The Shadow's Melody || The Phantom of the Opera || Book One

8. Fear Can Turn To Love Part One

Chapter Eight || Fear Can Turn To Love Part One

Mélodie

My body froze, her words hanging in the air like icicles threatening to fall and puncture me.

"Violette, don't be silly. You read the papers, he's dea-"

"Do not lie to me!" she shook as she yelled, angry tears forming in her blue eyes. "I saw you both up on the roof."

All the blood drained from my face and I sat down before I could pass out.

Vi made a small disgusted scoff, "The man had his arms around you like he was your lover."

"He was afraid I would catch cold," I could barely hear my own voice. "We're friends, Violette."

She scoffed again, "'Friends'."

Silence fell between us.

"I don't know what to think of you anymore, Mélodie," a tear trailed down her face and landed on her hand.

"Vi, promise me you won't tell," she pulled her hand away when I tried to reach out to her.

"He's a criminal, Mélodie!" she stood up and walked away from me.

"No, Vi, there's so much more to him than tha-"

"He's killed people, Mélodie!"

"Violette, you don't understand-"

"Your parents, Mélodie! He caused the fire that took your parents!" her red hair seemed to burn along with her eyes.

My mouth closed shut, tears wetting my night gown.

Her eyes went soft for a moment, "Please tell me you haven't slept with him."

"No!" her words struck me like a knife in my chest, "How could you think that?!"

"I don't know, Mélodie," she ran her hands through her hair and paced in front of her bed. "That man should be dead. Dead like all of those people who died in his fire."

I remained quiet, wiping away the tears that refused to stop falling.

She stopped pacing in front of me, "He should be reported to the police."

My head snapped up and I held onto her hand no matter how hard she tried to pull it away. Through my excessive tears I begged, "Violette, mon amie, s'il te plaît (my friend, please), they'll kill him. Don't do this to me, please."

She looked down at me, her ice blue eyes filled with pity, "You know, you are as obsessed with him as he was with Christine Daaé."

Her words rang in my ears and I let go of her hand. Am I that obsessed with him? I mean, he is my friend. It's true I would like - no not like...love - to be more than that but he thought of me as a child. As his friend. I am not his Christine. I could never be his Christine.

And if the authorities new he was really alive they would take him and not only imprison him, they would kill him. They mustn't do that to my poor, poor Erik. I wouldn't let them.

I saw Violette make her way to the door, "Where are you going?"

She heard the worry in my voice, "I'm going to get some air." She paused before adding, "Don't worry. I won't report your precious Opera Ghost."

My mind raced trying to figure out ways to fix this. I had to protect him. Protect my Erik.

Erik

Once the sun has set and everyone was tucked away in their beds I went through the passageways that lead to the kitchen.

At first I wasn't sure what to think of my late night meetings with Mélodie and her forcing me to eat like I was an infant.