I woke up to birds chirping outside. I turned over in my bed and brought my hands to my face. I opened my eyes and saw the sleeve to my dress and groaned; I got so used to wearing a corset that it didn't even bug me while I was sleeping. I wonder how small my waist was now, before it was twenty five inches but I could definitely tell that it was smaller. I guess it could be the all the exercise I was doing as well but damn, I hardly graced ninety pounds before.
"Danielle, did you sleep in your dress?" Christine asked as she got up to dress.
"Yeah, I was just marveling at how Goddamn thin I was getting, this corset hardly bugs me anymore. I know it's not tied as tight as yours are but it's pretty tight and I'm definitely smaller than I used to be, and I was pretty small before." I looked around for one of the tape measures that the ballerinas liked to keep around to keep them from eating too much and spoiling their dancers bodies. "I haven't been measured since I left the hospital."
"You were in the hospital?" Meg asked. Oh yeah, I didn't tell her. I made an 'X' over my heart.
"Yeah, I got a bad heart so I've been in and out of the hospital a lot in my life, doesn't matter much now," I said. I found a tape measure and wrapped it around me, reading the numbers. "Twenty one inches. Wow. I can only guess how much I weigh right now." I dressed in my costume for Il Muto and decided to get my makeup done later, so it would be fresh. I decided to take a walk around backstage since the play was going to begin in an hour and I couldn't go outside. I felt a little hungry so I slipped into the kitchen to get something to eat before I fainted from hunger. I maneuvered as best I could in the gown and grabbed an apple.
"Out for an evening stroll m'lady?" The cook Simon said, tipping an imaginary cap. I rolled my eyes and bowed deep and gracefully, lifting one hand high into the air.
"Why yes, as a matter of fact I am. Would you kindly tell the butler to bring my carriage around, servant boy?" I rubbed the apple on the front of my dress until it shone a rich red. This reminded me of the 'Point of No Return ' scene in the stage musical version of Phantom; I smirked and took three quick steps back to the door.
"Servant boy?" Simon whined, "I'm older than you by at least five years." I shrugged my shoulders and took a bite. Simon swatted me out of the kitchen with the rag on his shoulder. "Go back to your fancy plays and such, you're bothering the real workers."
"Well what I do ain't easy; can you sing this high?" I let out my highest note for a minute straight before cutting off. "Or hold it that long? That is not the easiest thing in the world and maybe I'd rather be making a cake than making people watch me on stage."
"Poor baby; why don't you come eat with us tonight? It'll lift your spirits after being with those pretentious 'actors' and the whore ballerinas." He leaned in, trying to press our lips together and lifted his eyebrows suggestively. I rolled my eyes again.
"Please. I'm not going to sleep with you after you said my friends are whores, no matter how true it is for some of them." The kitchen laughed; apparently they were all watching this exchange. "Hell, I'm not going to sleep with you at all. Not my type." I pressed a kiss to his nose and pulled away.
"And that's why I like you, Cinderella," he said. After I got promoted to second lady the people I'd made friends with when I was a cleaning girl called me Cinderella because I'd become a rags-to-riches story all of a sudden. It was more annoying than you'd think. I walked around backstage, looking at all of the props that were going to be used for Il Muto. I felt my heart swell, I was finally an actor. Well, not the way I'd imagined it, laying on my bed at night with a German textbook in hand, most recently, and a list of all the plays I wanted to be in during my life; I had never imagined that I'd be playing a bunch of parts I'd never heard of. It was kind of refreshing not knowing about the show ahead of time and just reading the script and going for it.
Soon I went to get my makeup put on and pump myself up for the show. "Dee! Good luck today!" Blaise called down from the rafters. I blew him a kiss and he pretended to catch it and rub it over his face. I bit on my lips trying not to laugh. I watched as he looked over to where Henri was standing fixing his shirt; Blaise looked about ready to cry when he blew him a kiss, he was really broken up about this. I ran over to where I was supposed to enter with Henri and Maurice and nudged Henri, telling him to look up, when he did he saw Blaise and smiled, Blaise smiled back.
"Blow him a kiss for luck; we can never be sure when the Phantom's going to kill a man." The look on Henri's face was worth the result. He hastily lifted his hand to his lips and blew a kiss a Blaise, realized what he did, got all fidgety and turned away. Blaise's reaction wasn't much better. Blaise turned red as a beacon and swooned. I gave him a thumbs up and he flipped me off. He can thank me later, for now I had to go on to what was going to be a great show.
ERIK
It angered me to see Danielle and the stagehand and the ballet rat passing kisses to each other, not that I knew why it vexed me so, it had nothing to do with me. Frustrated, I sat in my box and watched the performance, not really absorbing what was going on. At least the rat will be gone soon, now if only I had a way to get rid of the stagehand; if I hurt him Danielle would never speak to me again, or tell someone how to find my home.
