Every evening, I hurried to finish my tasks. Madame LeRoy often teased me for working so fast and gave me permission to leave early and finish my work in the morning if I desired. I thank her but continued at my pace, making sure each costume was stored properly and each dressing room prepared for the following performance.

After all this, I waited on stage until the Maestro appeared. I had even ventured to try and find the room myself, but ended up hopeless lost. Fortunately the Maestro found me among the parallel passages and guided me in the right direction.

Each night I continued in this strange routine, being lead to our private practice room, being put through rigorous exercises and scales before I finally was allowed to sing pieces from operas. The Maestro was kind, often leaving a pitcher of water in the room for me. Once he managed to have a cup of tea, still very hot waiting for me at the beginning of my lesson.

True to his promise, he kept our lessons very professional. He seemed reluctant to discuss the everyday occurrences at the opera with me, or any other subject for that matter. Our conversations stayed only on music. On one hand I was grateful for this and keeping an emotional distance from him made me feel safe.

However when I departed from him, I felt an immediate sense of longing to return. I would not have mind passing more time in his company, even though our lessons left me exhausted. We could have talked and I could have asked questions. Mostly about him. I would try to dig at the mystery of his identity and the source of his great talent. The way he moved his hands as he played made them seem like birds in flight, instead of just fingers on the keyboard. He offered to correct my pitch by singing the notes on his own with ease. In those moments, I secretly wish our roles were reversed. That I could accompany him just for the reward of hearing him sing more.

As the curtain fell one evening, I was already busily straightening costumes and items in Genny's dressing room, thinking of famous duets I knew. I could hint to the Maestro that I wanted to sing them tonight; in hopes that he would join me. I started to sing softly, when the door opened and Genny walked in. My notes stopped in my throat and I was silent. A look of disappointment spread over her face as she looked in my direction.

"Christine. I didn't see you backstage at curtain call tonight." She said glumly

I shrugged and went to her, helping to remove her headpiece. "You know how much work I have to do. I just thought it was better to get an early start." I lied, knowing my really intent was to run off to my lessons as quickly as possible.

Genny's lips curled in a sort of half smile and she rolled her eyes back. "Yes, yes your work but for tonight you must put it aside. I have a surprise for you."

"No I can't." I shook my head excitedly. I was surprised on how much I dislike the idea of being delayed from my lessons for even a moment.

"Please Christine." She pleaded.

"All right, but whatever it is, I hope it won't take all night."

"I hope it will." She said with a giggle. I unfastened the back of her dress and she retreated to the corner behind a screen to remove it. "My surprise should be here any moment" she explained. "So I should be decent."

I sighed, "Genny, just tell me what it is. I'm sure if I knew, then I wouldn't be so reluctant." I went to work folding her cloths and returning her headpiece to its home on a canvas dummy.

"No I won't tell you." She said childishly from behind the screen. "It wouldn't be a surprise." Then as if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "And here it is!" she cried out.

I went to the door and opened it. The familiar noises of the crowded hallway assaulted my ears and my eyes met with a man standing outside, holding flowers. I had seen this many time before, for Genny had several male admirers come to her door both young and old. She accepted gifts from most, but only spoke to few. As his eyes met mine, I was taken aback at how strikingly handsome this caller was. He was tall but certainly not as tall as my Maestro. He had golden brown hair, fair skin and wide eyes. A wisp of a mustache and goatee in the same golden shade of his hair was under his lips. He was not flashing a bright smile, like most men in his position but instead his lips hung slack as he looked at me.

"These are for…" he started.

I took the bouquet from him, a large one filled with yellow and white lilies. "Yes for Mlle. De Chagny. But you'll have to wait a moment sir. The lady is indisposed right now." I stated and turn to deposit the flowers on the nearest table.

"Actually… the flowers are for you…Christine." He whispered. I stopped and looked back at him stunned. His brown eyes seemed to grow wider as he looked at me. "It is Christine…am I right?"

Before I could answer back with a question of my own, Genny's voice rang out from behind me. "Raoul!"

