Hi! So I am updating again. I am still on Spring break so when I get back into school, I will only update about twice a week. Sorry! I am going to try to make a lot of progress before then. On with the story!
Chapter 4: A play date with alcohol
"I think this is a bad idea." Eponine addressed her best friend as they pulled up to Grantaire's mansion. The party was for the Amis only, so it was more along the lines of a play date with alcohol. Not like Enjolras or Eponine were going to drink any, but others would.
Many of their friends were already there, cars clogging up the driveway. There was no way to get closer to the front door, so Enjolras parked his red convertible back a ways from the entry way.
"Come on, Eps. It will be fine. It's just going to be the Amis. You'll be fine." The dark haired girl glared at her friend who smiled innocently in return.
"First off, don't call me Eps." She was interrupted by,
"But everyone calls you 'Ponine. It isn't special."
"Second off, I'm not worried about the Amis. I scared of Marius. I know he talked to her, and she got offended he didn't know her name properly. Something or another about it being an insult and if you are going to hit on a girl you should know her name blah blah blah." The frightened girl started to finger her cast nervously. A warm, solid hand touched the top of her cold, tiny hand to cease its fiddling. Blue met brown in a comforting gesture.
"Eponine, don't worry about Marius; he's a big boy. He will understand his blunder, and if he blames it on you, I don't think I will be the only one not happy with him." A smile was exchanged before the pair slid out of the car. They started up the walk to the huge french doors and knocked when they reached their destination. A drunk Grantaire (surprise surprise) opened the door. The white tile floors gleamed brightly under the lights of the chandelier overhead.
"Heeeeeyyyy! You guyss made it!" The drunk boy slurred his words and staggered around, ushering them in. "We're alll in the basement!" Sighing, Enjolras supported Grantaire as the made their way down the stairs into the basement. They were a sight to see.
Joly and 'Chetta were curled up on one couch, seemingly sober, content to be together. Feuilly, Madeleine, Combeferre, Jehan, and Courfeyrac were all sitting on the floor in the middle of the circle of chairs and couches. Bahorel and Bossuet were having an arm wrestle on the coffee table with everyone taking side and cheering on, but many were cheering for Bahorel as he was going to win.
"Thanks for the support, guys!" shouted Bossuet, a sheer layer of sweat on his brow. Laughter filled the air of the cozy basement. Smiles and laughter were a sign of the overwhelming happiness of the group. The only sullen face was that of Marius'. As Eponine caught his eye, he gave her a glare. The toy-like girl pressed back into the marble statue, as if to reassure herself someone was there for her.
Enjolras noticed this and gently took her right hand in his to confirm he was there for her. A squeeze let him know she was thankful.
"Eppy!" 'Chetta untangled herself from her boyfriend and bounded over. Her red, curly hair bounced behind her. The enthusiastic ginger hugged Eponine gently. It was an unspoken rule; you don't hug Eponine too tightly. The Thenradier girl returned the hug gently. 'Chetta pulled away, chatting on about pointless things.
"I don't understand how you can handle being the only girl around on a daily basis. They are all so childish. It is like," Eponine broke in.
"Being surrounded by preschoolers?"
"Exactly!" The two girls giggled at the boys expense. Grantaire pulled Enjolras to sit on the couch next to Eponine and 'Chetta. Soon the group was at ease, laughing as Bossuet kept tying to beat Bahorel in an arm wrestle. But Marius was still quite irritated with the whole Colette Cosette fiasco. He kept steadily glaring at Eponine.
Once she caught his gaze. Enjolras noticed and pulled her close to him and returned Marius' glare. Madeleine, who had only been dating Feuilly for a few weeks, noticed and asked her artistic boyfriend,
"I thought you said Enjolras was a marble man with no feelings for anyone. He seems to be very cozy with Eponine." Feuilly wrapped his arm around the hazel eyed girl's shoulders, pulling her in.
"He is, most of the time. He isn't one to let emotions cloud his judgment or control his actions. He can be very harsh and unforgiving sometimes, but never to Eponine." Courfeyrac caught wind of this conversation and said,
"Eponine is his kryptonite. He will turn from marble to man in a second for her. She means the world to him, and I get a feeling there is something else going on between the two of them." Combeferre scooted closer.
"Like boyfriend girlfriend?" asked Madeleine. Combeferre added his two cents.
"No, something deeper. I believe they know things about each other that we could only guess, and this connects them in a deeper way." Jehan leaned down from the chair he had moved to that was right above this conversation.
"I believe they have been destined to be together since the dawn of time. Their fates have been intertwined since the beginning of love. They are soul mates, their love decided a long time ago." At this point Marius decided to confront Eponine.
"Eponine can I talk to you for a second?" Fearfully, the girl left the protective bubble of Enjolras' embrace. It felt cold away from him, but the Thenradier brushed it off. Two pairs of eyes followed them, Enjolras' and Courfeyrac's. Both were concerned about Eponine's well being. Enjolras because he was worried about harsh words, but Courfeyrac knew Marius had been drinking, and if things started to heat up, he had a diversion, truth or dare. Both boys were ready to protect the pixie of the group.
"Yeah Marius?" Part of being a Thenradier meant that Eponine was able to keep her voice from quivering with the terror she felt inside. As she got closer, she could smell alcohol on his breath.
