The Same (A PotO Phan-fic)

Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for the wait on this chapter! I was working on the first chapter of my new story My Only Light and studying for my permit. So yeah. Thank you for the patience.
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.Layla.

After the whole sandbag incident and after rehearsals, none of the other ballerinas would be quiet. They kept going on about the 'Opera Ghost' going to get them next. I sighed and shook my head as the girls continued to talk about what happened earlier today, even hours after the whole incident. As we all shuffled our way into the dormitory, I felt a hand roughly guide me in to the room. I turned around and came face to face with Justine. She had a sour look on her face and a hand on her hip.

"So Layla, believe in the Opera Ghost now?" She smirkled lightly. I stared blankly into her brown eyes with my light green ones.

"No, not really." I replied with a small shrug of my shoulders. Stories of ghosts and such never really made me frightful of it. "It was just a sandbag that got lose."

"Listen new girl, things like this have been happening ever since I was put in here." The black haired girl looked a little more frightened than her usual mischievous demeanor. "You should really start believing in the Opera Ghost or he will get you!"

"Calm down Justine, give the girl a break." Claire kindly smiled and took me from Justine. "Now, I am not sure the Phantom would actually harm a lady-"

"He almost hurt Carlotta on many occasions!" Justine made her way to us again, everyone watched in silence.

"Carlotta is not a lady but a frog!" Clarie said triumphly. I giggled along with most of the girls.

"Actually more of a toad!" I snorted out. "Now if you will excuse me from this conversation." I quickly made my way to the bed and pulled out my trunk from underneath my bed. Opening it, I grabbed three things; my night gown, pencil, and my sketchbook. I quickly changed into the long, silky nightgown, sat on my small bed and opened my sketchbook. I furrowed my rather large eyebrows, trying to form am idea of what to draw. I couldn't think of anything with all the chatter from the frightened ballerinas and it was starting to irrate me. I glanced around the small room and noticed everyone was off in their own groups of chatter. A small smirk found its' way onto my face as a small plan began to formulate. As quietly and sneakily as I can, I snuck out the chatter-filled room and wandered towards the stage.

There were a few candles were still lit, giving the perfect lighting for me to draw. My lips turned upwards into a smile as I slwoly sat down, enjoyimg the silence. I began to focas on my drawings, takimg off my right hand glove off to grip the pencil better, I started sketching out four portraits of people, one was Christine, one was Meg, one was Claire, and the last one was of a rather frightful looking toad. I giggled softly and wrote 'Carlotta' underneath it. I looked down at the rough sketches that took up the four corners of page and sighed.

"Time to clean things up." I grumbled quietly and began to work on cleaning the sketch of Christine. I started to trace over my lines and defining her features like her eyes and hair. Once I was finished Christine's portrait I move on to Megs. Before I even began to work on her, there was a loud 'woosh' noise and all the candles went out. I glanced around, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dark.

"What is a ballet rat doing wandering my opera house at night?" A deep voice boomed around me. I looked around to see if I could find the source of the voice but couldn't. "Do not even try looking for me. You will not succeed." I simply rolled my eyes and muttered a swear under my breath. "Such colourful language for a lady." I could hear a slight chuckle come from the stranger.

. Erik .

I couldn't help but smirked at the girls lost disposition. I know I will not harm her, but it is still fun to mess with her. I quietly moved to the other side of the stage, still keeping my eyes onto her sitting form.

"I shall ask once more, why are you wandering my opera house at night?" I heard her scoff at my question, cause me to raise a brow.

"And who would like to know? Oh I am not wandering, I am sitting." I wanted to smack my head at her words with my hand but I knew it was best not to.

"Are you being a smart ass?" I asked with irritation. "I am the Phantom of the Opera, are you not scared?" Silence was all I heard from her end. I was slightly confused but she soon gasped and I smirked at her realization. "So you-"

"Are you one of the stage hands trying to scare me? Did Justine put you up to this?" I growled mentally at her cutting me off.

"I am not one of those stage hands, nor did that ballet rat arrange this. Could a simple minded stage hand even dare to do this?" With a simple trick of magic, all the candles by the stage were re-lit, fully illuminating the area and the ballet rat.

"What...?" I heard her mutter and glance around once more.

"Believe in the Opera Ghost now, ballet rat?" I didn't know what came over me to prove to this bratty... Bratty child of my existence. Maybe it was because she seemed like the first to question my existence, well besides the manager but I made my presence to him known.

"A 'ghost' that sends sandbags onto people?" She snorted a laugh and slouched over, back to drawing. "I see you know magic, Monsieur Ghost."

"Are you mocking me, rat?" I glared at her back.

"Oh no, I would never mock a ghost." I heard the sarcasm drippimg from her voice.

"I will ask once again, why are you here so late? And give me a reason not to hurt you."

"Well because of your little 'haunting' earlier today, the girls in the ballet dormitory wouldn't keep it down. I needed a quiet place to draw. I don't really think you are the type to kill women." She stated matter of factly whiched irked me even more. Although she is right, I wouldn't dare hurt a lady, let alone kill one either. I sighed silently in defeat and watched her keep her focus on her drawings, thats when I noticed something off. She had one of her gloves thrown aside while another stayed on. I let it go though, knowing full well on keeping somethimg hidden.

"You are right in one aspect, ballet rat. I wouldn't dare to harm a lady. I let you off with a warning though, do not come back here after dark again or there shall be great consequences that will be bestowed opon you."

"Is that a threat?" She stiffled a laugh. "Is a ghost really trying to threaten me? Better luck next time, I've heard worse." And the silence set once more. What could she mean by that? I just shook my head and waited for her to say another snarly comment. "Well, I am tired. I shall be retiring for the night. Until next timr, Monsieur Ghost." She simple giggled and collected herself before walking back to the dormitory. As frustrated as I was I quickly head back to my lair.

"How...how...infuriating that girl is!"