Hey guys! Before I get to the chapter, I just want to let y'all know that I have posted the first chapter of Ties of the Heart, my new story. Please check it out and let me know what you think :) now, onto the chapter...
Mandy ChristineMeg All three
Chapter 37
I made my way to the gala which was being held in the foyer. Man, was it packed! No doubt all of these people were expecting me to sing tonight, but I could tell that they weren't all that perturbed. They loved Christine, just as I thought they would.
When I entered, the managers rushed to me (honestly, I should be getting used to that, but every time I see the two crazy-looking men running at me, it freaks me out!) with looks of joy on their faces. You could tell that they were celebrating their success by drinking too much.
"Mademoiselle!" Andre exclaimed. "She was a hit! You were right, they love her!"
"I am a mature woman and shall refrain from using the phrase 'I told you so' no matter how much I want to." I uttered sarcastically, though it went over both of their heads.
"You might want to watch out, though. You might have some competition for future roles." Firmin said lowly as if exchanging conspiracies.
I shrugged. "She can have all of them, for all I care."
Andre adopted a pleading look. "Oh, but you must sing for us some more. How about tonight?"
As he took a deep breath to gain everyone's attention, I put my hand over his mouth. "I never agreed to sing tonight, so it would be wise not to alert everyone as if I have. Maybe later, but not at the moment. Do you understand?" He tried to say something, but it was completely muffled by my hand. I sighed. "Nod if yes."
He nodded. I took my hand away from his mouth and backed away. "Right then. I'll get back to you if I change my mind."
I curtsied and walked over to the wall where a waiter was holding a tray of food. I grabbed a piece of cheese from the tray and leaned against the wall, savoring the tasty treat. Man, cheese was great, especially French cheese. Why is everything better if it's French? Maybe it's just the namesake and all in my brain, but dadgummit, it was so delicious-
"Good evening, mademoiselle."
I nearly choked on the bite of cheese in my mouth. The young man who suddenly appeared smirked. "I do sort of have that effect on women."
I scoffed after I got my air back. "What effect? Scaring them - quite literally - to death?"
"No, taking their breath away."
"Ha! Funny. You're a funny guy." I deadpanned.
Like the managers before him, my sarcasm went way over his head. "Another one of my attributes. Oh, where are my manners?" As if you had any... "My name is Elton LeChancho."
"Mandy B-Destler." Thankfully, I caught my almost-slip. Everyone here knows me as Destler, not...well, that's not important at the moment.
"Pleasure to meet me, I'm sure." Why, you arrogant little- "So, why don't you and I dance for a bit? I'm sure you're not here with anyone else."
"Um, how about no? I have better things to do than dance and converse with a stuck-up snob. So, if you don't mind, I think I'll be off." I said as I started to walk away.
He grabbed my arm. "I don't think you know-"
"I do know, actually. I know that I'm declining possibly the most arrogant man I have ever known." I snapped as I pulled my arm out of his grasp. "I wish you a good night, monsieur."
As I walked away from him, I found Christine standing in the middle of a huge crowd of admirers, looking like she was about to pass out, she was so pale. I pushed my way through the crowd, not that it was that hard. Everyone recognized me and parted for me like the Red Sea.
When Christine saw me, her tense face melted with relief. "Mandy! Thank goodness, a familiar face."
"I saw you about to bleat like a lamb, so I figured I would come to your rescue." I chuckled as I pulled her away from the crowd. "Sorry, folks. If you want to talk to Miss Daae, you will have to wait until she get's something in her. She hasn't eaten anything in a while and is about to pass out from low blood sugar. So, if you will please excuse us..."
We wove our way to a table set out with actual food, not just the cheese I was snacking on a few moments ago when Monsieur Rudeness infected me with his ill-mannered actions. Christine had grabbed a plate of little fruits when Meg found us.
"Christine, you were fantastic tonight!" she exclaimed. "Wasn't she amazing, Mandy?"
"Absolutely wonderful, girl!" I answered. "I know a certain someone is proud."
Christine gave me a knowing look, recognizing that I was talking about Erik. And it was true. He was so proud of her for going out there and killing it...well, maybe not those exact words...
"And another certain person seemed to be very infatuated with you, mademoiselle." I added. Christine's face was already tinted red with the first comment. Now she was turning beet red.
"Oh, stop teasing her, Mandy." Meg said. "It's not as if she noticed the handsome boy in the box fawning over her."
Christine turned her back to us as we laughed, although I could see her shoulders move as she laughed along with us. But our laughter was short-lived when Mister Rude found me again.
"Mademoiselle, I brought you a drink." he said, seeming to be proud of himself for completing such a 'heroic' act.
"Sorry, my mother taught me to not take drinks from strangers. You never know what their intentions are." I shot at him.
He looked offended. "But I'm not a stranger. I told you my name."
I looked back at Meg and Christine, who were looking at both of us with interest, probably wondering if I was going to pull a knife on him or something. Meg even gave me a little nod to let me know that it was alright with her. I would have laughed if I weren't so annoyed with Monsieur LeChanco. "As a matter of fact, you are a stranger. I met you not even five minutes go and I already wish I never would have. I reiterate, you are the most arrogant and self-centered man I have ever met, and you need to get away before I do something I may regret later."
He got a gleam in his eye. "Really? Like kiss me?"
I raised my hand to slap him, but stopped myself. I knew a better way to get rid of him for good.
I looked back at Christine and Meg again, this time gathering them around me in a huddle. "Do you still remember the song I was teaching you a few days ago?"
They both nodded. "Good," I said. "Because we are about to put on a performance this idiot will never forget."
Their smiles matched mine as we disassembled our huddle. I turned to LeChanco. "You stay here for a bit. I'm about to give you the performance of your life."
