Hi everybody! Sorry it's been awhile but this chapter has taken me a long time to write. I'd just like to take a moment and thank the Anonymous reviewer who gave me such a sweet review, it was very nice and I appreciate it greatly! So here is chapter 7 for everyone and I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks!(:
The grey sky poured through the tiny window behind May's bed as bellowing church bells chimed 6:00 from a nearby cathedral. There was a harsh sound of large rain droplets hit the roof of the Opera house waking up the youngest ballerina that slept beneath its cover. Groggily she sat up rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and pushing the straggly curls from her face. Rolling over and grabbing the small clock that sat on her bedside table she saw that it was 6 in the morning; it was a while still before the rest of the cast and workers of the opera house would arrive for their daily rehearsals and work. Setting the small clock back upon the nightstand, May pushed her covers off of her and swung her feet out of bed standing on shaking legs. The young girl slowly walked to her mirror pulling up the hem of her night gown to look at her wound on her leg. Carefully unraveling the bandages on her thigh she was met with the same appearance as yesterday; the wound was still there and slowly but surely getting better.
With a huff of annoyance May tossed the bandages into a small trash can and began walking towards her vanity when she kicked something spewing whatever was inside out of it. Looking down May realized she had kicked her satchel and now saw the strange healing cream the phantom had gave her lying on the floor a few inches away from where she stood. She slowly walked over to it lifting it off of the cold floor. Without putting much thought into it May decided to go ahead and use it hoping for the best.
The strange cream inside the container smelled strongly of herbs and aloe and felt strangely cold against her skin as she cautiously dabbed the cream over her wound. At first it stung a little but after a few moments it went away making any pain go away. After that she then bandaged her leg again and begin dressing to face the day. Tonight was the final performance of Hannibal and everybody at the opera house was ready to end the season with a bang, while May just wanted to start new dance routines and was happy that Hannibal was finally ending.
Once she was dressed in her usual rehearsal attire, being a white button down leotard with a white matching tutu and stockings and also a mauve shawl, May began her way down the spiral stair case by her room to meet the rest of the ballerina's for an early morning rehearsal. As she got to the bottom of the staircase she heard singing coming from one of the rehearsal rooms and decides to go listen in. She reaches the door and leans up against the wall beside it listening to the chorus sing through all of the songs in Hannibal. Looking around to make sure nobody was there May began softly singing along.
May loved to sing and even though she loved dancing singing was her main passion. May's parents Annabelle and Richard Daily were well known classically trained opera singers who toured all over London. Growing up May admired her parents unbelievably and was taught to sing at a young age, but sadly at the age of 8 Annabelle and Richard both died tragically on their way home from singing just outside of Paris. Ever since there death May has wanted nothing more than to sing like her parents and to please them up in heaven with her vocal abilities but when she was brought to live at the opera house, she was forced into dancing and wasn't allowed to sing. Whenever she was alone May would practice and practice to become as great as a singer as her parents, she even began saving money to pay for a private tutor one day but didn't have enough yet.
Lost in her own singing trance May began on her way down a long quiet hallway towards the stage for rehearsal, wrapping her shawl tighter around her. As she walked her voice soared and bounced off of the walls of the hallway.
And though it's clear,
Though it was always clear
That this was never meant to be,
If you happen to remember
Spare a thought for me.
The young girl thought she was alone but apparently not. As she began the next verse a hand was placed over her mouth silencing her and another around her waist pulling her into a dark corridor as she tried to scream. With May still attempting to scream and the hand still over her mouth she was briskly turned around and a familiar voice haunting voice rang out.
"Quiet girl it's only me!" As her eyes fixed to the surrounding darkness of the corridor May looked up at the person who the voice was coming from and was met with two shining golden eyes and a stark white mask. It was him.
Ripping his hand from her mouth May was trying as hard as she could not to lash out on the man for scaring her as he did.
"What in God's name are you doing?!" May was trying to whisper but it wasn't really working.
"I- I'm sorry it's just….. Your voice! S-sing that again!" May was pleasantly confused as the phantom looked at her shocked and almost confused also.
