No One Would Listen, No One but Her

The gala had a wonderful turnout. People from around the world showed up to the grand re-opening of the Opera Populaire or under it’s new name Opera du Paris. The show was sold out weeks in advanced which of course made Andre and Firmin happy, maybe they’d earn back the amount of money the opera had cost them in the past year and a half. And of course there will be one guests that has never paid to see the show, the Opera Ghost.
Talk had begun about him and whether the managers should’ve left box five open. It was obvious that they weren’t but some of the performers that worked there under Monsieur Lefevre believed they should’ve as a memorial for the being that everyone believed was dead. Everyone except Brielle of course.
Erik didn’t need his box to watch the performance he was a master at blending in and being completely invisible and this time his attention wouldn’t be toward the center of the stage or even toward the dancer but toward the orchestra. The concert master to be exact. He would make sure he could watch her tonight, which he wouldn’t have been able to do from box five.
The doors officially opened at 7 p.m leaving the people time to find their seats or socialize before the performance began at 7:30. Leaving the people back stage their last 30 minutes to prepare for the opening gala.
All around backstage was performers reciting lines they couldn’t remember, warming up their voices and dancers stretching. The orchestra tuned and the stage crew went over who was taking what off of which part of the stage. The place was chaotic as it was every performance and none of the performers would change it for the world.
Brielle was especially nervous for this performance, she had assumed the Phantom would be here and she wanted to do her best for him. Although she doubted he would watch her, he’d probably pay attention to the lead or the dancers. She knew he was fond of music and there were rumors that he played the organ but watching the orchestra over the main acts on stage wasn’t likely at all. Another reason for her nervousness was that Brielle had sent her mother a ticket to the show tonight. She wanted her to see how successful this business was and the amount of people here proved her right.
The orchestra was to set up and be sitting in their seat at 7, when the doors opened, they were to begin playing a melody from Act III at 7:25 and that left Brielle 25 minutes to search for both her mother and the Phantom from her seat. She craned her neck as high as she could to see over the barriers of the pit. She smiled to herself when she found her mother taking her seat with her elaborate head dress and makeup. Yes, that was her good ol’ mom, looking her best every time she left the house. It didn’t surprise her when her mother began to speak to the man next to her. She always had something to say about everything whether it be good or bad. Brielle spent to remainder of her time searching for the Phantom but she had no luck though, the Phantom had already had his eyes on her.
Monsieur Reyer tapped the front of his stand gaining the attention of Brielle and the rest of the orchestra. After giving a measure of the tempo they began to play letting the audience know they had five minutes to take their seats before the doors were to be closed. They ended their piece and the doors were shut. The curtains opened and the orchestra began to play the opening piece.
The gala was a great success, people flooded the halls afterwards with flowers and chocolates for the leading lady and male. Brielle took her violin to her room and changed out of her black dress into something more appropriate for the party that would begin in an hour.
“Brava, brava, bravissima.” She heard the same voice as last night repeating his tune. She smiled looking around, but there was no one there. “You did very well tonight Mademoiselle.” Erik spoke from behind the mirror he smirked as she looked around the room in search of where his voice was coming from.
“Merci monsieur.” She spoke to the ceiling her eyes still darting around the room.
“Take a look in the mirror.” He advised and she did so stepping forward to get a better look. The closer she got the clearer he was. She stopped centimeters in front of the mirror touching it gently with her hand. He did his best to hide his smile and to look intimidating. But, it was hard with the twinkle in her eye that could make the most depressed men, like Erik, want to smile and laugh with joy. There was a knock on the door making Brielle jump. She tore her eyes from the mirror to look at the door across the room.
“Carry on,” he said. “I will be here when you are done.” She nodded to him and stepped away from the mirror making her way to the door taking one last look at the mirror before opening it slowly.
“Brielle, cher!” Her mother called hugging her daughter flowers in hand. “Oh, I’ve missed you way too much.” Brielle smiled hugging her mother back.
“I’m so glad you came mama.” Her mother handed her the flowers.
“I’m glad I came, the show was astonishing. Did you hear the leading lady? Her voice was amazing.” Brielle nodded and let her mother go on about what had happened on stage. For once she thought her mother would talk about her, what the orchestra sounded like. Or maybe she’d glance down there once or twice in search of her daughter. But, of course she didn’t. Brielle tried to hide her disappointment, this was her mother and she couldn’t change her.
Erik watched as Brielle’s mother talked her ear off about the singers and dancers not once mentioning her daughter. He felt sympathy for the girl earning her mother’s appreciation. He felt the need to give her lessons at this moment. To make her a great singer so she could be on stage and show her mother how great her voice was. He knew he could make her voice great, good enough for her mother to notice. But, he wasn’t sure if that’s what Brielle wanted. She wanted her mother to appreciate and be proud of her for being a violinist not the leading soprano or a dancer.
Brielle’s mother left still yakking about the singers. Finally Brielle shut the door once more, locked it and ran over to the mirror.
“Are you still there?” She asked breathless.
“Oui mademoiselle.” He said enjoying the smile his voice put on her face. That was another reason he found himself liking her, she seemed happy to see him. Someone actually wanted to see him and ran across the room for him. He had never experienced that before.
“I’m sorry about that.”
“It is not your fault. Come, I have something to show you.” He said pushing the mirror over and holding his hand out for her once more. She took it without hesitation and followed him down a long dark hallway.
He wasn’t going to bring her to his liar but after seeing her with her mother his feelings changed and he wanted to start a lesson right now. Besides he knew didn’t think she’d leave. She seemed more excited to see him than Christine ever had and he knew he had more power over Brielle. He turned around to look at her, her eyes wide with wonder as he lead her down the passageway to a boat. In a way he was eager to show her his house on the lake, he had refurbished it making it so much better than it was before and he had to show it off to somebody.
Brielle looked around her once they reached the boat, Erik was standing behind her and she couldn’t look at him as much as she had wanted to. She couldn’t understand why everyone was so scared on him, she thought he was beautiful. Sure, she hadn’t seen the other side of his face but the side she could see she liked. And not to mention his voice, it was mesmerizing. Everything about him intrigued her and she felt like a young girl without him, waiting for him to come back to her. Like she did every time her dad left for work when she was young.
The boat scuffed the bottom of the lake and Erik jumped off letting the stick lean against his wall and setting his cloak on the hanger. He turned back to Brielle as she sat there watching him in awe. He held his hand out to her once more helping her off the boat.
“I welcome you to my home.” He said holding her around the waist and gesturing toward his home with the other. She tore her eyes from his to look around at the beautiful home underneath the opera.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed taking a step forward looking at everything. The gold and the candles, the sculptures and the velvet, the artwork she assumed he did and the music scattered. It was all perfect, it was amazing. She didn’t know how to describe it, she was certain there wasn’t a word that could. Her eyes stopped on the organ toward the right side of the room. “So you do play?” She asked walking over to it.
“Oui je fais.” He answered walking over to her.
“Can I hear something?” He nodded taking a seat on the bench. He flicked his wrist gesturing for her to sit beside him. She did just that and watched his hand as he began to play a soft melody, which she recognized as the one he sang to her last night. The piece ended and he stopped looking at her. “That was the song you sang to me last night?” He nodded.
“Perhaps one day you could accompany me with your violin.” She smiled widely.
“Oh I would love to!” She exclaimed. He laughed at her enthusiasm causing her to blush and turn her face away slightly. He grabbed her chin lightly and turned her face so she was looking at him once more.
“Don’t be embarrassed mademoiselle, I was merely laughing at your innocent enthusiasm. It’s not a bad thing.” He comforted her, she smiled. He dropped his hand from her chin and they stared at each other in silence. He felt comfortable with her, he didn’t feel like he needed to be trying to gain her acceptance constantly because he knew he had it already.
“Mon ange, let me see your face.” Her words had caught him off guard, he jumped back slightly not sure how to react to that. “Let me see your face.” She repeated making sure he understood her.
“No one should ever see what is under this mask.” He said turning away from her but she wasn’t about to give up. She followed him around standing in front of him once more.
“Why?” He looked down at her, his eyes filled with sorrow and anger.
“I said no, now leave me.” Brielle’s eyes widened.
“Mon ange, non. I apologize for any offense I have caused but don’t leave me.” He turned away from her once more.
“Feuille!” He growled pointing to an easier exit. Sinking her head in shame Brielle walked in the direction his hand pointed. Leaving him, as he had wanted, in his solitude once more.