Enjoy! Thanks for all the Reviews! Please keep it up... this story is different than my other ones so I want to know if it works :)
"So, how was your last day?" Marius asked, handing Eponine a foamy hot chocolate.
Eponine was broken out of her daze and smiled brightly at him, trying to remember what he had said. She had been too busy counting his freckles.
"Hmmm?" she asked, lifting her head from her hand, where it had been resting.
"You're such a space case, Ponine." Marius chuckled lightly. "I asked how was the last day at the ABC?"
I love your laugh. Eponine thought. Who am I kidding? I love all of you.
She took her cocoa into her hands. "It was good, if rather boring. Muschetta and I ended up painting each other's nails."
"Sounds a lot more fun than slaving away downstairs, Enjolras…"
"Oh, please let's not talk about Enjolras, I'm having a good day." she said pleadingly, taking the opportunity to put her hand over his in a "friendly" gesture.
"Sorry, he's just been beastly since you quit, complaining and dissatisfied with everything." Marius said rubbing the back of his head tiredly. "All of us are about ready to quit and join the circus like you."
"He'll get over it as soon as he finds a replacement, don't worry." she said, ignoring any guilt she could possibly feel at her abrupt resignation. "He's just peeved that he's under staff."
"I hope so." Marius said tiredly. "He's my friend in real life, but in the office, he might as well be my drill sergeant."
Enjolras in real life? Who knew? Eponine thought in amazement.
"Enough about that though, no more ABC or Enjolras for you. Are you excited about rehearsals tomorrow?"
"Excited and ready to throw up." she said, her face lighting up. "There are so many extras, I'm a little overwhelmed."
"Aw, Ponine you will do great." Marius cooed adorably. "We all can't wait to see you in it."
"If you can even find me." she said, leaning dramatically over the counter.
"Hey, every part important." he told her, but then shut his mouth abruptly.
Eponine raised an eyebrow at his stiffness as he gazed over her head. "Marius?"
Eponine turned her head around curiously to see Enjolras approaching in his red jacket from high school.
Damn!
Eponine thought she should escape, but as she eyed all the routes that led to freedom, she knew there was no way to leave without him noticing her. He would either take her as a coward, or call out to her and then she would have to speak to him. So she remained in her seat and groaned inwardly.
"What is he doing here?" she muttered to Marius, hiding her face in her hot chocolate.
Marius shrugged. "I don't know, he never comes in this time a day, maybe he has come to scold me for something."
The bell of the café rang and Marius smiled nervously, unsure if he was seeing his best friend or seeing his stern boss. Eponine however shrank in her seat and tried her best to imitate invisible.
She heard his steady strides walk up to the counter and tried to pull herself together.
"Hey, Enjolras." Marius greeted.
"Marius." Enjolras replied, coming up to the counter about a foot away from Eponine, he glanced her way and seemed moderately surprised to see her, but did not make any comment or reaction to indicate so. He turned back to Marius. "I need a coffee."
Double, 2 sugars, 2 creams. Eponine could not help but think mentally.
"A double please. Two sugars and two creams." he spoke her thoughts.
Eponine smirked a little beneath her foam cup.
"Sure." Marius said, glad he wasn't in trouble. He hurried away to fix his order.
Enjolras looked over at Eponine who was still hiding in her hot chocolate, despite it being all but gone. She had a small, mental freak-out, wondering what she should do and say, or if she stay quiet… she mentally slapped herself.
What am I doing!? He's not my boss anymore. I have no obligation to be on good behavior. I can do whatever I want and say whatever I please, and there is nothing he can do about it! Ha!
"Jondrette." he greeted, turning away from her.
"Enjolras." she replied back with the same tone, finally setting her foam mug on the counter. "How fair you?"
He rolled his eyes at her mimicking his tone of voice. "Fine."
He glanced back at her and tried to repress a small smirk.
"You have a little something…" he motioned to his upper lip and Eponine felt all color drain from her face.
She glanced at the window where she could see her reflection only to notice that she was sporting a chocolate mustache.
Mortified, but not allowing herself to show it, she grabbed a napkin and wiped it off. "Thanks."
He just smirked and shook his head, turning back to await Marius.
Eponine, humiliated began to hate him the longer he stood there.
Arrogant, son of a bitch! Coming here at MY time of the day! Interrupting MY time with Marius! Being all smug and calm and collected like a…
"Here you are." Marius placed Enjolras' coffee before him, taking Eponine out of her hateful thoughts. Marius went to ring him up.
"So, you usually don't come here this time of the day," Marius said. "Are you working late at the office?"
Enjolras shook his head. "I have a ton of things to do for tomorrow, I…"
He hesitated.
Eponine and Marius exchanged glances.
Enjolras just hesitated.
"I… uh… have homework, papers due, etc." he finished, grabbing his mug and handing Marius his credit card. "How is your article coming along?"
Marius winced a little, he'd thought he had dodged the bullet. He swiped the card before handing it back, trying not to sweat. "It will be ready by Wednesday, I swear."
Enjolras just sighed and looked skyward in his typical fashion. It was if he was silently saying: I can't believe you have disappointed me yet again.
Eponine was well accustomed to that look.
"I'm sorry, I know it was due Monday, but my grandfather has come to town and with graduation, this job, finals…"
Enjolras' face stayed passive to all his excuses as he took a sip of his coffee.
"…I've been a bit swamped." Marius offered, his voice cracking slightly in an adorable way.
Eponine pouted. Who could resist that!?
Well, Enjolras.
The blonde young man just sighed again, continuing to punish Marius with his silent disappointment, per usual.