"Sing what again?"
The phantom grabbed her forearms lightly almost in a way of pleading.
"Think of me, sing it again!" He sounded urgent. May shook out of his grip and looked at him confused.
"Right here," She questioned.
"Yes, right here."
"Right now," she questioned again.
"Yes, right here right now!" His voice was becoming more frantic and energetic.
"No, no not here. Why were you even listening?" May was becoming a bit angry with him.
"May I had no idea you were able to sing!" His voice now had an air of wonderstruck to it as he gazed at her.
"What?" May was very confused.
"Your voice it's- it's lovely. Have you had any training?"
"Training? No well maybe, my parents taught me when I was younger." The phantom grabbed her arms again.
"Wait, your parents were they Richard and Annabelle Daily?" How did he know this? May was shocked, how on earth could he know this?, she thought to herself.
"Yes…. Wait how do you- .." He cut her off dropping her arms and speaking to himself.
"Oh it all makes sense now!" He turned to May suddenly making her jump back. "Tonight. Come to my lair tonight after the performance and we will begin."
May was even more confused now. "Begin what?"
He paused for a moment then gave her a sly smile. "Your lessons " She had no idea how to respond. Did he really just offer to give her lessons?
"Lessons? But I-I don't have enough money I couldn't-.." He cut her off again.
"Nonsense, I don't want your money and don't intend on getting anything in return. Your voice needs training and with my help you can be performing in front of all of Paris in no time!" Again she was dumbfounded and had no idea how to respond.
"Monsieur?!"
"Now I believe you are late for rehearsals, you best be on your way girl."
Completely thrilled May lunged forward and wrapped the phantasmal man in a large embrace. Because of her state of excitement and disbelief May had not noticed how the opera ghost awkwardly stiffened and shook while she wrapped her arms around his thin body. In her act of gratitude towards him she May had also not realized that her shawl fell to her feet as she embraced him. Pulling away grinning ear to ear May spoke graciously. "Oh thank you, thank you so much Monsieur Le Phantom."
Loosening up a little more the phantom gave a shy smile towards her.
"No need to thank me. Now you're going to be late." Giving one last smile May turned and began running off when the opera ghost called after her. "Miss. Daily!" Stopping in her tracks May spun around to face him and saw him standing with her shawl hanging out of his hands as he gave a wicked smirk. "Forgetting something?"
Racing back May grabbed the shawl gave one last thank you and sprinted down the hallway to the stage as the Phantom blended right back into the shadows of the opera house.
The rest of the day came and went in a whirl wind of pirouettes and costume changes. The day's rehearsals were long and tiresome but May pushed through it. That night's performance also went quickly and wonderfully, Christine and the rest of the chorus sang their hearts out and May danced with all of her might with only one thing on her mind for the first time. Now as the curtains closed on Hannibal for the final time and the cast disappeared to the wings, May dashed away from the stage as fast as her legs could take her until she reached her dressing room.
As May flung open her door and slammed it shut behind her, she raced to her armoire grabbing a cream colored long sleeve dress that had a little green apron top to go over it and brown boots; she then raced over to her vanity and tied back some of her curls with a red ribbon. Swinging her satchel over her shoulder and making her way to the door May slowly creped it open and stuck her head out to make sure the coast was clear. It was so she silently snuck out and began on her way when another familiar voice stopped her.
"Miss. Daily!" May turned around briskly to see Jack Oliver approaching her from down the hallway with his hands behind his back.
"Bonjour Monsieur Oliver" As Jack reached the young girl he rapped her in a warm embrace.
"For you Mademoiselle." Jack held out a beautiful red rose with a yellow ribbon on it. May took the rose from him and caressed the ribbon. "Your favorite color, correct? And I apologize I would have had a lily but apparently they are not blooming in this season. That was your favorite flower, no?" Jack smiled down at May as she blushed.
"Yes… that is correct, thank you Jack." They were both silent for a moment.
"Oh May, you were once again phenomenal tonight, would you like to come with me for coffee, or tea which ever you prefer?" Lost in the moment May was just about to say yes when she remembered where she had to be.
