Chapter 2
Serena soon fell into the rhythm of the Opera. Every morning she would wake up and get dressed and then wait for Meg to come and pick her up. She learned almost instantly to find her way around, but it was nice to have a friend to talk to on the way to practice. She hadn't told anyone about the man or the rose, deciding it to be her secret for now.
At practice, she would sing scales and arias with the other seven chorus girls for a while, before starting to practice songs from the next Opera until lunch. Afterwards, everyone gathered at the stage to rehearse the play together. The other chorus girls were nice but they would only talk about boys and admirers and that subject held little interest to Serena. It was therefore a relief when afternoon came along so she at least had Meg to talk to. She studied the all male singers – who, by the way, only were four – but she only discovered disappointedly that none of them sounded in the least like the man she had met her first day.
One person she soon began to despise was the leading Prima Donna Carlotta Buicelli. Her singing was so awful to listen to that the cleaning woman were forced to put pieces of cotton wool into their ears to keep the noise out. Unfortunately, Serena couldn't do the same. Carlotta was a drama queen heart and soul and threatened to quit at least once a day. Sadly, she never carried out the threats. Med told Serena that Carlotta had been the Prima Donna before the Great Fire as well, but that she had been replaced on occasions by Meg's friend Christine Daae, who was now Countess the Chagny. Meg said that Carlotta probably didn't dare to quit for real for fear of being replaced again.
It was an afternoon like this, when Carlotta was having a fit and making a scene as usual, that Meg told Serena about the Phantom of the Opera.
"The Phantom of the Opera was a story stagehands used to tell the easily frightened ballet girls, myself included. Whenever something went wrong around here, someone would always whisper that he had done it, that the Opera Ghost was responsible. Nothing could of course be proved and no one knew for sure if he was real or not. Not until three years ago, that is. It was the day the Opera Populaire got new managers and one of those unexplainable accidents occurred almost instantly. Well, you know Carlotta. That was enough reason for her to make a scene and she stormed off, refusing to sing in the play. Both my mother and I knew that Christine was a splendid singer and my mother convinced the managers to let her sing for them. She was a great success and the public raised her to the skies with her performance that night. Carlotta was soon back, however, and things soon began to lose control. Notes arrived, telling the managers to give Christine the leading part in the next Opera, Il Muto, and all notes were signed O.G. - Opera Ghost! The managers refused to be bullied around and even went so far as to rent out box 5 – " Meg made a break in her story to point out box 5 for her, "which always had been kept empty for the Phantom's usage. So in the middle of Il Muto, he appeared up at the ceiling demanding to know why his orders had been disobeyed. He didn't even raise his voice particularly and yet everyone inside the Opera could hear him. It was quite frightening! One of the stagehands, Jacques Bouquet, went up to catch him but only succeeded in getting himself killed by the Phantom. All of a sudden he dropped down on the stage, dangling in a noose!"
It was obvious that the memory of that night still haunted Meg's dreams.
"By now, the Vicomte de Chagny had taken an interest in Christine and they got engaged. The Phantom stayed silent and out of sight after that until the great Masquerade Ball at New Years Eve a couple of months later. That night he appeared, demanding that the managers performed an Opera he had written and that Christine was the only one worthy of playing the lead, if she agreed to take him back as her tutor. She later told me that it was he who had taught her to sing but that she never realized who he was. She thought it was the Angel of Music, sent by her father to watch over her after his death. The managers agreed to perform the Opera, secretly planning to catch the Phantom when he came to watch the play. The Opera was practically swarming with officers! What no one had taken into account, though, was that the Phantom would take the leading male's place for the song 'Past the Point of No Return'. He and Christine sang together and suddenly Christine removed his mask. Oh Serena, I can not describe the horror concealed by his mask so please don't ask me! Anyway, it was only then that the Phantom noticed the officers and he quickly cut the rope upholding the chandelier and then hit some sort of lever to open a trapdoor, taking Christine with him. A mob formed to hunt down and kill him and I followed them, only to find his lair beneath the Opera House abandoned and all the mirrors shattered, when we finally got there. The only thing I could find of him was his white mask. No one knows what took place down there that night but Christine got away unharmed. Soon afterwards, she married the Vicomte de Chagny and they moved out to the French Countryside. She comes to Paris now and then so that I can see her but she refuse to meet here at the Opera House. After that night, the Phantom was never heard of again and everyone says that he is dead."
They sat in silence after Meg had finished her story. Whatever crimes the Phantom was said to have committed, Serena still felt sorry for him. Had he been forced to live underneath the Opera House or had it been out of choice? It must have been horrible to live alone in the darkness!
"And…" Serena said after a while. "What do you think? Do you believe that he is dead?"
"I don't know for sure, but I think so. How else has he managed to put up with Carlotta's horrible singing voice these three years?" Meg said with a laugh.
