by Laura DeLuca
“Well, I’ll tell you one thing,” Carmen said, sitting back and buckling her seatbelt. “You two sure do attract the crazies. Listening to all this makes me glad I left the drama of the drama club behind in high school.”
Tom chuckled and lifted his water bottle in salute. “Here’s to hoping you guys make it through at least one performance without anyone trying to kill you.”
“Hear, hear,” Justyn agreed, though he was too busy driving to actually toast. “But like Darlene keeps telling me, we must have burned off any bad karma we had accumulated by now. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing from this point on.”
“Which means a happy ending to our real-life play?” Rebecca asked.
He smiled. “What other kind could there be?”
Rebecca sighed and sunk back into the faded leather of the ancient Mustang. It hadn’t changed much in the months it had spent parked in Darlene’s garage. Pieces of rust still fell on their heads as soon the accelerator reached sixty miles per hour. But Justyn had missed his baby and insisted on taking her out for a ride. Of course, being the ever-mysterious man that he was, he had yet to reveal where they were going. They had been heading south on the New Jersey parkway for a good twenty minutes, with the only clue to their destination being the pile of blankets Justyn had tossed into the backseat.
Tom and Carmen didn’t seem to mind the long drive. Once the conversation died down, they started making out, desperate and hungry to make up for the months they’d spent apart. Rebecca left them to their intimate moment and watched the trees flash by outside the car window. There were some evergreens sprinkled amongst the foliage, but for the most part, only a few golden leaves still clung to the branches. There was a definite chill in the air that foretold winter was on its way.
“So, you’re not going to nag me about where we’re going?” Justyn broke the silence. He reached across the seat to clasp her hand.
Rebecca shook her head. “I think I’m growing more patient as I get older. Either that or I’ve learned to enjoy your little surprises.”
It was only a few minutes later that Justyn turned off the parkway onto the exit that led to Wildwood, the same little island they had visited the last day of summer vacation. Back in August there had been a line of traffic that went on for miles, and it took them a good half hour just to cross the bridge and enter the city limits. In the late fall, it looked like a ghost town. They might have passed a total of five other cars on the whole ride down the desolate streets. Most of the businesses were shut down, and some even boarded up for the winter season. Even the restaurant they had eaten at, Duffy’s on the Lake, had a huge sign on the door that read See You Next Summer.
“Ummm, dude, you do know that this place shuts down in the winter, right?” Tom asked. He had finally come up for air in order to peek out the window and see where Justyn was leading them.
“Nature never shuts down, Tom,” Justyn reminded him. “Besides, the ocean is much more enjoyable without all the tourists.”
Justyn pulled the Mustang over on a side street that was lined with huge hotels, whose parking lots were eerily empty. The spot was right across the street from the beach, which meant they didn’t have far to walk—another thing that would have been next to impossible in the summer without paying extravagant parking fees. In the winter though, even the parking meters were turned off.
“I never figured you for the type to take the Polar Bear Plunge,” Carmen teased, referring to an annual jump into the icy ocean water.
Justyn rolled his eyes. “I have no intention of getting wet, but if you two are up for some skinny-dipping, feel free.”
As he spoke, he pulled the stack of blankets out of the backseat and thrust half of them at Tom. Rebecca zipped her winter coat as she stepped out of the heated car into the chilly night air. The ocean breeze lashing her bare cheeks made it seem even colder than it had just a half an hour inland.
The four of them crossed under the deserted boardwalk and onto the vast stretch of sand beyond it, carrying only the blankets and their water bottles. It was a completely different atmosphere than it had been in the summer. Behind them, the Ferris wheels and roller coasters looked like giant metal skeletons looming over them in the dark. The only lights were a sprinkling of lampposts, whose bulbs had yet to burn out. During the tourist season, the beach was plowed every morning and cleaned of ocean debris. Now it was left in its all-natural splendor, with dunes of sand, piles of seaweed, and patches of driftwood lying in patches. The life guard stands had been packed away for the winter as well, leaving the shoreline utterly deserted and splendid in its untouched beauty.
“It’s freezing out here, Justyn,” Carmen complained. “Can you please tell us what we’re doing in the middle of nowhere?”
He gave her a mysterious smile. “You’ll see soon enough. Trust me. You’re all going to love this.”
“Don’t worry, babe.” Tom put his arm around Carmen. “I’ll keep you warm.”
That seemed to satisfy Carmen, and they started to set up their blankets as close to the coastline as they dared. They didn’t want to get soaked when the tide came in. Once they were settled in, they stared out at the water in silence. The night was perfectly clear, with the waxing moon filling the sky with its illumination. The stars twinkled like faraway diamonds. Without the lights on the pier to diminish their glow, they seemed clearer and brighter than ever. Rebecca wasn’t sure what Justyn had planned, but it was already a perfect night as far as she was concerned. She didn’t even feel cold, especially snuggled beside him under the blankets. At first he was tentative with his embrace, afraid he would hurt her bruised ribs. But the wounds were already healing, and all she wanted was to feel his arms around her. After some prompting, he pulled her a little closer.
“Okay. So, we’re sitting here waiting for what exactly?” Carmen asked after ten minutes had passed. Patience was a virtue Rebecca’s best friend still hadn’t mastered.
Justyn glanced at his watch, squinting to see the numbers in the dark. “Any minute now, Carmen. Any minute … wait! It’s starting. Look!”
Across the night sky, a beam of light spread over the horizon, brighter and more radiant than it would ever have appeared in the city. It flew across the sky and almost seemed to disappear into the murky water below.
“Wow! A shooting star!” Tom exclaimed. “But how did you…?”
Justyn held up a finger to silence him. “Wait for it.”
Another star shot across the horizon. Then another. Soon a whole chorus of heavenly lights was weaving a magical dance in the night sky. The group sat and stared in wonder, awed to silence by the beauty before them.
“It … it’s stunning,” Rebecca whispered, squeezing Justyn’s hand a little tighter.
“It’s a meteor shower,” Justyn explained. “I knew we could get a great view of it out here.”
“It really is awesome,” Carmen agreed grudgingly. “Even if it does take me hours to get the sand out of my….”
Rebecca punched her in the arm. “Don’t even say it, Carmen.”
Carmen only shrugged.
“Seriously, dude,” Tom said. “I know you’re about nature and stuff, but how did you know to be here at just the right time?”
Justyn raised an eyebrow. “It was all over the news and the Internet, Tom. You just need to pay attention.”
“So what are we supposed to do now? Make, like, a bazillion wishes?” Carmen asked. “One for each falling star?”
“You can if you like,” Justyn said. “But I only have one wish that really matters.”
Rebecca smiled. “What wish is that?”
“Technically, I’m not supposed to tell you,” he teased. “But I guess it can’t hurt. I wished to live happily ever after with you.”
Tom rolled his eyes. “So corny, dude,” he complained, but still reached out for Carmen’s hand. “Although, I guess happily ever after with the right girl wouldn’t be so bad.”
“To happy endings.” Rebecca rais
ed her water bottle.
Since everyone had their hands free, they all clinked their plastic bottles—or in Justyn’s case—his reusable stainless steel canteen.
“To happy endings,” they all chorused.
The four of them leaned back into the blankets to enjoy the rest of nature’s play and their brief reunion. The next day, they would be heading back to school. Of course, winter break was only a month away. In the meantime, Rebecca enjoyed the time they had together. As she watched the meteors dance across the horizon, Justyn’s face seemed to shine almost as brightly as the stars themselves, at least in her eyes. It made Rebecca realize her happy ending was already in her grasp.
Coming Soon from Author Laura DeLuca
Hyde
Dark Musicals Trilogy, Book 3
She stood entranced, gazing at her reflection in the Victorian mirror, as a white mist swirled around her feet. Her normally pallid cheeks were flushed from excitement because she knew he had arrived. His sweet, gentle voice echoed from the shadows, calling her name in the words of his song. The music invoked feelings of passion, nearly impossible to suppress. She turned, desperately searching her dressing room for the owner of that voice. Hoping that for the first time, her eyes would fall upon her teacher. She was unable to see the genius who had summoned her with the very beauty of his music, yet she felt his presence all around her.
Trembling in fear and awe, her gaze fell again upon the mirror. As though she were trapped within a dream, she saw her own reflection fade, to be replaced by another—a mysterious man whose face was hidden behind a white mask. He reached out his hand to her, beckoning her. It was her angel—her angel of music. Partially hidden behind the mask, the phantom’s dark eyes bore into her soul and spoke of a yearning that matched her own. Though she knew she should be afraid, Rebecca Hope, completely in character in the role of Christine, took hold of the gloved hand and stepped through the glass into the underground labyrinth that was the phantom’s lair.
Even as they crossed the threshold of no return, the orchestra burst into a full-bodied movement, led by the chilling blast of the pipe organ. Rebecca felt the music envelope her, possessing her very soul in much the same way the phantom had captured Christine. She became one with it, blended with it. Her voice rose to meet the high notes beautifully and effortlessly.
“He came to me, an angel in the night.
His voice is like a siren’s call.
Now I follow him, though I know it is not right.
His commands cannot be denied at all.”
As the phantom led her through the tunnels, Rebecca found herself lost in the music and in the beautiful, seductive voice of the partner she knew intimately both on and off the stage. Her boyfriend Justyn Patko laced his arms around her waist, caressing her not only with his hands, but with this thrilling tenor. His voice was like a vocal massage that titillated her to the very core of her being. It left her as breathless then as it had the very first time she’d heard him sing. Each note made her shudder with barely suppressed passion. Their voices rose and met in perfect harmony. It was even more electrifying than it had been when they performed Phantom together in high school, because both of their bodies and their voices had matured.
After the crescendo had reached its peak, they moved onto Justyn’s solo. Rebecca felt his voice wrap around her like ghostly arms, moving in time with the physical hands that explored every curve of her body, leaving both the character and the actress who portrayed her dizzy with passion and need.
“The mysteries of music have been revealed to you.
You will never be free, no matter what you may do.
You’ve journeyed with me to the world of the unknown.
This night I have claimed your soul as my own.”
When Justyn sang about the music of the night, it was as though he were singing just to her. Rebecca found herself just as overwhelmed with emotion as Christine. In spite of the hundreds of people who watched, captivated, from their seats, the moment was somehow intimate and sensual. Yet Rebecca couldn’t help but notice something odd as Justyn serenaded her. His normally steady hands trembled as he brushed her russet curls aside to stroke her neck. It wasn’t something the spectators would notice, but Rebecca knew him too well. She could sense her lover was not quite himself. After four years, there wasn’t much he could hide from her, despite his exceptional acting abilities.
As soon as the phantom sent the chandelier crashing down onto the unsuspecting theater patrons, signaling the beginning of a twenty minute intermission, Rebecca went in search of Justyn. She found him chatting with their friend Quinn, who had landed the role of Raoul for his final college performance. He would be graduating in a few weeks and starting off a promising acting career on the small screen. He’d already acquired a spot on a soap opera that was shooting in New York City. The heartthrob role was perfect for someone with his boyish charms. Though at the moment, he appeared more suspicious than charming. He wore the look of a co-conspirator as he whispered with Justyn in the corner. When they saw her, both of their mouths snapped shut in midsentence. Rebecca walked up to them, her hands on the hips of her rather elaborate blue ball gown.
“What are you boys up to?”
“Nothing, nothing,” Quinn said and winked a blue eye. “I was just asking Justyn to go a little easier on me with the noose this time around. I’m still chafed from the last show.”
Before she could question him further, Quinn laughed and disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Rebecca alone with a strangely silent phantom. Though Justyn was unmistakably stunning in his old-world shirttails and cloak, Rebecca couldn’t help but notice that beneath the white mask, her Gothic boyfriend looked even paler than usual.
“Is everything okay?” she asked him with narrowed eyes. “You seemed a little shaky up there.”
“You noticed that, huh?” He seemed embarrassed. “Honestly, I’m so nervous I think I’m going to throw up.”
“Hey, that’s my line,” Rebecca joked. “Since when do you get stage fright?”
He shrugged. “We all have our moments.”
“Even the great Lord Justyn?” she referred to him playfully by his nickname. “I never would have believed it possible.”
He sighed and leaned back against the wall. “This show is just … different. This could be the last time we ever perform Phantom together. Even if we do make it to Broadway, there are no guarantees they’ll be doing this play or that we’ll get the leads. I just want everything to be … perfect.”
She realized he really was feeling more than just the typical case of the jitters, and she felt bad for teasing him. Of all people, Rebecca knew what it was like to worry about choking in front of an audience. So she took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“Listen to me, Justyn,” she said. “You have nothing to be nervous about. You’ll be amazing.” She stroked the cheek that wasn’t covered by the mask. “Just like you always are, both on and off the stage.”
She didn’t realize until after she’d said it, but he had uttered almost those exact same words to her at her debut performance their senior year of high school. It was strange how their roles were suddenly reversed, and she was the one doing the comforting.
“Thank you,” he whispered and lifted her fingers to his lips. “You always stand by me. I really don’t know what I’d do without you. You really are my angel of music.”
Rebecca smiled. “You’ll never have to worry about being without me. Now, come on. We have to get ready for the second act.”
Despite Justyn’s worries, the rest of the play proceeded beautifully. Rebecca hadn’t expected any less. Her confidence on the stage and in herself had grown significantly over the past four years, and she had never doubted Justyn’s abilities. When Phantom was chosen for the second semester of their junior year, she knew they would triumph. After all, they were a modern-day Erik and Christine if ever there was one. The chemistry they always shared had only increased as they gained experience,
which was confirmed by the thunderous applause that shook the rafters when they took their final bows. The audience was as captivated by their performance as Justyn and Rebecca were by each other.
The cast was called back twice for an encore, with Justyn and Rebecca leading the ensemble. The excitement of it left her breathless. After curtseying for the final time, she expected Justyn to take her hand and lead her behind the curtains, as he had done for every other show. She was surprised, and a little startled, when he pulled her back into the center of the stage and waited for the crowd to hush. Eventually, the clapping, whistles, and hoots died down. Quinn came out and grabbed the bundle of flowers that families and friends had presented to them. The large room fell into an almost eerie silence, waiting to see what would happen next. Finally, Justyn winked at her and turned to their captive audience.
“It was a great show tonight, wasn’t it?” His amplified voice echoed across the high ceilings of the crowded theater as the spectators shouted their agreement. “And my leading lady, is she not phenomenal?”
There was more tentative applause coupled with a few hoots, since no one knew exactly what was going on. Rebecca blushed, feeling all eyes on her. It was strange when they were watching her and not some character she was portraying. It made her feel much more insecure. She wanted to ask Justyn what he was up to, but she didn’t want her shaky voice to be magnified by the microphone she still wore.
“This beautiful woman has been my partner for four years now,” Justyn continued. “Not just on the stage, but in our real lives as well. It was our love of the phantom that brought us together. It seemed only fitting that the opera ghost should be here, at least in spirit, when I ask the girl—the woman I adore—the most important question I will ever ask her.” He cleared his throat. “If only to lend me his strength and give me the courage I need to ask it.”
