A Rose and A Phantom (Descendants of Classics Book 1)

Chapter 10: A Heartfelt Reunion

Chapter 10:
A Heartfelt Reunion

The following day, Rosabella was at school focusing on her classwork. She was still depressed that she hadn't been able to visit Derik for the past week. Her heart was in shambles. She decided to focus more on her schoolwork so that she could try to get over her depression. Her English teacher, Mr. Loughlin, had taken notice of her behavior and emotional state and was determined to help her out of that depression, as was her social studies teacher Mr. Conway. Both felt like uncles to the girl and seeing her so distraught made them worry for her. She was a very bright student in each of their classes and was so sincere. This change was very noticeable to them. They had met in private with one another and agreed that they would do everything in their power to try and help Rosabella-Luna.
Meanwhile, Derik was completely and utterly depressed as well. His emotions showed in his most recent compositions. His music had taken a dark and saddening mood to them that Frau Garrett was not too fond of at all. Whenever she heard his newest compositions, she would cringe in horror at the grotesque imagery that they incited in one's mind. Derik was truly becoming an isolated beast of a man, a phantom even. He longed to see his beautiful Rose again. His depression hit him harder than Rosabella's hit her. He had taken to tearing apart another room, the guest bedroom next to his, to enact his emotions out on something instead of someone. Oh, how Derik wanted to inflict more pain on the man that had attacked his precious Rose; the urge was overwhelming. He could not think of anything else but that and Rose. Rose; just her name alone would bring his depression induced anger. Rose was the one thing, the one person in the world that was able to bring his anger down. Her innocence and beauty were too great for his hidiosity to corrupt. She was indeed a rose in that her beauty would hurt him if he dared to take her for himself like how he would prick his hands if he were to hold a rose in his bare hand and did not remove the thorns. He was indeed a monster, and monsters could not have pretty things.
"Meine Rose," he whispered to himself one day while wallowing in his self loathing. He needed to see here again, and see her soon.
He called Frau Garrett into his chambers and told her that he wasn't going to keep Rose away from himself anymore. The distance was too much for him to bear. Frau Garrett nodded and did as told. She crossed the street and went inside the theatre in search of Rosabella-Luna. Mrs. Pamplin told her that the girl was in her room and that she was intent on doing nothing but homework. Frau Garrett thanked her friend and went to the girl's room. She knocked on the door and entered after being invited inside. She found Rosabella-Luna lying on her bed with her arms under her head as if she were crying.
"Rosabella, I have good news for you," said the good Frau.
"What could possibly cheer me up now," Rosabella asked the woman.
"Well there is a certain someone that wishes to see you that you haven't seen in weeks," Gretchen said knowingly.
"You mean?" Rosabella stared at the woman in disbelief. Could she be suggesting something that could not be true? Or was she finally telling her that her heart's desire was coming true? "Please don't toy with my heart so."
"I joke you not, girl. He has requested your presence," she said smiling to the girl.
Not a second later was Rosabella dashing out of the room and down the stairs to the front doors of the theatre. She cared not for the questioning looks nor the appalled glares of the people she had mistakenly bumped into on her way out; all that mattered to her was making it to the estate across the street from the theatre. She used every ounce of her energy to carry her to the vibrant front doors she had come to love. She made no attempt at knocking and burst forth from the entrance. Rosabella ran up the grand staircase and made her way through the elaborately designed hallways to the one she had found the torn apart room in so that she might find the man she sought. She soon reached those doors and had to stop herself from slamming the doors open in her excited state of mind. She took a great breath in and knocked on the door in anticipation.
Derik had been waiting patiently for Frau Garrett to finish fetching Rose for him. He had become anxious at the thought of seeing her once more. The anticipation had been eating at him. He knew not of any other torture more painful than that of which he inflicted upon himself by denying her presence to himself. He now knew that without his precious Rose, he would surely die a much earlier death than he expected. It had only been a mere thirteen minutes since he saw Frau Garrett but it had felt like days to him. He knew that time felt different to everyone and that what may feel like an hour may only be minutes to one person while an hour may feel like minutes to another. It was one of those moments when Derik wished time did not pass as such a nuisance.
Just then he heard a light knock at his bedroom door. It must be Frau Garrett come to announce Rose's arrival. He walked to the door shaking internally in excitement. He had never been more excited to see someone in his entire life. He reached the door and had only cracked it open prior to being tackled to the ground with the light weight of a feminine figure being that which had caused his collapse to the ground. He looked up at the person who had tackled him to find that it was his Rose atop of him. She had her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. It appeared that she had flung herself at him in a hug but the force of the impact caused them to fall over onto the ground.
