Read Online A Phantom Enchantment by Eve Marie Mont - Free Book Online

necessities. “Here’s a toothbrush, Casanova,” I said, tossing it to him. “I’ll be out of the bathroom in ten minutes.”
    He grinned, like he knew something I didn’t.
    It took the four of us a while to get ready sharing only one bathroom, and then we went and got coffee and breakfast at a café across from Opéra Bastille. I had two buttery croissants, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and the strongest coffee I’d ever tasted.
    â€œI’m moving here,” Flynn said as he inhaled a second croissant.
    I tried to gauge the state of affairs between Elise and Owen, but they were being much more reserved this morning than they’d been last night.
    â€œSo is that the opera?” Owen asked, looking a little disappointed. I explained to him what Elise had told me about the two different opera houses.
    â€œI suppose you two have already gone without me?” he said.
    â€œOf course not,” I said. “We made a pinky swear. We should go for your birthday.”
    â€œYeah,” Elise said. “We could double date.”
    â€œIf you don’t mind going with Mr. Clean over there,” Owen said.
    â€œHey, lay off the bald jokes,” Flynn said. “I’m a sensitive man.”
    Now that I’d had a chance to get used to it, I kind of liked Flynn’s hair. It made his pale blue eyes look even more ethereally beautiful. He flashed me a smoldering look, and I cracked up.
    â€œSpeaking of opera,” Elise said, “maybe you guys can help us with a school project we’re working on.”
    â€œAw, man, I’d forgotten about school projects,” Flynn said.
    Elise told them about the libretto contest and how the winning libretto would be developed into an opera to be performed at Opéra Bastille in the spring.
    â€œWe’re going to write a modern retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, ” I said.
    â€œI think Andrew Lloyd Webber beat you to it,” Flynn said.
    â€œNo, I mean an updated version with a modern rock score. We’re trying to think of a good premise.”
    â€œI don’t know much about the story,” Owen said. “Give me the basics.”
    I told him about the Phantom who haunts the Opera House and how his love for aspiring singer Christine Daaé makes him rig a performance that displaces the lead, Carlotta, so Christine can make her triumphant debut. “But what the Phantom doesn’t know is that Christine’s childhood sweetheart, Raoul, was in the audience, and he’s in love with Christine, too.”
    â€œAh, the ubiquitous love triangle,” Flynn said.
    â€œExactly,” I said. “But the Phantom isn’t a phantom at all, just a man named Erik whose face is horribly disfigured. Since he’s never been loved by a woman before, he feels he has to kidnap Christine and keep her trapped against her will until she falls in love with him and his music.”
    â€œHmm,” Owen said. “Maybe you could have your opera take place during a singing competition like American Idol or The Voice .”
    â€œOh yeah,” Elise said. “And maybe like on The Voice, the judges have their backs turned to the performers, so Erik’s scars wouldn’t matter.”
    â€œBut when the judges turn around and see him, they recoil in terror,” I said. “And then they cut him during the next round, which enrages him.”
    â€œBut Christine makes it through,” Flynn said. “And now Erik is determined to help her win so she’ll fall in love with him. But another contestant falls in love with Christine, and Erik sets out to destroy him.”
    We started hashing out our ideas on paper, and Owen seemed really enthusiastic. “I don’t know anything about opera,” he said. “But I’m excited to help you guys with this.”
    â€œYeah, we can pool our skills,” I said. “I’ll start writing the libretto. You and