Disclaimer: If you think I own this, your crazy. If you think I don't - congradulations! Ding ding! You win! Because I don't.

LadyDoroAnne has requested the honor of first reviewer - and since she requested it in a review, I must grant it. So, thanks to her! But don't worry, I am willing to give out second and third reviewer honors as well. In fact I have an unlimited amount of reviewer honors!

Chapter 2: Excited

After the last dance – by this time it was nearly midnight – Nini went backstage to find Sparkles and demand to know what had gone on with that boy, but she wasn't there.

"She left," said Arabia. "About fifteen minutes ago – to meet her Duke?" What was she talking about? The Duke was still in the dancehall; Nini had seen him, less than five minutes ago. A cold feeling crept into her stomach as Arabia continued, giggling, "Didn't you think the Englishman China was dancing with during 'Diamonds' was handsome?" she asked. "I'm sooo jealous!"

China and Mome Fromage came up to add to Arabia's gossip. Normally Nini would've joined them, but tonight she didn't feel like it. That and there were only two gentlemen that she'd really looked at – the Duke, and the boy. "I'm gonna go get ready." She told the others – her own 'date' for the night wasn't due in her room for another half an hour and there wasn't that much to get ready, but none of them questioned her as she left.

On the way, Nini stopped to look up at Sparkles' Elephant – yes, Sparkles got an Elephant to meet her men in, while the rest of them made due with cramped little rooms – and was surprised to see movement. Too much movement for only two people. Curiosity got the better of her, and Nini climbed up the tail of the Elephant to see what was going on, and whether it would ruin Sparkles' night and Nini's chances at a decent career.

She went down the steps to the Elephant's balcony quietly, but already she could tell that silence wasn't necessary, what with all the noise they were making. She gave a quick glance inside and her breath caught in her throat. No less than eight people were in the room, dancing wildly. Another glance told her that the people were those idiot Bohemians, Harold, Sparkles and both the Duke and the boy that Sparkles had danced with. And they were all singing about the play, Spectacular Spectacular.

As she watched, the boy told a story while Sparkles and Argie acted it out. Something about a courtesan falling in love with a pauper. Ridicules. Or so she thought – at the end of the song, the Duke said, "Generally I like it."

A cheer rose from the others in the room and Nini joined in – Sparkles' fatal mistake was not so fatal after all! She even entered the room to clap the Duke on the back with everyone else, hoping he didn't notice her. He didn't and soon Toulouse cried, "Party at my place! Come on!" Everyone but Sparkles left the Elephant, still laughing and cheering.

Harold and the Duke vanished to talk business and Toulouse ran around yelling about his spontaneous party, while everyone went up to join it. Nini laughed and downed a glass of Absinthe, immediately feeling much better. Nothing could go wrong now – the Duke was caught, and there was nothing anyone could do about it now.

"It's the end of the century!" Toulouse cried. "The Bohemian revolution is here!"

The excitement of the party rose and Nini, still laughing raucously, found herself on the floor with Chocolat on top of her. Beneath her, however, there was a hole in the floor – not surprising, considering the quality of these garrets – and through it she caught a glimpse of the room below.

"How wonderful life is, now your in the world." It was barely audible above sound of the party, but Nini was almost positive she'd heard it. Pushing Chocolat away playfully, she scooted closer to the hole and peered through it. There he was, the boy that Sparkles had danced with. He hadn't joined in the celebration and was instead staring longingly out his window – at Sparkles' Elephant.

She laughed again, this time from the absurdity of the situation. Could he possibly think that Sparkles had meant anything by the dance? Surely he wasn't that naïve, however much he looked like it! She turned back to the party, forgetting all about him.

The celebration lasted nearly until morning – Nini had forgotten, too, about the man waiting for her, but what was that when there was such excitement that night! When it finally began to peter out, there was no point in going to bed, so, still dressed in party clothes, holding a cigar in her mouth and a bottle of Absinthe in one hand, Nini went instead to the Elephant.

"Sparkles!" she said in a singsong voice. "You here?"

Sparkles emerged from the shadows, smiling – not her fake, dazzle-smile, but something much more natural. "I'm here." She said quietly.

"What did you do?" cried Nini, slightly drunkenly. "You didn't sleep with the Duke, but he still agreed to pay – what happened?"

"I – made a mistake."

"With that boy? Of course, but how you could possibly have thought he was the Duke –"

"Not that." Her smile faded slightly, and she said with complete seriousness, "I'm in love, Nini. I fell in love."

"You mean lust, Sparkles. The word is lust."

"No . . . love." Her voice had taken on a strange, ethereal tone.

Nini's happiness drained away, and she thought about taking another drink of Absinthe, to try and bring it back. Instead she offered the bottle to Sparkles, hoping it would bring her to her senses. Sparkles took it almost mechanically and drank from it, but briefly. "There's no such thing as love, Sparkles – just lust, and the things you can get from it." Nini said patiently, as though explaining something to a small child. Well, Sparkles was acting like one, if she really thought she was in love.

Sparkles nodded slowly. "I can't stop thinking about him."

"You will – just make it through this show, and everything will be fine."

This time, she slowly shook her head. "I don't want to stop thinking about him."

A/N: Just to be clear, I don't drink. Any description of what it's like to be drunk is entirely imagined. I have never tasted alcohol and I don't plan to. Ever.

Now that that's out of the way, what did you think? Please review!