Bonjour/ Guten Abend my readers! Chapter 9 is here and ready to send your hearts racing. Belle's past with catch up to her and knock her for a loop! I hope you will leave me reviews and comments so I may better the story for you all. I remain your obedient servant,
~The Southern Rose~

My 23st birthday was just around the corner and although I knew Erik had something up his sleeve for me, he refused to tell me what it was. He said I would need to wait until the night of the performance. The air grew colder and colder until the first snow of winter fell, which according to Lukas, is a sign of good luck.
"Es it ein Zeichen für Glücken." Lukas said as he tuned his violin. Tonight is the night of the performance and my chance to shine. "Wo ist Conner?" Good question, where was Conner? The orchestra needed to be in their seats ready to go in ten minutes. The door flew open and there was Conner, holding a cloth to his nose.
"Was ist passiert zu du?!"
"Yes Conner, what did happen to you?"
I moved the cloth from his face, which was spotted with blood and his eyes were welling up with tears. It had stopped bleeding, for the most part. When I touched it he didn't flinch, which was a good sign that it wasn't broken. I walked over to the wash basin, rung out the cloth, and cleaned up his face. He made the motion that he was walking outside when someone asked him about me and his brother. When he didn't answer, which he can't even if he wanted to, the man apparently introduced him to his hand.
"Did you recognize him?" I asked. He shook his head, and motioned to the money in his hand. None of us understood what he was trying to tell us, so he mouthed the name, Foss. I froze. What would he want with us? We paid him what father owed plus interest. I shook it off; we had a performance to do. I cleaned his face, handed him his violin and gave each of them a kiss for luck as I walked to my room to change. I locked the door and turned on my music box. I grabbed my costume and laid it out on the bed when I saw something move in the shadows.
"Well Mademoiselle, you've certainly moved up in the world." it was Monsieur Foss. He walked closer "Is the pay here good?" I walked away quickly.
"How did you get in here?!" I snarled.
"Well Mademoiselle, you still owe me for your father's debts."
"No we don't. I've kept track of all the monthly payments plus the interest. That payment we gave you many months ago was not the last." I walked to my dresser to show him the ledger. He slammed the drawer closed, pinning me to the dresser.
"I see you're a smart woman. I like smart women." He began to kiss my hair. "I know one way you can pay me." He spoke softly and reached around my waist and pulled me to face him. I slapped him across the face, my nails leaving a shallow mark.
"How dare you! I'm not that kind of girl, now get out." My voice cold. He didn't seem to hear what I said.
"Oh I think you are." He reached for me again.
"Touch her again sir, and you will have to answer to me." The voice boomed and filled the room. That got his attention.
"Well Mademoiselle, until next time." He bowed, unlocked the door and left. Erik burst from behind the mirror.
"Who was that man?! I will hang him like the dirty lowlife he is…" His face glowed like an ember against is ghostly mask. I take his hand in mine and kiss his cheek.
"I'll explain later I'm late as is." He nodded and placed a long kiss upon my forehead before disappeared into the shadow of the passageway. Changing quickly, I didn't have time to put my hair up or do my makeup. I made it just as Madam Giry was calling role.
"It's about time you showed up." She said coldly. I saw Meg walk to my side.
"Don't mind her; she always is tense around performance. Come with me, I'll help you do your makeup." My new best friend, for if it weren't for her, I'd be without makeup and on her mom's bad side. When she finished, I looked completely different. My skin was flawless, lips redder than a rose, and my eyes were the focus of the whole thing, they were blue like dark topaz. "You look just like a gypsy, but much prettier." Meg complemented. We could hear Carlotta warming up and that was our queue to get warmed up. All throughout the performance I kept looking at Lukas and Conner. They seemed to be so happy playing in the orchestra. In one part of the play, Lukas had a small solo and they sounded beautiful in their duet. I also was looking for Erik in the crowd, and if he was there, he was hiding very well. Now it was time for my featured part. People had seen me in the background and occasionally pestering Carlotta. After all, what else do gypsies do with someone they don't like? The music began, the ballerinas were in a circle, blocking everyone's view of me, then when the first fortissimo came, they broke apart to reveal a beautiful gypsy dancer. I was lighter on my feet than the snow falling outside. I slowly rise to my toes in time with the maestro and began to leap and twirl about, my ribbon creating beautiful circles around me. Soon the rest of the corps brought the chest forward, symbolizing what they had stolen from the duchess. They soon go to circle Carlotta, their scarves connecting them as they rounded her. I gave the audience a grin, leaping over the box in a perfect split, landing without a hitch. I twirl back to the chest, getting faster as the music demanded before stopping just in front of the chest. I took a deep breath and instead of using the chest for balance, I took a step on the chest and balanced on top of it. Just like Erik taught you… tight muscles and for heaven sake BREATHE! I kick my foot out to the side, the slowly bring it behind me as my arm extend out to the crowd. I waver slightly, but maintain my balance. I bring my leg back and flip off the chest, kicking my leg out as I twirl in time to the music, ending on the maestro's command. The curtain closed and the crowd went crazy, cheering and clapping. At the curtain call, I received a larger applause that Señoria Carlotta. Backstage, we could hear her raving about how something wasn't to her liking, which we all were pretty sure was my fault. Lukas and Conner rushed backstage to hug me and tell me how well I did, and didn't hold back the part about me looking pretty in the gypsy costume and how I was finally wearing makeup. I told them both goodnight and that tomorrow, we'd go out and celebrate the success of the opera. I took off my slippers and walked barefooted back to my room. I made sure I was alone before I locked my door. I turned on my music box and this time, I chose a different song when I heard a knock at my door. I opened it, but no one was there, then the knock started again.