My neck felt hot and I was sure my cheeks would be bright red in a moment. I had always held the picture of Raoul in my mind as he was, a young boy. Now here he stood before me, a man and my perception of him was shattered. I still held the flowers in my hand, too dumbfounded to put them down as I continued to stare.

"May I come in?" he asked.

I didn't answer. I couldn't. "Come in big brother!" Genny called and he stepped inside and shut the door. He turned to me and gently took the flowers out of my hands to set them aside. Now he smiled.

"Christine Daae." He said then pulled my hand up to his lips to place a small kiss upon it. Genny finally emerged from, her evening dress half way on. She pulled on Raoul's waist bringing him away from me as the two embraced. Raoul quickly turned his attention back to me. "It is good to see you again Christine."

"Yes, it is good to see you." I had finally found my voice again. "I trust you have been well, sir."

"Sir?" he laughed. "Please Christine, we are friends." He took a seat at the table while Genny finished straitening her dress

I took his cue. "Thank you for the flowers Raoul." I joined him at the table.

Genny frowned and put a finger to her lips. "We must have something to drink." She mused. I started to rise but she pointed her finger at me. "No you stay there!" she said brightly. "You've been working hard enough. I'm perfectly capable of finding refreshments myself." She went to the door, looking each way before vanishing off to the right.

My eyes met with Raoul's and he watched me smiling. I was at a loss of anything to say. When I was young, I had learned to accept Raoul and Genny as no different from any other children I knew, despite our difference in class. In my memories, Raoul was still as tall as me, a joke always on his lips and his clothes often disheveled and dirty from play. Now he sat here, impeccably in his full evening attire. Such a complete reverse from my childhood playmate.

He broke the silence.

"Christine Daae, where is your scarf?" he asked.

I looked at him puzzled. "My scarf?"

He laughed and placed his gloves on the table. His smile was very warm making him appear more handsome, if such a thing were possible.

"Don't tell me you have lost it again! After I went through so much trouble to fetch it for you the first time."

Memories flooded back to me. The crisp scent of the sea air, the clean sand and a figure of a child running into the waves. It was the day Raoul and I first met. I sighed pressing a hand to my temple. "Oh yes. How could I forget how you looked on that day?"

"I remember a small little girl who lovely song was interrupted by her crying after her scarf. I watched it float in the air and finally land in the waves, and before I knew what I was doing, I found myself knee deep in the surf. I was determined to catch that red scarf. It was red, wasn't?"

I nodded. "Yes it was. I started crying louder when I saw you in the sea. I thought you would drown and I called out that you were a stupid boy for running in like that."

"You did? I never heard you." Raoul noted.

I blushed. "Well I did. I was so relived when you came out of the water with my scarf that you were all right. You were soaked to the skin."

"Oh, so that look of joyous expression on your face was because you were concerned for me!" he exclaimed. "And all these years I thought it was because you were happy to get your scarf back."

"Of course not! What kind of person would I be then?" I said with a chuckle.

"Yes. I suppose." He mused. "You kissed me."

The chuckle died in my throat. "I did. To thank you for retrieving my scarf. I thought you were so brave." I recalled leaning over to place a small kiss on the soaking wet cheek of the little boy. My habitual shyness had fled me for the moment.

"Then my aunt came and found us and she was furious! Do you remember the look on her face?" he asked laughing once more and I joined him, laughing myself.

"Yes, but what of my face? When I found out that the little boy who rescued my scarf was none other than the Vicomte de Chagny. I could have fainted right there on the beach." I confessed.

We laughed for a long moment, and it felt good. I felt good. This was my friend, Raoul. Just Raoul.

At that moment, Genny came back in the door, carrying a tray with all the items needed for tea. She shut the door behind her with her foot.

"What did I miss?" she asked "Why were you laughing?"

"We were reminiscing on how we first met and the look on aunt's face when she saw me in my frock coat dripping with sea water." Raoul explained, rising to take the tea from Genny. She took a seat and to my amazement, Raoul started to serve us both tea.

"Oh I wish I could have been there in personal to see the old gargoyle get mad!" Genny remarked, taking her cup from Raoul.