Serena forced a smile, still thinking about the Phantom of the Opera. What had happened the night of the fire? What had taken place down in his lair between Christine and himself?
Madame Giry glared at them when hearing Meg laugh.
"What are you two doing over there? In case you haven't noticed, we are practicing an Opera here! On you feet and do the ballet from act four once more, Meg Giry! And you, Serena, should practice some scales!"
"Yes, Madame," they answered as one.
Serena got to her feet when she suddenly caught sight of someone up on the catwalks. She couldn't tell for sure – it might as well have been her imagination playing tricks on her, but she thought she saw the movement of someone dressed in black. Her face lit up with a smile. It must be that man from before that she had searched so hard for! Then another thought crossed her mind and her smile crumpled. What if it was him, the Phantom that she had talked to that day when she first came here? Who else could walk around unnoticed inside the Opera?
Meg watched her, confused.
"What are you looking at, Serena?"
She snapped out of it, wondering if she should tell her friend. But… no. She wouldn't want to say anything until she knew for sure.
"Oh, nothing! Good luck with your practice. I have to go to the bathroom."
Serena hurried off backstage, but instead of going to the bathroom, she carefully crept up the stairs to the catwalk. It was dark up there; the light of the lanterns and the chandelier not being able to penetrate the blackness. She stared at the place where she had seen the movement but it was far too dark to see anything.
"Hello?" She asked silently, not wanting anyone down on the stage to hear her. "Is anyone there?"
She extended her hand in front of her like a blind and felt her way along the catwalk.
"Hello?"
She came to a halt, shaking her head. How stupid she must look!
"You were seeing things," she told herself. "There's no one up here but you."
She turned around to go back when suddenly someone put a gloved hand over her mouth and pulled her further into the shadows.
Serena's breath caught in her throat and she tried to scream.
"Your voice, Serena, is perfect," the low musical voice from so many weeks ago whispered in her ear.
She relaxed. Phantom or not, he didn't hurt her the last time she met him and she highly doubted he would do it now. When he felt her relax, he slowly removed his hand from her mouth and she turned around, though still not being able to see him.
"Monsieur, once again you managed to frighten me."
"I know," he answered, clearly pleased.
"What are you doing up here, Monsieur? I bet you didn't come to hear Carlotta sing?"
He chuckled.
"No, I would never do that voluntarily. I was rather hoping to hear you sing again, Serena."
"Ah, well, I could hardly sing for you up here. Someone on the stage might hear me. Let's make a deal instead: I'll sing for you later today if you tell me your name."
He sighed.
"I go by many names."
"Then tell me one and I promise to meet you on the rooftop tonight and sing for you."
He was silent for a few moments.
"I guess you could call me… Erik."
She smiled.
"Erik. That name suits your voice, Monsieur. Tonight, then."
She felt her way back to the stairs and briefly turned back before descending them.
"Goodbye, Erik."
He didn't answer her, but she still believed he had heard.
Erik watched her leave and released a breath he didn't even realized he had held. It was something about that girl that made him behave irresponsibly. He had promised himself to have nothing more to do with her and had forced himself not to make a move when she came up to the catwalk. But when she moved forward and stopped only three feet away from him with that cute frown on her face, he couldn't help himself. He had to touch her, to hear her voice.
To watch her from the shadows of the catwalk, like he had done these past weeks, wasn't enough. He wanted more. And while his head screamed at him to ignore her promise to meet him at the roof that night, his heart pleaded for him to go. Unfortunately, he had always followed his heart more than his head. Christine was yet again a perfect example. Why else had he allowed her to go free that night when all he had to do was to kill the fop and drag her away to some place where the world would never find them? The answer was simple. He couldn't stand that look of hurt in her eyes. He would have done anything to keep her happy. Even letting her go and by doing so condemning himself to a life of loneliness where even music could no longer bring him any joy. The ironic thing was that he had no doubt he would make the same choice again. Oh, what a fool the man that follows his heart is!
Serena made sure that no one was following her when she left her room later that night. A part of her kept asking why she was doing this. She willingly went to see the Phantom alone on the roof to sing for him! She must have lost her mind! But deep down, she knew that she had to see him and talk to him again. He fascinated her. No matter how much Meg had told her about him, she still wanted to know more. She wanted to get to know him, to be his friend.
Why, she couldn't say really. It felt like something she had to do. Of all the people inside this Opera house, he had chosen to reveal himself to her! Everyone thought that he was dead and if they knew he wasn't, they would capture him and kill him right away. He must know that and yet he had showed himself. Did he want something from her? Was he in need of a friend, or perhaps a favor? Her curiosity was killing her; she had to know.
But no matter how curious she was, she remained on her guard. If the stories were true, he had killed before and would probably not hesitate to do it again. It would be foolish to think of him as harmless.
She slowly opened the door out to the roof. It seemed to be deserted but she knew he was there somewhere. Even if she couldn't see him, she could feel his eyes watching her. She considered calling out to him but decided to comply with his wish first.