"Jack I'm flattered, thank you but I…." She didn't know how to tell jack about her lessons and didn't want to lie to him so she came up with the quickest response she could think of. "I already have plans to um meet with a… friend of mine." Jacks expression changed and he looked almost hurt.
"Oh well alright. Well can I see you sometime soon?" May smiled at him,
"Yes. Jack I'd love that." He smiled back at her.
"Great are you free tomorrow?"
"I am." Jack smiled brighter at her response.
"OK well why don't you meet me in the park around 2." May contemplated it for a moment then spoke happily.
"Jack I would love that! So I'll see you then"
"Yes see you then! Goodnight ." He lightly grabbed her hand and set a feather light kiss to it.
"Goodnight Monsieur Oliver." With one last smile Jack turned and walked away as May raced away down to the Phantoms lair.
Meanwhile beneath the opera house an older Persian man stood in the Phantoms study arguing with him jokingly.
"Erik please, you cannot be certain that it will all end that way."
Suddenly Erik appeared from the shadows beside a large book shelf. "Oh Daroga you are forgetting. A man such as me is capable of anything." There was a moment of hesitation then Erik began laughing wickedly.
Neither the Persian nor the Phantom realized the sudden presence of a young women in the study joining there company.
With of huff of annoyance the Persian responded truthfully. "Erik you are impossible did you know that?"
"What don't I know Nadir?" Erik joked back.
"Excuse me?" The little voice rang out frightening both the phantom and the Persian. It was May.
"Miss. Daily, good to see you." May smiled back at the phantom then glanced at the confused man standing beside him.
"Oh, May this is my… uh friend Nadir Kahn, Nadir this, this is Maygen Daily." The Persian man paced his way to the girl holding out his hand to her.
"Miss. Daily it is a pleasure to meet you." May shook Nadir's hand.
"A pleasure to meet you too Mr. Kahn." Nadir smiled politely at the girl
"Please call me Nadir."
"Only if you call me May." She smiled at Nadir who grinned back. Erik began walking towards the two.
"May, Nadir is the one that gave me the medicine I gave to you."
"Oh, well thank you for that."
"Ah yes I heard about your injury. How are you doing?" The Persian asked
"Much better thank you sir."
"Well you are very welcome." Nadir turned to face Erik after a moment. "Well it is late and I must be on my way. It was very nice to meet you Maygen, and Erik I will be seeing you soon." The phantom rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Will do Daroga. Well you know the way out so good evening to you." Nadir gave a nod then left the room they were in. Now May was alone with the Phantom.
"So that was Nadir and… w-why are you smiling at me like that?" May was smiling at him widely with happiness in her gaze.
"Oh no reason." She joked.
"May come on, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Seriously no reason….. Erik!" the name flowed off of her tongue perfectly. Swiftly Erik swung around to face the girl.
"What did you just call me?" he questioned.
"Erik! Haha that's your name! I finally know your name!" May loved saying his name; she could say it over and over again.
"Are you certain that is my name?" he decided to have some fun with the girl.
"Positive. That what Mr. Kahn just called you."
"Ok well spell it then." May looked at him confused.
"What?"
"Spell my name. If you know what it is you must be able to spell it."
Simple! May thought to herself. "OK, E-R-I-C." She was positive she won this battle, but suddenly the phantom started laughing. "What?"
"Wrong!" May was confused; how could she be wrong Mr. Kahn called him that.
"What, but I Mr. Kahn called you Eric it has to be that." He was still laughing at her.
"Haha calm down blondie, it's a K."
"What" May was still confused.
"E-R-I-K. You spelled it wrong." H seemed rather content with himself.
"Ohhhh, well I was close."
Erik began laughing again. "Whatever you say girl." He began walking out of the room with May following close behind. Erik made his way out to his piano and sat at the bench.
"Shall we begin?"
Yay so that was chapter 7 and even though it was hard I really enjoyed writing that chapter! I hope you all enjoy it, please review I love hearing from all of you! Thanks everyone!(: