Erik brought my stuff down from my dressing room, including my cell phone. Grandma called me and when I answered she said, "Avril, I heard your mother came…what happened?"
"She physically harmed me in front of everyone, including Andrew Fucking Lloyd Webber, who I was having a nice conversation with."
"Where are you now?"
"Um…promise not to look for me, but I'm safe."
"Okay, but where are you?"
"Um…in the fifth cellar of the Palais Garnier…by the way, did you know that the Phantom of the Opera is real?"
Grandma sounded shocked. "Y-you're in the Palais Garnier with someone?"
"Yeah. He's, um, my boyfriend."
"As long as you're safe," Grandma said. "Will you be performing tomorrow at one?"
"I should be…if Mom leaves me alone. She won't find me…I hope. But I'll be fine and see you tomorrow. 'Kay?"
She sighed. "Okay, bye."
I hung up and Erik came to me. He took my hand and let me remain lying down. "Will you still perform tomorrow?"
"I want to," I replied, only moving my mouth. "That doesn't mean my mom won't find me and do whatever it takes to bring me back to hell."
He kissed my hand and replied, "I won't let her."
"I know you'll try, but if she's not drunk, she's on a hangover and really grouchy. If what she wants doesn't come to her, she'll take it by force. I know. I've lived with her for seventeen years."
He went to sit beside me. I scooted over a bit because I was just lying in the middle. Still holding my hand, he said, "I will do whatever it takes to prevent her from taking you away from me."
"Does Punjab lassoing her fall into that category?" I asked blankly.
"I'm afraid that it is my only way," Erik replied sheepishly.
"Bleh. I don't care." I reacted tartly. "If you have to, don't let me stop you. Just don't let her get to me."
He kissed my chin and said, "It's late, ma cher. Perhaps you should sleep."
"Okay," I replied. "If you'll play that song you wrote for me."
He gave me a smile. "If my lover commands."
"Yes, I do," I replied in a Minnie Driver as Carlotta tone.
He went to the organ and began playing. It was the only way for me to fall asleep, and just when it ended, I did.

I woke up to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and didn't see Erik anywhere. I answered my phone, "Hello?"
"Hi, Avril? It's Frank."
"Hi, Frank," I replied. "Is tonight's show still on?"
"I hope so," he replied. "I called your grandmother, she said you were with your boyfriend nearby. Can you come to the Palais Garnier by three?"
"Yeah, no problem." I replied. "I'm just hiding from my mom. I hope she can't get backstage."
"No, she won't," Frank replied. "We'll keep you safe."
"Thanks."
Right when I hung up, Erik came on the boat. He stepped onto the floor and I said, "Where were you?"
"Your mother coaxed the ticket salesman into giving her a seat in the front row," he said. "So I built a trap.
"Leading to…?"
"To a torture chamber."
"Mm, cool," I replied.
I heard something splashing and I said, "Did you hear that?"
"Avril!" I heard someone croak. The splashing came closer and closer. Erik and I went to look and I saw Alex swimming towards us. Erik got a Punjab lasso out and I grabbed it from him. Playfully whipping him with it, I said, "He's a friend."
"He shouldn't be here," Erik hissed.
"I'll take care of it," I said. "Leave."
Erik got out of my sight just as Alex made it to me. He grabbed onto the edge of the floor and looked up at me. "What is this place?"
"I dunno, some kind of sanctuary," I replied.
He lifted himself up and looked around. "Looks more like someone's lair."
"Someone's?" I repeated.
"Yeah."
"Well, it's here, and it's keeping me safe from my mom."
Alex looked around like it was a museum. He examined the organ and I saw Erik in a corner looking kinda pissed. I'll take care of it, I mouthed to him. I went to Alex, who was about to touch it. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Alex," I said. "This could be someone's place, as if I wouldn't be in any trouble for crashing here once in a while."
Erik gave me a smile before Alex said, "Well, um…kinda seems like the place the Phantom's lair would be."
"There is no Phantom of the Opera," I murmured, trying to sing like Greg.
Alex gave a little laugh. "You're right, you're right. Just some genius's imagination that he put to paper, huh?"
Erik did not look very happy about that. I waved my arm at him and said, "Are Frank and people up there?"
"Yeah," Alex said. "Will you go up with me?"
Erik shook his head. I said to Alex, "I'll catch up."
"How'd you get here, anyway?"
I looked at Erik, this time needing something to say. He rushed out and bonked Alex on the head, knocking him out. At least, I thought. I caught him before he fell and exclaimed, "Erik, what was that about?"
"He's not dead, Avril," he said. "I did this because you are out of ideas. I'll bring him to the theater and it'll be as if it never happened."
"Should I go up, too?" I asked.
"No," he said. "She might be up there. She won't find you here. It's five in the morning, you should get more rest."
I shrugged. "Okay."

I woke up from a catnap to the sound of the boat stopping at the floor. Erik was there. As he walked to me, he said, "I put him on one of the seats and he woke up before I left. It should be fine, but I secured the mirror just in case. I don't want him back here."
"Thanks for not killing him," I said.