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Lily smiled at Chris as she felt the familiar clunk of the aeroplane touching down on the runway. As she felt the plane begin to lose speed on the runway, she quickly pulled a lipstick from her bag, using the now blank television screen as a mirror to apply some. The flight had certainly been an interesting one, even by Lily's standards. She'd met Chris at JFK airport, and it was as though they'd never been apart. They simply slipped back into their old habits that were so familiar from their time at high school. In a way, Christopher seemed different, like something about him had changed, though Lily couldn't put her finger on precisely what. Then again, she'd probably changed too. Although, not too much, she hoped.

They'd boarded the plane first, taking their seats in first class; nothing but the best for the Triple Threat. Besides, they were all filthy rich and could easily afford it. But the moment the plane had taken off, Lily had started to feel nauseas. It was a horrible, familiar feeling that often told her that she'd screwed up again. But Lily was desperate just to enjoy this holiday and push any problems to the back of her mind. She was here to have fun with her friends, and that was exactly what she was going to do. She'd decided to start the party early, ordering herself a bottle of champagne to celebrate the summer. She'd toasted the first glass with Chris, and then proceeded to finish the rest of the bottle herself. And as she drained the final glass, her nausea had completely vanished and the world had a pleasant fuzzy feeling round the edges.

It was at that point she'd decided to try and persuade Chris to join the Mile High Club with her. However, he hadn't been quite so keen. Disappointed, but not dissuaded, Lily had struck up a conversation with the businessman sat behind them. By this time, she'd moved onto the liquors, which only encouraged her flirtatious behaviour. Under the disapproving gaze of Chris, Lily and the man, whom she'd never actually discovered the name of, slipped off to the on-board bathroom. The thrill of breaking the rules, mixed with alcohol and sex, created a pretty good combination, Lily discovered. Five minutes later, she was back in her seat, proud and satisfied, but decidedly drunk. Chris had tucked her up to sleep off the alcohol, and she'd spent the rest of the flight unconscious. He'd gently shaken her awake as the seatbelt signs came on to indicate they were landing.

"D'you know when Minnie was meant to be landing?" she asked Chris. She had mostly sobered up by this point, but she could still feel the effects of the alcohol, slurring her speech ever so slightly.

She felt the plane come to a halt as someone with a saccharine sweet voice thanked them for flying with Delta Airlines over the intercom.

Danielle had just gotten off work when she got a text from one of her friends completely gushing over a concert.

From: Maria
Message: Oh mon Dieu!! Le concert est CE SOIR! Je suis ainsi excité! Dites que vous serez là! Veuillez svp svp!
(Oh my God!! The concert is TONIGHT! I am so excited! Say you will be there! Please please please!)

Dani chuckled down at her phone and replied that she would be there. Looking back up from the mobile device, she glanced around the metro station. So many people, all hustling about with places to be. She made a mental note to paint this later, the people all moving in a blur by the railroad tracks. It would be beautiful. When her train pulled in, she boarded along with everyone else and stood next to the door. Shane would be standing on his head when she got home. J'espère qu'il n'a pas pissé partout... she thought to herself. The last thing she needed after a long day at work was to come home to puddles of dog urine all over her apartment. The metro rattled to a stop and she exited with the flow of the underground traffic.

When she arrived home, she was thankful to find that Shane had managed to contain her bladder. The massive dog bounded to greet her at the door, and she laughed as Shane's tail whipped back and forth in excitement. Grabbing her leash, she secured it onto her collar and took her out. It was such a beautiful day in Paris, so she decided to continue their outing down the sidewalk to the park. Shane loved the park, she loved being out in the sunshine and Dani felt a little guilty for having to leave her locked up in the apartment all day. We will be able to afford a house one day, baby boy... One with a yard for you... she thought to herself, in French, of course.

Shane slowly came trotting back to her and collapsed beside Dani in the grass, laying her head onto Dani's lap where she sat in the grass. Dani smiled warmly down at her and tenderly ran her fingers over Shane's soft fur. I wonder what Shay is up to, she looked out across the park at the pigeons and people. Dani felt her heart sink a little. Was she being a bad friend for not looking out for Shay more? After all, she was older than Shay and Shay didn't really have anyone... not anyone that Dani knew of, anyway. She was sure that Maria would have sent the text to Shay as well, seeing as Dani met Maria through Shay. That was another sobering thought. Dani really didn't have that many friends, aside from Shay and sometimes she didn't really know if she was friends with Shay or not. The crowd that she was in were going nowhere fast being pot heads and developing alcoholics, not your typical class A citizens. Still, who was she to judge?

Travelling had been something he was never keen on, especially on a plane flying half way across the world. It had always been a slight phobia for him which derived from one too many disaster movie. He even had difficulty taking the coach to New York in order to meet his old friend Lily. Despite the plane not being invaded by snakes or crashing on a deserted island, the ride had been less that smooth for the casual man. It seemed his friend hadn’t changed her ways much and drank half the flight’s supply of liquor. Paired with the fact she easily got bored of speaking with him, mainly because he refused to do anything with her (plane or not), she had turned her attention to a business man who sat behind her. He must have been about thirty-five at least. It was something he highly disapproved of but all of his attempts to stop her went nowhere.

He would have even got up to grab her arm as she left to the bathroom with him, but he was too nervous to even take off his seat belt. The only thing which kept his mind occupied on the flight was his portable game system; a Nintendo DS to be precise. He’d only brought a few games with him, Mario, Pokemon, Zelda, and some random game a college friend got him last year for his birthday. It was to do with creating your own people and controlling how they lived; Sims 2 or something like that. It wasn’t his favourite so he hardly ever played it. Chris couldn’t come up with anything interesting for his characters to do.

When Lily came back, smelling decidedly of sex and alcohol rather than the perfume she wore, he had rolled his eyes and closed the gaming system for now. With shaky hands he fetched a blanket and covered her up, shushing her to sleep to which, thankfully, she finally gave into. The rest of the flight was spent with her sobering up with rest and Chris returning to his game, only to look up every few minutes and watch the man she had fucked in the toilet. Somehow he believed them to be a ‘thing’ now. Eventually Chris found his protective nature kicking in and he fought verbally with him. After that he bothered them no more and it was only half an hour did they touch down in France; the unfamiliar jolt of the plane hitting the runway made him squeak with fear. He played it off as coming from the engine.

“D'you know when Minnie was meant to be landing?” Lily had asked, her speech still indicating the toxins were in her system. This would make it harder to get her off of the plane in one piece but he could do it. Chris slipped the consol into his bag and folded up the blanket, standing up and packing that away too.

“I’m not sure, I think she said she’d already be here.” He offered a shrug of broad shoulders and slung the black satchel over his shoulder. A hand was offered to help her up and he didn’t release it until they were safely inside the terminal with their suitcases and bags.

From there they headed towards the exit where they would be meeting up with Minnie and her sister, which Chris wasn’t sure whether he was happy about her coming or not. He was hoping it would just be the three of them like old times, but then who was he to say she couldn’t come?

Minette raked her slender fingers through his long brown curls as a small sigh drifted from her lips. She was completely exhausted, but it was all worth it. She was in the city of love, so she couldn't complain. Her eyes scanned the airport, watching the plethora of people scurry to their destinations and kiss their loved ones. A faint smile found its way onto her face before she allowed her eyes to drift to her little sister, Ara. There was a tense silence between the two, to Minnie's dismay. She wasn't very pleased with the fact that she and Ara couldn't have that sisterly bond that she always yearned for, however, Minette still had hope, and who knew maybe this vacation could allow them to bond.

Anxiously, Minnie fiddled with the sleeve of her gray shirt. She glanced at her purse, thinking about the orange container that was filled to the brim with pills that would keep her as sane as humanly possible. She hated her anxiety and felt as though it hindered her appearance to most people. In her mind, appearances were key, and she refused to be looked down upon for something that she had no control over, so that is why she tried in vain to hide her weakness. To take her mind off of her flaw, she fished out her iPhone and checked the E-mails between her and her pen pal, Damien Ackerman. She was pleased that she would finally be meeting her confidant in the flesh for the first time, it was all so exciting. She tapped on the screen, sending him an update on their travels.

Hey Damien,

Finally made it to Paris! I can honestly say that I'm too excited for words. Can't wait to see you in person.

Hitting send, Minette lifted her head, spotting her best friends, Lily and Chris reaching the exit. A large smile replaced the melancholy frown on her face. "Hey!" She beamed, dropping her suitcases to practically tackle Lily. Her small arms wrapped around her friend's slim waist and her lips placed a small peck on both of Lily's cheeks, noting the scent of champagne on her breath before she gave Chris the same treatment, but was careful not to seem too affectionate. Their multiple encounters were not lost on her, and she prayed that no bad blood would brew between them. She still felt guilty...

"I'm so glad to see you guys again." Her gaze landed on her sister, not wanting her to feel too left out. "You remember my sister, Elsa, right?"

Augustus' thoughts were like stars that were unable to form constellations. He was lost in a mixture of bliss and self loathing; the place between reality and his own imagination. It was at this particular moment that he fell his lowest; looking up at the unfamiliar ceiling of the motel, feeling the soft cotton of the hideous bedspread that he was currently resting on, and being eyed like a piece of meat by the brown eyes of the woman that he had sold his soul to. She lit a cigarette and placed it between her lips, blowing the deadly smoke into the atmosphere where it would mingle with the oxygen and carbon dioxide and slowly poison him.

That was all she was to him...poisonous. She was the cyanide to his happiness, and she managed to let it be known that she wasn't willing to stop her games. The feeling in Augustus' chest was one that he'd grown accustom to. It was a feeling of everlasting regret, rueful...almost mournful. He mourned the days when he was actually happy with himself. He indulged in the nostalgia while ignoring the sound of her still labored breathing, his multicolored eyes glued to the dull beige ceiling.

Will the guilt ever end? Not only had he betrayed the only woman in his life that he's ever loved, but he was betraying his own flesh and blood. His father was a stern man, but expressed his love through his teachings and effort. There were times when he did seem like a rather bitter man, but he was a man that was widowed and still in love with the first woman that he's ever said 'I do' to. It wasn't until he met Eve that he actually seemed to become much more lively. Now, Augustus was in bed with her, watching the swirls of smoke slowly flow out of her mouth as if they were his values and morals being blown into oblivion.

"You're staring again," Eve smirked, pushing the covers over her naked chest.

"I'm observing," he stated. "I'm also contemplating why you find amusement in my downfall."

"Must you be so dramatic? It's just sex, Gussy."

"And I'm just your husband's son and you're just my step-mother, and my name is just not Gussy," he sighed. Huffing, the older woman pushed herself up, grabbing her undergarments and clothing off of the recently vacuumed carpet.

"You sure know how to mess up a good afterglow, August," Eve muttered. "I swear, if you weren't so good, I'd say you were just like your father."

"You probably forgot what he feels like because you're too busy screwing me. I want out. This is so wrong on so many levels, Eve and you know it," Augustus was now pulling on his pants while fixing his messy hair. His body felt stiff as he pulled on his T-shirt.

"I bet you also want me to tell him that you bought me here, took advantage of me and forced me, am I right?" With her blouse unbuttoned and her hair in disarray, Eve grinned devilishly at him. "You see, Gussy, a woman like me has needs. I love your father, but he has a role to play in my life. His role is security and yours is to provide. You play your role and no one gets hurt."

"You are an obnoxiously horrendous burden on society. It is people like you that prey on those that are too righteous to witness the evil before them that causes people like me to gag in utter disgust. To say that you sicken me is an understatement, and I believe, wholeheartedly that when God created you, he forgot to add a warning label and a conscious," Augustus glared at her with pure distaste. "To dumb this down for you...you're a bitch."

Eve giggled as if he'd just said the most amusing joke in existence. "Oh, Gussy," she grinned maliciously. "I love it when you talk dirty to me."

Christofer Alan bone was once again away from home, much to his delight. There hadnt been a trip planned for a few months and he had resigned himself to that time at home. He had put himself in the mental state needed to stay at home but when he had been asked to go on the trip he had happily accepted. His wife of course wasn't happy about the situation, "you always leave me, you always go away and never take me, you worthless sonofabitch." she had ranted and railed at him while their child lay sleeping peacefully in the room above them. Thankfully she hadn't hit him this time. Instead he was forced to sleep on the couch and sneak around her as he packed for the trip. But eventually he was ready to go and so he went to little Peter's room and saw him playing quietly while his nanny knit humming a soft gaelic tune as she rocked on the chair. He and the nanny had exchanged looks, time and time again had he been asked to leave his wife by the kind nanny but Christofer was not strong enough to do so, and thus Peter stayed in the home with a well equipped nanny to raise him. Christofer bent before Peter and the boy smiled an innocent and naive smile at him and Christofer gave the boy a long hug. "love you lad." he muttered against the boys dark curls.
"wuv you too da." the boy said softly to him and Christofer left a half an hour later and was on the place to Paris by the evening.

His company had rented him a small one bedroom apartment that he was free to make his own for the duration of his stay. He was to remain in Paris for a few months as the Paris oil division called upon him for help. In a way this was a sort of vacation for him, when he wasn't in long meetings or at fancy dinners he was free to do as he please. So not only had he packed nice suits but he had also brought jeans and sweaters and a camera. He had bought the thing on an impulse buy according to the sales boy it was the best of the best and Christofer intended to learn how to use it. He stepped onto the balcony of the apartment. It was downtown Paris and so the streets were alive with noise and laughter. He couldn't see the Effile tower but he was sure he was close to it. Smiling he snapped a few pictures and glanced down and frowned when they were all dark. He spun a few knobs and tried again and this Tim's they were far too exposed. Once again he fiddled around with the settings and was quite pleased when it came out as a fairly decent picture.

