Hey friends. I can't believe the positive feedback I got on the first chapter! Wow. tear I feel so loved.
SPOT: forlornly I love you
grins and swoons Oh, yeah...the story! Um....Disney owns Newsies, TWC owns Moulin Rouge. I think that's it. Onward!
Jack sighed restlessly. Today, October the eighth, 1900, he was eighteen. With one year left in the ranks of the newsboys, a lifetime of uncertainty stretched before him. One short year. 365 days and his life, as he had known it for twelve years, would be over. What was to become of him? Santa Fe was still a possibility, albeit a remote one, but most likely he would spend his days slaving in a factory, struggling to feed a wife and five children like every other poor wretch in the city. He sighed again. As yet, the future was not looking bright.
The door slammed open, "Get up," a tall, slender girl strode briskly own the center of the room to his bunk, "Get up," she repeated, "I refuse to let you lie around and mope on your birthday."
Jack glanced at her. Her hands were on her hips, her chin was set, and her too-blue eyes, though full of the best intentions, were firm. He closed his eyes again.
"Wrong answer," she said dryly, hauling his legs over the edge of the bed.
"Ireland..." he groaned.
"No. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You are not turning into an old man, your life is not over, and you have a whole year to figure yourself out, so move it."
Jack finally smiled. The girl he had regarded as a sister and best friend since they had been small children always knew what was on his mind. "See why I need to worry," he told her, "You know me too well...it's a little scary."
She grinned crookedly, "You know you'd get bored without me around." She turned him to face the washroom, "Now go. Clean up, shave, something...the boys are taking you out tonight."
Jack shot her a puzzled glance over his shoulder, "Aren't you coming?"
"I will not be a part of that kind of debauchery...though I'm sure you'll enjoy it very much."
Jack shrugged as he lathered shaving cream over his face, "I'm only human."
Ireland raised an eyebrow in an expression of shock, "I think I might have to save up and buy one of those new recording makers since I'm sure I'll never hear those words out of your mouth again." She kicked at him playfully, "Don't take too long, you'll wanna get their before the major crowds hit...and keep an eye on Spot."Verte Violette was technically a dance hall. Everyone knew it was actually Manhattan's most extravagant bordello, but everyone from the mayor on down was perfectly content with the pretense of innocence. Inside, the most beautiful women north of Atlanta could be found, decked in scanty, though no less exquisite, costumes. Music in a rich tapestry of styles could be heard for blocks, and the dance floor never seemed to stop throbbing with the constant crush of people. Champagne flowed like rivers and happiness could be bought with ease. It was no wonder why it had become a Mecca to men up and down the east coast. Jack's jaw dropped when he saw it.
"You sure as hell better appreciate this, pal." Race said as he fumbled for a match, "I had to take it easy at the tracks for a whole month to pay my share." Jack looked thoroughly confused.
"We've all been saving to chip in and get you here for your birthday," Mush explained with a huge smile.
"Yeah," Spot added, "You wouldn't believe how much it is just to get on the wait list, then we had to come up with extra to make sure you got service inside."
"Yeah, we paid fat, so let's get in there and enjoy it," Race glanced impatiently at the entrance.
Jack raised his eyebrows at his friends, all of whom had girls that they saw steadily, "We? As in all of us are going in?"
Spot dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand, "Don't worry, the girls all know. They're okay with it."
"Yeah," Blink snorted, "We're all here with death threats and worse, but they're okay with it. So let's go before they change their minds."
Laughing and nervous the boys entered through the palatial doors of Verte Violette. Jack's name was indeed on the list for the night, and so at the behest of a tuxedo-clad maitre'd, they passed through the inner doors and into the dance hall.
Their table was already set with champagne and chocolate, complements of the house as with every guest. For a moment, the group could only stare in open-mouthed awe at the splendor of the interior. Gilded balconies full off people rose for three stories on their right and left, an immense crystal chandelier, dimmed to give the room a surreal aura, dripped from the ceiling. The seats of the chairs were scarlet plush velvet and the matching carpet was thick underfoot. The dance floor (what little could be seen between the occupants) was polished until it reflected like glass.
Almost immediately, a violet eyed blonde swept up to the table. Her gown of clinging green silk was cut low over a voluminous bosom, and hiked up on one side to display both her shapely legs and the rows of purple frills underneath her skirt. Her slender arm snaked around Spot's neck flirtatiously.
