I'm baaack! Has anyone ever told you that college is fun? Well, that is only half true. It's fun as well as torturous and tiring. So is Doctor Who... But I wouldn't have it any other way :) Sooooo shoutouts! They go to samanthatm, MirandaRose22, ChibiLeo, BroadwayPJO, samsma, scarletXshad0w, Cheshire-Cat210, LuluLovesEristine, and MollyBites. Again, if you have any questions for me or any of the characters, put them in a review and we will answer them in the near future! Enjoy :)

Chapter 33

"My, do you have a beautiful voice!"

I whirled around, half expecting Quasimodo to be behind me. But alas, it was just a priest. A younger one at that. Not that I was attracted to him or anything. Nope, that was all for a certain O.G. "Oh, I'm sorry if I disturbed you." I apologized.

He shook his head, a chuckle emitting from him. "Trust me, if you were a disturbance, I would have spoken with you before. No, that was no disturbance. It was a gift from God."

I blushed. "It wasn't really that good. Where I'm from, I'm just mediocre."

"Then tell me, child, how are you the rave of Paris?"

"I have n-" I stopped myself. "You know who I am?"

"It is not hard to know who the people are talking about after hearing you sing. Plus..." He looked around us and leaned in as if he was going to tell me the secret of the universe. 42...oh shut up, Mandy... "I may or may not have hung up my priestly robe to attend your last performance."

I had no words, so I just stared with wide eyes. He walked off with a smile on his face. What just happened..?

I walked back to Erik's lair in a trance-like state, not even noticing the way Erik had his Punjab lasso in his hands, about to strangle the life out of Nadir. But once I walked in, his attention went to me. "Mandy, what's wrong?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I just...a priest sinned because of me."

He tensed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Nadir was clueless as his head swiveled from me to Erik. "I don't understand. Geese somehow grinned because of a leech?"

Erik was already irritated at him, I could tell. "Nadir, I really wish you wouldn't talk right now." he said in a menacing voice. Nadir backed away with his hands up in surrender and his eyes wide.

I sighed. They're worse than 5 year olds... "Never mind. Forget I said anything. Anyways, I'm tired. I'm going up to bed. Goodnight."

"I'll walk you up." Erik volunteered.

"You don't have to-" After noticing Erik's pleading expression, I said, "That's so nice of you, Erik. Thank you."

We walked off as Nadir stared around cluelessly. "What made you decide to walk me up?"

Erik's tone turned dull. "I would do anything to get away from that idiot."

I laughed. "Wow..."

"Also, we were interrupted earlier..." he stated as he leaned down and kissed me. The kiss shocked me, but was nonetheless welcome.

The following morning found me in my bed, sleeping soundly...

Until the screeching commenced.

Carlotta, for some ungodly reason, thought it was a good idea to come back to the opera house at 5 in the morning and practice the art of being horrible. I, on the other hand, was about to stop that train of thought before it left the station.

I threw my robe on over my modern-day clothes and ran down to the stage to find Carlotta there with Piangi and her minions. I rolled my eyes when they all clapped as she finished her 'rendition' of Think of Me. Why hasn't Erik dropping a sandbag on her head already?

"What on God's green Earth do you think you're doing? If memory serves, you quit because 'you couldn't work like dees'." I quoted, admiring the shade of red her face turned when I spoke up.

"Eef eet eesn't dee leetle toad. Tell me, how bad off ees the opera house now since I have left?"

I pretended to think. "Hmm...well, it was doing great until now."

She chuckled her arrogant little cackle, obviously thinking the reason was because of me. "And why might dees be?"

"You showed up, screeching like a dying cat!" a booming voice rang through the auditorium. I was amazed at how fast her face went from Bob the Tomato to Casper the Wrinkly, Loud, and Not-So Friendly Ghost.

"Awh!" I whined. "I was gonna say that!"

"I do believe it is time for you to go, signora." Madame Giry said, appearing out of nowhere, it seemed. Her forboding presence seemed to be the finishing move as Carlotta and her bunch hightailed it off that stage and right out of the door. The only sign there was that they were even there was a trail of feathers left by Carlotta's dog attacking his owner's boa. And yes, that girly looking poodle in the movie is real and his name, unfortunately for him, is Signor Fluffy Bonbon.

Once Carlotta was gone, something - or someone - landed behind me with a thump. Now, if it was the time when I first arrived in Paris, it would have scared me lifeless. But now, being a seasoned...person...it never phased me anymore. I knew it was Erik. "Does anyone know why she was back on my stage?"

"I don't know, Mr. All-Knowing Ghostie..." I mumbled.

He turned to me. "What was that?"

I looked around and shrugged. "I don't know. Probably the wind."

Madame Giry just sighed. "Youth...I will leave you both to your devices. I will see you in rehearsal, Mandy."

I nodded to her in response as she walked away. And then there were two...

"So, uh, how did it go with Nadir last night? After you got back?"

"Thankfully, he was gone by the time I got back. Of course, it was pretty late when I did get back..." he said, visible eyebrow raised.

I scoffed. "Well, excuse me if I wanted you to sing me to sleep and it took forever because someone couldn't think of an 'adequate song'." I used air quotes. "It wasn't anyone's fault but your own."

I started to walk away, but he caught me around the waist before I could go very far. "Where do you think you're going, mademoiselle?" he whispered in my ear.

I shivered. My weakness is discovered... "Back to my room to get some more sleep. I don't have to be up until 8 for rehearsal."

He kissed my cheek. "Well, then I guess I won't keep you any longer than I have to. I was just hoping you would come back to my lair with me. But, if you don't want to..."

I whined. "But I do, but I'm so tired...but I do...but I'm so tired..."

Erik tapped his foot on the stage. I growled. "Fine, but if I'm crabby at our lesson tonight, I'm blaming you."

He smiled brightly. "I wouldn't have it any other way."