Once he was settled into the apartment he dressed for his first dinner with the oil company. It was to be at a fine little place a few streets down with a private table for them to discuss business. He dressed for success putting on a dark suit and tie. When he looked in the mirror he patted his hair down a bit, he had let it grow out a bit longer for the trip rather than his usual short fashion and he quite liked the results. Once he deemed himself acceptable to leave he locked the door to the apartment and then headed down the stairs and outside. He began the walk towards the restaurant and while he walked a few boys came up to him. They spoke a bit too fast for him to catch what they were saying but he smiled and accepted the paper and watched them run off to give the paper to somebody else. He looked down and say it was a band advetisment. The group looked interesting and since he had the dates off for the the show he thought it might be interesting. He wanted to explore Paris, wanted to see its people and be able to tell others he had been there. Carefully he folded the paper and tucked it into his breast pocket.

The dinner was long and boring, they discussed drills and ground density. Christofer was greatful when it was over and bid everyone good night and politely declined when they offered to take him out for drinks. Instead he wanted to walk around. He loosened his tie and undid the first button of his shirt and slipped his hands into his pockets and breathed the Paris air. He smiled suddenly and that surprised him, smiled for him were often forced and a sudden spontaneous smile was rare. Perhaps Paris would do good things for him, he mused as he walked along the streets.

Johnathan had spent most of the morning nodding along to conversations that didn't really concern him all too much. Occasionally a friend or acquaintance would approach and for a brief moment or two he would have a decent conversation, but soon enough they would wander off on their own and he found himself lingering around the bar, blankly staring at the selection of alcohol on offer. He felt guilty just looking at them. The bottles called for him and he ran his tongue over his teeth, he could almost taste the sweet liquid running down his throat.

"Are you waiting to be served?" the man behind the counter asked, gesturing to the drinks that Johnathan had been eyeing up for the past twenty minutes or so. "No. I was just leaving," he replied, taking his weight off the counter so that he could keep a straight posture. "Thanks". They both exchanged glances, before Johnathan turned to exit.

The cold breeze of the outside world hit him like a brick, and he shoved his hands into his pockets and brought his shoulders up, releasing a shakey breath that caused a mist to cloud his vision briefly. He had no specific destination in mind, but simply just walking through the streets of Paris was nice. Peaceful, even.

He took a turn into an alley way, and when he had emerged from it he was greeted by the salty air of the seafront. He padded along the hot sand, shoes and socks in hand. His eyes followed the movements of families and children digging holes, seemingly competing with one another. He released a deep chuckle and shook his head, memories of himself being a child entering his mind. He thought of when his own mother had taken him to the beach, she had been so kind and patient with him. Wandering closer to the water, Jonathan slipped off his shoes and socks and placed them just out of reach of the water. He dipped his toe in the water and found it to be pleasantly cold. He grinned and then with out another thought he hiked up his pant legs and stepped into the water. He let out a growl against the cold of the water and walked in up to his shins.

He felt better now that he was away from temptation. The fresh air and cold water helped to clear his mind. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes for a moment.

Shay sat alone at a table inside Starbucks and peacefully sipped the macchiato that she had actually bought with her own money this time. Her own money. She felt totally grown up today. Recently she had promised herself to stop mooching off of her friends so much, and Dani was most often her victim. Shay didn't want her to get annoyed. After all, she knew Dani was trying her best to save for a house. Who was Shay to keep her from that goal? Of course, it was such a habit for Shay to ask for money for small things that she never noticed when she was doing it anymore. She reminded herself that she'd tell Dani to refuse whenever she asked for some change. Besides, Shay had a job now, at the local Victoria's Secret store. Plus a future career in tattooing. It was time to grow the hell up.

Another thing she mooched off of Dani and her other friends was a place to sleep. Shay was pretty much homeless, but she usually slept in a ratty little motel in the heart of the city. It was all she could really afford. Dani's apartment was just...so much cleaner than her motel room. Her couch might've actually been more comfortable than the saggy, lumpy motel room bed. If she didn't spend the night at Dani's, it would be Maria's. If not Maria's, then Shay was probably spending the night with some guy or girl she met at one of her favorite clubs. They were always a lot more attractive the night before.

Shay resolved that she'd make an effort to clean her motel room, and maybe even buy some blankets to make her bed more comfortable. She wanted to make it a place where she could actually stand to live, because who knew when she'd have enough money for an actual living space?

Once she finished her apprenticeship at the cute little tattoo studio Je t'aime Tatouages, hopefully they'd give her the job and she'd be golden. But that was another year or so down the road, so meanwhile Victoria's Secret was her main source of income. She knew she was good at working there. Shay could tell anyone about any bra in the whole store and folded panties like a boss. She worked five days a week from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM and was always on time, even if she had gone out the night before. It wasn't boring, so she felt that she was in an okay position job-wise at the moment.

Shay snapped out of her life contemplation as her cell phone buzzed on the table. Maria had messaged her about the concert that she'd heard about from everyone today. A young, local band was taking flight, and Shay had already decided that she'd go and support them. She loved music and liked to support local bands, plus having a good time was always a bonus. Supposedly her friends were going, so she'd meet up with them there tonight.

