(Steven's Point of View, Erik Destler)
"Well done, you two! Andrew and Cameron will be impressed." Hal approaches us, continuing. "It's now 2:45. I'll give you the last 15 minutes to get a drink and rest your vocal cords. Meet us back onstage at 3. Great work, today." He leaves and it's just Julia and I on stage. Our hands are still entwined and I'm pretty sure she can hear my heart pounding through my chest. I look over at her. Her eyes catch me off guard and for a second, I lose my words. "Julia, would you like to come to my music studio after rehearsal? I'd love to hear you sing more. We can order dinner too if you want." I'm surprised to see her face light up. "I'd love to! Would you be opposed to me bringing my copy of the 25th Anniversary DVD from London? I was going to watch it before today but I haven't had the chance." "Not at all! I've always wanted to see it! Do you want to say 6:30?" "Sounds good to me! And order whatever you want in terms of food. I eat anything." I smile, lean in and kiss her on the cheek. "Ok, I'll see you then. Now if you'll excuse me, my throat is dry and I want to get some water." Letting go of her hand, I hop up on stage and head towards the water fountain. "The hardest part is over now." I say to myself. "Now let's see what happens going forward." I reach the water fountain and the cold water feels good on my dry throat. I wipe my mouth and before I have a chance to join Julia back on stage, I hear people coming up the stairs. Well, at least I have tonight to win her over.
(Julia's Point of View, Christine Daae)
Our hands still interlocked, Steven and I sit on the edge of the stage as Hal approaches us. "Well done, you two! Andrew and Cameron will be impressed." He continues, "It's now 2:45. I'll give you the last 15 minutes to get a drink and rest your vocal cords. Meet us back onstage at 3. Great work, today." He leaves and it's just Steven and I onstage. I wonder if Steven can tell how nervous I am. My heart is pounding and I can feel my face getting warm. Steven turns to face me and as I do the same, I can finally see his strong face and piercing eyes up close. Wow, he is more attractive in person. He hesitates before asking "Julia, would you like to come to my music studio after rehearsal? I'd love to hear you sing more. We can order dinner too if you want." I smile and feel my face light up. What took him so long? "I'd love to!" I exclaim. "Would you be opposed to me but I haven't had the chance." His answer surprises me. "Not at all! I've always wanted to see it! Do you want to say 6:30?" "Sounds good to me!" I answer. "And order whatever you want in terms of food. I eat anything." He smiles, leans in and kisses me on the cheek. "Ok, I'll see you then," he says. "Now if you'll excuse me, my throat is dry and I want to get some water." Letting go of my hand, he hops up on stage and heads towards the water fountain. I sigh and find myself smiling from ear to ear. I remain seated on the stage and think to myself "Maybe this is the fresh start that I have longed for since Dad died." My thoughts are interrupted my noise coming from the stairs. Rest time is over, I guess. Back to work I go. Standing up, I grab my script from off stage and start helping set up the chairs again.
(Tim's Point of View, Raoul, Vicomte de Chagney)
Now that I've gotten my stamina back, I walk towards the stairs and catch Cameron in the process. "Hey, Cameron. I have a question for you." Cameron stops in his tracks and turns on his heels. "Tim, what can I do for you?" "What's the policy on dating your costar?" I ask right up front. I don't want to miss the chance to make things right with Julia. "Honestly Tim, I'd have to ask Andrew. I think he's against it after the whole Sarah Brightman fiasco back when Phantom was first opening, but I can't say." I thank him respectfully head to find Andrew. He is in the dance studio watching Gillian Lynne working her magic on the dancers. I tap Andrew on the shoulder and he rises to his feet. "Tim, how may I assist you? And can we make it quick? I want to watch the dancers finish before we go upstairs." Realizing I touched a nerve, I take a step back. "It's ok, I can talk to you after rehearsal." I stammer. Before he has a chance to respond, I turn on my heels and head towards the stairs. Hal catches me before my foot hits the bottom stair. "Tim, how are you? I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk before. Can we talk after rehearsal?" Not wanting to cause a rift, I nod. Lucky for me, I'm saved by everyone filing out of the rehearsal rooms. I join the crowd and head upstairs.
