Gustave's POV

For the next few weeks while my papa was recovering, I spent that time trying to come up with ideas on how to get Melody to talk to me. I never stopped thinking for a single second, always attempting to come up with new ideas. I was sitting at the piano one morning, already frustrated when my previous ideas came crashing down around me. I knew that I had offended Melody, and the only way I was going to get her to talk to me, was if I came up with something really good…But how? I groaned and pressed my face down onto the keys of the piano, causing a loud sound to occur.

"Don't tell me you've already given up on writing that aria of yours?"

When I heard my papa's voice, I spun around to find him walking by the piano dressed in his robe. When he was able to come home from the hospital, he was given strict orders to stay home…Yes, he attempted to leave and head to Phantasma a few times, but Nadir quickly pulled him out of that thought.

"No, it's not that…" I said, turning back to face the keys of the piano. "I…I can't…I can't come up with any ideas."

"Well, isn't that what I just said? Giving up on your work at such an early start? No, Gustave, that will simply do you no good. No, you need to continue working, otherwise, you'll never finish any of the music that you want to write."

"It's not about music…"

"Of course it is…Everything is music, Gustave. Without music, there are no lyrics, without lyrics, there isn't a song…No, child, you need to continue thinking about your score."

"I'm not complaining about my song, Mister Y…You see, there is this girl…"

My papa's body went rigid, his eyes widening as he stood there before me. From there, he folded his long arms behind his back and took a seat beside me on the piano bench.

"A girl? And just why would Gustave be thinking about women at such a young age?"

"I'm not young, papa…I'm nearly fourteen… A few of my friends from school are already dating and getting married."

"And what about this girl are you so worried about?"

"You see, Mister Y, a few weeks ago my friends and I went to the pub. It's the night you came looking for me. Well, during that evening, there was this girl who was working there…She…She seemed nice, so I went to talk to her. Though, she got rude with me, therefore, I poured a pitcher of beer over her head after she poured ice over me."

"Well, that certainly won't get her to like you…"

Mister Y began smiling and then, he gave a small chuckle. "When your mother and I were younger, she used to have the strangest ways of letting me know that she was angry…"

"How so?"

"Well, one evening your mother cooked me dinner and I never showed up because I had gotten tied up in my music room. When I did emerge, she yelled at me, and I got angry right back at her for treating me like a child…Well, being your mother, she wasn't going to have it."

"What did she do?"

"She told me that if I wouldn't be on time for dinner, I would wear it…"

"Wear it?"

Once more, Mister Y laughed. "Yes…I said the same thing to her. Next thing I knew, I was wearing a plate of mashed potatoes and beef for a hat."

"Mother poured dinner on your head?"

"She sure did…It angered me so much, that I spun around and did the same to her. Only, this made her ten times angrier. It took a while after that argument to get back into the swing of being happy around one another again."

"What did you do?"

"Well, one evening after her performance, I came to her room with a few of her favorite roses and got down on one knee to apologize…She didn't like it at first, but she eventually came around."

"Maybe I should do that to Melody"

"Well, all ladies are different, Gustave. Melody?"

"That's her name…"

"I'm sure she's very pretty…." My papa stood from where he was sitting and patted me on the back. "I'm going to make myself some tea and go lay down for a while… I have a big meeting next week with my employees and I plan on being there. Be a good boy for your old man and keep the noise down while I sleep…"

"Yes, Mister Y…"

After sitting there a while longer, an idea came to mind! It was wonderful and sure to work…With that idea in my head, I went to work, preparing everything before the sun went down. After making sure that my papa was fed and comfortable, I opened my window and snuck out, my black cloak floating gracefully in the summer breeze. The only thing that was lit was the street lamps that surrounded Coney Island and my father's park. I didn't stop until I reached the alley of the pub, hiding on the rooftop of the nearby building. At around eleven, the back door to the pub opened and Melody stepped out with a large trash can in hand, approaching the nearby dumpster to rid of the empty bottles and trash from the night's crowd. Though, as she was dumping the garbage, she opened her mouth and began to sing…Oh, she was so beautiful in every way…Other guys would have thought her to be no good…Gypsy like in a way. But me…Oh, I thought she was the most elegant creature to ever walk upon the earth. I wasn't sure what she was singing, for it was in another language…It sounded like a lullaby in a way. Though, I still found it to be the most beautiful song in the entire world.

"Your voice is one that should be shared with the entire world…" I said, after a while of watching her.

The girl gasped and spun around, looking in all directions. Though, when she didn't find me, I spoke again.

