Sweet Obsession (In Progress)

Chapter Five: Part One

A/N:

The picture is of phantom man's (I think we all know who he actually is though) clothes. Just imagine it as a more formal suit. 

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Masquerade

"You'll curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you." 

                                                                        -The Phantom of the Opera

After leaving Dr. Layton's office, I did some much needed grocery shopping, taking care in choosing from the organic section only. Being out in public again felt slightly uncomfortable, but I did my best to focus on filling up my cart and not the people around me.

When I finally got home, it was getting late so I hurried through my nightly routine and made up a small salad for dinner. Paisley had texted me to tell me that she and Baby would be out of town for the next few days because her father had demanded to see her. So I made a note to make sure to water her plants, which dominated a larger part of her apartment. 

Now, I was sitting on my bed with the list from Dr. Layton in hand. I was determined to give the techniques a try, and if all else failed I'd turn to some chocolate for solace. My eyes skimmed over the words on the sheet of paper, looking for something worth my time. When they landed on meditation they stopped. It seemed simple enough, and while it might not do its intended purpose and keep my stalker away, it would at least calm me down. 

I began to light some candles on my dresser and nightstands, and pulled up a playlist of soothing piano music on my phone. By the time I crawled back into my bed, I was already feeling more hopeful, the atmosphere having changed from tense to tranquil in a matter of minutes.

I laid down, not being very fond of the traditional position for meditation, and gradually began to let my mind drift to peaceful thoughts. It wasn't long until I felt the soft music lulling me into a dreamlike state, and before I could think to stop it, it was too late.

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The first indication that I wasn't in my room anymore, was the constant harsh tugging centering around my torso, and seemingly coming from behind me. My eyes instantly flew open, only to find my face buried in a mattress. In a panic, I pushed myself up, fiercely scanning the area with renewed awareness, and when it registered where I was, my blood ran cold.

I was back in the room with the cream walls, crimson, silk sheets, and dark stained, chestnut bed. Why, though? Why now, after almost giving up on searching for answers, was I here? 

"Oh, good, my lady. You're being awake will make this much easier. It is quite tiresome to try and dress a sleeping person in a corset and gown after all," someone said from behind me. I had been so engrossed in my thoughts that I hadn't even bothered to realize that I wasn't alone. I turned, rolling off the bed, to stand in front of a girl who couldn't have been but a few years older than me. 

She had on the same attire as the woman I had seen in here before, black and grey servants clothing, but her flame colored hair made her more noteworthy. A handful of freckles spanned her nose and cheeks, and her bright green eyes shined with a friendly aura as she stared down at me from her slightly elevated vantage point. 

"Who are you and why were you trying to dress me in my sleep?" I questioned, eyes narrowing to slits as I did the best impersonation of Paisley's death glare that I could manage. The girl’s eyes widened a fraction, and she quickly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Miss, my name is Ivy. I didn't mean to impose in any way, but I have orders from the head of the household. I am to dress you and prepare you for the ball before ten. I also was given stick instructions not to wake you. Now look at what I've done," Ivy replied as all signs of joy vanished from her tone and face, replaced instead by disappointment and discouragement.