Hello all! So I am terribly sorry for the long wait for this chapter and the random issues with uploading chapter 8. Sometimes I think my computer is plotting to destroy the world but oh well it's all good now! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, it has taken me a while to brain storm for this one but I think it went well so yeah I hope you all enjoy! Please review!
P.S. another big shout out/ thank you to newbornphanatic! Thank you so much for another sweet review that made my day, and yeah I looked back in saw the grammar error and was like oh fooy. Sorry about that haha but thank you again and I am very glad you are enjoying my story!(:
Ok here is Chapter 9! Enjoy!(:
The morning came and went unusually fast. After returning to her dorm May took her time bathing and dressing anxiously awaiting her time with Jack in the park. Taking a long time to choose the perfect dress May decided to settle on a long beautiful gown that flowed out ward at her hips. The dress was a light peach color, with a very light blue collar like top the revealed her collar bone and neck, and the same color ribbon wrapping around her waist and tying in a bow in the back. After she dressed May then proceeded to her vanity mirror pinning her hair back in a lose low bun then putting on a lovely pair of earnings.
Looking over at her clock she noticed the time was 1:45. Gazing one last time in the mirror she sprayed one last puff of perfume then made her way to the door and down the stairs of the ballerina dorms. Excitedly racing through the rather empty opera house May finally made it to the front and pushed through the doors running down the stairs into the cool crisp autumn air.
The park was about three blacks away from the opera house. Making her way through the hustle and bustle of the Parisian streets the park was quickly in sight. Finally reaching it she walked for a little looking anxiously for Jack. After a while of looking for him she decided to sit and wait on a bench near a creek when suddenly a tall figure under the cover of a weeping willow tree caught her eye. Cautiously walking over to the tree she pushed her way through the thick, soft leaves and into its covering. There in the cool shade of the large tree was Jack standing tall with his back towards May.
She approached him slowly, "Brilliant hiding spot monsieur!"
Turning quickly Jack met May's bright gaze and returned her present smile with a delightful grin. "I thought so myself." He joked back. Jack slowly made his way to stand in front of May. "Didn't you say something about weeping willows, something like them being your favorite tree?"
May laughed lightly, "Yes I do love weeping willows. It is very nice of you to remember."
Jack glanced over May inwardly admiring her beauty and trying to memorize every beautiful detail and feature she possessed.
"May," he paused, "you look absolutely stunning!"
Blushing wildly May had no idea how to respond to his rather nice and thoughtful comment. "Thank you Jack," She gazed into his lovely blue eyes. "And might I add that you are looking exceptionally handsome." Jack was wearing a white shirt with a navy vest that had a floral like pattern on it, a dark tie, light slacks, and a dark jacket. His hair looked raggedy like usual which May just adored.
Giving a light thank you they were both silent for a moment as they just gazed at each other. After a short time Jack broke the lovely silence. "So would you like to talk a stroll around the park?"
May gave him a gentle smile before responding. "I would love too." Nodding in delight Jack held out his arm which May graciously took as he led her out of the soft canopy of the willow tree.
Together the two began there walk along the beautiful path along the riverside. With a light grip on Jack's elbow May looked up at him smiling at his handsome features. Jack looked down at May and smiled back.
"So how was your evening last night?" Completely forgetting everything that went on the night prior, May looked at Jack questionably. "You said you were meeting with a friend."
"Oh, oh yes it um it was very nice. How was yours." May was trying to stop any further discussion about her evening to avoid the topic of Erik.
"Mine? Well it was nice I suppose." May gave a small smile and nod. "Oh I meant to ask you yesterday, how is your leg?" Completely forgetting about her leg, May noticed that her leg was not causing her any problems and was very thankful for that.
"My leg, oh it is much better, yes. Actually a friend of, well, the friend I was with last night gave me something to heel it." A thought of Nadir Kahn flashed through May's mind. At that moment she was very thankful for the medicine he gave to Erik.
"Well that is nice." There was a pause. "Would I happen to know this friend of yours?" This was a question May had feared he would ask. There was no possible way that she could give away the existence of the phantom and more importantly that he was her teacher and now assumed friend.