"I'm so sorry for tackling you; I just couldn't contain myself when I was told you had wanted to seem me. I've missed you greatly," Rose whispered to him. Her words caused Derik's heart to swell with an immense amount of joy.
"And I, you, Rose," he whispered in the same voice he had used when he first spoke to her. The smile that grew bigger on her face was all the more worth it. It was then that she realized their awkward position and sat up to get off of him.
"Forgive my brazenness, my excitement tends to overwhelm my thoughts and I do not think about my actions," Rosabella apologized with a flush of red in her cheeks.
"You are forgiven, meine Rose. I have given you great cause to act in such a manner," Derik apologized in return. They both stood up and embraced in a more platonic way than they had when Rosabella had first entered the room.
"I had feared you did not wish to see me ever again after our last encounter," Rosabella admitted rather bashfully.
"How could I deny myself the one joy life has given me," he asked in a husky whisper as if it were almost meant for himself alone. He brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear as he said so causing her to blush a deeper shade of red.
"You are too kind," she whispered looking down as if to hide her blush. He tilted her head back up with his right forefinger in a gentle manner so as not to startle her.
"Nein, meine Rose, it is you who are too kind to this hideous creature that lurks in shadows. I shall be in your debt for eternity and longer for the joy you have brought me," he whispered once again to her. She shivered at his kind touch and charming words. She had never felt so overwhelmed with ecstasy as she did now. It was a strange new feeling to her that she could not describe accurately in words. His use of German also attributed to her onslaught of wondrous emotions.
"You flatter me too much. Now tell me, what have you been doing in the time since we last spoke?"
"I have been composing new music but it is darker than most of my compositions. I have written dark music before never any so dark. It seems that I have been in darkness whilst you were not here." He motioned to his piano which was littered in music sheets. "I fear I may be in need of your light to bring some to my music."
Derik then sat down at his piano and motioned for her to sit beside him. She quickly sat next to him and looked at his music. She read the notes written on the staffs and felt a sudden sadness overtake her being.
"Derik, your music is so sad; I feel as though I might cry," she said in a shaking voice.
"Then bring some happiness to it; help me give a happier meaning to my music so that you shan't cry," he whispered into her ear.
"Play it for me and I shall see what I can do."
And so he played his dark music for her. Unlike Frau Garrett, the music invoked sad images in Rosabella's mind. Tears welled in her eyes and she rested a hand on his.
"I fear there is nothing to alter to make it more cheerful. Maybe an accompaniment may make it more uplifting," she suggested.
"Do you play any instruments," he asked in a soft voice.
"I know how to play the violin; my father plays his in the musicals and plays at the theatre."
"Then might you play it along to the piano so that we may bring a smile to your face."
He grabbed a violin from underneath the piano and handed it to her. She took it gently into her hands and positioned it on her shoulder to begin playing. Derik then began the song again and Rosabella began making up an accompaniment to his piano on the violin. Their instruments' music melded together creating a melody so beautiful that it was indescribable to all others that were not present at the time it was being played. Soon the song came to an end as did the trance like state that both seemed to have entered into during the song. Rosabella opened her eyes feeling such great awe at the music she had just aided in making.
"You play beautifully. My song is complete. I must write down the notes of your accompaniment at once," Derik announced exuberantly.
"But how will you know what notes I played," Rosabella asked in confusion.
"I remember them. I hear them in my head. I was just incapable of hearing them whilst I had first composed the piano piece," he stated as he went to work frivolously at writing down the notes on another blank sheet of music paper.
"You are truly a musical genius," she complimented.
"No it is you who are. I had been incapable of writing an accompaniment and then you wrote one in just one instance. I am even more indebted to you, Rose." He had spoken with such a great joy in his voice that Rosabella was brought to tears of happiness.
"I thank you for your compliments but you are not obligated to do anything for me."
"But that would be unjust of me. You deserve repayment for your talent; tell me, do you struggle with anything," he asked in earnest.
"Well I love the theatre but cannot find the heart to audition for any leading roles because I know I do not have a singing voice to give the characters' their worth," Rosabella stated sounding dismal.
"Then I shall give you vocal lessons to improve your voice. I have studied vocals greatly and have made my voice better so that my ventriloquism is on par," he exclaimed with great pride.
"You don't have to do that," she said shyly.
"But I want to! I want to help you as you've helped me! Let me teach you and I shall help you achieve your dream," he begged her. She seemed to ponder it for a moment before responding.
"Fine, when do we begin my lessons?"