The Phantom's Melody (The Phantom of the Opera)

18. A Baron Date

After changing out of my costume and letting out my ridiculous hairdo, I met back up with Christine who was in the entrance hall of the Opera Populaire accepting the different gifts that people wanted to give to her. Carlotta did the same, but she seemed annoyed by the growing amount of flowers in Christine's possession.

I accepted a few gifts of my own, thankful that I was receiving anything at all. I smiled when a handsome young man approached me, handing me a bouquet of roses. "You were amazing, Mademoiselle Atelier." He said as he took my hand and kissed the back of it. "Baron Louis Bernard." He smiled.

I bit my lip and returned his smile, nodding awkwardly. "Thank you, Monsieur." I said as I pulled my hand back.

"Might I say what a lovely voice you have. I don't think I've heard you before in a production from the Opera Populaire." He said, still smiling.

"Yes, well, this is my first time in a leading role." I explained, deciding to leave out the part about being just a chorus girl.

"Well, it seems the Opera Populaire made quite a discovery." He smiled. "Perhaps I may be bold in asking, but would you be interested in a dinner with me tomorrow night? I think I'd like to get to know you better."

I blinked, staring at him for a moment before instinctively taking a step back. "I'm flattered, Monsieur, but I really don't think--"

Christine suddenly popped up next to me. "Lucille? May I speak with you for a moment?" She asked. I sighed as I glanced at the Baron before Christine pulled me aside. "Please, don't turn him down." She said as she met my gaze.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Why not? I already told you, Christine. I'm not interested in--"

"It's just dinner." She reminded me. "You deserve a night out. Especially after how wonderful you were tonight. Please, just do it for me." She said, her eyes big and round.

I muttered a curse. "Fine." I muttered. "But just know I'm only doing it for free food." I smirked a bit.

She grinned and pulled me back over to the waiting Baron. I looked at him and forced a smile to my lips. "Dinner sounds great." I told him.

"Excellent. I shall be here tomorrow night at eight o'clock. Good evening, Mademoiselle." He smiled before leaving.

I frowned and then looked at Christine. "You know, sometimes you're really a horrible friend." I said, a teasing smile on my lips.

She laughed a little before squeezing my hand. She then returned to Raoul's side as they collected the flowers and chocolates and walked outside to the coach waiting for them. I simply took my few bouquets of flowers and one box of chocolates through the opera house back to the dormitories where I slipped into bed and fell asleep with a smile on my lips.

*~*~*

"I'm not entirely sure why I agreed to this." I muttered as I watched Christine in the reflection of my mirror while she did my hair.

"Stop sounding so depressed, Lucille. You should be excited." She said as she pinned back one of the curls hanging in my face.

I sighed. "Is it really necessary for me to go out with this guy? I mean, he seemed nice enough but I think a date is too formal of a gesture." I said as I applied a light blush to my cheeks.

"He thought your performance was wonderful. Can you blame him for wanting to know more about the Opera Populaire's rising star?"

I shot her a look. "I'm not a rising star." I corrected her. "And it was just one performance. I could be a horrible person for all he knows."

"Yeah, but you're not." She countered.

"But he doesn't know that." I pointed out. "Besides, I already told you that I'm not interested in courting anyone." I couldn't help thinking about the Phantom. It was hard to imagine myself with another man with him so close in my life.

"It's not courting, Lucille. It's just a date. If you don't like him then you don't even have to see him again." She turned my chair around and looked down at me. "Just try and have some fun. Heaven knows you need a break."

I let out a sigh and nodded. "Okay. I'll try." I managed a small smile.

"Great! Now let me help you with your makeup." She smiled.

I nodded and let her finish pampering me. Once we were done, she helped me into my dress and corset and did some final touches with my hair before calling me down. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I smiled a bit. I did look sort of pretty actually. Again, my mind wandered to the Phantom. What would he think perhaps?

I snapped out of my thoughts when Christine grabbed my hand and pulled me downstairs to the coach waiting outside in the courtyard. I curtsied and smiled at Baron Louis Bernard, accepting his hand as he helped me into the coach. I couldn't help but feel like someone was watching me, however. I glanced back and sighed when all I saw was Christine waving at me, a grin on her face. I simply returned her smile and tried to ignore the guilty feeling in my chest.

You have nothing to feel guilty about, Lucille. The Phantom and I are just friends.

Despite that reminder to myself, I couldn't get my mind off him all evening. I think the Baron started to notice that my attention was elsewhere. "Pardon me, madaomessile, but it seems you're a little distracted." He said, dragging my attention away from my glass of wine that I had been staring at for who knows how many minutes.

I looked up at his face and forced a smile. "My apologies, Monsieur. I suppose I'm just a little...tired. Yes, that's it." I sat up straight and took a sip of my wine.

He raised an eyebrow at me, but nodded. "I see." He looked down at his food. "May I ask you something, madaomessile?"

"Hm?" I looked up at him.

He sighed. "Yes, well. You don't seem very interested in being here. May I ask why you agreed to come?"

I bit my lip, sighing as I looked down at my plate. "If I'm being completely honest, Monsieur, I did it mostly for my friend." I looked back up at him. "You seem very nice, but...I don't think I'm interested in going anywhere with this. I'm sorry." I said quietly.

He looked down for a moment before shaking his head and smiling. "That's quite all right. But perhaps you can do me the favour of finishing this dinner with me."

I nodded and smiled a bit. "Of course." However, dinner ended up taking longer than expected. When we finally returned to the coach, I noticed the time. "Oh no...it's not really 9:30 is it?" I asked, panicking as I remembered my lesson with the Phantom at ten o'clock.

The Baron checked his pocket watch and nodded. "Yes, it's 9:30. Why? Do you have to be somewhere?" He asked.

I nodded and quickly climbed up onto the coach. "Yes. I have an appointment at the opera house very soon." I can't believe I had lost track of time.

He quickly climbed in after me and instructed for the driver to take us straight back to the Opera Populaire. When we arrived, I practically leaped out of the carriage. "Thank you! I had a lovely evening!" I told him before taking off into a dash as I ran inside the opera house.

The Phantom is going to be pissed if I'm late again, I thought to myself as I made my way down into the depths of the Opera Populaire, thankful that Christine hadn't been around to question me about the date.

~~~~~

I imagine the Phantom is like that one teacher in class who gives you a tardy slip when you're only 2 minutes late. XD