Phantom of the Rock Opera

If you wander the streets of New Jersey long enough, you will find a club called Maxwell's. It's a rock club. However, few know the story of this club. Today, it is a normal club. But years ago, there was so much more than that.

To begin this story, you must first know of the man who truly created it. Yes, Maxwell did, but another man was behind it all. He created the star attraction.

Most knew him as the Phantom, though his true name was Frank. His face was disfigured, his parents thought him the son of the devil. So, they threw him out on the streets.

That's when Maxwell took him in, let him sleep in the basement of the club where no one went. It would be his home, and was better than the streets.

He also gave Frank a mask to wear, that would hide his disfigurement. His hair was black, contrasting against the white of the mask which he shamefully wore.

There he lived, listening to the music upstairs and secretly practicing himself. He was an excellent singer, though he'd never had a proper lesson. The music was all alternative, and every band had some sad hope of getting big.

But one day, when Frank was a few years older, he saw him. The boy he'd fallen in love with the instant he laid eyes upon him. Gerard. He'd never seen him before, but he later learned it was Maxwell's god son. Max had a daughter, but Gerard was the only one who caught his eye.

"His parents died a few years ago. He was staying with an aunt. I guess they decided to let his god dad have him finally." Max later told him. It made Frank curious, and also reminded him of his own parents...who abandoned him. However, Maxwell lived right next door to the club, so he'd be seeing a lot of Gerard. That made the small boy smile.

As he got older, he watched Gerard grow older as well. The boy became your typical punk, but boy was he beautiful. Secretly, he taught the boy how to sing. Gave him his best advice, and was his tutor.

This came in handy, as Gerard later joined a band. Every performance at the club, he was there in the shadows. It disturbed him, however, that Gerard wasn't the lead singer. He was background.

On the day things began to change, Maxwell announced that there would be a new owner. Max would stay, but would no longer be the owner. Frank watched from behind the stage, biting his lip and smoking a cigarette. A new owner. Would they pay him the same as Max did? Let him stay there?

The lead singer of Gerard's band introduced himself. "Hey there. I am Bert." He chuckled.

"Hello. I am the new owner, Tom." The man nodded. Bert smiled and bowed.

"Shall we perform for you?" Frank crossed his arms, watching Gerard nervously stand in the background. The new owner, Tom, nodded and urged them forward.

Plugging in their instruments and microphones, they began to play. It was a song Frank was quite familiar with. He'd written it himself, and gave it to Gerard. They began to play, and Frank stood by. He hated that singer, Bert. He was a diva, and Gerard was much more talented.

"1, 2, 3. All alone now, nothing feels right. Just find ways to cope with feelings that you don't understand..." Rolling his eyes, Frank hatched a plan. Grinning, he put out his cigarette then crept over to the amps, still in the shadows, and unplugged Bert's mic. They stopped playing, and Gerard just stared.

"The Phantom....he's here." One of the boys announced, looking around.

"I am so fucking sick of this shit. Every day."

"These things happen, Bert." Tom replied. Bert locked his jaw.

"You've been here ten minutes. These things always FUCKING HAPPEN TO ME! I am out of here. Find a new singer." The man stormed out, leaving them all bewildered. All except Frank who sat in the shadows with a grin.

"Welcome to Maxwell's." Max grinned and patted the man on the back. "I will be headed out now. Good luck." He walked out, and Tom just stared. One of the girls, Jamia, who worked at the bar stepped out from behind the bar.

"This is for you, sir. The Phantom welcomes you to his club." She smirked. "And he wants to know if you plan on paying him."

"Paying him? Why, that's absurd!" The man scoffed. Jamia shrugged and looked around.

"This is his. Max paid him 650 dollars a month." Tom gasped.

"That is insane."

"You plan on paying him more?" She raised an eyebrow.

"This is great, watching you two bicker and all, but our lead singer just walked out. And we are performing tonight." The bass player spoke. If memory serves, it was Mikey. yes, Mikey was his name.

"Right. We can handle this matter later." Tom shoved the letter in his pants pocket then turned to the band. "Any way you can find a replacement?"

They all looked at each other, when Mikey's gaze turned onto Gerard. "Gerard can sing. He's had a great teacher."

"The best..." The boy's voice was nervous. "I-I don't know if I can...." He swallowed hard.

"Try..." Frank whispered, Gerard seemed to hear it.

"But I will give it ago." Clearing his throat, he began to play. "1, 2, 3. All alone now. Nothing feels right. Just find ways to cope with feelings that you don't understand. 'Cause no one really cares how you feel, just as long as you act how everyone else expects you to act." the new owner seemed to love it, and that night Gerard put on the best show his band had ever played.

"My friends, we can do anything with science, except say goodbye. But I'm trying to hold onto anything. Not mess up everything..." Frank cheered with the rest of the crowd, in his usual front row spot. He always wore a black hoodie, the hood up to cover his face.

At the end of the night, the boys went backstage to change. Gerard was the last one getting ready. "Brava...Brava..." Frank's voice called. Mikey ran back stage and hugged Frank tightly.

"Gerard, you did amazing! You must tell me, who is this teacher of yours?" He grinned. Gerard looked around.

"He's here...he's all around." He replied.

Mikey gave him a questioning look. "Frank, you're talking crazy. Fine, don't tell me. But there's someone outside who wants to see you. She says she's an old friend." Gerard looked around, carefully, as if looking for something. Nodding a bit, he looked at him once more.

"Who is it?"

"She said her name is Lindsey." The name made Gerard's heart skip a beat. Lindsey was a childhood friend of Gerard's, although they hadn't seen each other in an eternity. "Tell her I will be right out!" The boy called as Mikey left. He smiled and nodded.

"Gerard...." Frank's voice called. Gerard ignored it and rushed out to see his old friend.

"Gerard!"

"Lindsey!" He picked her up and spun her around. "I missed you. Come with me..." He grabbed her hand and walked backstage. He sat her down, and smiled wide.

"I can't believe you remember me! I missed you...I heard your name through a friend and had to come see your show. You did amazing..." She smiled. "little Gerard Arthur Way."

A light blush crept on his cheeks, and he looked away. "Oh stop."

"remember? We used to play all day long...until the sun set..."

"Then mother would call us inside..." Jamia walked backstage.

"You did great tonight, Frank." She smiled at him. "He is pleased..." She nodded to Lindsey. "I am headed out. Make sure to lock up...." Jamia walked out. Frank swallowed hard. Lindsey looked confused, but laughed.

"We must go out, tonight even. Yes! I will call a cab. We will head out, and get some drinks. I'll even pay. Wait here. I will be back." Gerard grabbed her hand.

"No, I can't. The Angel's rules are very strict..." She looked confused.

"I will have you back by 1." She laughed. Unable to stop her, Gerard let her go and sighed.

Frank was angry, he could no longer hold it back. "Foolish girl! This slave of fashion....basking in your glory! Ignorant fool, this brave young girl. Sharing in my triumph."

Gerard swallowed hard. "Angel, I'm sorry...." He looked around. "I was weak....forgive me?...come out of the shadows."

"Flattering child, you shall know me. See why in shadow I hide.....Come, with me now." Frank appeared by the door, and Gerard gasped softly.

"Angel of music....." He grabbed the Angel's hand and Frank led him down to the basement.

"I am your angel of music..." He muttered against the back of Gerard's neck. "Come with me...angel of music..." He walked with the boy down to the basement, smiling to himself.

Lindsey grabbed onto the door handle, shaking it and trying to get in. "Gerard? Gerard!"