doorway. Madame Giry and Christine were still standing in the hallway. I motioned for them to come inside, stepping aside so they could. Once Madame Giry reached Meg, she reprimanded her again. "Give the mademoiselle a little bit of time to actually process your questions. You were going a mile a minute, she most likely did not understand a word you were saying."

Meg looked down shamefully. "I apologize, Mandy."

I chuckled. "There's no need to apologize. I know you're curious. I would be, too, if I were in your position."

Meg perked up, but it was Christine who spoke. "So, where did you find the clothes? I'm sorry, but I have only heard of women wearing trousers on the stage."

I took a deep breath, trying to decide whether I should tell them the truth or make something up. I didn't want to lie to them, but they would most likely ship me off to the nearest insane asylum if I told them the truth. C'mon, it's now or never… "You might want to sit down for this, ladies. What I'm about to tell you may be a bit shocking."

Once they were settled on my bed, I began to tell them everything. "When you first found me, Madame Giry, I had no idea where I was, or how I even ended up here. The last thing I remember before you found me was taking final bows on stage."

"Stage? So you were a performer where you were from?" Madame Giry asked.

"In a way. See, where I'm from is totally different from here. Actually, it's on another continent: North America."

"Oh, wow. America!" Meg exclaimed. "I've heard so many stories about the United States. Is it true that your president was killed in a theater?"

"Yes, he was. It was for a stupid cause, too. His assassin didn't agree with his views on slavery and was very upset when the Union defeated the Confederates in the Civil War. Forgive me for getting off topic, I brought you here to give you an explanation, not a history lesson."

"Did you work in the theater that he was killed in?" Meg asked, ignoring my last statement.

"No, I didn't. In fact, I wasn't even born by that time."

Christine looked at me, very confused. "But, from what I hear, it happened about four or five years ago."

"It did."

"You're not making any sense, mademoiselle." Madame Giry stated.

"I know, and please, Madame, call me Mandy. I'm not one for formalities."

She nodded. "Very well, please continue."

"Okay, so as I said, I wasn't born at that time. The reason I say this is…I was born in 1997."

All I could see were blank stares coming from the three women. "What?" was all Meg could utter.

"Alright, I am 17, almost 18. I was born in 1997. Add 18 to 1,997. That's what year it was when I somehow ended up here."

I could see them doing the math in their heads, then as if they were synchronized, they all yelled "2015!"

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner."