I stared at myself in the long, full-length mirror, toying uselessly
with my almost waist length black hair. Ever since Nicholas had left, I
hadn't been able to really focus on anything. With a defeated sigh I
stepped over to the open back of the elephant, climbing carefully down the
wrought iron golden staircase and down to the lit pavilion. At this late
hour, most of the high paying customers had gone home, and only the ever-
partying bohemians were at the many tables, swilling half-empty bottles of
Absinthe and giggling loudly. The heavily implied sexual tension in the
elephant was pulling at my nerves, and I breathed in relief as the warm, if
alcohol dripping air, washed over my body in comforting waves. With a
genuine smile I aimlessly roamed the Parisian streets, running my hands
over the familiar grime swept cobblestones that formed the buildings. The
darkness was thick, cold, a welcome relief from the impossibly bright
lights and hot atmosphere of the Moulin Rouge. The streets were deserted
and refreshingly quiet. The only sound was the gentle rise and fall of my
breath. The image of Nicholas invaded my consciousness again, his friendly
brown eyes, chocolate colored hair, and bright smile.
"Haven't we met
You're some kind of beautiful stranger
You could be good for me
I've had the taste for danger"
I paused. How did I start singing that? With a shrug and a slight smile I continue the words to the song. The lyrics seem to perfectly fit my feelings.
"If I'm smart then I'll run away
But I'm not so I guess I'll stay
Heaven forbid
I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger"
I start dancing around the empty alley with a reckless abandon, twirling around and watching the bottom of my dress billow out as it catches in the wind.
"I looked into your eyes
And my world came tumbling down
You're the devil in disguise
That's why I'm singing this song"
I was so caught up in the music that I didn't hear the light patter of footsteps on the stone streets behind me.
"Excuse me? Miss Velvete?" I whirled around at the familiar voice, embarrassed to feel my face burning in a heated blush. Nicholas stared at me with a sheepish yet infatuated expression. I NEVER blushed. I unconsciously ran my hand habitually through my hair, trying to smother my feelings.
"Yes?" I finally said, hoping my mortification wasn't evident in my tone.
"I…" he trailed off helplessly, looking about as embarrassed as I was. "I couldn't fall asleep, and I wanted to show you…you see, I was hoping to get a job as an artist for the Moulin Rouge, and I wanted you to look at…." He fumbled for his brown sketchpad he seemed to always carry around, flipping quickly through the pages, finally settling on one. I couldn't help but peer at it curiously, then gasping slightly. It was a drawing of me, yet it captured emotion as no art I had ever seen before. I was sitting on the bed in the elephant, my robe fanning out at my sides, my head turned promiscuously, a devilish smile haunting my lips. I touched the paper hesitantly.
"It's…it's beautiful." I said, looking at him with a new wonder and respect. "You have a real talent." He grinned.
"It's nothing. " he stopped, seeming to be internally battling himself. "When we…when we were in the elephant together…" he swallowed. I shifted uncomfortably, staring hard at the dirty ground. That particular situation was still fresh in my mind. "You….it felt like there was really…something…..between us." Why was he doing this? He KNEW I was a courtesan. The poor guy was only setting himself up to be hurt. "And I was just wondering if you…felt it too." I DID! A part of myself screamed. And you know it! But I stopped myself before I would say anything foolish.
"Of course not." I said shortly. He looked down sadly, staring back up at me hopelessly.
"It just felt so real." He almost whispered. I sighed, stepping closer to him.
"Nicholas, I'm a courtesan. I'm paid to make it feel real." I winced as soon as the words slipped out. They seemed overly harsh, and I berated myself silently. "Besides," I said, trying to soften the blow, "it wouldn't matter. You wouldn't want to fall in love with someone like me." I turned to walk away before the situation could worsen, but Nicholas' incredulous voice stopped me.
"What? Why wouldn't I?" he asked. I frowned. I thought at least THAT would be obvious.
"Because….because I…I sell myself." I said.
"I don't care." He said with a shrug. I laughed.
"What?" I asked with a helpless grin.
"I don't care who you are
Where you're from
Don't care what you did
As long as you love me" he sang lightly with a 'who loves you baby?' smile. I giggled. He tentatively touched my cheek, and I was surprised to feel how much emotion simply brushing my skin with his stirred up. I was forced to look up and tilt my eyes into his deep brown ones, eyes you could get lost in. He leaned forward to kiss me, and I almost eagerly responded before stopping myself. I pushed him away, alarmed at how close I had come to willingly kissing him. "No, I can't do this." I hissed out, backing away. "I'm sorry. It's better this way." I continued, disturbed at the hurt that instantly brimmed his face. All falling in love with me would do was get this guy in way over his head. And he didn't deserve that. Before he could answer I turned away and stalked quickly back down the cold street, not once stopping to look back. But the worst part was that the pain in his features was reflected in mine, too.
