Phantom (34 page)

He was right. Rebecca certainly couldn’t argue. But just the same, she wished he hadn’t said it out loud.

“Yes . . . yes. We’re behind the stage in the auditorium.” Carmen was screaming into the cell phone, as if talking louder would somehow bring about faster results. “Yes, people are hurt, you moron! What have I been telling you? Well, tell them to hurry! Someone’s bleeding to death here!”

Another statement Rebecca could have gone forever without hearing. She tried not to think about it. Tried not to look at the blood at all, and instead she concentrated on studying the rise and fall of Justyn’s chest. Knowing he was still with her was the only thing that was keeping Rebecca sane.

  Carmen went on barking directions into the phone while Rebecca and Tom stayed beside Justyn. Tom grabbed another shirt and did his best to stop the bleeding, even though he looked like he was ready to pass out himself. Rebecca stroked Justyn’s hair, and squeezed his hand. She tried not to notice how cold his skin felt against her burning fingertips. In contrast to his black clothes, his pale face made him seem more vampirish than ever. Except for the fact that his beautiful, perfect, face was mangled. He might have really been the phantom at that moment. But it didn’t matter. She would take him scarred for life if she had to, just as long as she had him for life.

“Justyn, don’t you dare leave me. Enough with all this drama—open your eyes already! Just open your eyes and tell me you’re all right.” She sobbed as she laid her head gently against his chest. “Please, open your eyes, Justyn. Please! Do you hear me, you big jerk?”

She didn’t really expect any response. She was surprised when she felt him shudder beneath her. She lifted her head just as he began to cough and gasp. It startled her at first, but then she felt a warm rush of relief as his eyes fluttered open.

“You . . . just can’t make it through . . . a single . . . sentence . . . without insulting me.”

Her eyes filled with fresh tears. “Justyn, oh Justyn . . . .” She was too overcome with raw emotion to even begin to express her gratitude in mere words. She didn’t even care that he was still making fun of her.

“See that . . . .” He squeezed her hand back with more strength than she would have thought was possible.
“This
phantom wasn’t such a bad guy after all. Didn’t I tell you that all along?”

She actually laughed, even as the tears slipped down her cheeks. “And
I
told
you
that Christine wasn’t really as helpless as she seemed.”

“Of course not.” He gave her a small grin that was more grimace than smile. “At least not this Christine.
This
Christine is my personal hero.”

“Oh, Justyn . . . .”

“
Lord
. . . . Justyn,” he corrected.

She rolled her eyes. “
Lord
Justyn . . . .” She relented, but then grew more serious. “I . . . I love you.”

“I love you too, Becca.” As weak as he was, he managed to use his one good arm to pull her down close enough to touch her lips. “Forever.”

Tom and Carmen and even Debbie were forgotten in that one moment. That one moment that filled her heart with a complete and unbelievable happiness. Two soul mates were merging into one. She knew somehow that everything was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay because Justyn was okay, and nothing else really mattered.

Just as she broke away from Justyn’s embrace, the EMTs crashed onto the scene. Better late than never, Rebecca figured. Once they looked him over, they assured her that he was going to survive. And that was all Rebecca needed to hear. With a sigh of pure relief, she climbed into the ambulance to ride with Justyn to the hospital.

It was over. The nightmare was over.

Epilogue

Rebecca was just putting the finishing touches on her makeup when the blaring horn announced the arrival of her friends. She glanced once more at her reflection to make sure everything was just right. The deeply outlined eyes that stared back at her from the mirror hardly seemed to be her own at all. In fact, she might have been looking at a total stranger. Her choice of wardrobe for the evening was a far cry from her normal style. However, different didn’t necessarily equal bad. It was a lesson that had been hard to learn, but in the end was extremely rewarding. And she had to admit that she was very impressed with the final results of her outfit. She just hoped Justyn would be. After all, she had done this for him.

“Rebecca! Rebecca, he’s here!”

Her mother’s shrill voice broke through the silence of her reverie. It was a voice filled with excitement, but tinged with the sadness of knowing her little girl was just about grown up. Rebecca had to wonder if her mother would still be excited when she saw her daughter’s choice of attire.

She tore her eyes away from the mirror and looked towards her open bedroom door, feeling her heart start to race with familiar expectation. She always felt that way when she knew she was going to see Justyn. Her heart still thumped uncontrollably every time she saw him, even though months had passed. Every date left her with the same tingly sensation as their first. She hoped that feeling would never go away, not even when they were eighty.

 Rebecca took one last, deep breath before stepping away from her dresser, and making her way down the hallway. As soon as she reached the foot of the stairs, she could see the small party who waited patiently in the foyer for her to make her grand entrance. Her parents were there, chatting pleasantly with the more eccentric Darlene as though they had all been friends for years. Thus proving that it was impossible for Justyn and his family to fail to win over
anyone
once they set their minds to it.

 Then there was Justyn, so unbelievable handsome, so perfect in every possible way—at least in her eyes. He was standing off in the corner, shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other, and looking up the stairwell in anticipation as he waited for her to appear. She was glad to see the magic of their relationship hadn’t worn off for him anymore than it had for her.

He would have looked perfect to her in anything, but she never expected Justyn to be dressed the way he was. It was shocking. It was so unlike him. And it made her wonder if she had made a huge mistake. Justyn was wearing a completely modern, traditional black tux. From the red cummerbund to the black tie, it was as average and as commonplace as could be. No black eyeliner. No silver chains or metal tipped boots. No facial piercings, either. Who
was
this divinely handsome but normal boy, and what had he done with her Gothic boyfriend?

“Rebecca, stop lingering in the doorway!” Her father urged her forward as he lifted his video camera to the best possible angle. “The anticipation is killing us.”

Now that she had been spotted, there was no putting it off any longer. Rebecca held her breath and started her slow catwalk down the stairs. As she turned the corner, she heard four people gasp in almost perfect unison, though she was pretty sure each gasp was for a different reason. Her dress swished at her feet with each step, and she hoped she wouldn’t trip, especially since her father had the camcorder ready to capture every embarrassing moment.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Darlene gushed to her mother.

 Mrs. Hope nodded, but Rebecca knew her mother well enough to know that of all the adjectives running through her head at that moment, beautiful probably wasn’t one of them. Strange, bizarre, freaky, ethereal maybe, but beautiful—

“Beautiful doesn’t begin to describe her.” Justyn’s voice was filled with such pure, honest emotion, it didn’t even matter anymore what anyone else thought. “You did this for me?”

Rebecca shrugged her shoulders, and noted again just what Justyn was referring to as she glanced at her reflection in the living room mirror. The black make up, the black tight fitting gown with a long black train. Black spider web lace trailed the length of her arms and ended in a pointed tip at her wrists. Her face was pale as snow, making her dark eyes stand out in amazing contrast. The entire outfit seemed only fitting when she had chosen it. After all, Justyn was going against his very grain by attending the cliché senior prom at all. The least she could do was accompany him dressed as his Gothic queen.

“Unbelievable,” he whispered as he slipped a corsage of blood red roses on her wrist.

“You really like it?”

He smiled at her insecurity. “There aren’t words in any language that could express to you exactly how much I like it. Becca, my love, you are beyond stunning.”

She felt herself blush at the sincere compliment and hoped it didn’t ruin the effect.

“If you two love birds don’t hurry up, you’re going to miss your ride.” Her father informed them.

Even as he said it, an almost musical honk emitted from the driveway. Rebecca peeked out the window and saw Carmen and Tom both hanging out the sunroof of the waiting limo, waving excitedly and gesturing them to come out and join them. They had gotten together not long after the play. It was true what they said about tragedy bringing people together.

“Your carriage awaits.” Justyn offered her his arm, which she accepted gratefully. Not as much chance of her falling when he was at her side.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Darlene called as they went out the door.

“
That
leaves us open for a broad spectrum of possibilities.”

 Justyn turned around to give his mother a conspirative wink, and Rebecca pulled him through the door before her father could ponder that comment long enough to have an angina attack. Tom threw open the door of the limo, and Justyn, in pure old-world fashion, took hold of her hand as she stepped inside. It was a good thing, too. For Rebecca, walking in high heels was a precarious endeavor.

“Wow, Becca. You do realize its
prom
and not Halloween, right?” Carmen asked as she gave Rebecca’s dress a once-over. Her own light pink fitted gown looked spectacular, especially with the billowing black curls that cascaded down her back.

Tom grinned, as boyishly handsome as ever, especially in his tux. “Oh, leave her alone, Carmen. I think you look great, Bec. But of course, not as beautiful as you.” He kissed Carmen’s nose and the pout that was just beginning to form instantly vanished.

The four of them were a strange quartet. Yet, a quartet they had been for the last seven months, practically inseparable. That wasn’t so odd for Carmen and Rebecca, who had been best friends since grade school. But a real comradeship had grown between Tom and Justyn as well. Rebecca wouldn’t have believed it was possible if she hadn’t experienced it firsthand. The surfer and the Goth, once bitter enemies, were now best friends and confidants.

Rebecca wondered what they were all going to do without each other the next year. With graduation looming threateningly, she realized they only had a few months left with their friends. Then Tom would be off to his ideal endless summer in California, and Carmen would be packing up for Rutgers University to study physiology. Rebecca and Justyn would both be attending the New York School of Performing Arts, thanks to the talent scout who had given them full scholarships. Darlene was already helping them look for a little studio apartment off campus. It was something Rebecca was dreading having to share with
her
parents. 

“Why the serious face?” Justyn asked. “This is supposed to be a fun night.”

“I was just thinking about how much I’m going to miss nights like this once we’re all off in the real world.”

“We’ll keep in touch,” Carmen said. “Thanksgiving comes pretty quick.”

Rebecca didn’t miss the quick sidelong glance she gave Tom. Her boyfriend was going to school on the other side of the country. At least Rebecca would get to be with Justyn. Of course, not being with Justyn wasn’t really an option. She gave him a small smile, and gingerly touched the scar on his forehead. It wasn’t nearly as awful as the hole in his shoulder, but it was still a lasting memento of the opening night of the play. It was barely noticeable to anyone who didn’t know it was there, but for Rebecca it was a constant reminder of everything she almost lost. And everything she had to be grateful for.

It didn’t take long for them to get to the restaurant where the prom was being held. They piled out of the limo and joined the other seniors in the elaborate ballroom. Red and white balloons and streamers, the school colors, decorated the hall. And every table setting offered a picture frame with the memorable words, “These are the days to remember.” And that prom night was certainly a night Rebecca would never forget. Filled with fun, romance and even a few surprises—at least for Justyn.

Justyn didn’t think much of it when Miss King, who was working as a chaperone, walked up onto the stage, and borrowed a microphone from the band. But the rest of the party at their table exchanged secretive smiles. Luckily, Justyn was too busy doing origami with his napkin to notice.

“Good evening, seniors. I hope you’re all enjoying your night!” There were lots of hoots and hollers from the crowd on the dance floor. “That’s wonderful! Well, we have one more little surprise for you—one more thing to make this a night to remember. The graduating seniors of the drama club would like to give one last farewell performance.”

Lots of clapping erupted around them, and finally Justyn’s head snapped up. On his face was a look of wide-eyed confusion. Rebecca had to cover her mouth to stifle a giddy giggle. Beside her, Carmen and Tom were smirking too. They were all pretty proud of themselves. It wasn’t easy to take Justyn by surprise.