The Brooklynite began to smile until he caught Jack's sharp glare. With a deep sigh, Spot eased the girl's arm off of his shoulders. She pouted a moment and then turned her gaze on Racetrack. Eyeing Jack slyly the Italian rose to his feet, "Hey, what Sapphy don't know..." he shot a look back at the table, "It's just dancin' fellas." With that, he disappeared onto the floor.
Given courage by Race's daring defiance of his girlfriend, the other boys began to drift onto the dance floor on the arms of various harlots, finally leaving Spot and Jack alone at the table...with the champagne.
The hours climbed on towards midnight and Spot refused to let Jack go off on his own, "The best part of the night's still coming." He assured his friend. And indeed, as the clock struck midnight and a hush fell over the room Jack knew what he said was true.
From the center of the stage, a figure rose and a gleaming spotlight dropped down to illuminate a young woman. Jack felt his heart catch in his throat. She was undoubtedly the most stunning creature he had ever seen. Her skin was the color of old, creamy ivory, and her midnight hair gleamed in stark contrast twisted up at the back of her head. His eyes traveled down the length of her black and crimson dress, lingering over the ample chest and slender waist, brilliantly accentuated by the tight beaded bodice. Her full lips were red with vermillion and her smoldering dark eyes were lined in ochre. Diamonds glimmered upon her throat.
As she began to sing from Carmen every man in the room seemed to lean into her voice itself, as though the closer they came to the sweet notes, the closer they would be to her. Jack was no exception. His wide eyes were trained on her slightest movement. She danced her way back and forth across the stage and he felt goose bumps roll over his skin like water.
Spot grinned, "You like her?" His companion only nodded, eyes never leaving the performance, "Well she's yours tonight."
Jack's turned his head, anticipating a joking smile. Spot was utterly serious. "What?" Jack was almost breathless with disbelief, "I get to...she's gonna...we're..."
"Well not exactly." Spot admitted, "We didn't have enough cash for her to go all the way...but you get to dance with her, maybe even kiss her. I dunno; she's giving you all her time until six a.m."
Jack opened his mouth to reply and stopped short, blinded as the spotlight shone right into his eyes. A figure stepped in front of him, blocking the worst of the glare and suddenly neither boy could think of any words.
"Good evening gentlemen," Her voice was rich as gold and smooth as summer's honey. Those dark eyes, eyes that burned with an inner fire swept across the two and a dazzling smile bloomed on her crimson lips, "I am Roxanne, I believe Jack Kelly is expecting me."C'est Ca! That's it. I'm desperately sorry it took so long to update, but like I said, I had a dance recital. Now brace yourself for even worse news. It could well be August before I update again! I'm leaving for Europe on Saturday, I will return on the 26th and on the 27th I have to be in Richmond for a month long dance intensive. I will have access to computers, but it will be extremely limited. I'm sorry! I can only promise that I'll keep writing this down in my notebook so I can update right when I get home! Teddy Grahams for everyone who guessed correctly that Moulin Rouge = Red Mill. Next up, Godiva goodness to anyone who can tell me who won the Tony for best musical (the award show was great, it included Hugh Jackman dancing in gold lame pants!) Now, on to Shout Outs!
Lucky- Science in general sucks. I can't wait to get to college and not take it any more! Thank you so much for reviewing! big hug
Dakki- No! Not the unconscious Argentinean! I'll be good! I'll update! lol Yes Moulin Rouge is one of the most seriously awesome movies of all time! I've been trying to get it on DVD for years, but I never seem to be able to get enough cash together at the right time. sighs Someday. Oui, je etudiee aussi pour mess examens final en Francais. C'est jeudi et ma grammair est tres terrible! Mais, j'ai comprend beaucuop francais et j'aime l'histoire francais, ainsi j'ai bien. Once again, French cramming is definitely frightening. ;)
StormShadow21- Thanks for the positive review! Naw, Spot is not the lover of Roxanne (as you can probably see by now), mostly because I love him too much to think of him with other girls. If I ever actually get a love life of my own that might change, but for now, he's solely mine in all my writing.
Sapphy- Your Teddy Grahams are either honey or cinnamon . I LOVE le Tango de Roxanne. The first time I saw the movie, that scene more than any other in that fabulous movie left me absolutely breathless. So naturally now I wanna write a fanfic based on it ;) Well I guess now you know who the stranger is, and when you find out what happened to him as a result of Roxanne, you'll know just why he takes it so personally. big hug You're officially my number one reviewer since you've been the first to review both my stories. I love you!