Welcome back everyone~
I hope everybody is having a great day/night!
Like I stated last chapter, this one will be a little short than most.
(I'm sorry . . . )
{I do not own phantom or Erik. Only Delphi}
7.
Late Night Talking
Delphine had started to hate the night.
The moon only brought her sorrow for every time she has failed it had been night.
She stood in front of Box 5, or as the ballet girls called it sometimes, 'the Phantom's Personal Box'.
Every performance, he demanded to have the box saved for him.
If there was anywhere she would be able to speak with him, it would be in his self-proclaimed, private box.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped fully into the box.
She looked around in the darkness, a lit candle held tightly in her hand.
"Hello?" She called. "Monsieur Phantom? Are you there?"
At first, there was no response.
Then, a strangely familiar voice chimed near her ear:
"You have to applaud you, Madame," Said the voice. "You are a very stubborn woman."
Delphine jumped, almost dropping her candle (thankfully she was able to catch it before lighting the box on fire.)
"You are here!" She gasped, letting out the breath she had unknowingly been holding. "I was afraid that I would not be able to find you."
"I don't recall refusing your desire to speak with me." He hummed, his musical voice flowing around her.
She couldn't quite tell where his voice was coming from. To her, it sounded as if he was right besides her, whispering in her ear. But when she turned her head, there was no one there!
"Where exactly are you, Monsieur."
"I am afraid that I cannot answer that, my dear Caraway."
"Come now," She scoffed, rolled her eyes. "I have waited to speak for you for a while now. Why is it that you cannot give me the pleasure of seeing you in the flesh?"
He paused before answering her question. "Seeing me would be anything but a pleasure."
"I'm sure you are being dramatic."
His next words were as cold and harsh as ice:
"You will never ask to see me in the light again. Do you understand?"
Delphine, never handing to hear the tone he had used, nodded instantly.
He sighed.
"Very well child, what is it you wanted to tell me."
Delphine didn't wait to be asked twice. "I don't understand you nor your demands."
Another pause.
"I was sure to be as clear as I would be? Perhaps I was not clear enough for your small mind."
She winced at the insult.
"I . . . I understand your demands and rules themselves. What I don't understand is why you must order me around like a dog who pleads for scraps."
"I care deeply about what happens to my opera house."
"But why must I be the only one who you send notes to? Though I have not clarified this, I am certain that you do not personally send letters to the other patrons. Why me?"
"You . . . are not like other patrons." He said, as if he were speaking to a child. "You are . . . different from them."
How?
How exactly was she different?
Like them, she gave what she could, when she was able.
Though she hated to admit it, she didn't understand this "phantom" at all.
"Please, Monsieur. I only seek answers. I mean not to upset you or offend you." It was her turn to pause. "There is nothing different from the other patrons and I. Unless you speak of our previous encounter which you spoke of in your first letter to me. I apologize, for I do not recall ever meeting a ghost."
When he didn't answer, she continued.
"I respect you, I really do. But I do not wish to be ordered around like a common dog. The money I give is for the benefit of the opera house and those who work there. The managers have run this place for years. And, yes you have been in the background for I guess longer, they are legally the ones who must take care of the money."
He chuckled, the noise reverberating around the box. "What a curious little thing you are." He mused. "As they say, curiosity killed the cat, you know?"
"I know the saying," She recalled saying a similar thing to Louis once. "But you cannot stop the feeling which emerges from your thoughts. "
"Perhaps." He said. "But, then again, one might ignore them all together."
She started to add something, but stopped.
They were getting off track.
"Monsieur," She hissed. "I came here for answers, and I shall not leave until I get them."
Another chuckle range around her.
"I'm afraid I cannot disclose that information to you. That is your answer."
"Then perhaps I cannot continue being a patron for this opera house."
Instantly, all gentleness vanished from the man's voice. "And why, Madame," He growled. "Would you even think of doing such a thing?"
At that moment, Delphine wanted to shrivel up into the corner and die. Anything to get away from the voice.
She hated it!
Hated it with all her being.
It self as if someone was drilling holes into her ears, for pain seemed to grow throughout her skull.
"I refuse to work in a place where I am not respected." She answered, trying to hide her growing fear. "If you do not take my words to heart, I will not hesitate to leave."
"You would not dare." He hissed. "Your reputation is already worsening. If you were to leave, you would only harm yourself."
Curse his logic.
"That is a risk I would be willing to take." She admitted. "So, what do you say to that, Monsieur Ghost?"
She heard him let out a drastic sigh. "Very well." He grumbled, clearly still angered by her words. "I will not answer any questions you may ask-"
"But-"
"-for now. But I shall stay in touch with you verbally. We will meet in my private box (the one we are currently in) to discuss your next steps. Continue to send letters either though Madame Giry or leave them in the seat. I will retrieve them and follow up with you soon after. Do these additions please you?"
No.
Not in the slightest.
"Very well, Phantom." She said. Her candle had already started to die down, despite lighting it not long ago. "I shall send to you soon."
She walked out of the box, hearing him add softly "I'll look forward to it."
On her way back to her house (the bright moon was still very much up) she though back to their strange encounter.
She didn't trust this opera ghost one bit. In fact, she heavily detested him and his confusing, childish antics.
She wasn't even sure that he really was a ghost at all.
Perhaps be was a simple gentleman who got a laugh out of playing jokes on the hardworking people of the opera.
Though their new arrangement didn't suit her at all, she would have to deal with it.
For now, at least.
Maybe, in the future, she would be able to work another way out, or even construct one of her own.
But for now, she was ready for whatever may come, whether it be good or bad.
Yup.
That happened.
Now that Erik and Delphine are slightly closer, I am hoping that we will be seeing Erik (or at least hearing him) more in future chapters.
(Just letting you know, Delphine does not know that Erik and the O.G. are the same person. She can spot Erik because of his mask and can recognize the ghost by his voice.)
(Also, though Erik was composed verbally, he was panicking on the inside. He really doesn't want Delphine to leave hi- the opera house. Defiantly the opera house.)
Chapter Song(s):
Late Night Talking (Harry Styles) &
Conversations in the Dark (John Legend)
In honor of the chapter title!
I don't listen to a lot of Harry's music, but I like a few of his songs and I think this one fits this chapter a lot!
Oh, I also have the perfect song for the book version of Raoul! Grow as We Go by Ben Platt
Here is my favorite part of the song:
"I don't know who we'll become
I can't promise it's not written in the stars
But I believe that when it's done
We're gonna see that it was better
That we grew up together
Tell me you don't wanna leave
'Cause if change is what you need
You can change right next to me
When you're high, I'll take the lows
You can ebb and I can flow
We'll take it slow
And grow as we go"
I know not everyone reading this is a fan of Raoul, but I like his character in the book.
If I have time, I was thinking about making an animatic for this song. What do you guys think?
Thank you once again for reading.
Please leave a review to let me know how I'm doing or/and what you think!