Music in the Dark

Chapter 9: Playing with Emotions

The Phantom's expectations were ludicrously high, in Aveline's opinion. The small amount of accomplishment she had felt when he had praised her emotive scale was, in the next second, dashed.

"You chose fear as the first emotion, quite unsurprisingly. Show me that you can do more. Make me feel something different."

He still stood a few feet from her, but she shuddered at his command. What kind of lesson was this?

"Did you not compliment my playing of your piece yesterday? You said, as I recall, that you had 'never heard it played so beautifully.' Why, then, must I go through this exercise?"

He took another step toward her so that he could rest his hand atop the piano.

"While you played for me yesterday, what did you feel?"

She contemplated what he asked.

"I don't know, I felt...I felt joy. And longing. It's a complicated piece-"

"It is complicated because you made it that way. You infused it with a piece of yourself. And, in doing so, you interpreted it in a way that was entirely your own."

Aveline did not answer.

"Play me another emotion."

"May I please just play something else from memorization?"

"PLAY!"

The one word echoed through the room, terrifying her. She bit her lip in concentration, wondering how else she could emote through a scale. She had already chosen fear. What next?

She took a deep breath and began to play, again. The notes were struck jubilantly, moving at a feverish pace and jumping off the keyboard in an extremely clipped staccato. Ultimately, she was uninspired, but she was eager to have him approve, hoping that the next time she played it would be something much more advanced.

After she finished, she looked to him, awaiting his appraisal. He narrowed his eyes through the slits of his mask, before turning away from her.

"I assume you meant to play as if you were happy. It was rather...forced. And juvenile. Perhaps I am wasting my time."

"This is the first day! You need to give me time to adjust! Especially considering the fact that I'm not familiar with your rather unique teaching method." The words came out with a biting tone, pushed to the point of being defensive.

"Time to adjust?" he questioned. "Very well. I shall give you plenty of time."

He started to cross the room, towards the exit.

"I would suggest using your next few hours to practice. As you should have been taught, practice makes-"

"Perfect?" she finished.

He stopped before he walked through the door.

"No," he said derisively. "Permanent."

Aveline was alone, then. The door was shut, but not locked. She had turned to watch him leave, wondering what to do next. Turning back to the piano, she sighed in dismay.

If he's not going to observe, then I'll play whatever I please.

She rolled her head gently from side to side, trying to ease the tension that still resided within her shoulders. Her hands hovered above the keys, contemplating what to play.

Her frustration and anger led to a spirited piece, also written by the evasive "O.G.". Normally, when she played this particular composition, she was in a happier mood. Vexed as she was by the Phantom, she pounded the keys mercilessly; the rage-filled music vibrated the mirrors and ricocheted off the stone ceiling.