"Why did you tell me her name was Colette?" Eponine pretended to look confused and incredulous at the same time.
"I told you her name was Cosette. Where did you get Colette?" Now Marius looked confused.
"You said Colette."
"Nooo, I said Cosette. Ask anyone." Marius turned to the group that pretended not to have been watching the pair. Only Enjolras kept his gaze after Marius turned around.
"What did Eponine say the girl's name was?" The group chorused Cosette as if they had been practicing. Marius blushed and murmured 'sorry' to the relieved girl, and she scurried back to Enjolras' side.
"See, that wasn't so bad." She nodded in response to his whispered reassurance. The marble man could feel a slight shake from the girl in his arms. Courfeyrac took this as his cue to start truth or dare.
"Hey, guys, let's play Truth or Dare!"everyone, bored because of lack of action, agreed. Only Eponine and Enjolras looked a bit concerned. "Alright, rules. You have to answer at least three truths and do at least three dares. If you pass on either you have to take off an article of clothing. No things that require nudity. Alright, let's start!" It was decided Madeleine could start.
"Alright, Feuilly, truth or dare?" Feuilly paled.
"Uh...dare." Madeleine smiled deviously.
"I dare you to kiss...the guys you think is hottest in this room." Everyone burst into laughter as Feuilly pecked Enjolras' cheek. Both were beet red. Eponine couldn't stop giggling.
"Shut up." Enjolras muttered, clearly embarrassed. Eponine gave him a face of fake pity.
"Aw, poor Enjy." She pecked the same cheek as Feuilly. "Better?" The group roared as Enjolras blushed darker than his and 'Ponine's matching coats. Feuilly asked Courfeyrac who had to fess up he was a virgin (he didn't care). Courfeyrac made Bossuet kiss 'Chetta who made Joly sing the national anthem in a table cloth on a table who made Grantaire do the chicken dance who made Enjolras prank call Principle Javert (no one knows why Grantaire had the number) who made Marius sing barbie girl in a pink dress that belonged to Grantaire's sister in college. No one could keep a straight face during the performance.
"That is so going on YouTube," Courfeyrac laughed.
"Fuck you. 'Ponine, truth or dare?" She replied,
"Dare." Marius nodded.
"Okay, I dare you to wear a dress to school on Monday." Eponine started to panic. Shit. The only dresses she ever saw in her house had no sleeves and were shorter than short shorts. Everyone noticed she turned sheet white.
"Eponine, are you alright?" Joly leaned around 'Chetta to look at the paling girl. She nodded, not speaking. Enjolras squeezed Eponine closer to his body. Being the Thenradier she was, she pulled herself together and brushed off the concern of her friends.
"Fine. Okay, Madeleine, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Okay, what was your first impression of Feuilly?" The girl with the hazel eyes thought for a second then,
"I thought he was a bit klutzy, scatterbrained, but still really sweet." The other girls in room awed at the sweetness of the moment. Both blushed slightly, but Madeleine had to bash Marius. Fro reasons unclear to everyone, she really didn't like him.
"Marius, truth or dare?"
"Considering what happened last time, truth." Madeleine decided to put him on the hot seat.
"Out of which of the girls in the room do you think is prettiest?" Marius looked around, slightly frightened.
"Uh...um...'Chetta." Then the yelling started.
"Oh no, you did not just hit on my girlfriend." To say Joly was upset was an understatement.
"Dude, I was just answering the question. I don't want to date your girlfriend." More voices rose up. Feuilly leaned over and said,
"I think your beautiful. Don't worry about him." Madeleine grinned.
"Oh I'm not. I just wanted to see if the significant other would beat him up." Feuilly rolled his eyes at his girlfriend. She was a handful.
"SHUT UP!" Eponine yelled from where she was standing on the coffee table. "It is a game! For goodness sakes, stop yelling like little children! Marius, shut up. Joly, shut up and go hug your girlfriend. 'Chetta, stop freaking out. Now everybody, CALM DOWN!" All returned to their seats, ashamed of their behavior. "Thank you." The Thenradier got down and sat back down next to Enjolras.
"Sorry, 'Ponine, truth or dare?"
"Truth," she answered warily. She had to.
"Why do you and Enjolras match?" Eponine murmured to the golden boy next to her, 'told you they would notice' then spoke up.
"I decided to wear this, and Enjolras decided to wear that. It was a coincidence." It was true. Eponine had no choice but to wear this if she didn't want people to notice her bruises and Enjolras decided for himself. After that, the game slowly got boring. People slowly started to nod off, and that is when Grantaire called it a night.
"Get outta 'ere y'all." Enjolras turned to mention to Eponine he didn't know Grantaire had a southern accent, but he found her asleep. Deciding against waking her, the golden boy carried her bridal style out to the car. He couldn't help but notice she fit in his arms perfectly, like piece of a puzzle. He put her in the passenger sea and buckled her up, then drove away.
Jehan and Courfeyrac watched them. The hippie turned to his best friend and said,
"They are so soul mates. We should get them together!" Courfeyrac started the engine of his car.
"What are we, a dating service?" Jehan looked to him.
"Well, that would be fun. I'm sure the others would help." Courfeyrac rolled his eyes at the love loving hippie.
"Fine, but if this goes south, it is your fault." Jehan got out his phone as Courfeyrac thought, what did I just agree to?
Please tell me what you thought