"What will it be, gentlemen?" Danielle's French was practically yelled over the boom of the bass. The concert was well on the way, and crowds of people poured in through the doors or stood anxiously outside in line. The bar literally vibrated, shaken by the venues' sound system. "Dani!" The call of a familiar voice pulled her attention away from the draft she was pouring. "Yeah?" "Take the rest of the night off, babe, you're working too hard! Live a little!" Her boss grinned at her and then at the club hoppers Danielle was serving. "Enjoy it, gentlemen," Dani smiled, earning herself a twenty euro tip. Jaquelle just laughed at her best server and patted the younger girl on the back. "Seriously, Dani, please. Go enjoy the concert..." Dani smiled weakly, unable to tell Jaq no. "Alright," she sighed, fessing up a genuine smile. "Fine!" The women laughed and exchanged a hug, and then, after grabbing a beer, Dani was lost in the crowd.

The establishment was pretty large. Two levels. The first being the main level, with the circular bar to the back, a dance floor in the center and the DJ booth, which for tonight had been converted into a stage, pressed against the far wall. Along the sides of thefirst floor were couches, and black glass coffee tables for lounging. Hanging from the ceiling on the first floor were Dani's favorite decorations; blue lights, and plenty of them. In her opinion, the lights of the lower floor gave it a cool, laid back vibe that contrasted well with the upper level. The floor of the room in the lounge section was lit with soft yellow diamonds, while the main floor was carpet and the dance floor made of wood. The second floor boasted a beautiful VIP lounge and bar, with circular red couches that could be made private by releasing the heavy red curtains that hung beautifully from the ceiling. The section was clearly marked by lengthy red velvet ropes and two large body guards.

Dani had been working at the club since she was old enough to work the bar, and knew the place very well. The band wasn't half bad tonight, either. Danielle made her way through the sea of people until she found herself in the middle of the sweat and male hormones. After a few sips of her beverage, she began to sway along to the music. The drums kicked through the room so hard it was as if the beating had replaced her own heartbeat. The feeling was familiar, and enjoyable. Danielle suddenly remembered Shay, and wondered if she were still coming tonight. Pulling out her phone, she texted her friend.



To: Shay
Message: Hey, dearest! Are you still coming tonight? Text me when you get here, I'll meet you outside and get you in! <3 Dani knew that Shay didn't enjoy handouts, but what good was it working for the hottest club in Paris if you can't invite friends to come? Besides, she knew how low on cash Shay was and she hated to party alone.

It was evening and Christofer found himself in a loud club. His head was bobbing slightly with the music and he looked back onto the last time he had been at a club. It had been with his wife, she had danced with other men and complained to him that he was a terrible dancer and that every other man in the room was ten times better than he was. Chris sighed and he let out a soft breath and forced himself to stop looking back. There was nothing he could do about the past now, for now he was to enjoy himself and take this much needed vacation.

He sauntered on over to the bar and asked for a cocktail. It was given to him and he paid and turned. He leaned back against the bar and observed the place. It was a really nice club and he was happy he had chosen to come there. Perhaps he might even dance. He scoffed at his own idea and watched the women and men on the floor moving their bodies as the band sang their hearts out on the stage.

He didn't know anyone but he was eager to perhaps make some friends, even meet a girl. Christofer enjoyed talking to people, he liked having conversations and having fun. He finished his drink and set the empty glass down on the counter and the straightened up. He was still in his work clothes having just come from a company dinner and so he was in a nice suit and a tie. He had loosened the tie a little but he knew he was still out of place from all the men who wore tees and jeans. Still Christofer felt comfortable in his suit and so he headed onto the floor.

As he walked he passed the vip area and wondered what one would have to do to get into that area. He supposed they would need to be friends with the owner, he smiled as he thought of a more elaborate story of how one was to become a vip. he supposed a mob boss, that would be interesting to be friends with a mob boss. He was torn from his thoughts when his tie was suddenly grabbed by a cute girl and he was dragged into the fray.

Minnie could feel the rhythmic thump of the bass shaking her bones as she moved deeper into the club. Her heart was pounding to the enticing tune. She had forgotten how addictive the night life could be, but now it was all coming back to her. She glanced behind he at Lily, Chris, and Elsa, a large smile on her pretty face. The familiar scent of sweat from the multiple of gyrating bodies was assaulting her nostrils, but she ignored it as she pushed her way to the bar. It was here that she planned on meeting Damien face to face, and she was both extremely excited and nervous. "White Russian," she ordered. As soon as her drink was in hand, she turned and eyed the club. It was much grander than the clubs that she was used to. It was a step up to say the least. Grinning at her companions, Minette offered a toast, raising her glass and beaming at the others. She made a mental note to check Elsa's drink before she even thought about consuming it. "A toast to new beginnings and the Triple Threats!" Clanging her glass against theirs, Minnie took a large sip of his drink. Her brown eyes flicked across her surroundings. She pinched at her dress absently, thinking about how her encounter with Damien would play out. She was sure that it would go well, but Minette was the type that worried too much for her own good. She took a deep breath, deciding that she'd attempt to look for him later.

