Distractions (Phantom of the Opera Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Christine ended a phone conversation with her father and sat still at her desk thinking. Dad will get here at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon. The recital starts at 5:00. I'll be getting ready up until time for the recital, so Dad and I will just have to talk and hang out when it's over. Then, the party starts at 8:00 tomorrow night.

"Daydreaming again, Chris?" Meg asked from her desk.

"No, not this time," Christine replied with a laugh. "I was just thinking about all I have to do tomorrow. So, you're coming to the recital?"

Meg nodded. "Girl, I wouldn't miss it for the world, and that's not just because we music and dance majors are required to go to ten of them. It's because I want to hear you blow everybody away with your talent."

That made Christine nervous. "Don't expect much, Meg. I'm most likely going to mess up." God forbid...

"What are you talking about? You're not going to mess up. You've been practicing harder than anybody else on campus. And your accompanist, Bill, has been telling me how good you're getting."

Christine blushed. "Well, I guess we'll see..."

"Christine, you must be more confident," Erik instructed. It was Friday, the day of both the recital and the party. The recital took precedence, though.

"I'm sorry, I just.." She sighed. "I just don't know if I'm ready.."

Erik needed to get through to the woman he loved, so he spoke his next words slowly. "Christine, you know "Vittoria, mio core" backwards, forwards, and upside down. We have made sure of that, have we not?"

"Yeah, but Dr. Gratsia-"

"Do not think of her at a time like this," he interrupted. "That disgrace of a woman has real problems if she cannot recognize your talent. Remove her from your mind."

"Ok," Christine mumbled, looking down.

"You are ready for this, but I cannot force you to believe that. You have to find strength and confidence within yourself." Oh, how Erik wished he could enter her practice room and gently raise her chin so that she was looking forward... into his eyes. He couldn't, it was out of the question. However, it was nice to dream. "Christine, when do you sing in the recital?"

Nervously, she replied, "I'm the last one. I have to listen to everybody else before I can get it over with."

"'Get it over with'?" he asked, appalled. "Is that what this means to you? You only wish to 'get it over with', to hurry through it?"

Christine winced really wishing she hadn't said that. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I'm just nervous. I mean, this is going to be the first time I sing in front of everyone. People are going to expect a lot... Rumor has it that I've really improved."

"And you have," Erik confirmed proudly.

"Because of you," she told him with a fond smile.

"No, Christine," he contradicted, shaking his head. "I have only helped. The talent was there, inside you. You brought it to the surface." There was a pause. "Now, I believe you have a class soon."

She looked down at her watch. "Yeah, I do.. I kind of wish I could just skip classes today and stay with you."

Erik's heart seemed to flutter. As do I... "You mustn't do that, Christine. Your classes are important. I cannot let you fall behind." He watched her stand and gather her belongings. "Good luck, my protégé."