Whenever sang my songs
On the stage, on my own
Whenever said my words
Wishing they would be heard
I saw you smiling at me
Was it real or just my fantasy?
You'd always be there in the corner
Of this tiny little bar
My last night here for you
Same old songs just once more
My last night here with you?
Maybe yes, maybe no
I kind of liked it your way
How you shyly placed your eyes on me
Did you ever know
That I had mine on you?
Darling, so there you are
With that look on your face
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down
Shall I be the one for you
Who pinches you softly but sure?
If frown is shown then
I will know that you are no dreamer
So let me come to you
Close as I want to be
Close enough for me
To feel your heart beating fast
And stay there as I whisper
How I love your peaceful eyes on me
Did you ever know
That I had mine on you?
Darling, so share with me
Your love if you have enough
Your tears if you're holding back
Or pain if that's what it is
How can I let you know
I'm more than the dress and the voice?
Just reach me out then
You will know that you are not dreaming
Darling, so there you are
With that look on your face
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down
Shall I be the one for you
Who pinches you softly but sure?
If frown is shown then
I will know that you are no dreamer…
Serena waited, knowing he wouldn't be able to resist making himself known if he was here. It was deathly quiet and just as she was about to give up and go back to her room, a voice drifted with the wind towards her.
"Brava, Brava, Bravissima!"
She smiled, looking all around her but seeing no one.
"Erik? Are you there?" She asked.
"I am always here, Mademoiselle," he whispered in her ear and she spun around with a gasp.
For the first time, she was able to see him properly. Sure the roof was pretty dark, but not dark enough for him to hide. He was almost a head taller than her, dressed in black as she had already suspected and wearing a long cape. His hair was dark, somewhere between brown and black, and his eyes were blue as the midnight sky. The famous white mask, said by Meg to conceal such horror, covered the right side of his face. The part that was visible, however, was extremely handsome.
He met her gaze, his eyes hardening.
"Stared at me long enough, Mademoiselle?" He snarled.
She blushed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean… And whatever happened to calling me Serena? I have a name, you know, and I would like for you to use it."
He didn't answer, only watched her silently.
"You know who I am," he stated after a while.
"Of course I do. You're Erik."
"I meant the stories Little Giry was telling you earlier today."
"If you're asking if I know that you are the Phantom of the Opera, then the answer is also yes."
"Then what are you doing here?"
She was confused.
"What do you mean, 'what are you doing here'? I came here because I said I would sing for you."
"Little Giry tells you about all the crimes I've committed – among them murder – and yet you agree to meet me up here all alone? Are you not scared?"
She smiled at him.
"If my first meeting with you had consisted of threats and attempts of murder, then I would have been scared. But all you've done so far is to compliment my singing voice, given me a rose and shown your apparent fascination for scaring me to death whenever I see you. That doesn't sound so frightening to me."
He smiled teasingly.
"Then aren't you scared I will try to threat you or kill you now?"
"Not particularly, no. I came here to fulfill my promise and in hopes of becoming your friend."
He looked at her disbelievingly.
"You want to be my friend? I'm a maniac on a death spree and you want to be my friend? Are you out of your mind?"
She laughed at the maniac on death spree comment.
"Technically, you can't be on a death spree because you haven't killed anyone these past three years. Though, how you've managed to leave Carlotta alone when she practically destroys every song she sings, I will never understand. And to answer your question, yes I may be out of my mind but I thought you might need a friend. It can't be fun to live all by yourself with no one to talk to."
"And what would we, as friends, be doing?"
"I will sing for you, if you want me to. Or you could play something for me. I've heard you are a genius on both violin and organ."
"Who told you that?"
"Meg, when I plagued her during dinner about all she could think of revolving the Phantom."
He smiled again.
"Then I will make a deal with you. If you think of another beautiful song to sing for me next time we meet, I promise to play the violin for you."
"It's a deal then!"
She noticed the faint light at the horizon and knew she had to go. Dawn would not come for another few hours but she really needed her sleep to cope with the next day.
"I'm sorry, but I really think I should be going back."
"I know. Madame Giry will check on you soon and we wouldn't want to alarm her, now, would we?"
She shook her head.
"Goodnight then, Erik." She walked to the door and then suddenly turned back towards him. "You know, I can't understand why everyone's afraid of you when I can see nothing to be scared of."
His blue eyes stared at her for the longest time.
"There's plenty to be scared of, Serena. I just save my dangerous side for everyone else. It's only for you that I suppress it."
"I see. You shouldn't, though. If you keep everyone at arm's length, they will never get a chance to be your friend and love you."
He closed his eyes, as if pained.
"No one could ever love me, Serena."
A/N: What do you think? Opinions and flames are welcome. I guess you can see that I love Final Fantasy, huh? The song Serena sang in this chapter was Eyes on me. Love you all, please R&R