"Over here silly girl." It was Erik standing in his finest at my mirror. His smile was bigger than the stage and he has something behind his back. He moved the mirror then handed me a small box. "Yes, it's for you Ma Cherie. I noticed that it was dirty so I had Badeaux take it to the jewelers and have it cleaned. It arrived as the play was beginning." I opened it to find my mother's silver necklace sitting inside. It was simple, but I loved it. We were born in December so Father had it made with her initials were on one side of the pendant and mine on the other. In the center was a crystal blue stone. I was dumbfounded, it shown like the Christmas star. My eyes kept flitting between the necklace and Erik. He finally took it from my hands and put it on me. "You were wonderful tonight. No matter what you say, you really can dance. Follow me. I have something else for you." I let go long enough to put my slippers back on. He helped me into the boat and he rowed to his hideaway. When we got there, only one candle was lit and though it was doing its job, it wasn't giving of much light. He got out but I wasn't going with him anytime soon. "It's ok, just take my hand," the light reflecting off his mask, his dark, seductive smile making my soul melt. I gave him my hand and I let him pull me out of the boat, my eyes never wavering from his. We walked to the candle and, using the torch to light the rest, the real reason came to light. The picture frame I gave away the night we got the jobs in the opera house! It was him that I gave it to, I guess the world is smaller than we realize… inside the frame was a sketch. The sketch was not what I expected; it was me with my hair down, looking in the distance, lost in thought and a book in my hand.
"Did you draw this…?" the sketch was very detailed, from the part in my hair to the few faint freckles on my cheeks. I looked up from the detailed drawing, his face beaming with pride.
"But of course mon Cherie, I am an artist. Not just with music, but an artist with drawing."
"I don't get it." He took the picture from my hands.
"This is how I see you. Not as a worker with callused hands or a ballerina with makeup and costumes, but an intelligent girl with beauty beneath the surface. I see charm that lasts for more than a moment, whit that would make anyone laugh, and a heart full of bravery. You put others first and yourself last, and this time I wanted you to feel what it's like to be in the limelight." I was speechless. Did he…love me…? My heart was racing, our eyes locked and he took my hand and drew me close to him. He took my small face in his hands and kissed me softly as not to break this piece of fine China. He pulled away. My mind was racing like a spooked horse, screaming like a giddy school girl. HE LOVES ME! I wonder how far I can take this…
"I may be a dancer, but I'm not that dainty." A smile played across his face as he picked me up and embraced me in a breath taking, passionate kiss. I wrapped my legs around his torso as he slowly pressed me into the wall. I didn't want this moment to end; my hands wandered up his shirt and danced across his skin, his gloved hands inching their way up my costume. I heard a small clock chime one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. It's midnight! I was to be at rehearsal early the next morning because we were building sets for the new production. That's what I get for being a stagehand.
"I'm sorry, I must go; tomorrow is a long day for me." I whispered in his ear. He slowly kissed my neck as he put me down, he then kissed my hand.
"So soon mon amoureux enchanteur...? I wish we had more time." I blushed at his statement, causing him to give me that dark, devilish grin that made me melt.
"Me to mon amour, but I have to start work in the morning."
"Alright mon cherie, I shall be watching from my usual perch."
"And where might that be?" He laughed.
"In Box 5." He helped me into the boat and we sailed back to the staircase were I got out and started up the stairs, not before I pulled Erik to me and gave him one more kiss, my body melting at his commanding touch. The candle nub was growing shorter and finally burnt out halfway up the staircase. I let my hand guide me along the wall until I could see the light from the candle I had lit in my room. After tripping over a few stones, I finally made it back to my room. I moved the mirror, stepped in and closed it back. I didn't even bother changing into my nightgown; as soon as my head hit the pillow I was asleep. I thought the second coming of Christ was at my door. Apparently, whoever was at my door had the intention of waking up the whole opera house. I rolled out of bed, threw on a shawl, and opened the door. No sooner did I open the door did a fist make contact with my head. I hit the floor with a thud, blinding pain throbbing in my head. I hear two familure voices, one being a man, and the other, a ballerina's as I black out from the pain.