Phantom: A REYLO Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 20: Twisted Every Way (Part 1)

Rey walked boldly into the room, following Raoul. His arm was out at a protective angle as if trying to shield her from the glares of the room. Rey ignored it. She could handle herself. Rey knew that what ever was in the opera score was not good. She didn't need the force to sense the unease and tension of the room. She closed the door behind, turning around as Carlotta clapped her hands together. Carlotta put on a deliberately fake smile. "Ahhh," she said sarcastically, "here's our little flower." She huffed and folded her arms, her lips pouted. Hux glared at her too but Rey just glared back, refusing to bow beneath their stares. "Ah Monsieur Changy welcome," said Finn trying to stop Carlotta from opening her mouth. "Miss Kenobi," he said looking at her and wondering if perhaps Rose had followed. She hadn't which disappointed him. "You're quite the lady of the hour." Rey kept a neutral face. She knew Kylo had cast her as the lead role but she worried about the drama that would follow it. "You have secured the largest role in this 'Don Juan'," Hux sneered at her. Carlotta laughed cruelly. "Rey Kenobi! Ha! She doesn't have the voice!" Rey refused to look down or away and tried to take slow, deep breaths. Carlotta and Hux sneered at her. "Signor, Signora please!" Finn said sternly at the cruel couple. Rey was Rose's friend. He couldn't face Rose if he hadn't at least tried to stand up for her best friend. Rey was in a very sticky situation. "Don't speak to Rey like that!" Raoul snapped at Hux and Carlotta. Rey just glanced at him, turning slightly with a soft but pleading look, asking him to be calm. Shouting and bickering was not going to do them any favours. She couldn't sing the lead role. Kylo had to learn he couldn't control her like this. Rey decided she would decline, excuse herself and then find Kylo. Maybe she could talk some sense into him. It was wishful thinking but she needed to confront him. Finn and Poe murmured to each other in the corner. Raoul placed a hand on Rey's shoulder, silently asking if she was alright. She nodded and delicately placed her hand on top of his.

Poe clapped his hands together. "Right, it appears we have no choice!" He smiled with fake optimism and looked at Rey. It was obvious what the plan was. They were going to make her sing. "She's behind all this!" gasped Carlotta. She was convinced that Rey wanted replace her. She was young and new. The arts was a dangerous place and anyone would do anything to reach the top. Surely the managers wouldn't agree - they had already said no once and they could say it again. But this time was different. The managers weren't willing to make the same mistake. "She's the one behind this! Rey Kenobi is behind all this!" Carlotta yelled at the top of her lungs. It wouldn't be surprising if the whole opera house heard her. Carlotta screamed and yelled and furiously pointing at Rey. Rey could feel the fear and stress swim around the room. The fear of everyone suffocated her. The dark side swirled around her. "Balance," she thought to herself, trying to keep herself calm. However, Carlotta's rude thoughts swirled in Rey's mind. Carlotta was accusing her of using Raoul to steal her Prima Dona position. It was a sickening and disgusting thought and it annoyed Rey greatly. It unsettled her and maybe that's why she shot a bitter stare at her and shouted, "How dare you!" Carlotta gasped at Rey's sudden outburst. Everyone turned towards her, taken back. Rey was not the kind of person to lose her nerve and yet there she was shouting at Carlotta. Nobody stopped her though. Carlotta did have it coming. Carlotta looked around the room to see if anyone would say something. "I'm not a fool!" retorted Carlotta. Rey stood firm not backing down. "You evil women! How dare you accuse me of such things!" Rey shouted at her, absolutely furious at the accusations. It was clear to most people now that they had been hiding an engagement after the Masquerade drama. It was also bad enough Kylo stirred up drama but this was unnecessary and just plain spiteful. "You think I'm blind?" huffed Carlotta, her eyes darting between Rey and Raoul but neither backed down. Raoul took a defensive step closer to Rey ready to stand up for her. Rey could do it just fine on her own and took a step towards Carlotta fearlessly, refusing to back down. "This isn't my fault!" she told the room. Rey spoke boldly. She would not be the target of anyone's accusations. She couldn't let Kylo have his way either. She didn't want anything to do with this mess. "I don't want any part of this plot!" Rey made eye contact with everyone, refusing to be apart of this game. Besides, her vision showed her falling to Kylo's side. If she did his bidding was that leading her straight towards that path? She knew that there was good in him but she hadn't had the time to figure out how to reach him. All she knew was that she couldn't submit to him. She refused to be used. She needed time to think everything through. Unfortunately, time was not on her side.