He smiled devilishly. "I can't wait."
As I walked away with the girls, I muttered, "Oh, just wait and see..."
We found the managers (where else?) by the punch bowl, making fools of themselves in front of everyone. I got their attention by taking their cups away from them and setting them on a table beside me. "Gentlemen, I believe I am ready to sing for these fine people."
I bid Meg to tell the musicians what we had planned (I taught them the song, too) as the Firmin gained the room's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have another surprise for you, tonight. Mademoiselle Mandy would like to give us a performance of her own!" This was met with thunderous applause.
"This song goes out to a special someone. You know who you are." I added, winking at Monsieur LeChanco. He still had that smug look on his face.
I'll give you something to be smug about... I thought to myself as the music started. Let's do this...
"Why am I always hit on by the boys I never like,
I can always see 'em coming, from the left or from the right..."
"I don't want to be a priss, I'm just try'na be polite,
But it always seems to bite me in the..."
"Ask me for my number, yeah, you put me on the spot,
You think that we should hook up, but I think that we should not..."
"You had me at "Hello", then you opened up your mouth..."
"And that is when it started going south,
Oh!"
We started to walk towards Monsieur LeChanco.
"Get your hands off my hips,
'Fore I'll punch you in the lips,
Stop your staring at my
Hey!
Take a hint, take a hint,
No you can't buy me a drink,
Let me tell you what I think,
I think you could use a mint,
Take a hint, take a hint,
T-take a hint, take a hint..."
For some reason, he was still smiling at me, probably still not over the fact that I was singing to him.
"I guess you still don't get it, so let's take it from the top..."
"You asked me what my sign is, and I told you it was 'Stop'..."
And if I had a dime for every name that you just dropped,
You'd be here and I'd be on a yacht,
Oh!"
He finally started to get what I was conveying through the song as the smile dropped from his face.
"Get your hands off my hips,
'Fore I'll punch you in the lips,
Stop your staring at my
Hey!
Take a hint, take a hint,
No you can't buy me a drink,
Let me tell you what I think,
I think you could use a mint,
Take a hint, take a hint,
T-take a hint, take a hint..."
"What about "No" don't you get..."
"So go and tell your friends..."
"I'm not really interested..."
By this line, we were right in front of him, Meg and Christine on each side of me.
"It's about time that you're leavin'..."
"I'm gonna count to three and..."
"Open my eyes and,
You'll be gone..."
I closed my eyes and the girls put their hands on my shoulders, as if leading me blindly.
"One..."
"Get your hands off my..."
"Two..."
"Or I'll punch you in the...
"Three.
I opened my eyes to find him staring at my chest area. To say I was mad would be an understatement.
"Stop your staring at my
Hey!"
I pushed him, sending him stumbling backwards about a foot or so.
"Take a hint, take a hint,
I am not your missing link,
Let me tell you what I think,
I think you could use a mint,
Take a hint, take a hint,
Take a hint, take a hint..."
"Woah!"
"Get your hands off my hips,
'Fore I'll punch you in the lips,
Stop your staring at my
Hey!
Take a hint, take a hint,
T-take a hint, take a hint..."
The end of the song was met with silence, then applause that shook the entire room. I was quite pleased with our performance, as were the girls. None of us could stop smiling.
I looked back down at where he was last to find him straightening his tie, not looking too happy. He stomped out of the room when the audience started to cheer my name.
I stayed topside for about an hour more before I decided to call it a night and head down to the lair. Ever since that song, I was not able to wipe that smile off of my face. I had never the the guts to do something like that. I had always wanted to do that, but the situation to do so had never shown itself. When it finally did, I had to take the opportunity with both hands. It turned out in my favor in may ways, I guess: the audience loved it and it got Monsieur LeChanco to leave me alone.
I reached the lair to find Erik at the organ. I knew I could never sneak up on him, but I decided to try it anyways.
As I was tiptoeing towards him, without even looking at me, he said, "That was quite a performance you put on a bit ago."
I huffed, a little irked that I had failed in sneaking up on him, but that was soon remedied by the memories of the 'performance', as he so eloquently put it. "Yeah, it was pretty fun."
He nodded. "I could see that. And who, pray tell, was the man that you so publicly humiliated?"
"Oh, no one. He said his name was Elton LeChanco."
I was startled by Erik's sudden burst of laughter. "That insolent fool? He deserves everything dished to him and more."
I was confused. "What do you mean? Who is he?"
"He used to perform here as a chorus boy. He had caught the eye of a wealthy countess and was lavished upon by her. He abandoned the opera house to pursue a relationship to find that she was already married. He tried to come back, claiming that we would be nothing without him." Erik explained.
I scoffed. "Sounds like the genderbent version of Carlotta." I saw the confusion of his face before I realized that I did it again. "I meant that he sounds like the male version of Carlotta. I'll explain that concept later. Right now, I am so tired that I could sleep for two days. I may very well just do that." I said after I thought about it.
Erik laughed. "Well, I don;t think that will go over well with Madame Giry, but by all means, please do try..."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You just want me to get in trouble with her, don't you?"
He shrugged. "I can't help it. I find it humorous."
"Yeah, well we'll see how humorous it is when I tell her about the one thing..."
He gasped in fear. "You wouldn't dare..."
"Oh, I so would. But not tonight. It can wait until...whenever I wake up."
I walked over to the bed and plopped down on it, not leaving much room for Erik, but he somehow managed to slide in beside me. I couldn't help but think that this was where I belonged...
The song featured in this chapter is Take A Hint from Victorious. I don't now why, but I have always loved that song. Hope yyou liked the chapter! Please let me know :)