Thus my evil plot mwahahahahaha (see bottom of chapter)
Enjoy.
"Velvet!"
It was the next day and I was walking down the hall from my room when Nini called out to me from the door to the alleyway.
"Yeah?"
She beckoned for me to join her and I followed her out into the alleyway.
"The Duke invested in the bohemian's play. Zidler's having the dance hall converted into a theatre!" She told me, thrilled to have new gossip.
I decided to supply her with even more.
"Well that's not surprising after last night" I said.
Nini put her hands on her hips, "What would you know about that?" she said disbelievingly.
"Well I saw it" I replied casually.
"Sure" she said scornfully.
"I did. Through the window in the elephant. I climbed up there with Toulouse and the Argentinean and all them." I said.
"I'm surprised you saw anything if you were with that Argentinean" she said mischievously.
I glared at her, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well you two seem pretty cosy" she said, her eyes glinting.
If there is one thing I can't stand it's being made fun of.
"At least it's one man Satine won't get her hands on" I said bitterly.
Nini's expression changed, she disliked Satine too and I knew she was seeing an opportunity for a bitch session.
"I don't see what's so special about her myself," Nini said malevolently, "But she has that fancy-pants Duke and the writer all over her. That Christian may be naïve but he is gorgeous.
I nodded, but I was surprised and a bit pissed off that Nini had her eye on Christian too.
Just then the door opened and Harold Zidler walked out, filling the alleyway with his large, commanding presence.
"What are you girls doing out here?" he asked suspiciously.
"Oh what does it look like Harold?" I replied sarcastically.
He scowled at me, I don't think he's ever like me very much, but because he was friends with my dad, he took me in as a favour to him.
"Well you need to get down to the dance hall. I have to make an announcement" he said, ushering Nini and I out of the alleyway.
I was lost in my thoughts when I suddenly bumped into someone on the stairs. I looked up, jolted out of my daydreams and met intense green eyes.
"S-sorry" I stammered, a little shaken.
"My fault," Christian replied with a smile, "I'm supposed to be downstairs anyway."
"Me too, Harold just sent me down there" I said.
We walked down the stairs together. On our way to the hall, I saw the Argentinean coming towards us. I inhaled sharply, remembering early this morning.
"Morning Christian" he said.
"Hello" Christian replied, somewhat uncertainly.
The Argentinean shot me a half angry, half hurt look, I opened my mouth to say something but he walked away.
"What..." Christian began to ask, but evidently thought better of it, "We're here." He finished lamely.
I smiled at him, "Well, I'll see you around."
"Yes, goodbye." He replied.
As soon as I took a seat on one of the mismatched chairs in the dance hall I let myself think about what had just happened.
The Argentinean obviously thought that something was going on between Christian and I. He is hurt and angry because just this morning, he let his feelings for me show.
I have to go and talk to him!
I was just about to get up and find him when Zidler arrived.
"We got the funding. We are able to begin the work on converting the Moulin Rouge into a theater! We will have created the world's first completely modern, entirely electric, totally bohemian, all singing, all dancing, stage spectacular!" Zidler announced grandly.
Suddenly, with a great crash, a huge wrecking ball smashed through the wall behind Zidler, who ducked behind the barricade in front of him. The watching people gasped in shock.
"The show must go on!" Zidler yelled, emerging from the behind the barricade covered in white plaster dust, but otherwise unharmed.
While the other people who had been watching milled around talking among themselves, I hurried off to find the Argentinean and set things straight.
On my way up the stairs I ran into Arabia.
I gritted my teeth, I would have to put aside my dislike for her in the hope that she could tell me where the Argentinean was.
"Have you seen the Argentinean?" I asked.
"It's a bit early for that Velvet. I mean, you can't have got out of bed that long ago" she said, smirking.
"Arabia. Have you seen him?" I repeated, struggling to keep my patience.
"That's his room," she said, pointing, "Have fun."
I gritted my teeth again, using all my willpower to stop myself from pushing her down the stairs.
When I reached the Argentinean's door I realized with a shock how nervous I was. That can't be my hand shaking, can it? I knocked gently and after waiting a few seconds, nervous as hell, I opened the door and went in.
The Argentinean looked up, he was slumped on a chair, two thirds of a bottle of Absinthe on the table next to him and an almost empty shot glass in his hand.
I just stood there awkwardly, "I-"
He cut me off, "You don't need to apologize Velvet. I know it's your job. I know it was stupid to let myself care about you and...think that you cared about me" he said, his voice laden with hurt.
"I didn't sleep with Christian. I met him on the stairs on the way down to the dance hall and we just walked down to the hall together, nothing more," I was shocked how much hearing that hurt in his voice had affected me, "And you're not stupid, because...I do care about you."
I turned to walk out and felt a hand on my shoulder, "That's good, because I never stopped caring." The Argentinean breathed.
He kissed my neck, making me shiver.
I turned and put my arms around his neck, his hands moved to my waist.
We kissed passionately, something we had both been longing for for a while.
When we finally pulled apart we were both breathing hard.
We were leaning in again when suddenly a bell clanged loudly downstairs.
"Merde. I have dance rehearsal" I groaned.
"Can't you blow it off?" the Argentinean said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
"No. I'm usually pretty loud and smart in rehearsals so Zidler will notice if I don't turn up" I replied regretfully.
"Well, I'll see you when I can" he sighed, leaning in to kiss me again. I put a hand on his chest to stop him.
"Maybe not. We might be here for awhile if we get started again."
He grinned, "Okay then, be good."
"I will" I called on my way out.
As I walked back down the stairs I tried to collect my thoughts.
I liked the Argentinean.
I wasn't just attracted to him; I cared about him too.
I was doing exactly what I told Satine a whore could never do.
I was falling hard for the Argentinean.
Among everything else, I was now a hypocrite too.
A/N: What did you think? Oh yeah, evil plan: I want 15 reviews before I submit the next chapter!
Please!
So review, review, review!
New Author's Note: Thankyou so much reviewers! My evil plan has worked better than I could have hoped (though I was mildly flamed once.) I'm very sorry that I have not updated recently, it's almost the Christmas holidays here in Australia, so I will try my best to do lots of updating then.
Lots of love,
Mariposa Gema