~*Author's Note*~ OMG I know its rather like the movie right now, but it'll get lots different, I promise you! ^_^ So do not fear. Thank you very much for reading this chapter! And a great big thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed. I really love you guys. You make my day! I've got so much bad/weird/unhappy stuff going on in my life right now, and it really makes me happy to see reviews. So…..REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thankx. LUV YA!!!!!
"Haven't we met
You're some kind of beautiful stranger
You could be good for me
I've had the taste for danger"
I paused. How did I start singing that? With a shrug and a slight smile I continue the words to the song. The lyrics seem to perfectly fit my feelings.
"If I'm smart then I'll run away
But I'm not so I guess I'll stay
Heaven forbid
I'll take my chance on a beautiful stranger"
I start dancing around the empty alley with a reckless abandon, twirling around and watching the bottom of my dress billow out as it catches in the wind.
"I looked into your eyes
And my world came tumbling down
You're the devil in disguise
That's why I'm singing this song"
I was so caught up in the music that I didn't hear the light patter of footsteps on the stone streets behind me.
"Excuse me? Miss Velvete?" I whirled around at the familiar voice, embarrassed to feel my face burning in a heated blush. Nicholas stared at me with a sheepish yet infatuated expression. I NEVER blushed. I unconsciously ran my hand habitually through my hair, trying to smother my feelings.
"Yes?" I finally said, hoping my mortification wasn't evident in my tone.
"I…" he trailed off helplessly, looking about as embarrassed as I was. "I couldn't fall asleep, and I wanted to show you…you see, I was hoping to get a job as an artist for the Moulin Rouge, and I wanted you to look at…." He fumbled for his brown sketchpad he seemed to always carry around, flipping quickly through the pages, finally settling on one. I couldn't help but peer at it curiously, then gasping slightly. It was a drawing of me, yet it captured emotion as no art I had ever seen before. I was sitting on the bed in the elephant, my robe fanning out at my sides, my head turned promiscuously, a devilish smile haunting my lips. I touched the paper hesitantly.
"It's…it's beautiful." I said, looking at him with a new wonder and respect. "You have a real talent." He grinned.
"It's nothing. " he stopped, seeming to be internally battling himself. "When we…when we were in the elephant together…" he swallowed. I shifted uncomfortably, staring hard at the dirty ground. That particular situation was still fresh in my mind. "You….it felt like there was really…something…..between us." Why was he doing this? He KNEW I was a courtesan. The poor guy was only setting himself up to be hurt. "And I was just wondering if you…felt it too." I DID! A part of myself screamed. And you know it! But I stopped myself before I would say anything foolish.
"Of course not." I said shortly. He looked down sadly, staring back up at me hopelessly.
"It just felt so real." He almost whispered. I sighed, stepping closer to him.
"Nicholas, I'm a courtesan. I'm paid to make it feel real." I winced as soon as the words slipped out. They seemed overly harsh, and I berated myself silently. "Besides," I said, trying to soften the blow, "it wouldn't matter. You wouldn't want to fall in love with someone like me." I turned to walk away before the situation could worsen, but Nicholas' incredulous voice stopped me.
"What? Why wouldn't I?" he asked. I frowned. I thought at least THAT would be obvious.
"Because….because I…I sell myself." I said.
"I don't care." He said with a shrug. I laughed.
"What?" I asked with a helpless grin.
"I don't care who you are
Where you're from
Don't care what you did
As long as you love me" he sang lightly with a 'who loves you baby?' smile. I giggled. He tentatively touched my cheek, and I was surprised to feel how much emotion simply brushing my skin with his stirred up. I was forced to look up and tilt my eyes into his deep brown ones, eyes you could get lost in. He leaned forward to kiss me, and I almost eagerly responded before stopping myself. I pushed him away, alarmed at how close I had come to willingly kissing him. "No, I can't do this." I hissed out, backing away. "I'm sorry. It's better this way." I continued, disturbed at the hurt that instantly brimmed his face. All falling in love with me would do was get this guy in way over his head. And he didn't deserve that. Before he could answer I turned away and stalked quickly back down the cold street, not once stopping to look back. But the worst part was that the pain in his features was reflected in mine, too.
~*Author's Note*~ OMG I know its rather like the movie right now, but it'll get lots different, I promise you! ^_^ So do not fear. Thank you very much for reading this chapter! And a great big thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed. I really love you guys. You make my day! I've got so much bad/weird/unhappy stuff going on in my life right now, and it really makes me happy to see reviews. So…..REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thankx. LUV YA!!!!!