The Phantom's Rose

Chapter 5

My aunt had gone to the market and thought it would be too strenuous for me, so I was practically ordered to stay home. I was going crazy though. I couldn't just sit here any longer. Where could I go? To the opera house an unknown voice said in my head. What? No. I couldn't go back there. The voice didn't protest, but I still felt convicted to go. Fine. I couldn't avoid it forever...

I took my time getting to the opera house and paused before going in. Because it was late morning, there were already people around. Could I still get inside unnoticed? Deciding to chance it, I went inside. 

There were people rehearsing on stage so I opened the door Fredrick had opened before and went up to the rafters. I had felt uneasy being up here with Fredrick but I felt even more so now that he wasn't here. I was thinking about leaving when I heard a door click. 

Fredrick came out from his secret room and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw me. "What are you doing here?" He asked. "Um, I just uh..." Fredrick frowned. "Well?" "I don't know really" I confessed. "I just felt called here." 

"I see" Fredrick said, still frowning slightly. "Why are you standing all the way over there?" "Um, I can't..." "Are you afraid of heights?" Fredrick asked, looking amused. "No" I denied. "Are you sure?" "Yes" I lied. "Well then. Come over here." "Why?" Fredrick shrugged. "Because." 

"That's not good enough" I said, crossing my arms. Fredrick smiled which shocked me. "You are definitely scared." "No I'm not!" I protested. "Then prove it" Fredrick said, his eyes challenging. "Fine" I said, accepting his challenge. I started walking a few feet until I fully realized what I was doing. 

I looked down at the thin looking boards and my eyes widened in fear. "Rose" a voice said, breaking through my fear. "Look at me." I looked up to see Fredrick looking intently at me. "Just look into my eyes and start walking towards me" he said in a soothing yet commanding voice. 

"But- "No. Block out the fear. Focus on me." Suddenly Fredrick started to sing. "Come with me. Follow me. Leave all thoughts of the fear you feel behind. Just listen to my voice." As Fredrick sang, I felt hypnotized by his voice and found myself slowly walking towards him. 

He held his arms out to me as I approached and I instantly walked into them. I looked behind me to see what I had done and laughed triumphantly before turning back to Fredrick. "I thought you weren't coming back" he said, gently stroking my cheek. 

"I had to" I breathed, reaching out to touch him too. "No!" He cried, pulling away. "Sorry" I said, lowering my arm. Frederick glared at me before speaking again. "Why did you leave?" He asked. "I uh...I had to."

 Fredrick wondered why he had asked her that. He had told himself he wouldn't press her for details. "You don't have to tell me" he told Rose in a gentler voice. She gave him a shy smile in response which caused Fredrick's heart to pound. 

No he said to himself. I cannot and will not fall in love, especially with someone as innocent as her. "I should probably go back home" I said, feeling awkward. "But you just got here" Fredrick replied, giving me a quizzical look. 

"Well, my aunt went out and left me at home so if she gets back and finds me gone, she'll be- "Worried" Fredrick finished for me. "No, she'll be over here in a few minutes looking for me. You want to be kept a secret right?" 

Fredrick looked surprised at my words. "Well don't you?" "Yes, but I didn't think you cared" Fredrick said blushing. Wait. He can blush? I wondered in amazement. "Of course I do. We're friends after all." 

"Friends?" Fredrick said, looking amused. "Why yes. Don't you see us that way?" "I've never had a friend before" Fredrick said, looking sad at that thought. "Well now you do" I said firmly, in hopes of cheering him up. 

Fredrick smiled at me and I suddenly felt dizzy. "I better go" I said. "Are you okay?" Fredrick asked frowning. "Yes. I've just been here too long." "I thought you were over that" Fredrick said, looking amused once more. 

"Well, not completely." Fredrick shook his head. "I guess everyone's afraid of something." "What are you afraid of?" I asked softly. "Everything" Fredrick replied, locking his eyes with mine. I felt my breath hitch as my heart pounded in my chest. 

"You should go" Fredrick said, his eyes dark. "Right" I said, snapping out of whatever spell I was under. "See you later." Fredrick wanted to hit his head on the wall as Rose left. He was acting so unlike himself. 

He felt like if Rose told him to jump off a bridge he would gladly do it. He barely knew her too! This bothered him most of all. How could he be so strongly attracted to someone he barely knew? One thing was for sure. He had to get back in control and push whatever feelings he had towards Rose far away...

What is going on with me? I wondered as I walked home in a daze like state. I had always been uncomfortable or nervous around guys before, but not like with Fredrick. It wasn't because of his mask though.  It was because of something else. Something I wasn't sure I wanted to name.

 "Rose! There you are!" My aunt's worried voice said, breaking me from my thoughts. "Hi" I said shyly. "Where were you?" "Uh, on a walk. "Mmm hmm" my aunt said frowning. "Sorry?" I offered.

My aunt sighed. "It's okay. You are eighteen now. I don't have to know where you are every second of the day." "But you want to" I said smiling. "Yes I do. I love you and I worry about you." "Well I love you too and I'm sorry again." 

"It's okay. If I have to find you, I have a good guess where you'll be." I blushed. "You know me too well." "Well, I knew your grandmother too well so henceforth, I know you too well. "I really am like her aren't I?" I asked, looking down at the ground. 

"Yes. Your mother would be proud of that fact." "She would? I always worried that she wanted me to be like her and was mad that I was like her mother instead." "Of course not. Your mother loved you and was good friends with your grandmother. She understood you meant just as much to your grandmother as you did to her." 

"Well thank you" I said. "I've always worried about that." My aunt shook her head. "No need to worry. Come on. Let's go inside. You can help me make lunch." "Okay." Although I missed my family a lot, I was glad I at least had my aunt.