𝓛𝓮𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓭 | The Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 7: Don't Take Off The Mask

Eveline's eyes slowly blinked open, allowing her to see the black lace canopy above the swan bed she lay in.

She ran her hands along the red sheets on the bed, a critical question coming to her mind.

She knew what came next in the movie. Christine removed Erik's mask.

She had a choice to make...

Did she want to do the same?

The majority of her mind yelled at her to not take the mask off, not to violate Erik like that, but she could hear a small voice telling her not to change the story.

Eveline was stubborn, however, and knew that, even if it changed the course of the story, she couldn't bring herself to violate Erik's privacy. She still thought he was beautiful without the mask, but she knew how he would react.

And she didn't feel like getting called a prying Pandora or a lying Delilah.

Suddenly, the sound of the monkey music box broke her from her thoughts. Its tiny cymbals clashed together as the soft melody of 'Masquerade' rang through the room.

Eveline reached for a nearby chord that lifted the curtain around the bed, gently placing her feet on the ground as she began to walk towards the exit to the room.

"I remember there was mist. Swirling mist upon a vast, glassy lake. There were candles all around and on the lake, there was a boat."

Eve looked over towards the organ, spotting Erik writing music.

"And in the boat, there was a man."

Erik turned to her and she tilted her head with a soft smile. He returned it before turning back to the organ beginning to play a beautiful melody.

She slowly made her way to him, butterflies fluttering in her belly.

"Who was that shape in the shadows?"

She came up next to him.

"Whose is the face in the mask?"

She ran one hand along his shoulder, placing the other on his unmasked cheek. Taking her hand off his shoulder, she gently traced the sculpting of the mask with her index finger, not daring to move it.

Erik's next words were soft, delicate, and warm, reflecting the warmth in his chest when he realized she made no move to remove his mask.

"Hello, you. You little darling Diana. You little angel, just what are you doing to me?"

He place his hand over the one that was resting on his unmasked cheek, tilting his head to kiss Eve's palm.

"Kiss you? You amazing Aphrodite. You little vixen, I wish you could stay here with me."

He turned to the blushing woman, rising from his seat. He lowered his head to gently place a kiss on her forehead, smirking at her quiet intake of breath.

Eveline was sure she made the right decision.

Erik's voice was almost sad as he spoke, breaking the tender silence between them.

"Come. We must return. Those fools who run my theater will be missing you."

~~~~

Eveline stared at the mirror in the Prima Donna dressing room, the rose from Erik spinning in her fingertips as she sat in a chair.

Erik had left not that long ago, and she was not interested in hearing the songs Firmin and Andre were singing. She didn't like them much.

Bringing the flower to her nose, her eyes shut as she inhaled the scent, the petals brushing against her lips.

Eve exhaled slowly, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling. She was nearly halfway through the first act, at least from a musical perspective, and she honestly didn't know what to do.

She had already altered the storyline by not removing Erik's mask. She was worried that if she changed the plot too much, things would go awry.

Her eyes softened as she continued to think. All she wanted out of this was for Erik to be happy. That's all she had ever wanted since she was a little girl and watched the musical for the first time. Even as a child, Eveline felt as though Erik didn't deserve all that had happened to him.

It wasn't his fault his face was different. All he wanted was for someone to love him, and Eveline wanted to give him that. But would the story allow her?

She'd just have to find out.

Knowing that people would start entering the dressing room soon, Eve made her way to the ballerina's dressing room, finding her sister pacing.

"Christine? Are you alright?" the brunette's head shot up at the voice, and she quickly rushed to embrace Eve.

"Eveline! You had Meg and me so worried! She came with me when I returned from supper with Raoul and we had no clue where you were-" Christine rambled on, pulling away from Eve to inspect her for any injuries.

Eveline chuckled, "I'm fine, sister. I'm sorry I worried you. I simply...had company last night."

Christine tilted her head, a smirk forming on her lips, "Oh? Company, you say?"

Eveline rolled her eyes, gently smacking a now laughing Christine, "Not like that! You'd be interested to hear about this."

Christine took Eve's free hand, pulling her to sit on her bed, "Well, tell me everything!"

Eveline looked back down to the rose in her hands, "I found this in my room last night."

Christine looked at the flower, "Oh, it's beautiful."

Eve smiled softly at the thought of the man who left it for her, "I know. It's from the Angel."

Christine's eyes widened as she looked at her sister's face, "Really? The Angel came and visited you last night?"

Eveline nodded, "I even saw him."

"Really!?" Christine squealed.

Eveline shushed her, placing a hand over her mouth, "Quiet down! The whole opera house will hear you."

Christine nodded, and Eve removed her hand before continuing to speak, "He came to me in my mirror. He called out to me, took my hand, and brought me to his kingdom of music. Oh, Christine, it was the most beautiful thing. And he was so handsome and gentle..."

She trailed off as she continued to think of Erik.

"He wears a mask. A white mask that covers half of his face. I'm curious as to what's beneath it," she already knew, "but I would never want to violate his privacy in such a way."

Christine watched her sister as she continued to speak about the Angel. She saw a gleam in her eye that she knew she had when she talked about Raoul.

She could tell her big sister was in love.

In love with their Angel.

And for some reason... Christine was fine with it.

Maybe it was just a wish for Eveline to be happy, to be in love with someone who loved her just as much. Christine knew what love felt like. It was the most lovely feeling anyone could ever experience.

And she was so happy that her sister had found that.