Chapter 2

-Seven months earlier…-

Antoinette Giry was sitting in her desk chair rubbing her forehead. She was utterly exhausted. "Never before have we had this many students try for scholarships."

To any bystander, it would have looked as if she were talking to herself… "In the dance program alone, there were over one hundred males and females! Carlotta informed me that there were over two hundred vocalists! I cannot even imagine how difficult her job will be in giving scholarship money. I suppose the sooner we begin with the decisions, the better." She removed her hand from her forehead and placed her reading glasses on the end of her nose in order to look over the applications.

"I am sure you can handle it, Antoinette," a silky male voice said, his voice coming from behind the strategically placed full-length dance mirrors covering one wall of the office.

She briefly glanced at the mirrors before returning her attention to the stack of applications. "Well, of course I can handle it, Erik. I have been doing this for many years, after all. It will not be overly difficult."

There was a long silence while Madame Giry considered several applications. Finally, Erik said, "The decisions you make with dancers never sway from mine, but perhaps I could be of assistance concerning the vocalists. As you know, I do not always agree with Carlotta. I do not believe she has a good ear when it comes to singing."

There was a pause before he began, "I attended the vocal auditions."

Madame Giry didn't act surprised for a moment. "As I knew you would. Voice is your expertise." She glanced at the mirrors with a smirk and sarcastically asked, "So, have you decided how much scholarship money should be given to each performer?"

He didn't approve of her tone and smugly replied, "Actually, Antoinette, I have, although it is not my decision to make."

"If only you could be a vocal instructor," Madame Giry commented absentmindedly.

His reply was both cold and distant. "As we both know, I can be no such thing."

I know, and it's ridiculous really… Changing subjects she asked, "Well, Erik, what have you decided? Anyone of exceptional talent?"

"Most were dreadfully amateur, and they all have much to learn- some more than others…"

"Elaborate, please. I am not like you. I cannot read minds." The dance instructor's full attention was now on the mirrors on the other side of her office. She really was quite curious.

He let out a sigh before continuing, "Quite frankly, Antoinette, one girl surprised me."

"Really?" Madame Giry was a little stunned. No one ever surprised Erik.

"Yes. Her name is Christine Daae."

Even Madame Giry had to inwardly admit that Erik spoke the name with strange grace.

"As you know from previous years, I was lurking in the shadows of the balcony listening," he said. "For the longest time, no one seemed to be able to hold my interest. I never bothered to look at any of them. No one was worthy of a glance. I listened until I felt my ears would explode from all of the noise. Actually, Antoinette, between the two of us, I believe Carlotta has lost her vocal ear over the years because of the 'noise'."

That remark was humorous and caused Madame Giry's lips to curl upward slightly, no matter how hard she tried to suppress it.

"Anyway, Christine was the fifty-seventh person to audition forward. I still had yet to glance at any of the candidates, and she was no exception.. at first. Her accompaniment began, a moderately difficult aria. But then, when she began to sing, it was as if a magnetic force caused me to move forward. I had never heard such… I cannot quite place the word. It was beautiful, yes, but also extremely sad. It almost sounded as if she would collapse from pain at any moment. And yet, the sadness did not displease me. No doubt I have had my fair share of grief throughout the years, so why should this remembrance of my dreaded life draw me in? I still am unsure. Antoinette, she puzzled me. This girl actually drew my curiosity. I wished to help her. I also wished to see her. So, I moved forward and scanned the stage below."

When he did not continue after a moment, Madame Giry impatiently inquired, "And? Was her appearance pleasing to the eye? What?"

He distantly whispered, "Pleasing… yes.. it was most pleasing. She looked like an angel. A grieving angel.. Her face mirrored that of undeniable depression, but otherwise, it was completely flawless.. and completely beautiful. She had long, curly, brown hair and the most exquisite green eyes. Oh, but how I wish to help the girl.."

"Maybe you can," Madame Giry insisted hopefully, still drawn into his story.

"You know I cannot, Antoinette. I would never let her see me! I wish to lessen her grief, not increase it!" He closed his eyes, inwardly loathing himself.

All was silent for quite some time. Madame Giry didn't want to increase his obvious rage, and she certainly never knew what to say to decreaseit.

