So I am going to the cinema tomorrow night with my Mum to watch Noah in cinema. It's safe to say I am very excited about that! Been waiting to watch this for weeks! :D So because I'm not certain that I shall have time to upload this chapter tomorrow night, here it is! A day early! :) I hope you all enjoy it! :)

Erik's Guest: Thanks for the continued lovely reviews. They are always awesome! :) Yes hopefully they have haha! I have always found the managers to be quite amusing, especially in the 2004 movie but let's face it, they didn't have a clue what they were doing. :P Welllllll Erik might have a little helping soon...just not in that way. I shan't say anymore about that hehehe. :P I swear, it's as though you can read my mind hahaha! :P Yes, Nadir Khan. Well this chapter seems to cancel that idea out straight away but all I shall say is keep reading. ;) Hahaha that's an excellent idea! Yeah, they deffinitely need something to knock sense into them haha! :) There will be a few lovely chapters between them before more a bit of drama begins so enjoy it whilst it lasts haha. :P Anyway, I do hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Under New Management

The following week flew by. There was no news about whether or not the opera house would be opening again soon and because of that, I had to start a new job. It was just in a tailoring store, but it was lovely and old fashioned and the gentleman who had hired me seemed lovely enough.

There was no news from Christine or the Phantom to say if they were alright. I tried not to worry because I knew she was safe with him either way, but I couldn't help it.

I was eager to speak with Raoul again too, to make it clear to him that Marcel and I were over. But there had been no appearance from him so far. Even Madame Giry seemed busy, obviously trying her best to rectify the situation. When it became obvious that there might be no work for a while, Monsieur Reyer left, along with quite a few more of the chorus which just added to the pile of bad news.

By the end of a busy week of working at the store, I began to wonder if the Vicomte had considered leaving the opera house too. I berated myself for not having approached him when I had been talking to Marcel.

Nevertheless, I continued working at the store the following week. It managed to keep me busy which was something. I needed that. Not being able to rehearse or perform caused me to feel a little lost. Even in the future, I had been working in theatre as often as I could, after having gone to university to study the subject too.

I wasn't required to do much at work. I had been hired mainly to work at the front of the shop and handle customer's money. Mr. Ajello was the one who owned the shop and handled all the taking of orders. The doorbell rang above the front door to signify the entering of any customers. As the bell rang again whilst I was sorting through the money from today, I politely welcomed the next customer into the store without glancing up.

"Exactly the lady I was searching for."

My head rose as soon as the familiar voice drifted through the shop and I couldn't keep the smile from my face as I noticed the Vicomte stood by the entrance. He grinned as my eyes found his.

No matter how much I wished to downplay it, I had missed him. They always said that absence made the heart grow fonder. I hadn't realized how much that was true until now.

"And why may I ask, was you looking for me?" I enquired coyly.

"Well I presume you have overheard the good news?"

I raised my eyebrows in response. "Good news about what?"

"Madame Giry has managed to find suitable managers for the opera house. Well, I say suitable but that is still debatable."

"Oh," I said in surprise. "Why, who are they then?"

"Marcel Bonneville and Alfred Montague," he replied, drawing my curiosity further as he eyed me closely. "Alfred at least has some background in music as he was once a composer for a while."

"But Marcel is an author?" I stated in confusion before shrugging. "Then again, Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André had gained their fortune in the junk business so perhaps Marcel will have a better idea on running the opera house."

"Well that remains to be seen." He scoffed. "Though I am surprise you didn't yet know about the news. I'd have thought that Marcel would have revealed this to you first."

"Well Marcel and I are no longer courting." I spelled it out for him.

The surprise was obvious as he visibly faltered for a moment. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yes, I thought perhaps that was why you were finally meeting with me."

"I shall be honest. When I noticed you and Marcel talking at the opera house, I thought that you may have changed your mind…What time are you due to leave here? Perhaps I could walk you back to the opera house to speak some more? I was already planning on journeying there anyway."

"Yes, I don't see why not. I shall be ready to leave in half an hour."

"Perfect, I shall meet you back here then." He smiled, before making his way back out of the store.

I watched him leave, feeling my forehead crease at his sudden appearance. It seemed curious for him to wish to talk further and I couldn't help but hope that perhaps he would follow up on the invitation he had offered me that night. Or maybe I was just getting my hopes up…

Once I had finished, I grabbed my coat from the rack and said my quick goodbyes to Mr. Ajello.

The doorbell rang just as I turned back to the door and I smiled uncertainly at Raoul as I pulled on my coat, before following him quickly out of the front door.

"So I presume your work there will only be temporary?" He asked conversationally as we began to walk back.