Thinking on her toes, she quickly came up with a response. "Oh I doubt that. He lives just outside of Paris here and he tends to keep to himself at times." She thought that was a simple way of describing him without giving anything away.
"Ok well does he have a name?" This was a question she feared more than the last.
"Erik. Erik um…" What was his last name? He had not confided that to her. Looking around May attempted to use her surroundings to make up a fake last name for him. "Erik Green" Close enough, she thought to herself.
"Erik Green?" May nodded in response, "Hmm well I've never heard of him."
"Oh well he is very kind and generous and rather smart, oh and a magnificent musician. He is actually giving me singing lessons." May thought Erik over in her mind and although he had a rather horrid reputation, she found him very intriguing and enjoyable to be with. When thinking of him one image kept recurring in her mind. A stark white mask; She had never really put the mask into consideration and why he happened to wear. Was he really deformed like people said he was? Jack snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Singing lessons, really?" May gave a shy nod. "May if you're dancing is as wonderful as your singing then you will be the biggest prima donna in all of Paris."
"Thank you monsieur that is very nice, but I am only starting. I am not that good yet." Jacks comment flattered her once again.
"Well maybe one day I will hear you sing, and meet this teacher friend of yours." How could she respond to that?
Giving a gentle nod she responded. "Yes maybe." They were both quiet again as they walked. Everything around them was beautiful. It was the middle of fall so all of the trees were a crisp orange and yellow color and there were beautiful fall flowers everywhere. Everything was lovely.
"So, living in the opera house you have obviously heard of the opera ghost, correct?" Giving a slight gasp May had to once again think on her toes.
"Y-yes I have." She responded quickly.
"Well if I were to live there I would be terrified of him lurking around. I heard he wears a mask, do you not think that is a little odd?"
Ironic, she thought to herself.
"Odd?" She questioned. "Well no."
"You don't?" He asked.
"No not necessarily. I believe that he is just a man like any other man around. If he is horribly deformed like people have assumed than I believe that he has a right to wear a mask, but he also shouldn't be shunned and people shouldn't be scared of him. Maybe he is actually nice and only looking for friendship, or maybe he is looking for an opportunity to shine in the world but no one has given that either." May spoke nothing but the truth about how she felt. Jack looked down at her with a slight grin on his face. "What?"
"May you are truly amazing."
Rather confused May she looked up at him puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Just the way you can make anything good. You truly have a beautiful heart of gold, and it shows in everything you do." A light blush formed on her cheeks again.
"Thank you Jack," May was very flattered by him. Jack gave a light smile.
"Of course, would you like to go sit by the creek?" He asked.
"Oh I would love to!" They slowly made their way over to the rambling river and sat side by side along the bank.
"So I have been wondering. Do you have any other family members within the opera or is it just you?" Jack noticed that May's expression changed a little. She looked more somber and saddened.
"N-no uh it's just me. I'm an only child actually." She spoke softly.
"That's nice I guess." He watched her as she looked down at her hands that were folded in her lap.
"Yes, so do you have any siblings?" She questioned.
"Yes I actually have an older sister. Her name is Desdemona." May looked up with a light grin and a questionable look on her face. "Extravagant I know!" He joked. "We just call her Des, but she moved away recently with her new husband so it's just me."
May smiled. "Good for her."
"Yes, so does your family live nearby or is that why you reside at the opera house?" May glanced down again hiding her face from Jack. He bent down to catch her eye, when she wouldn't meet his glance Jack lightly tilted her chin upwards so she could look at him. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked softly. He noticed that there were tears threatening to escape from May's lovely blue green eyes.
Nodding softly May wiped away the threatening tears and put on her strongest face. "Yeah I'm alright it's… it's just um well my- my parents passed away at a young age and it's been really hard for me lately." She laughed at herself inwardly. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have..." He cut her off.
"Shhh," He quitted her. "May I am terribly sorry I had no idea, is there anything I can do for you, anything at all?"
May smiled lightly at him. "Jack thank you but I'm fine. It's coming up on eight years now and I have just been thinking about them a lot."
