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Unfaithful	By : BellaLaura Category: M through R > The Phantom of the Opera > Crossovers Views: 3042 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera or Unfaithful. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
He did not give her a chance to respond, launching immediately into the introduction of the aria.

He hasn’t missed a single note...and not a scrap of music in sight. Christine prayed for the same ability as the introduction concluded, and she immersed herself in Violetta’s part

How strange it is … how strange!
Those words are carved upon my heart!
Would a true love bring me misfortune?
What do you think, o my troubled spirit?
No man before kindled a flame like this.

Oh, joy …
I never knew …
To love and to be loved!
Can I disdain this
For a life of sterile pleasure?
Was this the man my heart,
Alone in the crowd,
Delighted many times to paint
In vague, mysterious colours?
This man, so watchful yet retiring,
Who haunted my sickbed
And turned my fever
Into the burning flame of love!
That love,
The pulse of the whole world,
Mysterious, unattainable,
The torment and delight of my heart.
It's madness! It's empty delirium!

A poor, lonely woman
Abandoned in this teeming desert
They call Paris!
What can I hope? What should I do?
Enjoy myself!
Plurge into the vortex
Of pleasure and drown there!
Enjoy myself!
Free and aimless I must flutter
From pleasure to pleasure,
Skimming the surface
Of life's primrose path.
As each day dawns,
As each day dies,
Gaily I turn to the new delights
That make my spirit soar.

The last note faded away, absorbed into the walls...finished. For a long moment neither of them moved, unwilling to collapse the silence that had embraced them.

“Your enunciation was weak, the pitch flat in the lower range, and your phrasing inconsistent at best.”

Her stomach fell, the lump in her throat threatening to strangle her. Ah reality....so this must be what those American Idol contestants feel like in front of Simon.

“Truly a shame...” He continued.

Don’t I know it.

“...that you stopped singing.”

“What?” Christine shook her head in disbelief.

Erik rose from the piano, coming to stand in front of her. His large hand wrapped around her throat, his fingers stroking the skin over her larynx. Christine froze, trying to ignore the rush of heat radiating through her limbs at his touch.

“You have a gift here, one that with training and time, could develop into a soprano of unrivaled quality.”

His hand fell away and he began to pace the room. “I need an assistant for this production. The job is yours...” Erik held his hand up to halt Christine’s sudden smile. “On one condition.”

What does he want? “Condition?”

“That you try-out at the Lyric’s next open audition.”

“Audition? I can’t do that! It’s been years since....I would make a fool of myself!”

“I seriously doubt that. With proper training you would be prepared within two months time.” Erik clenched a fist over his heart. “For what you were lacking in technique, the pull of your voice, the emotion is wholly there. I heard you, saw you, Christine, and a moment ago you were Violetta.”

Her cheeks burned at the compliment. “I appreciate that, I really do, and yes I love the opera, but I don’t have a vocal coach...It’s mid semester at the conservatories and everyone I know is booked with classes, rehearsals and performances.”

Erik pulled a business card from his pocket. “I happen to know a fairly decent vocal teacher.”

Christine took the card, fighting another blush as she read it. “I am sure that the instructor is top notch, but...”

“No buts,” he cut her off abruptly. “Either you want the job enough to audition or not. “

