Grandma and I had dinner. She saw someone out the window and exclaimed, "Oh, it's my favorite postman! I'll be back." She went to the door and answered him happily. After a few minutes, she returned, sorting the mail. Her calm face turned into one of shock when she saw a letter. "Um…Avril…di-did you go to Guthrie High School?"
"Oh, crap," I murmured.
She put the mail on the table, sat down and opened the letter. "Dear Miss…oh, for heaven's sake, they misspelled my name!"
"That's the principal for you," I scoffed.
"We cannot reach Miss Hills, so we hope you will reply to us. Avril Hills, 11th grader, has not been in school for about a month. She cannot just up and leave. If she is with you, please contact us immediately.
Mitchell Emerson, Principal."
"Why can't they just leave me the fuck alone?!" I hissed, near tears. "Please don't reply, Grandma!"
She tore it up, spat on it, tore it up some more, shoved it in the sink and shredded it. "Your place is here, Avril, it'll be okay."
She comforted me until I excused her to bed because I was tired, too. But I couldn't sleep. I put on my green fuzzy slippers and crept outside. The street's only sound was a slow and probably single cricket making an occasional chirp. In just my Hello Kitty pajama pants and a camisole, I went outside in the cold and sat in one of the chairs, shivering a little. The only thing on my mind was school, how much it sucked, how glad I was to be out of there, how worried I was that they might be out to get me. Tears raced down my flushing but freezing face. I felt something warm come onto my shoulders. A blanket or cloak or something. I turned my head and only heard footsteps running away. "E-Erik," I murmured. When my head faced forward, I felt something go on my shoulders—a black cloak. I looked back again and saw nothing. I looked forward again and saw an envelope closed with a red wax skull stamp. From Erik, of course. I picked it up and opened it. "Avril," it said. "I'm concerned that my presence frightens you. But I wish with all my broken heart that you would come to the Palais Garnier, which is vacant tonight, to see me. There is an entrance in the back that would lead you to me. You will know it when you see it. Please come.
-O.G."
He invited me. The Phantom of the Opera, who is real, wanted me to come to his lair in the actual Palais Garnier. What else would a Phangirl do but obey? I got up and trusted my instincts to find the way to the Palais Garnier. Not a lot of people were on the streets, but the ones who were paid no attention to the maroon-haired chick in the fuzzy slippers and pajamas with a Victorian cloak that seemed out of place in every way.
The back of the Palais Garnier was just dark windows. The only light was from the moon…and a dim light coming from a window on the ground with bars over it. I pried the bars open and slid in. When I landed on my feet on beige concrete, I heard really beautiful piano music. I followed it and when it was completely loud and clear, I was in the Phantom's lair. He was sitting at the golden organ, looking like he was composing. I murmured when I was standing by him, "Um…hey, Erik."
He turned to me, "Welcome back, Avril," he purred as he stood up. He gently took my hand and kissed it. I melted a little. But I didn't faint. I looked at the thing he was composing and he said, "I don't expect you to like it at all."
"Are you kidding me?" I chuckled. "This…this just looks good." I put it on the stand and said, looking him straight in the eyes with one peeking out of a pure white mask, "Play it for me. Please. Please play it for me."
"Only if you'll sing," he said. "I'll be embarrassed without you.
I shyly shook my head. "I—I can't do that. I'm not that good," I replied, lowering my head.
He lifted my head with his curved index finger. "You may be too good, mon cher."
I gave a tiny laugh. "You're sweet."
He sat me down on the bench and purred in my ear, caressing my shoulders,"Sing, my angel of music. Sing for me."
"O-okay," I murmured.
He sat down beside me, turned to the first page and started playing. I looked closer to the words and nervously sang for him. With every high note I did, Erik seemed to smile more and more. He stopped at the unfinished part and I said after a silent pause, "W-wow…that was something."
"Your talent never ceases to amaze me," Erik said, reaching behind me to stroke my hair. I trembled a little and he said, "You're frightened, aren't you, Avril."
He was coaxing me to tell the truth. Facing him, I asked quietly, "Am I a Christine to you…or what?"
He leaned forward to me just a tiny bit and kissed me. When my shock was gone, I let myself close my eyes and enjoy it more. It was a long kiss, and a really hot one. It lasted a long time, but when he let go, it seemed too short. Just half an inch from me, Erik said, "Yes. I love you, Avril."
I'm not really one of those fast types, but Erik made me change my mind. Well, I always loved the fictional character and I would have given anything to have him in real life, and this was my opportunity! I responded, "I…I love you, too, Erik."
He kissed me again and when it was over, he said, "You look tired."
"I kinda am," I sighed.
"Allow me to play you to sleep," he said.
I smiled. "That sounds nice."
He got up and looked in a bookshelf. "Let's see what I have."
"Surprise me," I said.
"Aha," he said. He brought a book to the organ and replaced it with the thing he was composing. He started playing something really pretty and let me lean my head on his shoulder. I tried not to fall right to sleep because I wanted to listen to it, but after a while I fell asleep.
I woke up in my bed and hoped that it wasn't a dream. On the shelf behind me was an envelope with a red wax skull stamp. I opened it and it said, "Avril, mon amour,
Thank you for coming. Next time, if you don't object, I'll visit you.
O.G."
I smiled. I guessed I had a boyfriend and that was cool.