"Yes, just until the opera house reopens. It is a lovely job but I miss performing." I replied, watching him curiously. Was the point of our walk back merely to make small talk?

He nodded. "Yes of course, I expect you shall be anxious to return to the stage."

"Yes," I replied uncertainly.

"Is that why you've been keeping away?" I asked bluntly when a heavy silence began to dawn over us. I wasn't good at awkward silences. "Because you thought Marcel and I were courting again."

I clarified when he offered a curious expression.

"Oh, no of course not," he quickly insisted. "I genuinely have been helping Madame Giry attempt to find a more suitable manager but it appears many are too skeptical after the fiasco of the Phantom. But then Marcel stepped up and I thought perhaps it was because you had reconciled with him."

"And you accused me of memory loss the night of…" I paused, a shiver slipping away from me at the memory of his kisses. "It seems we are both as silly as each other. I should have told you that I could no longer see Marcel, but I thought that would have been obvious given how quickly I had accepted your invitation to dinner."

He offered an uncertain smile. "I should have spoken to you after your conversation with Marcel."

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter, at least you know now. It seems so silly, but I suppose the main reason I had even agreed to go out with Marcel in the first place was in the hope that it might cause you a little jealousy in seeing us together."

He raised his eyebrows at that. "Really?"

"Yes and I know it sounds ridiculous," I insisted, feeling my skin heat with my confession. "But I assumed that nothing would ever happen between us because I thought you would remain with Christine so I was trying to move on from you but I was hoping it might aggravate you too."

He fought back a smile. "Well it worked."

"I should have told you all this the night we…kissed. So when he came to see me the next day, I ended things with him. And in all truth, I thought that you did not want to see me that day either. You disappeared so quickly and I was certain that you might have changed your mind too."

"No, it was the opposite." He insisted. "I wanted to speak to you but then when I saw the two of you together, I was certain that you were thinking differently to the night before. When I saw him kissing your hand…well I thought perhaps that was your decision made."

"That was nothing, more of a polite goodbye than anything. But I suppose I can understand why you would think it might have meant something." I confessed, shoving my hands into my coat pocket.

I sighed, forcing the next question from my mouth before he could say anything. "Does that perhaps…change anything?" I peeked at him from underneath my lashes.

"Well…" he shrugged. "You did agree to my invitation to supper if you remember?"

"I do indeed," I insisted, fighting back a smile. "And is that invitation still available?"

"Of course it is…if you should wish."

I caught his gaze in the corner of my eyes and I fought a smile as I quickly glanced away, feeling my skin warm again.

"Yes of course, I would love to."

"Perhaps we could arrange this for tomorrow evening? I shall make a reservation."

I nodded. "Yes, tomorrow is fine for me."

I sighed as we finally reached the front entrance of the opera house. I thanked Raoul as he opened the door for me, wishing that we had more time to speak. Marcel Bonneville and another gentleman were stood at the front and I realized that he would have to leave though.

He turned to me with a heavy sigh. "Well until tomorrow evening then."

"Yes," I smiled, watching for a moment more as he walked away before reluctantly heading over to where Meg was stood.

I found myself excited about the opportunity to finally be able to talk more privately with him. I felt a mixture of nerves and excitement at the prospect of finding out what would happen if we both allowed our relationship to progress further.

"So I take it you have spoken with the Vicomte?" She asked, turning to glance at me with a smile.

"Well he accepted my proposal of dinner-"

"Of course he did, I knew he would!" Meg interrupted as she threw her arms around me.

I laughed, hugging her back for a moment before she pulled away again, her eyes curious. "When are you due to meet him then?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Oh well I will be able to help you prepare for the evening tomorrow and to make sure you look as beautiful as you can for him!" She giggled, sounding more excited than me. "Though I'm sure you won't require much help with that given that it is the Vicomte."

"You make it sound as though I need no effort at all."

"Yes because you don't. I'm almost certain you could attend in just your dressing gown and with unkempt hair and he'd still find you beautiful."

I gave her a strange look. "I wouldn't go that far."

"I would! Anyone can see by the way he looks at you that he feels the same way." Her eyes trailed off to the left and she began to snicker. "Talking of which, he can barely retain his eyes away from you now."

I quickly looked before spinning back round again, fighting away the giggle that wanted to break out as I saw that she was right. He was talking to the managers but he would glance this way every so often, offering a shy smile when he caught my eyes.

Meg giggled with me, taking my hand in hers. "I'm so excited for you!"

I raised an eyebrow. "I can tell."

I couldn't deny how happy I was about today's evening though. I felt it was this surreal dream that I would wake up from at any moment!