Chapter 8: Developing Feelings/Paris Burning/A Guy Like You

Natalie's POV

We were both on the ground, laughing with joy. I said as I continued laughing,

"That was really fun!"

Quasi said chuckling, "Yeah, I haven't had this much fun in a long time!"

I said, "Same here, and to be honest, I never really knew that I could dance like that."

He said as he playfully punched my arm," Hey, I told you that you could dance!"

I smiled and said, "Well, you can dance too!" And I playfully punched his shoulder.

We both laughed lightly. Then we looked into each other's eyes. What immediately caught my eye was that Quasi didn't stop looking at me.

Quasimodo's POV

As I looked into her brown eyes, I saw a twinkle in them. I was beginning to see the kind of person that Natalie was. When she wasn't sad, she was happy, kind, genuine, funny, she was just a bright spirit. She was just so beautiful, I just couldn't stop looking at her. As I continued to look at her, Natalie asked laughing lightly,

"What? What is it?"

I stammered for a minute, but then I finally said,

"I-It's just, you're really something special Natalie."

She smiled in response and said, "And you're something special too Quasimodo."

I smiled at her and we continued to look into each other's eyes. As we looked into each other's eyes, I felt myself pulling closer to Natalie as she did the same. Our lips were about to meet, until we heard the gargoyles hopping around and we turned our attention to them.

Hugo said as they were heading to the balcony, "Hey Quasi, you should see this!"

I got up and rushed to the balcony with them. Once I got to the balcony, I saw that the city of Paris was burning! Houses, the whole city. Then I saw Frollo with a group of gypsies and I quickly realized that he was looking for Esmeralda.

I exclaimed at the thought of her being out there,

"Oh no, Esmeralda!"

Then Natalie rushed over to me and asked, "Quasi, what's going on?"

I didn't want her to see any of this, because I knew she would freak out. So I said as I tried to guide Natalie back inside,

"Oh, N-Natalie! Um, y-you shouldn't see this."

She ignored me and ran to the balcony to see what was going on.

Natalie's POV

Once I got to the balcony, my mind went in shock as I saw the city of Paris burning. I quickly realized what was going on, Frollo was burning down Paris trying to look for Esmeralda. I said horrified,

"Oh my God."

I looked around and I spotted Frollo with a couple of soldiers at a house that was burning. I looked closer and I saw two soldiers coming out, throwing the lifeless bodies of a man and woman to the ground.

Then I saw two little kids coming out of the house and they rushed to the lifeless bodies and shouted as they cried,

"Mommy! Daddy!"

I grew more distraught as I saw them cry over their dead parents.

Then I heard Frollo shout, "Take them away!"

and I saw the guards forcefully drag the children away as they continued to scream and cry. Then I heard one of the guards shout,

"Get over here!" As he forcefully yanked the crying little girl away from her parents.

Enraged, I ran from the balcony to the stairwell. Before I could go down those steps, Quasi grabbed my hand and stopped me from going down. As I struggled against him, I shouted,

"Quasi, let me go! They need help!"

He said lifting me up off the ground, carrying me away from the stairs,

"Natalie, you can't go down there. It's dangerous."

I shouted as I was still struggling against his firm grip,

"I don't care! Those kids need help, they'll die out there!"

Quasi said as I still struggled, "You will too! Natalie, Frollo will kill you, if you ever leave the bell tower."

Then I stopped and looked at him and asked with tears in my eyes,

"But what's going to happen to them?"

Quasi said as he pulled me into an embrace, "I don't know Natalie. I-I just don't know."

I said with my face buried in his shoulder as tears fell from my eyes,

"This isn't right, he's taking out his own hatred and judgement on not just you, me, or Esmeralda, but on everybody in Paris. Including children!"

Quasi then said,

"I know, it's not right. But we must be calm. I'm pretty sure that Esmeralda is in the Court of Miracles and as long as you're with me in the bell tower, no harm will come to you."

I looked him in the eyes as he wiped away my tears and said, "Everything will be okay."

Then I got up and Quasi said, "I have to go ring the bells, I'll be back in a few minutes."

I said "Ok." And with that, Quasi left to go ring the bells and I walked up to the model of Paris.

I picked up the figurine of me and looked at it. Then I placed it next to Quasi's and I sighed and climbed up a ladder, headed over to Quasi's bed and I sat down. I thought about what Quasi said about me and the moment that we had before we saw Paris burning. Even though I felt it long before I came here, I was beginning to have feelings for Quasimodo. I saw more of who he was and he's just everything that I would like in a guy.

But it made me think about my previous relationship and how that ended badly, and I thought to myself,

Even if he did like me, would I be willing or brave enough to put myself through another relationship?

But I knew no matter what, Quasi would always be a guy that would understand how someone was feeling. But it also made me remember that he has feelings for Esmeralda, and it made me think, he wouldn't love me, no guy ever has.

All of the guys that I've known in my life that were my age treated me like I was a joke, like I was worthless.

It just made me think If no one likes me from my world, then how would this world be any different?

I sighed and put my hand over my face and I fell backwards onto the bed in dismay.

Then I heard a familiar voice ask, "Is everything alright?"

I looked and I saw Quasimodo standing right above me.

I answered casually, "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

Then he sat right next to me and asked, "About what?"