"I am being truthful…"

This time, she caught hold of my voice and looked up to find me standing upon the roof of the nearby building. Though, as soon as she saw that it was me, her face turned to one filled with utter disgust.

"Why don't you turn around and go back home?! I don't want to talk to you…"

"And why not? Because I made one mistake?"

"I never thought of tossing beer over a girl's head to be so charming…"

Melody was about to go back inside, when I jumped down in front of her. I most certainly had my papa's natural cat reaction, for just like him, I always landed on my feet.

"What do you want?! I told you before that I wasn't interested in seeing you again. I also told you that I would never forgive you for doing what you did to me…"

"Fine…Then don't… But at least give me the chance to prove that I'm worthy of your friendship…"

"And just how are you supposed to do that?"

"After your shift, come out with me…"

"Come out with you? Absolutely not! My father would have your head…"

"And why does your father need to know about this? Come on? What's the worst that could happen? Me pouring beer over your head again?"

Melody crossed her arms over her chest, making it obvious that she didn't appreciate my joke.

"All right," I said. "Forget the joke…Just come out with me. Please…And if you don't like me, then you never have to see me ever again."

"When?"

"Right now…"

"Right now?" she repeated. "As in right now?"

"No better time than the present…"

The girl seemed undecided about coming out with me, but she gave the door one final glance before nodding and following me towards Phantasma.

"Where are we going?" she worriedly asked.

Phantasma was closed down, but I did have a key…My papa had given me one when I turned thirteen, telling me that sooner than later, his kingdom would be mine for the taking.

"Now close your eyes…"

"Why?"

I rolled my eyes at her statement. It was obvious that she didn't trust me…

"Just do it…And give me your hand."

When she finally obeyed my orders, I took her small hand and led her all the way to the darkened opera house. Once there, I opened the doors and led her to the stage.

"Gustave, where are we?"

"Don't open your eyes just yet…"

When she was in the center of the stage, I hopped down and stood in front of her.

"All right," I said. "Open your eyes!"

When Melody's eyes opened, she gasped as she gazed up at the ceiling of the opera house.

"Have you ever been here before?"

She shook her head. "I've been wanting to come here for a long time, but my papa never had the money…He said it was too expensive."

"Have you ever seen a live opera before?"

Once more, she shook her head. "No…But, sometimes, my papa allows me to listen to the phonograph."

"Hardly the same…No, there's nothing like seeing a live performance. But, then again, I know you like to sing… I heard your voice, and it's very promising."

From out of my cloak, I took the stack of music notes and handed them to her.

"What's this?"

"I…I wrote you a song. It's nothing spectacular, but it is a song, one that would fit your voice very well, I think."

"I…I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything, just sing…"

Melody looked down at the score and then, shook her head.

"I can't…I only sing when there is no one around… I don't like to sing in front of people. I don't even sing around my father."

"It would mean a lot if you sang for me…Your voice is like one of an angel's…"

"I…I can't, Gustave. I'm too nervous."

I disappointedly nodded and extended my hand to her in order to help her off the stage.

"Perhaps sometime, then…That is, unless you can't stand the sight of me? If not, I understand and I shall never bother you again."

"You know…You're not like the others."

"Others?"

Melody nodded. "Like your friends…They're cruel."

"I was never like them…"

"I thought you were…"

"Well, as my papa says, "never judge a book by its cover."

"Or in your case, by the first chapter…"

"Yes, I know we got off to a bad start, but know that I never meant to be so cruel to you…"

When we were back at the pub, I held the door open for her… Oh, I couldn't let this night end like this!

"Melody, wait…"

"Yes?"

"Um…Tomorrow night, Amastad Berdego is going to be singing at the opera house… I was going to go, and wondered if you wanted to join me?"

"Really? I mean…Um…You don't have to do that."

"I know, but, I wanted to…"

"What time?"

Oh, this instantly lifted my spirits! What time? Just to hear those very words escape her lips sent my world spinning in endless happiness! I had myself a date…An actual date! I would blow the girl's mind when I took her to my papa's private box! He barely used it nowadays, and if I wanted to see and opera, I usually went alone, seeing that the guys were barely interested in that sort of thing.

"Would six be sufficient?"

"I…Is this a trick, Gustave? Please tell me the truth."

"Trick? Why would I trick you?"

"I…I've been tricked by other boys in the past. They believe it's funny to take me out and do cruel things to me."

"This is no trick, Melody, I assure you…"

Melody smiled. "Six it is, then…"

And when she closed the behind her, my feet left the ground and I was silently jumping for joy! I had a date with the most beautiful girl in the world, and I wouldn't mess this up for anything!

Yeah! Gustave has a date...haha. Anyway, Please review!