Chantelle/Cecilia in the singing room

I walked into the singing practice room, feeling the presence of someone else around me. I didn't look around, because truly I already knew who it was. The Phantom of the Opera. He was like a guardian, watching over me.
Madame Giry had given me the score to the next opera, and told me to practice for the lead part. I laid the score softly on the wooden stand, and looked over it. I wished there was a piano, so I could hear the pitches more clearly, but I could read music, and I knew how it would probably sound, give or take a little.
I started to sing. The opening song wasn't very complex in the beginning. When I got to the middle of the song, though, it took me a few tries to get it right. I heard footsteps, but continued my practice.
Then the door opened behind me.

Alis bounded into the room. "Cecilia!" she cried, running up behind her friend and giving her a massive hug.

"Alis!" I cried happily and hugged my friend back, smiling.

"I haven't seen you in such a long time!" Alis squeeled. "I just got back from the country, you know, to get some 'fresh air?' You're the first person I've seen since I got back."
Alis pulled back a bit, so that she could see her friend's face. "You should be honored." she said devilishly.

Jeanne walked by one of the doors in the hallway, she heard a commotion in one of the rooms, she looked in through a crack. It was Cecilia and Alis, they were best friends and hardly insperable, she sighed, no one ever really noticed her. All she was was a skinny ballet girl who everyone teased about her parents, "Even thought a lot of them don't have any parents either, they just do it to see me cry." At the thought of her father, a tear ran down her pale cheek. She remembered her first time there how Cecilia was so nice to her. She smiled, she liked Cecilia, she was so sweet. She remembered how she had herd a voice in a room with Cecilia once, she wanted to see who he was, but when she came out, no one followed her, that was when she knew, the Phantom had spoken to Cecilia.
She was frightened of the Phantom also.

"Of course I'm honored!" I joked, smiling.

I suddenly felt eyes behind me, and I turned to open the door.

"Jeanne!" I said lightly, glad to see her. "Come talk with us, it's been a while since we've spoken last!" I said, still keeping my bright smile.

Jeanne felt herself turn red at being found, she mummbeled, "Thanks, but I have to go practice my dancing, I am having a hard time on our dance, thanks anyway..." Really, she knew the dance by heart and could dance it very well, she really wanted to go practice her singing, she hadn't practiced in a while.

Alis smiled. "Come on, Jeanne. Please? I haven't seen anyone in such a long time. It's so good to see you again."
She went over to the shy girl. "You don't want to talk? Well, then, we'll dance."
Alis lept into a grande jete. (sorry, my French is a little rusty. lol) She turned around, and took hold of Jeanne's arm. "Please join us?" Alis opened her eyes wide and stuck out her lower lip, an expression that no one could ever say no to.

Jeanne laughed at Alis's expression, she knew how to get her to do something, she didn't feel embaressed anymore. "Sure" She then went up on her toes an burade to the side of Alis.
When they were Finished, they posed, Alis w/ her body in an arabesque and Jeanne in an opposite side of her, doing the same pose.

Alis came down from en pointe. "You're really good," she commented to Jeanne.

I still need practice, Jeanne said, turning red again.

"We all do," Alis replied, grinning. "I haven't been here in so long, I feel terriblely out of practice!"

Jeanne laughed, she hadn't laughed so long in one day. She turned her head and sang a song she had heard once, but couldn't remember where she heard it, "think of me, trying too hard to put you from my mind, recall those days, think back on all those times, think of the things we'll never do, there will never be a day when I won't think of you...." She had forgotten that Alis and Cecilia were there.

Alis stared at her new friend. Was she mental? (ha ha, sorry)

"Sorry, I think of my dad when I sing that song, I was really close w/ him... un-until....he, died...." Jeanne said. she tried to brighten the subject by saying "What am I doing, laying down my problems on you guys shoulders?! Anyway, sorry, I don't think I can sing to well..."

Alis smiled. "Don't go putting yourself down, now. You have a lovely voice."
She paused a moment, drawing herself up to her full height. "Almost as good as mine!"

"I have only heard you a few times, you DO have a very pretty voice" Jeanne said smiling. "And so does Cecilia, of course."

"Thank you," Alis said.

"Well, I better go pratice some more.... bye, nice seeing you both" Jeanne said, walking silently to the door.

Alis smiled after Jeanne, and then looked over at Cecilia.

Jeanne quietly shut the door, she liked Alis and Cecilia, they were both so sweet and nice to her. Her need to go practice her singing was still strong, but, her need to go see her father's grave was stronger. She decided to go to the cemetery, she also wanted to see her mother's grave.




~see what happens next at 'The Cemetery'~