"Trust me, Marius." he said, sounding rather tired. "You're not the only one who's swamped."
With that, he turned to leave with his coffee.
"He makes a late article seem like I just ran over his dog and burned all of his Robespierre biographies." muttered Marius as soon as Enjolras closed the door behind him.
Eponine giggled.
…
Eponine leaned her head against the bus window with a happy sigh. She was in her leotard, a jacket and sweatpants, her small purple duffle-bag occupying the space next to hers. It was far too early for her liking, and she was having a bad hair day that she was trying to hid in a ponytail, but that didn't matter. Today was the first day of rehearsals!
She felt her heart singing as she checked over her bag and mad sure she had everything. This was it! This was her dream.
She got out as the bus pulled to the corner and wandered a ways, a little skip in her step as she neared the rehearsal hall for the Theatre du Chatelet, where she would be spending a good deal of her time, the next few months.
Lots of other people were gradually entering around her. All different sorts of people: technicians, actors, costume designers, numerous peoples with clipboards. She began to see her type of people, other girls with duffels, hair up tight, wearing leotards, and slowly migrated toward them.
Inside there was tables categorized for each department of the production, Eponine was able to spot the sign she was categorized under and waited in line for a few minutes.
"Name?" a middle-aged woman asked, not even looking up at her.
"Jondrette, Eponine." she told her.
"You are in the hall down the left. There will be a small opening ceremony. Here is your map of the building, it has been circled red where there are lockers, bathrooms, costume and makeup and cafeteria. If you need anything call the number in the corner." she said, handing her a laminated map as well as an orange envelope.
Inside was her stage and theatre pass, an updated version of her schedule and several other things that she would most likely need to get around this place.
She found her way, tailing alongside a few other dancers. The hall was quite large, and it just kept filling up with more and more people. It was a spacious and dark studio on steroids. She spun around to get a good look, whistling to herself.
Bored after waiting a few minutes, Eponine began to put on her ballet shoes and started to do a few stretches while she waited. A few other girls were doing the same. The blonde next to her smiled.
"I'm Patty." she said.
"Eponine." Eponine replied back with a smile.
"I don't know about you, but I am about ready to pass out." she said. "This is my first year with the company."
Eponine nodded vigorously. "Me too, its so overwhelming the size of everything."
"You'll get used to it after a few days." a red head said, lacing her shoes. She looked up at them with emerald eyes. "I'm Kate."
"Hi," both Patty and Eponine said simultaneously.
"We're pretty low on the totem poll, so don't worry too much about it, there is lot's of time to get comfortable." she continued.
"Oh look!" Patty cried, pointing to a beautiful brunette coming into view. "That's Annette Vallet, she is our Christine!"
Eponine gasped and nearly jumped with excitement. She was quite an Annette admirer and to be working in the same room as her was quite an honor. She truly was walking in with all her graceful glory. She was the perfect Christine!
"I've idolized her since I was thirteen!" Eponine told her new found friends.
More and more people poured in until the hall was quite snug. Eponine ended up sitting on a mat Indian style on the floor.
A bell rang right on time to get everyone's attention and a tall, once handsome, man walked into the center of the room, wearing a white, button-down, shirt and dress pants.
"Welcome!" he called. "Welcome, everyone to the beginning of what I'm sure will be an amazing project, filled with endless and amazing experiences!"
Any chatter in the room was now silent.
"It does me good to see so many people gathered together to work on such an amazing musical and share in a love of theatre and art." he continued. "My name is Jean Valjean and I will be your director, I have over a hundred people working under me and with me, to make all of you who will be on stage comfortable and ready to perform this production like second nature."
He motioned to the room next door. "Our orchestra will be practicing next door so lets keep that in mind so we can respect their work as they respect ours. The walls our pretty soundproof, but sometimes we can push the limit when singing in here. Your packets you all should have, if you don't see me after, have everything you need to get around the building and sets, please don't hesitate to ask for help if you need any."
He paused a bit to get a good look around the room. "After this we have a little refreshments as a little welcome gift to all of you, then we will start introductions for each department, but I want to make a few introductions now."
He motioned to a lovely blonde girl with curls falling down her back, a cheery smile on her face. Eponine tilted her head at the girl. She could have sworn that she had seen her before, but she couldn't place where.
"This is my daughter/ Cosette." Valjean said, wrapping an arm around the girl. "She will be our understudy for Meg Giri, she has been my help and my support through all of pre-production."
He motioned to a tall and intimidating man who stood with his arms crossed at one of the exits. "Over there is our Head of Security, Javert. Please go to him if there are any emergencies of any nature."
"Our conductor, Henri Bishop is working with his musicians, but any of you who sing will join him in the recording studio upstairs at one point or another. And of course," Valjean turned to look for someone that Eponine could not see where she was sitting. "My Assistant Director who will be overseeing just about every department, my right hand, I expect you all to treat him as you would me."
Eponine stood to get a better look.
"Where is he?" Valjean asked looking at his crew behind him, before laughing. "Come on, get up here!"
An all to familiar figure begrudgingly came to stand beside Valjean. Eponine's eyes widened like saucers and couldn't contain a gasp as she identified the young man.
No! You have to be f****** kidding me!
Valjean patted the tall man with the golden curls on the shoulder. "Here he is, my nephew and Assistant Director, Gabriel Enjolras."
Enjolras forced a smile, but looked around as if looking for someone in particular. Eponine shifted uncomfortably as his eyes landed on her, making her close her gaping mouth into a sharp scowl.
He just gave her a small smirk before averting his attention elsewhere.
"Son of a bitch." Eponine muttered to herself.
Well, we all saw it coming. Now hi-jinks ensue!