“I want it.”

~~~~~~~~~~

The apartment was dim and silent as Christine unlocked the door and walked into the foyer.

“Hello? Raoul? I’m home.” No one here...big surprise. She kicked her heels off, leaving them by the door and padded to the phone. The machine’s red numbers glared at her. 10 messages? Good Lord.

Pushing the button, she began removing her earrings as the messages started.

“It’s your lucky day! A member of your household has won...” Delete

“This call is to remind Mrs. Chagney of her appointment at 10 o clock in the morning at the Bellissima Spa.”

“Hi hon, it’s Mom. You are supposed to meet with the committee tomorrow about the hospital fundraiser. Helen said at two at her place. I will meet you there, and Christine don’t you dare cancel out on me again.” Delete

“Christine, why do you have a cell phone if you aren’t going to answer it? Anyway, eh I will try back later.” Delete.

“Hey Chrissy! It’s Meg. Sorry I missed ya at the Lyric today, had to run all over town for some stuff. CALL me and let me know how it went! I mean it! Bye!”

At least some useful message...gotta call her back...after some food. She picked up the phone book and flipped to the Chinese restaurants, ignoring the various messages that followed, promising cheaper phone service or instant winning vacations.

Raoul’s voice sounded again. “It’s six-thirty. Hope you get this soon, there’s a dinner at Estella at eight. Could use you being there to meet this client, real family oriented guy. Damn why could you not turn your cell on? Anyway call as soon as you get this. Bye.”

“End of messages.” The mechanical voice clipped off as Christine stood looking at the phone, her blissful exaltation gone in an instant. She looked at her watch- 7:30. How had time gone by so fast? I left the Lyric at 5:30, just stopped for a latte and...

“Too damn bad!” She dug in her bag and found her cell phone, which had been off since she left for the Lyric and turned it on. Hitting Raoul’s speed dial number, she snorted in frustration when his voice mail picked up, but put her sweetest tone into use. “Hi honey, sorry I just got your message. There’s no way I can be down there in time I just got back to the apartment. Tell them I have a cold or something. Bye.”

Now for the important stuff. She dialed quickly as she walked into the bedroom shrugging off her coat as she spoke. “Hi I would like an order of General Tso’s chicken...”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Meg I owe you a million times over for this one! I still can’t believe it.”

“Well don’t go thanking me yet girl. You may change your mind after a rehearsal or two.”

“Oh now you tell me.” Christine laughed.

“No...no it’s nothing really. You’ll get right into the swing of things...people complaining, directors yelling, divas being divas...”

“Ah sounds like college days.”

“True but at least now you get paid to be yelled at.”

“Still...” Christine said as she put the takeout container on the coffee table. “Is it sad to say it sounds more like heaven?”

“Yup, absolutely. Woman who lives life of New York socialite wants to do menial tasks for little more than minimum wage...sounds crazy to me.”

“Ha ha ha- yeah you’re a big help ya know. Will be sure your coffee is nice and stale.”

“Just the way I like it!” Meg giggled. “So when do you start?”

“Well, even though Mr. Copland says I am hired, he still has to go through all the references and background stuff. I filled out a pile of papers before I left, would hate to know what you have to fill out if you actually perform there.”

“it’s just as bad, I promise. We get a lot of funding from patrons and the government arts agencies and they want to know where every penny goes so it adds to the paperwork. Poor trees don’t stand a chance.”

“I know. I think the only thing I wasn’t asked was my favorite flavor of ice cream.”

“Easy...mint chocolate chip.”

“Yeah you only know that cause we ate so much of freshman year. But as I was saying, after all the paperwork finalizes Mr. Copland said I would start on the 15th of this month and lessons would start the 20th.”

“Lessons?” Meg echoed, confused.

“Oh yeah...I forgot to tell you the strangest part.”

“Obviously.” Meg sniffed in mock disdain. “I hear about paperwork but not..”

“Sheesh, and they said I was the drama queen...” She laughed at her friend’s indignant gasp before continuing. “No it was the middle of the interview and we had gotten on the subject of why I didn’t sing anymore.”

“Well if you can explain that, I’d like to know too.”

“You know why Meg. Anyway so he gets...” Christine paused as she tried to put a suitable word towards Mr. Copland’s...Erik’s manner. “irritated.”

“At what?”

“Apparently that I had wasted my talent. I don’t know- but out of nowhere he tells me to follow him and the next thing I know I am in a rehearsal room being warmed up and then singing one of Violetta’s arias.”

“Ooo I loved it when you sang that role!”

Christine blushed at her friend’s compliment. “I thought it was horrible, but the next thing I know I am offered the job if I take lessons and audition for a role.”

“Guess it wasn’t all that bad then was it?”

“Yeah right. Lemme see...I think the comments were ‘Your enunciation was weak, the pitch flat in the lower range, and your phrasing inconsistent at best’.”

“Regardless I think it’s great that you accepted- both the job and the lessons. So are you gonna talk to a prof at Julliard or what?”

“Well...I got a voice teacher today.”

“Wow you work fast! Please tell me its not ol Professor Brookhaven...”

“No no-three years was enough of that nut.”

“Good, well who then?”

“Ummm...Mr. Copland.”

“Repeat that Chrissy, I don’t think I heard you right.”

“Mr. Copland is my voice teacher.”

“Whoa...” Meg’s voice registered genuine surprise, which Christine noticed immediately.

“Why? What’s the big deal with that?”

“Sorry it’s just ...well it’s a bit of a shock.”

“Is he a nutcase or something?”

“No no...nothing like that. But as far as I know he hasn’t taught privately in five years or more.”

“Why’s that?”

“All the responsibility and work with the Lyric I guess. I mean he’s always there it seems- popping in unannounced to rehearsals and meetings. It’s a joke that he should just list the Lyric as his address.”

“Sounds like dedication to me.”

“Oh absolutely- I mean we’ve done wonderfully - in reviews and finances - the past three years, and he’s the one responsible for most of it.”

“But he doesn’t have any other students?”

“Not that I know of- none from the Lyric company anyway. But the ones he taught, Chrissy- they are leads at alot of the major companies. He knows his stuff- make good use of the opportunity...”

“I plan to Meg.”

“I know you will, and by the way...congratulations.”

“Aww thanks.”

“Well I hate to cut and run- but I got to head out.”

“Out hmmm?” Christine caught Meg’s tone. “And this is not to do laundry I assume?”

“Sure...yeah that’s it. No just dinner with a friend.”

“Friend...well I better hear any juicy details.”

“Of course! Talk to ya soon hon. And congrats again!”

“Thanks...talk to ya later.”

Christine turned her phone off, and began flipping through the channels before giving up on the television. She retreated to her computer, hoping to find out more information about peculiar new voice teacher.

Back in the Lyric’s offices, the new student was also being studied by her teacher......
- 6
- 7
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Unfaithful