I sat up and answered as I shrugged my shoulders, "Just life, I guess."

Then he asked smiling as he raised a brow, "Like?"

I answered with a small blush,

"Just how great life is here, other than what's going on right now." He nodded in response.

I said, "I-It was nice ringing that you did."

He blushed and said, "Oh, thank you. B-But it's just my job."

I said smiling, "And yet, you're so good at it."

He smiled in response and said, "Thanks Natalie." I nodded in response.

Then all of a sudden, he sighed and looked away from me.

I asked, "Quasi? Quasi what is it?"

He asked me, "Do you think Esmeralda is alright?"

I answered, "Well, I may not know where she is right now, but I know that wherever she is, she's alright."

He asked, "Do you really think so?"

I replied, "I know it."

Then he asked me, "Natalie, do you also think that I have a chance with Esmeralda?"

The question struck a chord with me, because I felt something for Quasimodo and I wanted so badly to tell him. But I felt like he would've laughed in my face and rejected me. I also knew that I couldn't be selfish and that I should respect his feelings for Esmeralda.

I ended up said,

"Well yeah, I mean, like who wouldn't? Quasi, any girl would be lucky to have a guy like you, and I think if Esmeralda likes you enough to see you again, then I think you have a chance."

He smiled and said as he hugged me, "Thanks Natalie. Oh, you're such a good friend."

I said hugging him back, "Well, that's what friends are for."

Then he said, "I just wish I knew where Esmeralda was."

I said trying to give him hope, "Well, for all I know, she could be getting closer to Notre Dame."

He said, "Well, I'm gonna go see. Do you want to come?"

I replied, "Yeah, sure."

Then we got up from the bed and climbed down a ledge and walked over to the balcony where the gargoyles were standing.

Once we got there, Quasi asked them, "Any sign of her?"

As we looked around for Esmeralda. Victor snapped, "Oh it's a lost cause! She could be anywhere in the stocks, in the dungeon, on the rack, oh God!"

And he wailed on Quasimodo as I looked on in utter shock.

Laverne said, "Nice going, Victor."

Then Quasi asked, "No, he's right. What are we gonna do?"

I tried to say something, but Hugo went on to say,

"What are you guy talking about? If I know Esmeralda, she's 3 steps ahead of Frollo and well out of harms way."

Then Quasi asked, "Do you really think so?"

Hugo said confidently, "Hey, when things cool off, she'll be back, you'll see."

Then Quasi asked them, "But what makes you so sure?"

Laverne said messing with his hair as I giggled quietly, "Because she likes ya, we always said you were the cute one."

Then Hugo said with his mouthful, "I thought I was the cute one."

Then Laverne said, "No, you're the big fat, stupid one with the big mouth!" I laughed in response.

Then Hugo shouted, "Hey!"

I said as I tried to hide more of my laughs, "I'm sorry! That was just really funny!"

Then Laverne said, "Take it from us Quasi, you've got nothing to worry about."

Hugo said, "Yeah, you're irresistible!" Victor said laughing lightly, "Knights and shining armors aren't certainly her type."

Then Hugo said, "And those guys are a dime a dozen, but you, you're one of a kind."

I said "It's true."

Hugo then sang as he roasted a sausage;

Paris, the city of lovers
Is glowing this evening
True, that's because it's on fire
But still, there's "l'amour"

He continued to sing as he gave Quasi a card with a heart on it;

Somewhere out there in the night
Her heart is also alight
And I know the guy she just might be burning for
A guy like you
She's never known, kid
A guy like you
A girl does not
Meet everyday
You've got a look
That's all your own, kid
Could there be two...?

Then they all sang;

Like you?
No way!

I sang;

Those other guys
That she could dangle
All look the same
From every boring
Point of view
You're a surprise
From every angle
Mon Dieu above
She's gotta love
A guy like you

Victor sang;

A guy like you
Get's extra credit
Because it's true
You've got a certain
Something more

Hugo added;

You're aces, kid

Laverne sang as Quasi sat in a chair and the others gave him a haircut;

You see that face
You don't forget it

Then I saw Quasi with a hairdo that looked like Amadeus' and I covered my mouth to keep myself from laughing as the gargoyles sang;

Want something new?
That's you
For sure!

They sang as they looked at a muscular statue and took out a croissant;

We all have gaped
At some Adonis
But then we crave a meal
More nourishing
To chew
And since you're shaped
Like a croissant is
No question of
She's gotta love
A guy like you

Then Laverne sang as Victor played a piano;

Call me a hopeless romantic
But Quasi, I feel it

Then they sang;

She wants you so, any monent
She'll walk through that door
For

A guy so swell
A guy like you
With all you bring her
I tell you Quasi
A fool can tell
There never was
It's why she
Another was he?
For you-know-who
From king to serf
To the bourgeoisie
You ring the bell
We notice every string there
You're the bell ringer!

When she wants ooh-la-la
Then wants you-la-la
She will discover, guy
You're one heck of a guy
Who wouldn't love a guy
Like you?

Then they finally sang;

You got a lot
The rest have not
So she's gotta love
A guy like...
...you!

As Hugo spun me around really fast and I felt myself falling until I found myself in Quasimodo's arms as the gargoyle's decorations of love and hope surrounded us.