"Let's dance," she told her friends then allowed her eyes to fall on Elsa. "No drinking, okay?" With that, she grabbed Lily's hand and Chris' arm. "You should come with us, Elsa," she suggested with a friendly grin.

Augustus combed through the crowd of heated bodies. After landing in Paris and checking into a hotel, he spotted a flyer that was advertising the hottest club in Paris, and knowing his beloved Minnie, she wouldn't skip out on a night of partying. So here he was with a bottled water in one hand and using the other to push his way through the plethora of sweaty drunks. He had no idea how he was going to find Minnie in all of his chaos, but in the state of impulse he had nothing to lose. He pulled out his cell phone, ready to send Minnie yet another text message. He stopped, however, noticing that Eve had text him while he was on his flight. Reluctantly, he opened the message:

To: Augustus
From: Hag from Hell

Your dad is on a golfing expo, so we have the house to ourselves. I have the hot tub running, come and keep me company ;)

Rolling his eyes, August sighed when he saw she sent him another one an hour later than the previous message.

To: Augustus
From: Hag from Hell

Don't fucking ignore me, Gussy. You know what will happen if I not pleased. Only you can keep my mouth shut. Text me back or you'll have to explain to daddy why you've decided to rape your step mommy. >:3 -kisses-

There was a lump that was now forming in August's throat. He hadn't told a soul of his little venture, and now he was risking his skin for Minette's affection. "She better appreciate this shit," he muttered bitterly. Typing on his phone, he sent Eve a short reply:

To: Hag from Hell
From: Augustus

Sorry, can't commit adultery at the moment. Currently in a foreign country in attempts to be regain the happiness that you've stolen from me...rain check? (In case your tiny brain couldn't fathom the last part, that was sarcasm.)

Sending that, he text Minette for the eighteenth time:

To: Minnie Mouse
From: Augustus

I'm going to fight for you. Minette, you have to know that I still love you and I'm willing to do anything in my power to assure that you realize this. The other girls meant nothing...just please...at least call me. I miss hearing your voice, and that cute giggle of yours. I love you.

He hit send as waves of sorrow cascaded down his body in cold waves. He took a swing of water, wishing that it was alcohol, but dismissing the thought because he quit the stuff for Minnie. He continued moving through the crowd when suddenly a blond man slammed into him, causing his water to jolt and splash the dark haired girl in front of him (Dani). She was drenched. "Oh shit," he said in shock. "I am so sorry."

Dani had just looked up from checking her phone when suddenly something wet, and cold, splashed over her from behind. "Oh shit, I am so sorry," came from the crowd somewhere close by. The voice was male, and clearly American. She stood, shocked, for a moment, before rounding on the clumsy tourist. "Diable? Vos yeux américains ne peuvent-ils pas voir un pied autour de vous? Dans l'intéret de Dieu! Ma chemise est imbibée! Merci, âne, j'ai juste obtenu outre du travail!" (What the hell? Can your American eyes not see one foot around you? For God's sake! My shirt is soaked! Thanks, jackass, I just got off work!) Enraged, she threw her hand into the air to stop whatever babble was about to come forth from his gaping jaw. With a frustrated growl she shoved her way back out of the crowd. She made her way to the edge of the room, cussing heatedly in French all the while.

As she made it to the bar, she sat her beer on the counter and whistled for Marco, her Brazilian coworker. "Can you toss me a rag, Marco? Some idiot splashed his drink all over me..." Her French was of course flawless and rapid. The Brazilian nodded and tossed her a bar rag. Grumbling to herself still, she set about trying to wipe off her soaked side and attempted to absorb some of the liquid from her shirt into the rag. "Juste essayant d'apprécier une nuit outre du travail. Est-ce que peut-elle une fille font même cela? Non! Naturellement pas." (Just trying to enjoy a night off work. Can a girl even do that? No! Of course not.) In her rage, she hadn't even gotten a good look at the male that had spilled his drink all over her. What a night. More importantly, where the hell was Shay? Feeling herself grow more frustrated, she tossed the rag back onto the bar and took a seat there. After polishing off her bottle, she tipped the empty glass toward Marco, signaling for another. If tonight was going to be this kind of a night; she might as well not remember it tomorrow.

At this point there were two things that Augustus was thinking about: 1. How sorry he was that he spilled perfectly good purified O Muse all over the french woman. Then, 2. how he strangely found her foreign ranting extremely attractive. He said nothing as she chewed him out, just staring at her with a raised brow. When she was done he watched her storm off.

