The Phantom of The Phantom of the Opera

"Cath's been gone for almost an hour. What do you think has happened to her?" Mariah asked worriedly.

"It's only been thirty minutes. I'm not sure what's happened to Cath. I'm not even sure why I'm standing here. Would you mind explaining that to me?" Caleb asked with some irritation. He had been planning to meet his friends at a local bar and hang out, but instead he was here doing God knows what, for God knows what reason. At this point, Caleb was tired and he wanted to go home.

"You remember that freak at stage door two nights ago?"

"I think so...It's been a long day."

Mari's eyes shifted nervously around the room. "Caleb, I think he's been sending her notes. She thinks she's meeting him."

"I don't understand. Why do you care if she meets with some guy?" Caleb asked in confusion.

Mari curled her lip in disgust. "My God, Caleb you're utterly hopeless. Your girlfriend is in there chatting it up with some stalker in her mirror. That doesn't concern you?"

"He can't be in her mirror," Caleb argued. "All it is is a storage space. There's barely enough room for a small child in there, let alone a grown man. Believe me, I've tried."

"You know what, Caleb?" Mariah groaned in exasperation. "Just go home, alright? You're giving me a migraine."

"Fine. When you see Cath, tell her to call me. I have something very important that I want to ask her."

As Caleb turned away, Mari growled aloud and pretended to strangle him with her two tired hands. "Idiot! Degenerate!" She repeated to herself bitterly. It seemed she would have to take this into her own hands.

—————

Catherine had been singing for Christopher this entire time.

Finally at last, the poor man found the courage within his heart to ask the dreaded question. As the music stopped, he felt nervously around for his mask. "Why do you not shun me?" He asked in confusion, his voice breaking ever so slightly.

Catherine, seeing his groping, snatched the mask and held it behind her back. "Why would I shun you?" She questioned.

"Please," he whispered, reaching out his hand and covering his face. "Please, give it to me, and I will answer you."

Catherine pulled his hand down gently. "Tell me, and then I'll give it to you."

Tears welled in Matthew's light blue eyes, covering in waters. "A man as ugly as I am is capable of startling many a person."

Catherine took his face in both of her small hands. She looked him square in the eye and said, "There is not one thing wrong about you."

"You're a funny kind of girl, Catherine Daei," he laughed sadly, a few stray tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked at her in breathless adoration.

"Oh my goodness, I could kiss this guy right now," Catherine thought.

"She's the one," Matt told himself, his heart aching and pulling inside him. "Catherine..."

"Christopher," Catherine mumbled, pulling him in close.

With a swift movement of his hand, he managed to procure the mask from behind her back and jumped two feet from her, placing it back on securely. "I've only known you ten minutes," he said with a little laugh. "Is it possible...dare I ask...for ten minutes more?"

"It's been more than ten minutes. And I'll give you all the time in the world if you take that mask off," Catherine smiled mischievously, biting her bottom lip ever so slightly.