The Friend Shop (Phantom of the Opera)

▪ Chapter 5 ▪

Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

Well, Chapter 5 has rolled off my fingers. I trust you enjoy this little bit of fluff (?) between Erik and Christine. I haven't much else to say so I'll leave you to read and enjoy!

sarahlet2999

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▪ Chapter 5 ▪

Hey, I don't know if you're around or not but I was wondering when we were planning to meet again?

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My sincerest apologies for my late reply. I was unavoidably detained. Yes, I would like to meet again. Perhaps the same time and day as before?

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That would work. I'm going to be working that day until four so maybe about six?

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Yes, I will be ready.

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Great! Would you like me to bring a movie or something? Maybe you can play your violin again?

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Feel free to bring whatever you want. I do not really care.

The words bit him and his mind taunted him with chants of "liar" while he clicked the send button, watching the text box appear below her message. For years, he had avoided films with great enthusiasm. Handsome people, falling in love with other handsome people, disgusted him instead of grieving him.

If she even considers bringing such filth into my sanctuary, our business deal is over.

His heart rebelled instantly against the painful idea. To never have her return, to never see the face of Beauty herself, it would be worse than enduring two hours of misery at her side. At least, if she were with him, he could enjoy her smiles and happiness, perhaps to the exclusion of whatever destruction of humor and romance played out on the screen.

Tempted as he had been to recant his comment about not caring, he resisted, occupying his fingers with plucking the violin instead of typing a recension.

For Beauty, he would endure even the sappiest of flicks.

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Yay! I'll bring my favorite movies and maybe a couple board games.

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Sounds wonderful.

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Closing the lid of her computer, Christine left the messenger and walked over to her small movie shelf. On the top shelf, Marvel and DC movies waited patiently for her attention, usually only appearing whenever their owner found herself in an odd mood. Below them, entire collections of I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, and The Three Stooges chuckled at her, tempting her to begin a marathon that would last several days.

Tucked beneath them, her favorite movies awaited her attention, aware they would always end up being picked, whether guilty pleasure or good movies. Smiling, she pulled out the stack and spread them across the pressboard coffee table before plopping herself down onto a torn couch.

"All right. Labyrinth, Gunslinger's Revenge, The Mask of Zorro, Angel and the Badman, and all my Sherlock Holmes episodes and movies..." She trailed off and pushed aside The Mask of Zorro, concluding he wasn't likely to find an action movie with sweeping romance, and a willingly masked protagonist, to be his preference.