Michel & Josette
Chapter 5: The Faux Phantom
Michel yawned tiredly, just lying on his bed, his face buried in his pillows. It has been a whole week and he still hadn't seen Josette anywhere. Fortunately, he had gone out during the week and had purchased some cat food for Bartholomew. Bartholomew had been so happy and just immediately ate five cans of her cat food, enjoying her yummy feast.
Unfortunately, he would have to go out again to buy her some more cat food because she had already consumed half of the cans he bought her, which irked him to no end.
"Silly cat…" he mutters into the pillows, his voice muffled.
Michel lay there for a few hours more before pulling himself up and slipping out of his bed. It is now evening and the day looked just dandy outside.
"I'm kind of scared of going outside today…" Michel muttered to himself, putting his shoes on and grabbing his coat, throwing it on. "Something bad might happen to me, but I'd really like to see Josette again!"
So the guy left his apartment, slamming the door behind him and locking it tight, not wanting any break-ins.
He strolled throughout Paris, France until reaching Tuileries Garden. Fortunately, the traveling amusement park was there and was open to all who decided to pay it a visit!
"Wow, nice," Michel said quietly, looking around at all of the amusement park contraptions. "I remember when I used to be real little and my parents used to take me here all the time. Ah, memories…" he spoke, his voice wrapped in nostalgia.
"Is that right, Manley?" a voice suddenly spoke from beside him.
Michel jumped in fright and turned around, coming face to face with none other than Josette!
"Josette!" Michel exclaimed, shock and happiness present in his tone.
Josette grinned, putting her hands on her hips. "What are you doing here, Mickey?" she questioned him nonchalantly.
"Well…I was just wandering around and stuff…" Michel responded, shrugging and grinning like a fool. "What are you doing here?"
"None of your business, Mike!" Josette replied.
Michel's face immediately turned into annoyance and he clenched his fists in anger. "I've told you a thousand times! It's Michel!" he hollered, causing people to look in their direction.
"Geez, cause a scene, will you?" Josette muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh, you're one to talk!" Michel muttered back at her.
Suddenly, they were both interrupted by another voice, a strange one at that too.
"Hey!"
Michel and Josette simultaneously whipped around to see the person who had interrupted them, both of them completely annoyed.
It was a guy with dark brownish hair and dressed in a suit and hat, apparently trying to look like Phantom R, but failing miserably.
"Hey!" he said again, his voice filled with irritation. "I can't even concentrate on my slick dance moves with you two arguing like an old married couple over there!"
Josette looked absolutely insulted, but Michel just looked really curious and interested.
Michel strode right up to the guy and inspected him, a hand on his chin and one arm around his midsection, frowning in deep concentration.
The guy pretending to be Phantom R spoke up, his voice very uncomfortable. "What are you looking at? I'm the one and only Phantom R!" he told him.
Michel suddenly snapped his fingers. "Ah yes! You're pretending to be Phantom R!" he cried.
The fake Phantom R rolled his eyes. "No!" he shouted at him. "I am Phantom R!"
Michel frowned once more, inspecting him closely once again. "That can't be true, because I just saw the real Phantom R yesterday and he looks nothing like you."
The Faux Phantom narrowed his eyes at Michel.
"You really aren't trying hard enough to look like him though," Michel commented to him.
Josette started snickering from behind Michel, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. This just made the Faux Phantom angrier.
"Maybe if you dyed your hair red," Michel said, reaching over and gently fingering the Faux Phantom's dark hair. "…and then put a bit of makeup on-"
"Makeup?!"
"Yeah…just a little."
"Well, gee, I should probably throw on some perfume while I'm at it!"
"Um…perfume is for women, I'm afraid. Men usually wear cologne, you know. So I suggest you use some cologne."
Faux Phantom's left eye began to twitch due to the huge amount of anger he was feeling at the moment. "I was using sarcasm, you dolt!" he exclaimed at Michel.
"Oh? I don't think this is a time to be joking around, you know," Michel informed him, trying to sound all smart and whatnot. "This is very serious. You look nothing like Phantom R. You seriously need a complete makeover. Like I said before, put on a bit of makeup and dye your hair red, grow it out a little too…"
Josette burst out laughing from behind Michel, holding her stomach with tears appearing in her eyes. "That's a good one, Miguel!" she howled in between her laughter.
Michel turned his head a little to look at her, an annoyed expression resting on his features. "It's Michel!"
"You are a complete imbecile!" Faux Phantom reeled back his leg and kicked Michel in the shin…hard.
Michel cried out in pure agony and collapsed onto the ground, clutching at his shin with both hands.
This only made Josette laugh harder.
"That's what you get for making fun of me, old man!" Faux Phantom spat at Michel before marching of, rage surrounding him.
At this point, Josette could barely breathe because of how hard she was laughing.
Michel only groaned in pain and continued to clutch at his poor shin in agony, listening to Josette's wild laughter.
Again, why were bad things only happening to him?!
He was only trying to give the guy some advice!