"Would you care for sugar, Christine?" He asked.

"No thank you but extra lemon if you have it."

"Ah, must keep your voice in tact for all those singing lesson I suppose." He commented.

My face went as white as the tablecloth. I stared at him bewildered as he offered me my cup. How could he have known?

But his look back at me was the same one of confusion.

"Christine isn't taking singing lessons." Genny pointed out. "She's not in the chorus."

Raoul frowned. "Not in the chorus? But why not?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I suppose music is not my calling." I lied, trying to keep my face in check.

"I thought that is why you came to the opera?" he continued. Obviously he had not been told the entire story of my position. "I don't understand. You should be in the chorus. You have a remarkable voice."

"I've tried for two months now to convince her of that." Genny said before taking a sip of tea. "But she is insistent. Besides, Christine doesn't need singing lessons."

Now my confusion turned to Genny.

"Her voice is wonderful. I've heard it. It has blossomed into a beautiful instrument since we were young." She explained. "Even if she is not aware of it."

My blush was full across face. "You have?"

Genny noticed my complexion and an instant look of regret crossed her face. "Oh Christine, I didn't mean to tease. It's just in the past few weeks I've overheard you singing and other have too. They have come to me as your friend asking where you had gotten such a voice."

Raoul smiled at me sensing my discomfort. "You shouldn't have to hide your voice Christine. You can share it." He reached a hand across the table to set it over mine. "Let us have no secrets among friends." As his hand touch mind, I was reminded of how strong our friendship had been. I hadn't seen Raoul in over six years, but he had come to see me. He was a vicomte, privilege and responsible, yet he was considerate enough to bring me flowers. To sit and serve me tea and invite me to share my secrets with him.

"I have been seeing someone." I blurted out surprised at my sudden confession. Both Genny and Raoul stared at me. "A singing instructor, that is" I explained. "We met here at the opera and he offered me lessons."

"Ah ha! I knew it. I knew that you could not stay silent forever Christine!" Genny exclaimed. "How did you meet this teacher?"

"He was an acquaintance of Madame Valerius; a colleague of her late husband is what he told me." I lied. "She agreed to pay for my lessons. He has a very busy schedule as do I, so he meets me here at the opera for my lessons when my work is finished."

While Genny seemed delighted, Raoul shot me a look of concern. "He meets you here at the opera? Alone?"

I was quick to my defense. "Our relationship is very professional, Raoul I can assure you. Besides he is a professor of music himself, a well matured man." I offered, but in truth I had no idea what age my maestro was. I glanced over at Genny and though of her confession about the Angel of Music. Did Raoul know of his sister's equally strange arrangement with her mysterious teacher?

"What's his name?" he asked.

I swallowed hard as I thought of an excuse. "He is an old friend of Madame's but I have only known him as the maestro." I paused to take a sip of tea, buying myself more time to think. "I believe he prefers him anonymity and I respect that."

Raoul frowned but did not question me further. I took another drink.

"What does he look like?" Genny asked. My cup banged loudly against the saucer as I nearly missed setting it down. "If he is an old friend of the professor, perhaps we saw him before when we were younger…"

"Does it matter what he looks like?" Raoul cut her off, annoyed.

"I agree." I added, grateful that Raoul had stopped this line of questioning.

Genny shook her head. "I suppose not." She finished off her tea. "So when will you audition for the chorus? You know I can always arrange that for you"

"When I am ready, or when my teacher thinks so. Maybe in a year…"

"A year! But you are ready now!" Genny protested.

Raoul put a firm hand on his sister's arm. "Now Genevieve, don't pout. We should respect Christine's decision…" his gaze turned to me "And that of her maestro." He added.

He stood and reached over for my hand again. "Christine, it has been a great pleasure seeing you again. But the hour grows late. I must take my spoiled baby sister home. I apologize from keeping you from your work."

"No, thank you Raoul. I have enjoyed our visit together." I answered honestly.

"Then you won't protest if we meet again soon?" he added and then kiss my hand. "Until then, Christine."

"Until then."