MADELEINE

I woke up today after a night of tossing and turning to find I had missed practice. I leapt out of my small bed and managed to pull on one of my more decent dresses before running out my door and into the hall. As I walked into the theater I saw Deirdre and her mother standing with Madame Giry near the stage. Didi saw me and waved me over to them, smiling. Why is everyone so happy? I wondered as I approached them.
"What's going on?" I asked Didi. I was completely confused as to why I wasn't getting a thorough scolding on my missing practice.
"The Vicomte de Chagny has invited us all to his home tonight." She exclaimed, with a giggle.
"Great, but why is this news? Don't you go over there all the time?" I asked, looking from Didi, to her mother to Madame Giry. Deirdre clasped her hands together.
"Yes, we do but tonight will be the first time you come with us!" She squealed.

I could only stand there with my mouth hanging open. The Vicomte de Chagny wanted me to come to his house? Why? Of course, the man from last night was his son. I shook my head.
"No…no I can't cannot. I have…um, plans…" I said lamely and Madame Giry narrowed her eyes at me.
"Lying does not become you Madeleine…" She said sternly and I reddened, knowing full well I could never get anything past her wise eyes.
"Does this have something to do with Charles de Chagny, Maddie?" Deirdre asked me and I didn't answer, I could only look at my feet stupidly. Deirdre's mother put her arm around me.
"Maddie, it's just dinner…" She laughed, kissing my temple. I sighed,
"Fine…I will go…" I said, defeated and Madame Bennett said,
"Come to my house at four o'clock and wear your best dress." I nodded as they all turned to leave and Didi leaned over to whisper,
"Wear the blue one with the small embroidered flowers…" She said and I just stared after them as they walked away.

After they'd gone, I went back to my room and washed up before putting my blue dress on. It had been hanging in one of the old unused dressing rooms and Deirdre had found it and given it to me. It couldn't have been worn more than once before I'd owned it. I never dared to enter that dressing room. I'd been in there once to clean it shortly after I'd come here and there was an eerie presence in that room with the huge mirror. I don't believe in ghosts, or fate for that matter, but for the brief time I was in that room I did, and ran out of that room as fast as I could. I decided to take a walk and maybe get a bite to eat at the bistro down the road. Since coming here, I'd managed to save and budget my money well so that I was never hungry as I once had been. I grabbed the book I'd been reading and headed out.

It was a rare warm late fall morning and I took it in, soaking up the warmth of the sun as I walked. I entered the bistro, which was unusually crowded and decided to sit at one of the tables near the window. I ordered some bread and butter, not wanting to ruin my appetite for later and settled in with my book. I usually didn't like romance fluff, so I opted for murder mysteries. I was completely enthralled and almost to the climax when I noticed someone had stepped up next to me. Slowly, my eyes wandered upwards to finally meet those enchanting silvery green ones from the night before.
"What do you want?" I said. What does he want with me? He smiled a beautiful dangerous smile and offered me a rose as he'd done last night.
"May I join you?" He asked kindly and my eyes narrowed. Something told me he was sincere but I had trusted people too many times.
"No." I said and went back into my book hoping he would just leave me be. Instead, he sat in the seat across from me. Again, I brought my eyes up to meet the twinkle in his.

"Look, what do you want from me?" I asked, exasperated and he smiled again, offering me the rose, which I roughly took. He'd tied a black ribbon to it, making for a nice touch.
"I want to know what it is I've done that makes you hate me…" He said in his rich Heavenly voice.
"What do you care what I think of you? I'm just some lowly chorus tramp from the opera…what I think doesn't matter…" I said, biting my lip to keep my chin from visibly quivering.
"Yes Madeleine. Yes it does…to me it does, and you aren't just some lowly chorus tramp. You're a human being with feelings and needs." The honesty was so obvious in his eyes that I had to soften. I sighed loudly and raked a hand through my curls.

"I don't hate you, alright? I just don't want to sleep with you, and I sure don't want your goddamned charity! I can get parts on my own…" I said and he looked hopeful.
"I'm sure you can. You have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. Have you ever been trained?" He asked, and I shook my head in disbelief.
"God no. I can't afford that…in the chorus, they make you learn to read music so sometimes I like to mess around on the piano. That's all." He nodded, listening to me intently. It was strange, to have someone actually listening to what I said and taking it into consideration.
"Well, with your talent, you could have leads…I could help you!" He offered, and, instantly, all my anger came back.

"Yes, I am sure you could…just like I said, for a small price right?" I leaned over to him so that our lips were less than an inch away from each other. "You get me a lead, and then wait for me in my dressing room…is that it?" His eyes were fixated on my mouth.
"N-no…I just…" He stammered.
"You just what?" I demanded, not moving away from him. His eyes suddenly flashed with fire and he backed away angrily.
"I was offering to train you, not sleep with you!" He snapped and I suddenly was dumbfounded.
"What did you say?" I asked, fearing I had not heard him correctly.
"To train you! And, not in the arts of bedroom activity!" He replied and I still looked at him with my mouth hanging open like some fool.

"You want to train me?" I repeated for him and he nodded, suddenly relieved. I must have sounded like a moron. "Why?" I asked him suspiciously.
"Because, I am sick of seeing mediocre trash singing parts that should be given to real talent." He said seriously, and I had to admire his passion, but suddenly I shook my head realizing the reality.
"Even if you trained me and I became the best goddamn singer in the world, that doesn't mean they would give me a chance. I mean for one, there's Benedetta, the prima donna. Why would they get rid of her, a big name, just so a stupid chorus orphan can have a chance?" His eyes twinkled mischievously as he said,
"We shall just have to get rid of her…" I couldn't help but smile.

"And how do you propose we do that dear sir?" I asked him, and he leaned forward, inspired.
"We drive her and her mediocrity out." He said devilishly and suddenly a laugh escaped my lips which I quickly covered with my hand. He quickly took my other hand and gave it a squeeze.
"It's alright to laugh, you know…" He said, grinning as I took my hand away from my mouth, but didn't remove my other one from his. I smiled sadly as I said,
"This will never work…" He pulled his hand away as I put mine on my lap.
"You're so negative…" He said, looking at me as if the sight of me broke his heart and I shook my head.
"No Monsieur, I am a realist. Nothing has ever happened to me to make me think otherwise."

He leaned closer to me and smiled again,
"Well, we shall have to change that then, won't we?" He said, and I laughed.
"It won't happen Monsieur…I am set in my ways." I replied and he tilted his head a bit taking in my expression.
"We shall see…" He said, studying me as I pushed the basket of bread forward.
"Would you like some?" I offered, finally letting my guard down and he took a piece.
"Thanks." He said with a grin and I finally had to look away, realizing I was staring at him like some crazy schoolgirl. "So are you coming tonight?" He asked, eating and I was suddenly confused.

"What? Oh! Yes…" I flushed, feeling dumb. He looked satisfied as he stood.
"Good! Well then, I will see you then. I really have to run, I only came into town for some new art pencils and saw you in the window, so I decided to come and give you a peace offering." He gestured toward the rose. I picked it up, admiring it. In all my life, no one had ever given me a flower.
"What's with the ribbon?" I asked, pulling it a bit. He shrugged,
"It seemed so plain, so I decided to dress it up and the only ribbon the florist had was a black one."

"Nice touch." I said half smiling and he beamed again.
"Thanks! Well, I really do have to get going. Dad will worry!" He rolled his eyes affectionately and I giggled, which was funny because I don't giggle. As he started toward the door I called after him.
"Listen , I really am sorry about my behavior earlier Monsieur de Chagny!" He turned back around at the door.
"It never happened…and it's Charles!" He said, and smiled at me. I stood and pointed to myself.
"Maddie!" I said and he nodded.
"I like it!" He replied before turning and walking out the door. I realized I was grinning like an idiot until I noticed everyone in the bistro was staring at me. Sheepishly, I grabbed my book and my rose and paid for my bread before leaving, all the while smiling