"May do you know what this means?" May looked up at him quizzically. "It means that you are ten times stronger than I ever thought you were." Her childish pink blush was back again and brighter than ever. She was so grateful and flattered by what he had just said. Not knowing how to respond, May lunged forward and wrapped Jack in an unexpected hug that almost sent him tumbling back onto the soft grass.
Jack was shocked by her sudden hug at first but loved having her so close. He lightly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back tightly to comfort her. He absolutely adored the soft tickle of her curls against his neck and the beautiful rose petal scent that emanated off of her. This girl in his arms was absolutely perfect in every way, he did not want to let her go.
May pulled away from Jack with a soft grin playing on her delicate lips. Pushing away the tears that finally escaped her eyes, she watched Jack closely as he lifted a gently hand and wiped her tears and pushed back a stray curl. May spoke lightly to him, "Jack, thank you, you are too sweet."
Jack smiled at her happily then came up with an idea. "Here why don't we get your mind off of this?" He stood up extending his hands to help May up. "Have you ever skipped rocks before?"
May stood up and gazed at him. "No, I have not." Jack took her hand and led her further down the bank of the creek.
"Well it's simple. All you need is a rock and well an arm." May giggled in delight at his humorous joke. Jack bent down and picked up two rocks placing one Mays hand. "Ok, now you just kind of flick it across the water." With that he tossed the rock and it jumped on the water two times and sank to the bottom of the creek. "See it's easy, now you try." May lightly tossed the rock but it unfortunately sank without skipping at all. She gave a sort of humorous pout. "That's ok it takes some time. Here let me help you." Jack picked up another rock and walked behind May placing the rock in her right hand and placing his hand on the back of hers. He then snaked his left arm around her waist. Lightly he guided her arm back and lightly forward letting go of the rock.
May joyfully watched the rock successfully skip across the creek and then disappear below the water. Happily laughing she turned around in Jack's arms grabbing his forearms making him place both hands on her waist. "Jack I did it!" she joyfully exclaimed.
"You did!" he gave her a bright smile. The two were silent for a moment realizing their proximity within each other. They gazed deeply into each other's eyes thinking non sense thoughts and only focusing on each other.
Realizing his hands on her waist, May quickly let go of his arms and backed out of his grasp. They both backed up slightly looking away from each other. Jack glanced over at May and smiled. "Want to try again." May looked up at him and nodded happily.
Together the two skipped rocks and laughed most of the evening away. When night began to fall they made their way into the bustling Parisian streets, and found a lovely café where they both enjoyed a warm cup of tea. Just like their first meeting they sat and learned more and more about one another. Jack and May were becoming rather fond of each other and talked until it was rather late at night. When they finally decided to leave the café they walked out into the brisk autumn air and began on their way.
Jack looked over at May and noticed that she looked cold. Jack began to remove his jacket and trailed behind May as she walked placing the jacket over her shoulders. May stopped and looked up at him. "You looked cold."
"Thank you, but aren't you going to be cold?" She questioned.
"I will be perfectly fine don't worry about me." He smiled at her.
May gave a quiet thank you and pulled the jacket tighter over her shoulders. As they walked they told more childhood stories and more interesting facts about themselves. When they finally reached the opera house May once again stood one step above Jack to be at his height.
"Jack, I had a wonderful time today. Thank you for everything."
"No need to thank me." There was a pregnant pause between them. Jack looked over her once again. "May you are so beautiful." She blushed wildly. "Will I get to see you again?"
"Jack you flatter me. Of course you can see me again." She grinned.
"Well I cannot wait until then my dear." He lightly lifted her hand and placed a feather light kiss to it. "Goodnight May"
Still smiling May remembered his jacket that was draped around her shoulders and gently lifted it off handing it to him slowly. A burst of bravery shot through May as she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Jack's sooth cheek. "Goodnight Jack." With that she turned and ran up the opera house stairs and inside, giving an occasional glance back to the awestruck Jack who was staring at her in wonder.
When she was finally out of sight, Jack lifted an unsure hand and placed it upon his cheek remembering the soft touch of May's lips.
Kissed by a true angel, he thought to himself.
So that was Chapter 9! Please review I would love to hear what you all think!(: