As it turns out, Satine and I both fell in love at the same night. She fell for a writer and I fell for an architect. Unlike my sister, all Alex and I did was kiss. We didn't go any farther than that.

The next morning, Satine ran into my room wearing only her bathrobe. She was excited about telling me about Christian. "He told me that no one could live a life without love, even if they tried to. Except, he said it differently, more poetic like. He has such a way with words, despite the fact that he's a writer."

She was already jumping up and down about her night, and when I told her about mine, she exploded. "Oh Laila! You would fall for the foreigner!" She squealed then attacked me with a hug. "Everything is so perfect! We're both in love, and we're about to take part in the Moulin Rouge's greatest adventure yet: a play. What are you going to do for it? Acting? Backstage? Oh, oh! You should be my understudy!"

"Satine, Satine! Calm down!" I laughed, "You're going way to fast!"

"I'm just so happy, Laila." She sighed and fell onto my bed "I've never been happier. It may have seemed that I was, but I promise you, I've never been happier than what I am right now."

I sat down next to Satine. "Satine, I have the exact same feeling."

We were silent, both probably thinking about our lover. Suddenly Satine sprang up "Are you doing the play or not?"

"Don't worry, Satine" I laughed "I plan to. I was thinking maybe costumes or something."

Satine gasped "That's the perfect job for you! You'd be so good at it! You're really creative with stuff like that."

"Satine, I don't even know how to sew."

She was quiet. "Do it anyways." Then her eyes suddenly became bright "You should make Alex help with the performance. He's an architect, right? So he could help with the set." She got really close to my face "He could design it." She backed away and started dancing all over my room. "I'm so brilliant!"

"I'll run it by him."

"No!" She suddenly stopped "It'll be to late! Harold will already have a team assembled. I'll go talk to Alex and you can talk to Harold."

"Why can't I talk to Alex? Harold likes you better, anyway."

Satine put her finger in my face. "Don't you dare say Harold likes me more!" She scolded me, and then smiled "I'll talk to Alex because you'll have enough time later." She winked than ran out my door before I could do anything to protest. I picked up my pillow and tried to throw it at her before she left my room, but she was too fast. I rolled my eyes and flopped onto my bed.


I walked down the long hallway to Harold's office. I don't go to his office much. It's dark and stuffy in there, but aren't all places that you don't like going into?

I reached his door and took a deep breath. I reached my hand out to knock, but the door swung open. I snapped my hand back and looked down at it. My hand was almost cut off because of that door. I held my wrist and looked at who opened the door. Out came the Duke and his bald bodyguard. The Duke was smirking at me. I straightened my back, put on a smile, and nodded towards him "Monsieur Duke." I don't like him.

He nodded back towards me. That was the only acknowledgment he gave me before walking down the hallway. I marched into Harold's office and sat down at the chair on the opposite end of his desk.

"Why hello Laila." He greeted me cheerfully "What brings you here?"

"I was wondering about the play." I started

"Did you wish to join?"

"Yes, I'd like to be part of the costume committee." Harold scribbled something down on a piece of paper "But that's not why I'm here."

Harold stopped his scribbling and put down his pen. "Go on."

"Yesterday, I met someone who would be perfect for designing the set for the play. He's and architect from America."

"And where did you meet this American fellow, hmmmm?"

"At the Moulin Rouge." I said without thinking what that could mean for him. Harold had his eyebrow raised. "Oh, no. No. Not that way." I quickly assured him. I really wish Satine would have talked to Harold, it would've so much easier to explain. "I meant it was near the Moulin Rouge. He's a friend, nothing more." I'll fill Harold in later.

Harold studied me before picking up his pen and scribbling once more. "Alright, Laila, you can have your wish. He can help, but with the design only."

I ran to the other side of the desk and hugged Harold. "Oh thank you, Harold! This is one of the nicest things you've ever done for me!"

I let go and headed towards the door. "One last thing, puppet." I spun around "Don't do something you'll regret later."

"I won't. Promise." I smiled and left his office.


Later that evening, we had a short meeting. Everyone involved in the upcoming play was there. Harold simply told everyone that the dance hall would be transformed into a theater. I stood next to Alex, our hands laced together, while Harold droned on. I didn't pay attention to much of what he said, until a wrecking ball came crashing through the wall and nearly killed Harold. He simply stood back up and shouted, "The show must go on!" I hope he doesn't keep that line.

After the meeting, Satine invited Alex and myself to dinner at Christian's apartment. Christian lead us through his entire thinking process. "Mad with jealousy, the evil maharajah forces the courtesan to tell the sitar player that she doesn't love him." Then he changed his voice to mimic the Argentinean. It was a pretty good match. "Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with love." Back to normal, Christian continues "Says the sitar player, throwing money at her feet and leaving the kingdom!"

Christian went to the ledge of his balcony. We all reached out to him and shouted "No!" before he came back and we all started laughing uncontrollably. The wine helped with that. "But a life without love," Satine giggled "That's terrible!"

Christian leaned over Satine. I focused my gaze on my hands. I don't like watching this stuff. "Wait! That's my part!" I heard Toulouse shout, "That's my part, Christian! Don't you dare!"

I leaned on Alex's shoulder. "This is insane." He whispered to me. I traced the lines in his hands and nodded my head. "I love it." He continued. I could almost feel the smile that formed on his face. Then there was a pillow in my face.

"Laila, pay attention!" Satine shouted.

I threw the pillow back at her. "Oh, and you were paying attention? I think not."

She waved her hand at me. "Fine, fine. But I need you to think of something that the magical sitar can say so that the sitar player and the courtesan can live happily ever after."

"Why can't Christian do it?" I pouted

"He can't think of anything, can you dear?" Christian smiled and shook his head.

"Have any ideas?" I asked Alex

"I'm only good at inventing buildings and such."

I thought for a while, all eyes were on me. "What about, 'he's trying to kill you'?"

"No, this needs to be the one line the audience remembers." Christian said. I could tell he was trying to think of something too.

I started to laugh. "I have an idea, but it's a little cheesy."

Satine threw the pillow back at me. "Out with it!"

"Alright, alright." I said, settling myself. "What about 'the greatest think you'll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved in return'?" The room was silent.

"Laila, that's perfect!" Christian said, getting up and pulling me off the couch. He twirled me around the room, with everyone laughing. He spun me back onto the couch, making me almost fall on top of Alex. I ended up landing with my head in his lap. "Where'd you learn to dance so well?"

I blew a strand of hair out of my face. "Well," I made eye contact with Alex "I did a little practice." Alex and I laughed before Toulouse poured everyone another glass of wine.