When we got to the lair, I said, "Okay, we can't get married right here and now. I don't need a party, I need a license. W-what do you want to do with your life when we do? Like, in the book, you wanted to just live somewhere normal, be normal and stuff?"
"I suppose so," he said.
I smiled. "That sounds nice. Y'know, I wanna keep performing and stuff. Performing your shows."
He smiled back. "We could do that, couldn't we?"
"Yeah. We could go to New York, to Broadway." I held out my left hand. "Deal?"
He took my hand and kissed my forehead. "Deal," he said.
And then something happened. Something that would lead to some more time in hell. My cell phone rang. I sighed and noticed the caller ID said Alex. I would talk to him. "Alex, don't worry about me, I'm safe."
"That's your opinion. I know where you are, Avril, the owner told me. Looks like the Phantom stole my thunder," he said so angrily that I didn't think it was him.
"Sorry about that, but what else was he supposed to do? Let me get captured by my mom and never see him and you again?"
"Who is he to you, anyway?" he asked. "And…who is he?"
"His name is Erik, he's the ghostwriter for Gaston Leroux, Andrew Lloyd Webber and some musicians and playwrights today. To me, he's my fiancé. Leave us alone, Alex, this is happening."
"Can't do that," he said. "Your mom has me at gunpoint and I want to get you out of there. If you cooperate, she might let you stay with me."
"She won't let me stay with either of you! Kill her! You'll be my hero!"
"Sorry, Avril, but…there's an angry mob heading your way."
Alex hung up and I heard faint shouting. "Oh…no…" I muttered. I dropped the phone and ran to Erik. I clung onto him and said, "They're out to get us, Erik. We have to escape right now!"
He made me let go of him and went to a row of buttons and levers. I walked to him before he pressed one and said, "What's up with that?"
"Torture chambers," he said. He went to pull a lever but I stopped his hand. "No!" I exclaimed. "No. They're all being pushed by my mom. They're innocent."
"If you insist," he said. "Perhaps we should just—"
We were too late. The gate that enclosed the lair was pushed down. A crowd led by Alex and Mom were coming. "Wait here!" Alex commanded. He and Mom went up to us. I was trembling in Erik's arms and he was frozen. Mom got a good look at Erik. "Ew! That's worse than I thought!"
"I know, right?" Alex scoffed.
Erik sighed. "You're not the only one to say that."
Mom got out a gun and pointed it at us. "You'll hand us the slut or you'll both die."
"I'm a thorn in your side, why would you want me back?" I furiously asked Mom.
"Because you're my daughter and I love you," the worst actress, aka my mom, whined.
I didn't buy it. "If you love me, you'll want my happiness and I can't leave him."
Mom's seemingly sentimental face turned into one of anger. She shot Erik, sending him screaming until he hit the ground. Alex grabbed me. "I'm in good with her. You could stay in Paris if you're with me. Together. Perhaps dating."
"No. No dating," I said, trying to struggle out of his grip. He was stronger than I thought.
"Then, you're going back to America." He let go of me and I escaped Mom to go down to the bleeding Erik. "Don't die," I cried.
With the arm on the side of him that wasn't shot, he took my left hand, which still had the ring on it, and shakily put it to his lips. "Only for you will I live."
I gulped. "I will never take this off."
Mom grabbed me. "You're going home." She was able to carry me down, even though I punched and struggled. "The Music of the Night is not over!" I shouted while she carried me away.