Hey, back.
Glad you guys liked the first chapter…and I fixed the nitpick that laurashrub pointed out. Thanks, by the way, constructive criticism is always useful!
Thank you also to all the other people who reviewed!
"I love that scene," Kiona said cockily to Steven.
Kori rolled her eyes. Just because she and Steven were dating did not mean they had to be so sappy all of the time, especially during rehearsals. Suddenly she heard a boy's voice.
"Okay, now can I have your attention?" Alan looked a bit annoyed. They had finally finished the song. Everyone turned to look at him.
"Alright. Now, this is Gar Logan and Victor Stone." The two boys waved. "They are the new thespians in charge of the theatre productions." Alan saw the look on Henry's face but caught him before he could object,
"They are not going to have any of the jobs that the director has, they are just going to help oversee everything." Henry's face calmed.
"I know those two," Jinny said to Kori, pointing at the boys, "That one with the green spiky hair is a junior, and that black boy is a senior." Kori looked on as Jinny continued to explain, "That boy, Victor, he's on the football team, I think. He's kind of cute, in my opinion."
Kori giggled and the two girls diverted their attention to the continuing introductions.
Kiona pranced up to the two boys to make herself known,
"This is Kiona, our leading soprano for five plays now."
"Oh yeah," Victor spoke up, "I remember you, you were in that other play…oh, man, I forget what it's called…"
"Yes, I was the main character," The tall brunette smiled and tossed her head carelessly, as if to tell them they should be honored in her presence. The teens just stared at her blankly and moved on.
"And this is Steven." Steven shook both of their hands.
"Hi." Victor and Gar looked back to the operetta,
"Isn't there this one song," Gar said, "in act three that you sing? Can you give us a little demo?" He said raising his eyebrows. He then suddenly changed character, "Unless Henry wants to wait…"
Kiona looked in fake kindness at the director, "As long as it's okay with him…"
"Sure…fine. How's two bars as an introduction?"
"That would be great." Victor said, now also wanting to hear.
Henry quickly got the music prepared, "Ready?"
"Of course," she said in her normally cocky tone. The pianist began to play the introduction on the piano. Kiona strutted onto center stage, very pleased with herself.
"Think of me,
Think of me fondly,
When we've said goodbye.
Remember me,
Once in awhile,
Please promise me you'll try.
When you find
That once again you long
To take your heart…"
All of a sudden, one of the backdrops crashed to the ground onto the stage, cutting her off from half the cast. Kiona screamed in surprise and fear as the other backdrop fell onto her. Many of the other girls screamed and ran from the sight. The stagehands ran to Kiona to help her.
Screams were everywhere. It took a few calming words from Raven to settle them down.
"You guys! Calm down, it was just an accident…"
Jinny looked up, and saw a black cloak vanish into the darkness. She grabbed hold of Kori's arm and looked at her in fear,
"He's here, the Phantom of the Opera…
He is with us,
It's the ghost…
He's here, the Phantom of the Opera…
He is with us,
It's the ghost…"
"You idiots! She's probably hurt, and all because of your carelessness!" Steven said angrily as he ran over to her side. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
It was Henry's turn to be angry now, "Mark! Where is Mark! He was supposed to be watching those cords to make sure something like this didn't happen! Where is that moron? MARK!"
"Does anyone care about Kiona?" Steven said impatiently, "She could be injured!"
"Get that boy down here!" Henry boomed, "He's the one responsible for this!"
The stagehands quickly raised the backdrop back to its original place. As soon as everything is fixed, a boy with mullet-like hair appeared upstage. He looked as astounded as the rest, with a broken rope in his hand. Henry looked at the rope strangely. It almost looked like a noose…
"MARK! What on earth is going on up there?" Mark's feeble voice spoke out over the auditorium in a deep husk of bewilderment,
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. Don't look at me, I swear, I wasn't at my post." Henry eyed him in suspicion.
"Honest, Henry, there was no one there. And if there is, then, it must be a ghost or something…because I sure wasn't here."