(Steven's Point of View, Erik Destler)
I walk out onstage and find the entire cast filing into the room. Julia catches my attention and I walk over to her. Just as I'm about to sit next to her, Tim pushes past me and sits to her left. Julia looks to her left and is surprised to find Tim there instead of me. "Oh, hi Tim. I was actually saving that seat for someone, but you can sit on the other side of me if you want to. He shoots her a confused look. "Why can't I sit here? The person you are saving the seat for can sit on the other side of you." Before I have the chance to, someone else takes the seat to Julia's right. Oh well, at least I get to spend time with her tonight. I notice Ellen is sitting by herself so I join her and we chat before Hal gets everyone's attention. "Listen up, everyone. We are going to do our first read through, so I hope you all have had a chance to look over your scripts. We'll start from the top and go until just before All I Ask of You. After that we'll break for ten minutes, finish Act 1 and call it a day. Is everyone ok with that? There are unanimous nods from the entire cast. "Ok, from the top, Act 1 Scene 1. The Stage at the Opera Populaire 1897. Ready, and action!" The auctioneer starts with his first line and we are off and running. The first official run through, this should be good.
(Julia's Point of View, Christine Daae)
I am looking at my script when Tim nudges me in the side. "Get ready, your line is coming up." I'm surprised how much an elbow to the rib cage can hurt. Steven wouldn't have done that. I straighten up as Steven sings his line "Bravi Bravi, Bravissimi!" I hear Kara from across the room sing "Where in the world have you been hiding, really you were perfect. I only wish I knew your secret. Who is your great tutor?" I take a deep breath. "Father once spoke of an angel. I used to dream he'd appear." Chills shoot down my spine. "Now as I sing I can sense him, and I know he's here. Here in this room, he calls me softly, somewhere inside, hiding. Somehow I know he's always with me. He, the unseen genius!" Kara chimes in "I watched your face from the shadows, distant through all the applause. I hear your voice in the darkness, yet the words aren't yours." Taking a deep breath, I exclaim "Angel of Music, guide and guardian. Grant to me your glory!" Kara sings, asking "Who is this angle, this..." I come back in and we sing in harmony "Angel of Music, hide no longer. Secret and strange angel!" I lower the tone of my voice, adding a heightened fear to it. "He's with me even now." Kara echoes me "Your hands are cold". "All around me" I stammer. Kara, sounding startled sings "Your face, Christine. It's white." I finish my last line strong "It frightens me." Kara, sounding more assuring ends with her "Don't be frightened." As soon as I finish, I feel Tim take my hand, and without hesitation, I pull away.
(Tim's Point of View, Raoul, Vicomte de Chagney)
Why did Julia pull her hand away? I shrug it off and as soon as I hear my cue, I say my first line. "Christine Daae, where is your red scarf?" Julia replies with "Monsieur?" I continue, "Well you can't have lost. After all the trouble I took. I was just fourteen and soaked to the skin!" Julia, sounding happy exclaims "Because you had run into the sea to fetch my scarf. Oh, Raoul. So it is you!" "Christine!" I exclaim. Finally, everyone gets to hear me sing. "Little Lotte, let her mind wander." "You remember that too!" Julia replies. I continue, stronger than ever "Little Lotte thought 'Am I fonder of dolls?" "Julia joins in "Or of goblins of shoes? Or of riddles or frocks?" "Those picnics in the attic! Or of chocolates?" I say. "Father, playing the violin!" Julia says. Her face suddenly changes, and she looks almost sad. I wonder why. Not missing a beat, I say "As we read to each other dark stories of the north." Julia comes in with her next line, and I am shocked by the tremble in her voice. "No what I love best, Lotte said, is when I'm asleep in my bed and the Angel of Music sing songs in my head." We harmonize the last line "The Angel of Music sings songs in my head."
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Twisted Every Way: A Haunting Love Triangle
FanfictionThe haunting love story The Phantom of the Opera takes a new and unexpected twist when the three new actors cast in the lead roles find themselves entwined in a love triangle that parallels the story in which they are set to perform in ten months. W...