Finally, Erik opened his eyes ready to end his peculiar visit. Regaining a calm demeanor, he said, "Antoinette, I initially came here to request something of you. If you will, encourage Carlotta to present Christine with a full vocal scholarship. Trust me, I have my reasons. As for the other vocalists.. well, I really couldn't care less about them. Good day, Madame."

With that, Erik was gone.

-Present day-

It was 8:45 pm and Christine was working feverishly in the school library. Her English paper needed revising, she had a Music Theory quiz the following day, and she needed to be in a practice room at 9:00 pm. Luckily, she also happened to be chatting with the one person who had the power to calm her nerves.

Phantom: Now, Christine, tell me the leading tone of a B flat major scale.

MissDaae7: A? Is that right?

Phantom: That is correct, but you need to respond with more confidence. You will do well on this quiz, Christine.

MissDaae7: And it will be all thanks to you.

Phantom: No, my dear. I will not be the one taking the quiz.

MissDaae7: Thank you.

Phantom: For what?

MissDaae7: Everything.

Phantom: It is my pleasure.

Christine closed her Theory textbook, satisfied with her knowledge of the material. She then brought her English paper up on Microsoft Word and began revising.

Phantom: If I may ask, what other work do you have to do?

MissDaae7: I'm in the process of revising an English paper now.

Phantom: You are revising your own paper?

MissDaae7: Yeah. Is that bad?

Phantom: Christine, I am under the impression that revision is much more productive when someone else does it.

MissDaae7: Oh? But I don't know anybody who would look at it.

Phantom: You may send it to me if you would like.

MissDaae7: Really? That would be great! Are you sure?

Phantom: I would not have asked otherwise.

MissDaae7: Thank you so much!

She quickly forwarded her six-page paper to him with a smile on her face. This might take a while since it's a pretty long paper..

Not even five minutes later, the paper was sent back to her. It was perfect. Christine blinked, surprised by his speed.

MissDaae7: That was really fast. How could you correct it so quickly?

Phantom: Let's just say, there were not many mistakes.

Christine looked over the newly revised paper with a frown. There most certainly were many mistakes! The wording and grammar had been horrible before. Now, however, the sentences flowed beautifully with perfect structure.

MissDaae7: I'd hate to break it to you, but that's not true. I think this will get an 'A' now, but before I bet it would have gotten an 'F'.

Phantom: Christine, stop being so hard on yourself. I only improved what you wrote. It was already good.

She wasn't about to start arguing with the man who was now her hero! That is, she hoped he was a man… That's what he claimed to be, anyway. Christine shook her head not wanting to question it.

MissDaae7: Well, thank you so much! You'll never know how much this means to me.

Phantom: I am laughing now. It seems you are easily pleased.

Her bright eyes suddenly took on a look of horror as she looked at the time on her laptop.

MissDaae7: Oh no, it's 9:05! I've got to go practice. Again, thank you so much! I'll talk to you later.

Before he could reply, she signed off and quickly headed towards the music building. Now I'm going to have to stay past 10.. Just great, she thought with a frown.

Christine was in the middle of her aria, Vittoria, mio core!, when she felt it- the strange feeling that someone was watching her. She shivered before glancing behind her and standing from the piano bench. It's always so weird to think that I actually have the ability to feel someone watching me..

Opening the practice room door, she looked down the hall. Nothing. Nothing at all. She closed the door again and returned to her song. Maybe my hectic schedule is making me lose my mind… It wasn't the first time she had felt it. Every night at about this time, the feeling came. But why? Am I really that paranoid? It's never anything, so do I always think otherwise? She shook her head and began the aria from the beginning. I don't have time for this. I need to focus.

Little did Christine know, she wasn't wrong. Someone was watching her from behind the mirror above the piano in her practice room. Yes, that very mirror she continuously looked in to examine her formation and expression when she sang was also the mirror the mysterious man from Madame Giry's office seven months before was using to oversee her.

Erik was watching her nervous form with silent wonder.

She captivated him, even when her voice was shaky. His lips curled upward slightly as he thought to himself, My dear Christine, you must not be so nervous when you have an audience. You are majoring in vocal performance, so you must get used to this feeling of being watched.

He watched as her nerves finally seemed to settle. Yet, even without nerves, he could still sense sadness in her tone as she sang. This girl has suffered in the past. Oh, how I wish to help her. My Christine.. My MissDaae7…