No, Danielle would never do that, no matter how angry she was at me. I felt bad for thinking she would do something like that, no matter what I've done to her so far, she has always forgiven me and let the matters rest. As the actors took their bows I left and went to my home to try and find something to occupy my time. Drawing held no appeal for me, composing was too slow a process and going back upstairs seemed useless. Christine would be out with that useless patron and Danielle would be out with those men of hers; yes, I believed that the stagehand was only her friend, but the dancer clearly had interest in her. I had a hard time not killing him myself, the only things keeping me from it was the fact that he was leaving soon and that Danielle cared for him.
Finally I settled on my violin as an outlet for my energy. I delicately took the old instrument out of its case and slashed the strings with the bow, not playing any song in particular, just trying to put my anger into the notes. Anger for what? I didn't know; maybe it was for the fact that Christine, the only woman I have ever loved was choosing that fop over me, the one who has with her since her father died. And where was he? Suddenly he decided to reappear and pull her away from me. I was sure Danielle was seeing him before, what had happened with that? If had hurt her I would kill him. I heard soft footsteps coming down the tunnel and instantly knew it was Danielle.
"Hey Dummy, are you down here?" She sauntered out of the tunnel like she owned the place. She looked at me holding my violin and asked. "What's got your panties up your ass this time?" She put her hands on her hips and looked pointedly at me.
"How vulgar, you need to learn how to speak like a lady," I said, not wanting to talk about it. She cocked her head to the side and looked at me in the eyes, sighed and sat down, patting her lap.
"Come and lay your head on my lap baby, maybe you'll feel better if I rock you to sleep." I couldn't believe what she had said, was she mad?
"Have you lost every bit of your mind? I am at least eighteen years older that you and three times your weight." I put my violin in its case and carefully closed the lid, not looking at her.
"Come on, you look mopey as hell and my mommy instincts have kicked in; I can't leave you like that." I turned to her, bewildered.
"Mommy instincts?" I said; she looked at me as if I were a particularly dim child working on Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
"Yeah, the need to act like a protective mother, every women has them."
"My mother did not," I said bitterly.
"You mother was a bitch and not worth of the title 'human'." Danielle sounded just as bitter. I turned to look at her; she sat just as she had been before, hands in lap and waiting for me. I sighed and, knowing she wouldn't give up, went to rest my head in her lap. I tried to look as dignified as I could in my compromising position. Then she began undressing me. I sat up, away from her fingers.
"What are you doing?" I looked down at my jacket, which she had managed to undo. What was she planning. The thought made me flush, I thanked whatever deity would listen that Danielle could not see me.
"Undressing you, resting in full regalia doesn't seem very comfortable." I felt the heat in my face go down.
"And why didn't you tell me what you were planning?"
"Because I knew it would be funny," she said, smiling sweetly. I glared at her. "Come on, let me baby you, I'll show you how a mom's supposed to act when her kid has a bad day." She smiled and patted her lap again indicating I should rest my head there.
"Fine." I gave up, only because I knew she would just push the point until I gave in later. She stood and pulled of my mask and wig. It was hard to accept being around her without it, no matter how unbothered she seemed about it. I took off my coat and again rested my head in her lap. Danielle worked her fingers through my hair and sung something quietly; it didn't have words and after a minute I recognized it was something in German. My muscles relaxed and the tunnel looked soft focused around the edges. What are you singing?"
"Just a song from the future, you won't know it." She shrugged her shoulders and continued. I understood a bit of it, something about the shadows growing longer and everything is cold and harsh, though the words were German it made some sense to me as I had been reading German plays for a while, though I was not fluent in it. I was surprised Danielle was.
"I didn't know you knew German," I said. Again she shrugged.
"I don't need to tell you everything; besides, what else am I supposed to do all day, sing?" Her voice lightened in jest.
"Who taught you to sing?" I surprised myself; of course I'd wondered but it seemed of little importance, but whoever taught her must have been even greater than I to help give her a voice like this. Danielle looked down at me and cocked her head.
"Her name was Laura, Laura Blue. I met with her every Wednesday in the Hospital cafeteria or my room and she would bring an electronic keyboard and give me sheet music to sing. Almost every Wednesday for three years." She looked off to the lake, remembering the days she would sing with her. "Most of the time it seemed like she was my only friend. She helped me fight off the spiralling depression and hate; but when you think about it, isn't it a bit lonely? Only having your voice teacher as your only friend?"
"Electronic keyboard?" I couldn't understand what that could be. Maybe I asked the question to understand what it was, or it could be I wanted Danielle to feel happy again.
"It's only the part of the piano with the keys and it works like a... uh," she stopped, I suppose she didn't know how to explain it, "magic?"
"Of course." I rolled my eyes and she stuck her tongue out at me.
"Shut up, I still know more stuff than you do," she said as she flipped her braid over her shoulder.
