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Born Ugly: book Two	By : KassandraRamsey Category: M through R > The Phantom of the Opera > AU/AR Views: 1616 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Chapter 8: Blame it on the Ghost

Erik was really good at his job. He kept everyone on their toes, leaving little notes in their lockers critiquing their performances. The notes in my locker were always full of praise and accompanied by white roses.

The ‘ghost’ was blamed for everything from light bulbs that burnt out, sets that fell, any sickness going around, to really any type of misfortune that happened to anyone at the theatre—the ghost was responsible for it all. It was rather funny.

I teased Erik about it all the time while we were alone.

“You gave Jenny Cooper the chicken pocks! What did she ever do to you?” I’d demand, mockingly.

“The girl couldn’t act her way out of a paper bag, I had to get rid of her somehow,” he’d deadpan and I’d giggle.

Eventually, the other performers found out about my roses and started bombarding me with questions.

Have you seen him? Does he speak to you? Is he in love with you?

I really enjoyed the attention, and told them stories about how he visited me in the night and we sang together. The funny part was that most of what I said, was actually true.

“Has he ever kissed you?” Isabel demanded.

I blushed and nodded.

“One time he did,” I said wistfully as I remembered that kiss.

“Hmm, well no wonder nothing bad ever happens to you. You have a guardian ghost,” she remarked, unconsciously raising her hand to run a finger over the new zit she’d just discovered. As I said, he was blamed for everything.

When Isabel had walked away, Margo gave me an odd look.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that! I’m just having a little fun,” I said lightly.

She shook her head.

“I know it can’t be true, but that blush looked real. You must be a better actress than you let on, Dorothy.”

I stopped telling stories after that. The last thing I wanted was my ‘relationship’ with Erik to get out. And if Margo found out and told her grandmother, either Erik or myself would be forced to leave. Heck, Erik could go to jail… Or could he? He wasn’t molesting me. One kiss that happened over a year ago couldn’t get him in trouble. Could it?

I took my concerns to Erik, and he stopped putting the roses in my locker. Instead, I’d wake up every morning to find one on the table by my bed.

On our Sunday ‘dates’, I’d wear it in my hair.

I turned fifteen and landed my first ‘real’ role in a play. We were putting on The Wizard of Oz in January, and I was Dorothy’s understudy. The part had my name on it, literally!

I was excited, but Erik seemed a bit upset.

“I told them to cast you as Dorothy, not an understudy,” he muttered.

That statement took the happiness out of me.

“The only reason I got the part was because you told them to give it me! You can’t do that, Erik. I have to do this myself,” I raged at him.

He looked a bit startled by my outburst.

“I happen to be an excellent judge of talent! I would have given you the part regardless of how much I love you. The managers always go along with my recommendations, and I’m just confused as to why they didn’t this time,” he said, frowning.

I felt the happiness return. Erik was a perfectionist, and would never push to have me play a role he didn’t think I’d be good at, even though he loved me. Also, it felt good to be reminded that he did love me, because he didn’t say it often.

“They chose Jenny Cooper for Dorothy,” I informed him.

He snorted.

“Well, no wonder. The Coopers have been pouring money into the theatre for years,” he said, frown deepening.

“Well, it’s okay Erik. I mean, the play is running for two weeks, and I’m guaranteed to play the part at least three nights of it,” I pointed out gently.

He nodded absently and led me to the piano for our lesson.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

On the night of the last dress rehearsal before the first actual performance, Jenny Cooper tripped on the front stairs of the theatre and broke her leg.

I was so excited, because that meant I’d be playing Dorothy every night. Then I felt guilty for being so happy at the misfortune of someone else.

Erik was very pleased with this turn of events, informing me that ‘the ghost always gets his way’.

Something about the way he said it made me feel uncomfortable, but I decided I was just nervous about the performance.

The play went off without a hitch, and I practically floated to the dressing rooms to change afterwards— Drunk on applause.

I was feeling so good that I had even begun to think about kissing Erik again. I was swiftly approaching sixteen, and felt that I was ready for a little bit of romance in my life.

“So, your Phantom Lover strikes again,” a snide voice said, interrupting my plotting.

I whirled around to see Isabel leaning against the wall and smiling darkly like she had a secret.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, trying to sound as if I really didn’t care.

“Why, Jenny Cooper of course,” she responded smoothly.

“What about her?”

“Someone pushed her down those stairs. You’re the only one who would gain from her being out of the way, but you weren’t around then. In fact, no one was around, but Jenny swears she was pushed.”

I rolled my eyes and turned back to my locker to change, though I was troubled by her words.

“Everyone knows it had to have been the ghost that did it. They also know that he’s in love with you,” she continued in a singsong voice.

I whirled around to face her again, hoping that I didn’t look as guilty as I felt.

“Isabel, you know I made that up! If there is a real ghost, he has nothing to do with me,” I snapped.

She held up her hands in mock defense.

“I was just coming to warn you, as a friend. You should be careful. As romantic as it might be to have a man who will do anything to make you happy, it’s also quite dangerous.”

End Chapter 8
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Born Ugly: book Two