All I Ask Of You

Chapter 13

The feeling of falling in love was like falling into a bottomless pit with no hope of getting out, no matter how much you may want to. That was my predicament and how I desperately wanted to get out of it, but it was impossible.

I lay in bed staring at the roof of the dormitories, unable to sleep from my thoughts, which seemed to be uncontrollable, wandering over to the sound of the Phantom's voice, the feeling of his song filling my soul, his touch.

I sighed as I closed my eyes, it wasn't me he loved, it was Christine and it'll always be her.

"Celeste, are you awake?" I heard Christine whisper interrupting my thoughts, which I was grateful for.

"Oui, I am," I replied as I opened my eyes, turning my head toward her.

I saw her sat up in her bed as she looked over at me.

"Can you not sleep either?"

"Not even a little," I said.

"I haven't been able to sleep for the past couple of nights, so much so that Raoul is thinking of taking me to his estate."

"What?" I exclaimed as I sat up in bed.

A series of shooshes immediately erupted from the girls that I had disturbed from their sleep before Christine spoke.

"Oui, but only for a month, he thinks that I need a break from the Opera Populaire, that the stress is getting to me, even though I've tried telling him that wasn't it, but I can't help but now agree I need to be away from this place."

I knew Raoul was right she did need a break from the opera house, but I knew if she left a disaster would be waiting for her when she got back.

"Are you sure you have to leave?" I asked.

Christine nodded her head as she sighed.

"I need to be away from here, even for just a short while, I just don't know how much more I can..."

She trailed off, but I knew what she meant, she didn't know how much more she could take of not being able to make her own choices without worrying that it might upset Erik, she wanted to be free.

I felt sympathy fill my chest for her and I got up, sitting beside her on her bed, slipping her hand into mine.

"Do what you feel like you need to do, Christine, I'll be waiting for you when you get back."

She smiled softly at me and I could see the tears glistening in her eyes against the light of the moon.

"I know you will be, Celeste, and I promise to write as much as I can."

We embraced each other tightly and I could only take a deep breath as I thought about what was to come.

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"What do I see here? Where can this splendid casket have come from? I dare not touch it, yet there's the key! If I were to open it...surely that could not be wrong. Heavens what a lot of Jewels!"

There were auditions going on for the role of Marguerite in the opera Faust, the role had been originally filled by Corlatta but since she hasn't been seen since she croaked like a toad during Il Muto, the role was open for someone with actual talent to fill it.

I was singing now, trying my best to remember everything that I had been taught, lifting my voice high ad it hearing it echo around me.

"Is this a dream or am I awake? I have never seen such riches! Do I dare to put on these earrings? Here's a mirror. How can I resist being so coquettish? Ah, I laugh to see myselfso beautiful in this mirror. Is it you, Marguerite, it is you?Answer me, answer me,Respond, respond, respond quickly!