"Like what?"
"You know the Empress of Austria, Elisabeth? She's going to be assassinated in 1898." I looked at her in shock. How did she know this?
"Future, remember?" She shook her head. "It must seem pretty cruel, saying she's going to die and all, but that's how it goes. Rudolf kills himself with his mistress, her first born daughter dies when she's two and she's crazy obsessed with her beauty, I think she'd be more at peace dead than alive." She shook her head. "God, I sound like a murderer. I mean, she's had a really horrible life and she needs a break from it, something to stop the pain she's in."
"How do you know she's in pain?" I whispered.
"The only thing in her life she could control was her beauty, and now she's getting old, the thing she feared most. Death isn't something to be afraid of, Death is the most merciful thing; if I had died that day on the forest floor I would have gladly walked away from this world hand in hand with the entity that had so mercifully taken me from this harsh world." Danielle's eyes were unfocused. "I must have been meant to do something great or I wouldn't have lived," she shook her head clear and looked down at me, "that's the only reason I haven't committed suicide yet, Death made me live so I could do something big, I won't waste the life I'm given, not matter how short or painful." She fiddled with the necklace the boy Raul had given her, she hardly ever took it off. I wanted to snatch it from around her neck and toss it in the lake but I knew Danielle would have made me find it for her.
"I am glad you are here with me." I surprised us both by saying. A grin stretched across her face and she ruffled my hair.
"So am I." After that I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew she was shaking me awake.
"Sorry to disturb you baby, but I need to get hence to bed." I shot up from my reclined position, my head still warm from resting on Danielle's lap; I was embarrassed that I had actually allowed myself to go to sleep next to her. Thankfully Danielle didn't comment on my move. She stood and walked to the door. "I'll see you later." She waved and walked through the door of the tunnel.
I tried to go to bed, staying up for hours before finally falling asleep, my thoughts were consumed with Danielle.
DANIELLE
I walked back up to the opera above, hardly sleepy at all. I decided to wander around the streets, maybe go to a bar for a bit, I didn't really feel like getting plastered tonight.
"Hey Dee, where did you go after the show? I couldn't find you." I looked and saw Blaise reclining on the staircase just inside the doors. He looked like he'd been lying there for a while.
"What're you doing there?"
"Nothing, I just didn't want to be in the dormitories, the other men are always talking about who they want to sleep with, it's gross." He shuddered, I rolled my eyes; he could be so over dramatic. "And I just couldn't be around Henri, I just can't stand," tears welled in his eyes, "being around him and knowing he's going to leave." Blaise furiously wiped at his eyes, not letting his tears fall.
"Oh, honey." I hugged him and wished I could do something to help him. "Let's go down to the bar, ease your pain with the sounds of drinking and drunks fighting." He laughed a bit, wiping his eyes again.
"Yeah, that sounds better than mooning over Henri or sitting on the steps and feeling sorry for myself," he said. I pulled him up and held his hand as we walked to the pub.
Blaise knocked back two beers in the blink of an eye. I hadn't planned on him getting drunk, I guess it was okay; he wanted to forget the pain he was in so I guess I'd pay for a few drinks. "I'm so tired of being sad!" Blaise slurred after another drink. "Why couldn't I have been born a woman, then would he love me?" Blaise kicked the bar, trying to put on a happy face but I knew he was still miserable.
"Damn right, he doesn't deserve someone as drop dead sexy as you!" Blaise fluffed himself up a bit and stuck his nose in the air.
"I know, I'm great!"
"And modest." I shot back.
"Well, we can't have it all, you know." He winked, just a little bit of laughter flooding into his eyes. He chugged his beer and slammed it back onto the bar.
"I'm sorry, I keep going on like this and you were dating him; I can't believe I'm one of those friends who chase after their friends boyfriend."
"We weren't dating, it was more like flirting; I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have amounted to anything in the end." I shrugged my shoulders and took a sip from his mug. "I'm just glad being gay isn't accepted, if it were I'd have no men coming to me, they'd all be flocking to you."
"Damn right!" He yelled, making the entire bar turn to look at us.
"Time to go home Bee, you're drunk." I pushed him to the door as he weakly protested.
"Nooo, I want more booze!" He tried to go back through the door but I pushed him on the path for home.
"No. Home. Now," I said. He pouted and pushed away from me.
"Boo, you're so mean." He took off down the street, zig zagging away from me. I took off after him.
"Blaise, get back here!" I heard him laughing in the distance before I heard a wild neigh and shouts from an angry driver followed by a horrible scream and a sickening crack. "Blaise!" I took off to his side. Blaise lay bloody and white the the street by a man in a top hat and a shy horse carrying a cart. I couldn't see him breathing.
Hi guys, sorry it took so long to write, I'm still in a slump. :/ What's going to happen next? Find out next time. Review!