Jinny whispered to Kori, "He's here, the Phantom of the Opera…"
The girls heard her, and began to become frightened once again. Some whimpering in fear, others huddling together in groups. Raven was still trying to calm them. Victor's voice rang out suddenly to stop the pandemonium.
"Girls, please!" He looked all around the stage, "There's nothing to be afraid of…" Gar looked over to the whimpering Kiona, and said to her,
"These things do happen."
The temperamental girl rounded on him viciously,
"Yes, these things do happen! Well, until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen!" and with that, she stormed out of the auditorium, her frilly costume falling behind her.
"She'll be back…" Gar looked to Victor, "Won't she?"
"I don't think she will," Gar turned to see Raven's slim figure walk towards them, "I have a message, you two, from the Opera Ghost."
Victor rolled his eyes, "Man, you're all obsessed!"
"He merely welcomes you to his auditorium and commands that you continue to leave the balcony empty for his use," the gothic girl replied, "and reminds you that his salary is due."
"Say what?" Gar's eyes widened. "We have to pay him?"
"How do we even know there is a 'him'?" Victor said, frustrated. He looked back to the girl in black, who merely replied,
"The old overseers would give him two-hundred dollars a month. Perhaps you could afford more, with Richard Grayson as your patron."
At the sound of Richard's name, Kori grabbed Jinny's arm nervously, but said nothing.
"Richard will be at the performance tonight, won't he?" She eyed Gar expectantly. Gar felt himself blush as he blurted out,
"Of course he will!" he looked to Victor, who was talking to Henry. He glanced back at Raven, "He will be sitting with us."
"Well, there won't be a show tonight if we don't have a lead singer." Henry said impatiently.
"Kori Anders could sing it, sir," Jinny said to the director. Kori shot her head at Jinny, who looked back at her as if to say 'it's okay, you can do it'.
"A chorus girl?" Victor looked Kori up and down, "To be the lead role?" Jinny spoke up again, this time to Victor,
"She's been taking lessons from a great teacher."
"From who?" Gar asked, now interested. All eyes fell onto Kori, who glanced around uneasily,
"I…don't know…" she said quietly. Raven spoke up, interrupting all thought of objection,
"Let her sing for you, she has been well taught." After a moment of silence, Henry looked over to the green-eyed girl,
"From the beginning of the aria, then…" he cued his hand to the pianist, who began to play. The beautiful piano piece began to finish its introduction when Kori began the song.
"Think of me,
Think of me fondly,
When we've said goodbye.
Remember me,
Once in awhile,
Please promise me you'll try.
Victor nudged Gar with his shoulder, "What if this doesn't work?"
"Don't worry, Vic, she has a pretty good voice."
When you find
That once again you long,
To take your heart back
And be free
If you ever find a moment,
Spare a thought for me."
Raven smiled. She really had been well taught. The following night, Kori, starring as Elissa, continued to perform as the lead in the play. During act three, she walked onto the stage and performed her song.
"Think of me,
Think of me fondly,
When we've said goodbye.
Remember me,
Once in awhile,
Please promise me you'll try.
When you find
That once again you long,
To take your heart back and be free,
If you ever find a moment,
Spare a thought for me.
We never said
Our love was evergreen,
Or as unchanging as the sea.
But if you can still remember,
Stop and think of me.
Think of all the things we've shared and seen.
Don't think about the thins which might have been.
Think of me,
Think of me waking
Silent and resigned.
Imagine me,
Trying to hard
To put you from my mind.
Recall those days,
Look back on all those times,
Think of the things we'll never do,
There will never be a day
When I won't think of you."
A giant applause was received by the redhead. She blushed, but unbeknownst to her, Richard saw her from his seat. He gazed at her, astounded at how different she was,
"Can it be?
Can it be Kori?
Bravo!" he clapped loudly from where he sat.
"What a change,
You're really not a bit,
That gawkish girl that once you were.
She may not remember me,
But I remember her…"
He listened on to her beautifully sweet voice.
"...We never said
Our love was evergreen,
Or as unchanging as the sea.
But please promise me
That sometimes,
You will think of me!"
Yep, another chappie, so review!