My Forever and Always (The Phantom of The Opera)

Chapter 28 - The Debut Show

The big day of Christine's debut is finally here. I am right now sitting in the plush seats of the VIP Box at the auditorium. I smile and take a glass of wine from the waiter while my eyes skim through the gallery beneath. I look at the all the people dressed in ball gowns and tuxedos filling in the auditorium seats. All you can hear is everyone's chattering and orchestral instruments being tuned. I look up to see other boxes being filled with some guests and waiters finding their way through the people, serving the VIP guests. This takes me back to when I was assisting in hospitality back when I travelled back in time. That was how I first met Countess Elizabeth, her brother Andre and Madame Antoinette. I look besides me and find Raoul scrunching his eyebrows and looking like a nervous mess. His eyes were glued to the stage. If this takes any more time he may as well jump backstage to look for Christine. Az nudges me and I look at him.

"Clary, is that the rumoured box 5? The dark empty one over there?"

"Mhmm. It is." I look at the solemn box devoid of all light and sigh. Even the back stairs that lead to it were blocked from entry.

I look up at Az, "Where do you think he is? Erik?"

"I don't know, I am assuming that guy is creepily standing behind that one-way mirror in the Prima Donna room and watching Christine getting dressed. That guy gives me the chills for all wrong reasons." Az replied.

"Hey! He isn't that creepy okay? He is probably in some hidden corridors where he can get the best view."

"Of course he isn't creepy at all. He just lives in cave underneath the city." Az retorts sarcastically.

"Right. So does Batman." I remark.

Aziel: Please, Bruce Wayne is rich and handsome. Also, I hate it here.

Clarissa: Why? I thought you were having a great time socialising with the rich folk. We are indeed having an amazing vacation in France.

Aziel: My vacation plan in France certainly didn't include having your major crush around.

Clarissa: Wait what? Whose crush and what crush are you talking about?

Aziel: Isn't it obvious? It's Erik. Now that I know your time travelling episode was all real, I put two and two together to figure out that you and him had something going when you travelled here the last time. Which is why you had such a hard time when you got back from your France trip last time. We start dating and it's not even been two months. I already have a past flame to compete with. God damn my life sucks.

Clarissa: Oh, you don't have to worry about that. Even if we cared for each other almost a decade ago, it means nothing now. You see, I went to meet Erik. He hates my guts. He is clearly obsessed with Christine like he was suppose to. I am very likely to be one of his murder victims if I show up around him again. There's no looking back, whatever we had is gone. All we need to do is focus of Christine, Raoul and find our way back.

Aziel smiled at me solemnly, as if he could feel how hurt I was. He chose to change the heavy discussion.

Aziel: Hmm, Christine is very important to us. Remember how last time your pendant would glow whenever Christine was near you? To be on the safer side let's not act like a couple here and raise any kind of attention. We need to lay low and assimilate.

Clarissa: You're right. We still have some time to figure out how to leave this place.

The curtains pull back, showing the beautiful stage design. It was a beautiful night landscape overseeing a castle in a distant fairy tale land. I personally would have emphasised on a better skyline with glittering stars and their reflection on the painted lake beneath. The auditorium filled up and was brimming with expectations. I nodded at the stagehands above while pulled the last draping of the scenery, prompting Christine's entry. When she walked in, the whole auditorium was stunned. She just stood there and looked like a fairy. Her porcelain skin was radiant under the stage light, her brown innocent eyes gleamed and she had a beautiful smile. A bellowing white ball gown made her look like a pure angel from a dream, her soft brown curls were pinned with diamond studs. A diamond set adorned her neck, and yet somehow, she glowed brighter than the expensive stones. She truly enraptured us all with her melodious voice, like a songbird descending from heaven. I felt Raoul shift besides me. Az and I looked up and at him in unison.