𝓛𝓮𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓭 | The Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 9: Love Her. That's All I Ask Of You

Eveline quickly rushed up the spiral staircase to the roof.

She gripped the red rose tightly, refusing to let it go.

The whole Opera House was in chaos. She could hear the screaming and the rush of the footsteps of the audience, attempting to escape the building.

The cold Paris air made goosebumps bloom on Eveline's skin as she stepped out into the roof.

She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as she walked up to a statue on the roof. She leaned against it with a sigh.

Her moment of solitude was broken by the door to the rooftop opening.

"Eveline! There you are! Christine and I were so worried," Eveline looked over, only to see Raoul.

Shit.

What was she supposed to do now?

He shouldn't be here.

She shook her head rapidly, "Raoul, you shouldn't be here. Go back to Christine, tell her I'm fine. She needs you right now."

"She's with Meg. She's safe. I'm more worried about you right now," he said, concern lacing his voice as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Eveline...Eveline."

Raoul sang softly, attempting to soothe his childhood friend, but all she heard was the voice that echoed his words.

"Eveline..."

She let out a sigh at his voice, her eyes fluttering shut as she leaned her head about against the stone statue.

"Christine has told me of this...Phantom if that is your concern."

Eve opened her eyes, slowly turning to look at Raoul.

She huffed a bitter chuckle, "Of course she did."

"Eveline... there is no Phantom of the Opera,"

Eveline shook her head, stepping away from the man.

"Raoul, I've been there, to his world of unending night! To a world where the daylight dissolves into darkness, darkness."

She let out a dreamy sigh, wrapping her arms around herself again as she thought of the man who made her heart race.

"Raoul, I've seen him. I shall never forget that sight. He was..."

She placed a hand on her warming cheek, "I don't know how to describe him. He was just...beautiful."

As she whispered out the last word, she brought the rose in her hands to her face, letting the petals gently caress her skin.

"And his voice filled my spirit with a strange, sweet sound. In that night, there was music in my mind and through music, my soul began to soar!"

She looked out over the rooftops of the city, running her fingers softly over the rose.

"And I heard as I'd never heard before..."

Raoul slowly took a step closer to where Eve had wandered.

"What you heard was a dream and nothing more."

Eveline's gaze dropped to the blossom in her hand as her eyes turned melancholy.

"Yet in his eyes, all the sadness of the world..."

The corner of her mouth shifted to a lazy smile, her thoughts filled with the presence of Erik.

"Those lovely eyes that I simply just...adore."

The red-headed soprano turned her gaze back to Raoul, a soft smile on her lips.

"You need not worry over me, Raoul," she said, walking over to him and placing a hand on his cheek, "I'm safe. There's another you should be worrying about."

She giggled as Raoul turned away from her, a light blush staining his cheeks.

Eve moved to place her hand on his shoulder, "She loves you, Raoul."

His eyes were wide as he whipped his head to look at her, "What?"

Eveline let out a joyous laugh that echoed into the night and the ear of a certain... Angel.

Erik felt his heart skip a beat. Those words...Was she truly speaking of him? He could hardly believe that this woman...his angel... felt this way about him.

He was brought back down to Earth as she spoke again.

"She has since the day we left the house by the sea. She never forgot you," she chuckled softly, her mind suddenly being filled with memories that were not her own. One of herself and Christine when they were younger. Nights spent in the dormitories as the two talked about everything and nothing

One topic that Christine often brought up was, in fact, Raoul.

"On nights that we would stay up late talking...she spoke of you frequently," Eveline said, a smug smirk on her face as Raoul, once again, became flustered.

Raoul rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, not making eye contact with the woman before him, mumbling, "I never forgot her either."

Eveline smiled at him, now placing both hands on his shoulders, "Raoul, I need you to do something for me."

Raoul looked at her, "Of course, Eevee. Anything."

Her smile was bright enough to light up the Paris night sky.

"Love her. That's all I ask of you."