"Uh," he said awkwardly, eyes on her retreating figure. "Sorry?"

He couldn't just let her walk off like that, he had to formally apologize and buy her a drink at least. So, Augustus followed the enraged french girl to the bar. He placed the half emptied bottle of water onto the cleaned counter. Now that they were not under the strobe lighting, August could clearly see her feminine features. Great, she's cute too. Just my luck....couldn't have spilled on an ugly girl. he mentally rolled his eyes. He quirked his lip a bit, listening to her grumbling in french. Still, he found it really adorable. He loved Minnie, but this french girl was without a doubt attractive, no man could deny that. Towering over her, August tilted his head slightly, resembling a confused puppy. Her words were lost on him, but he decided to ease his guilt by speaking first.

"My apologies," he said, leaning against the counter with his back. "I'll buy you a drink if that will help." His eyes scanned her body, studying her body language and looking for any hint that he had a chance of calming her down. So far, odds were not in his favor...

Shay clocked out of Victoria's Secret feeling good about herself and her new personal commitment. And then Dani's text came to her phone:

To: Shay
Message: Hey, dearest! Are you still coming tonight? Text me when you get here, I'll meet you outside and get you in! <3

Well... maybe one more mooch off of Dani wouldn't hurt. She did offer, and she did work at the venue, so it wouldn't be too much trouble...right? Okay, this was the last one. No more after this. Shay would enjoy her freebie of a night with her best friend and then tell her that she couldn't scrounge anymore. It was getting bad, to the point where Dani had started offering things without Shay even having to ask. What kind of friend would Shay be to let this go on?

Shay made great time walking from Victoria's Secret to the building where the concert was going to be held. She loved the feeling of Paris nightlife and expected tonight to be nothing short of a party. She texted Dani when she was a minute away:

To: Dani
Message: Almost there darling! Thanks in advance for giving me a free pass, hugs! <3

Dani glanced up at the bar as her second beer arrived and sighed, taking a long drag from it. Just then, her cell vibrated to life in her pocket.

From: Shay
Message: Almost there darling! Thanks in advance for giving me a free pass, hugs! <3

Thank goodness, she thought to herself, quickly sending a reply back.

To: Shay
Message: No problem at all, love! See you soon! XoXo!

"My apologies." She hadn't even finished sending her text when the familiar American accent cut into her thoughts. "I'll buy you a drink if that will help." Danielle finished typing out her text and then turned to regard the foreigner. "Comme vous pouvez voir, j'ai déjà un," she replied shortly. Suddenly remembering that he probably didn't speak a word of French, she picked up her beer and tilted it toward him, to show that she obviously already had one. She sat her drink back onto the bar, after taking a swig from it of course, and attempted to burn his reflection in the bottle with her eyes. Americans. With their 'football' and burgers... Think they own everything. When she noticed that he had made himself comfortable against the bar, she turned to him in her seat. She was just about to open her mouth to say something when Lucas came flying over. He was obviously plastered out of his mind, and looking very red faced and angry. Who the hell is this? Dani tipped her head to the side. Who is... oh... She glanced to the American beside her, realizing now for the first time that he wasn't all that bad looking. A smile instantly painted itself onto her face. Who could resist the chance of making an ex jealous?

"My date," she replied calmly, gesturing towards Augustus. Poor American... here we sit, jabbing back and forth in French... he has no idea what's going on... Ah well. "Your date? As if his voice couldn't drop any deeper, it did. A laugh was threatening to bubbly into her throat. "Yes. He's American." As if thrown over the edge, Lucas pounced towards Augustus, but due to his drunken state, he only managed to hit his head on the bar, and fall over. Danielle couldn't help but laugh, after all... it was pretty funny. She scooped down and helped him up, clicking her tongue at him. "Go home, Lucas. You're drunk," she told the very confused looking Spaniard. He looked as though he wanted to argue. He opened his mouth, and just as he did, the room started to spin. He mumbled something to her in Spanish, she smiled and replied back to him, "Lay down and go home," in his native tongue. He stumbled away, cussing under his breath about Americans.

Dani turned her attention back to her 'date', and laughed a little at the look on his face. "My name is Danielle. Call me Dani," she called to him over the music, in English so this time he could understand her. Her accent was incredibly thick, and English felt strange on her tongue. It was an ugly language. No fluid and beautiful like French or Spanish. Still, this poor tourist was way out of his comfort zone, so she could pity him that. "You'll buy the next one, yes," she asked, nodding towards her beer. "You have a name, American?"

