Lisa
Oh, and I’m the
stubborn one eh? I would have given up
by then…but then, I’m not as noble or as STUBBORN as my roomie! Here the little ‘plan’ is put into action…
Four finals down…one to go. However, by 9 o'clock Wednesday night with an entire day left to study before the day of the Japanese final I couldn't convince myself that I really needed to study. I sighed and closed the Japanese notes. I popped my head over the side of the bed. "Hey Marie, want to go for a walk?" Walking…a good way to tire yourself out.
"Yes!" She replied with enthusiasm. "I was just thinking that!"
"It's just a walk hon, not a big deal…mellow out."
"I'll be mellow when I'm dead…besides, we can stop at Murphy…I need to practice!"
"I'm game, just get me out of the room!"
"Ok, let's go. Hey, why don't we call Erik?"
I groaned, but then, I did want to see him. I had to find a way to keep him from leaving. "Well, I guess you could use more input than my usual, 'Wow, my ears didn't bleed!'"
"Yes, I could!" Marie proceeded to call Erik and tell him to meet us there.
If I hadn't known better I would have said he looked haggard when we met him. Erik and I sat down in the front row while Marie looked through her music. "I take requests!" She proclaimed.
"How about the songs for your final, you might want his input on those."
Marie rolled her eyes at me and proceeded to sing 'Think of Me'. Looking straight at Marie, listening to her voice, I was almost able to block out the knowledge of Erik being so close. (Almost being the operative word) I clapped wildly when she finished and the both of us were rather surprised when Erik's more restrained applause followed. He offered a few suggestions and she continued with 'Show Me' from My Fair Lady. Again, as always, applause followed. The last one for that program was a song called, Notre Amour. (Yes, Marie did help me spell that!) After that song she excused herself pleading potty emergency! (And yes, she said it just like Wacko Warner)
Needing an excuse to put some distance between us now that I had nothing to distract me, I walked up to the piano and picked out half of Heart and Soul (the only song I remember how to play…sort of…you should have seen the look on Erik’s face when Marie and I tried to play it on his pipe organ!) as Erik flipped through Marie's music. I stopped in my half-hearted attempt and picked up Marie's Jekyll and Hyde book. I stood and started flipping through the pages when I heard it. I stopped as though frozen beside the piano and felt the songbook slip from my fingers.
(Now I know I've told you about the voice, but that was speaking…I hadn't heard him sing yet. Let me share a bit of the feeling with you… Imagine if you will, Franc D'Ambrosio and Michael Crawford combined…imagine a voice that could turn your legs to pudding and you brain to 'barely educated spaghetti' imagine all of that and then multiply it by ten at least…no, more like twenty). Music of the Night, my brain supplied me with that, but little else as he sang, slowly sliding his coat off and laying it on the piano.
My feet were glued to the floor and my eyes were glued to Erik. It was like standing onstage…in Christine's place! My heart pounded in my ears, but his voice still found it's way to me as he turned my face away with a gentle hand. No gloves, I noticed…no leather blocked the feel of his hand brushing my cheek. He turned it back slowly. I stared as he bade me shut my eyes. I complied only when he passed his hand lightly over my face.
My God, my Buddha, my deity! That voice! At that point he could have commanded anything I and I would have done it. (Marie, get your mind out of the gutter) Then he did the move…for those of you who've seen the musical you know this move…not every Phantom can pull it off, but Erik could. (You know that lovely 'I'm going to touch myself and it's going to be very sensual for you' move. And believe me, it was!) He modified the rest of the choreography given my state (In other words, I was in no shape to be chasing him about the stage!) Since I was glued to my spot he approached me. At this point I had no coherent thoughts, but among the incoherent ones was "I really wish I could feel my legs right now."
His hand reached toward me and turned my face to his again. I could see the pale blue of his eyes; outlined with a second shade so dark it could have been purple. His eyes drifted from mine to my lips and I again had the feeling that he would kiss me. In that moment, I could think of nothing I wanted more than to have his lips pressed against mine. Instead he pulled back and circled behind me. I gasped when his arm wrapped around me and he held my wrist with his hand. My eyes closed as he sang for me touch him. He guided my hand to his face. My mind, being lost as it was (Old saying…I have two minds, one is lost and the other is out looking for it.) I expected to feel warmth, instead I encountered cold leather. My hand seemed to have a mind of its own at that point. I felt it slide down to his neck, fingers meeting warm flesh at last. He pulled me away gently and knelt before me as he sang the last line.
At this point, my skills in standing upright were questionable and I fell to my knees. He reached out and held my shoulders. "Are you quite all right?"
"You…aren't allowed…to sing…that…song…ever…again…" I stammered as I caught my breath.
"I know I was not in top form but I wasn't aware it was that bad…I thought you enjoyed my voice." He was very confused, but how could I explain the effect he had just had on me? Hell, I couldn't explain it to myself!
"I do, I do enjoy your voice, but I also enjoy the use of my legs…which you seemed to have turned to jelly." I tried to rise and fell again, this time into his arms.
"Here, allow me to assist you." He lifted me in the classic 'hero with his heroine' carry.
All the hormone surges I had ever had in my life combined were nothing next to the feeling I experienced then. My head was resting against his chest and I could hear the stately rhythm of his heart. I could feel his arms around me…I could smell the scent of his cologne. I looked up into his eyes and all of the reasons that I found not to get involved with him quickly fled my mind. I had wanted nothing in my young life like I wanted him at that moment. He must have sensed the change in my thoughts, seen the desire in my eyes because he geld me a bit tighter, his face coming closer for that long imagined kiss.
At this subtle shift my senses returned to me and I realized what was about to happen. "Erik…could you…put me down please?" I stammered, at last finding my voice.
"Of course." He replied and set me down quickly.
"Wow, I guess Marie isn't coming back, shall we take her music back to her?" Without his touch my resolve had returned, along with coherent speech.
"Actually, I think I'll stay a while."
He looked, so…well, sad and pathetic that I found it hard to leave him. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I will see you Friday evening Lisa."
I walked back to the room as fast as my legs would carry me. If Marie's plan had included this, and the enormous guilt trip I was getting I would have to smack her! (Of course it did and I didn't smack her)
I entered the room and flopped down on the floor.
"What happened to you?"
I glared at her. "Like you don't know exactly happened."
"That good huh? So when's the wedding?
"Bite me!"
"C'mon, tell you at least kissed him."
"No!"
"What?! All of that and you didn't even kiss the man?"
"Sorry, plan B failed I guess."
Marie heaved a heartfelt sigh.
"So, you're not going to drill me for details?"
"Why, I taught him all the moves."
"I'm pretty sure you didn't teach him the last one."
"Which one was that?"
"Let's just say, it wasn't in the original choreography."
"What did he do?"
"Never mind, I'm going to bed."
"I don't how you can sleep after that."
"I can, I just can't make it up to my bed."
"You're sleeping on the floor?"
"Yup."
"Where's Erik?"
"At Murphy."
"What?"
"He said he wanted to stay a while." I closed my eyes.
"I'm going to get him." Marie declared.
"Cool, do me a favor though, tell him he's not allowed to sing that any more."