The Imitation Phantom

Chapter 5

Not the Man We Thought

He was still shaking. Her smile faded as she saw him start crying. He put his head in his hands and shrank away from her. She wrapped her hands around his and pulled them away. Tipping his chin up, she made sure to meet his eyes. "Stop that. Do you know something? The mask hides your eyes. Just barely. But without it..." She grinned again. "They're even more beautiful."

She handed him back his mask and purposely kissed his right cheek. "Get some rest. And don't ever think you have to wear that thing around me anymore." She cleaned up the supplies. "May I stay?" He nodded slowly, watching her as she went to her room. "Goodnight, Erik."

- Little Moon

Father was too busy to give them a proper tour of the House for most of the week. Alouette wandered the town and shopped with Maman. Father and Christine worked with the managers. Raoul wasn't easy to be around what with his wife spending so much time with Erik - who he seemed to perceive as a reluctant friend and threat. Felix didn't understand what that was about.

So he settled on wandering the town as well, though less for shopping and more for the pleasure of seeing the buildings. The churches were his favorites, with their towering steeples and jarring bells and stained glass that painted the rooms in crooked rainbows. But his absolute favorite was without a doubt the Garnier. There was so much to see!

As he turned a corner, knocking slowly on the wall, he listened for a hollow echo when a familiar giggle made him look up. Three girls stood in the hallway, chatting animatedly about something. They were clad in ghostly white dresses. Their hair was pinned up severely. And one tightly pinned bun that sat on the top of the youngest's head was a bright red.

He crept up to them, trying to be sure it was her. His heart leapt at the confirmation as their conversation died away and they all turned to look at him. He smiled a little and ducked his head.

"So I find you at last?"

She grinned. "Hello again! It's good to see you." He nodded, glancing quickly at her companions. She immediately gestured to them. "This is Marie and Charlotte. We just finished rehearsal and were going to get some lunch."

They both smiled at him and curtsied. "It's very nice to meet you, Monsieur." Murmured Marie.

Felix held up his hands. "Please call me Felix." He turned to the girl. "And will you t-tell me your name or am I to con-continue calling you Cinderella?"

She frowned at him but it cleared quickly with a laugh. "And I didn't even leave you a shoe to find me!"

He smiled. "Quite, um quite rude of you."

She giggled and held her hands in surrender. "Georgiana. But everyone calls me Georgie."

Georgiana. And she was English. He hadn't quite noticed before; he'd been too preoccupied with the mere thought of dancing with her. To his relief, she was just as friendly as before, barely a change could be seen in her demeanor with her friends around.

"How do you like Paris, Felix?" Charlotte inquired. He turned to her quickly, realizing he'd let the conversation fall.

Wrinkling his nose, he shook his head. "Not at all. I-It's..."

"Loud." Georgiana finished for him. He gave her a relieved smile and nodded. "And overwhelming."

"Mhm."

Charlotte nodded. "Country life must be slow."

"I-I like it." He shrugged. "I like silence and, and I'm no good with p-people." He pushed his spectacles higher on his nose.