Never in his entire life had August been so confused. He was usually the one that confused people, now he knew how it felt. It wasn't a grand feeling. Frowning, Augustus watched as a drunken Hispanic made a fool of himself. He had no clue what he was saying, but had a feeling that he was insulting him. A small smile made its way onto his face as he observed silently. Taking in the body language and tone of voice, he concluded that the young man thought that he was with the french woman, and she wasn't debunking his claim. Shaking his head, August decided not to interfere and just let him think what he wanted. He owed the girl that much. It wasn't until the other man lunged at him did he tune back into the conversation. He didn't bother to fight back because the guy was too wasted to be considered a threat, so August simply side stepped him, causing the drunkard to miss and slam his head against the bar. It took a bit of effort to not laugh, for he knew what it was like to want someone enough to make a fool out of yourself for them. He was currently doing it, actually.

Augustus glanced at the girl, seeing the amusement on her face as she talked the drunk idiot down and he grumbled, walking away. Raising a brow, August looked down at her with a mixture of confusion and faint humor. Her french accent was thicker than blood as she spoke her name, and it was still quite alluring to August. He smiled apologetically, nodding. "Augustus," he replied, twisting this half empty bottle of water in his hands. "Most just call me August. So, care to explain why senor bilingual was attempting to tackle me? I have my own theory, but I think it's best to know the facts instead of making assumptions."

---

---

Lily inhaled deeply, taking in the heady scent of alcohol, people and excitement. Her body throbbed with bass as it thudded through the room. People were all sides of her, constantly colliding with her and brushing past her. She could feel them against all her bare flesh, most of her body hardly covered by the scrap of material barely worth calling a dress. Lots of people would be scared by the atmosphere, but not Lily. This was where Lily felt at home. In college, she seemed to spend all her time partying, and each one tried to be bigger and better than the last. But nothing was too big for Lily. Nowhere made her uncomfortable, or made her think maybe she was taking it too far this time. This party was just like all the others. Except, she was here with her friends, which made this party better than any people threw at college, trying to impress her.

Lily watched Minnie shimmy through the club, dodging people and weaving through the crowds. Lily, Chris and Minnie’s little sister followed her towards the bar, which Lily was very much glad to see. As Minnie went to order for herself, Lily fell against the bar and waved flirtatiously in order to get the attention of a bartender.

“Something strong, and bitter,” Lily told him, not caring if he struggled to understand her English. “And did I say strong? Yeah, really strong,” she laughed to herself. Needless to say, this was not her first drink of the evening, let alone the day.

Thankfully, the bartender managed to get the gist of what she was trying to say and handed her a glass. Lily didn’t even hesitate to look at what was in it. She simply knocked back the liquid and put the glass back down.

“Another one, please,” she said, handing him money and collecting the drink to make a toast with Minnie. “To new beginnings and the Triple Threats!” Lily joined in, giggling.

"Let's dance," Lily heard Minnie say before quickly telling Elsa something. Then, her friend grabbed her arm and Lily pulled her towards the centre of the dance floor. But instead of paying Lily the attention she wanted, Minnie turned back towards her sister to say something. However, Lily had already been distracted enough to forget her slightly drunken annoyance towards Minnie for bringing her boring little sister with her and treating the kid like a five year old.

Lily had spotted a man stood at the edge, strangely attired as if he were out for a business dinner rather than frequenting a busy club at the heart of Paris’ nightlife. She glanced to his left and saw a sign for the V.I.P lounge. Now there was somewhere she certainly wanted to be. Older, wealthy men loved girls like her and she could definitely find herself a suitable man to spend the night with. She glanced back towards the man, wondering if his attire and position meant he was, in some way, to do with the V.I.P lounge and able to get her in. Without thought, Lily approached him and grabbed his tie, pulling him towards the crowds with her, and towards her friends, so she didn’t end up losing them completely.

When they had reached where she wanted to be, Lily pulled him towards her and began to dance. She looked the suit up and down clearly and then looked back up at him. “Come from a funeral?” she teased, laughing, not thinking for a minute he might not speak English.

Christofer bumped elbows with a man and the two gentlemen glanced at each other apologetically and then he looked back at the pretty blond, she teased him about his suit "Come from a funeral?" The fact that she spoke english and her silly little joke made him break out into a grin. His arm wrapped around the small of her back and he pulled her in a bit closer so that he might lean down and speak into her ear.
"Even worse." He began. "I just came from a very fancy, very important business dinner." He let her go so that she might take a step back from him to dance more comfortably. The song changed and the people cheered as the beat rumbled through the dance floor shaking the glasses on the bars. It was loud but Christofer tried for a conversation anyways. "I take it you are not from Paris either?" He hoped she could hear him over the cheers.

He thought of when he had last been at a club and dancing and he forced the thought away. This was not the time to be thinking of such sad things. He had come to Paris not only for work but to forget for a while. Perhaps he might even take a girl home with him. He want that kind of freedom again and his wife had taken away that happiness. Chris looked at the woman and he held out his hand for her to take and he shouted his name "I'm Christofer."