27/1/14
Thanks for your patience in me and all the people here that read Paparazzi – it is coming soon I swear!
Stuck in the Middle with You – Stealers Wheel
Lie to Me – The Wanted
I Remember You – Skid Row
Everything You Know Is Wrong – Weird Al Yankovic
Ladies Of The World – Flight Of The Conchords
Chapter 10
Courfeyrac's eyes brightened at the mention of karaoke and his knee bounced in excitement. Courfeyrac was the reigning Musain karaoke champion and no one could beat him in a verses battle. How it worked was that each contestant had to get through three rounds of increasing difficultly where they got to choose the song before a one to one battle with Courfeyrac to win the title. Sounds easy; but in a whole year no one had managed to defeat him. "Come on Taire," Enjolras chuckled as he whispered in his boyfriend's ear. "Someone needs to teach Fey a lesson," he pouted with big blue puppy dog eyes. Those eyes were always Grantaire's undoing.
"Alright, alright," he exclaimed, jumping to his feet before his boyfriend could pout anymore. Courfeyrac's eyes visibly widened in shock as the shy teenager he had only just met jumped up onto the stage.
"Nicolas Grantaire is our first competitor," the compare announced and a few people clapped, unsure of how to react to the new challenger. "What are you going to sing for the first round," he asked, clearly expecting the new kid to fly out in the first round.
"Umm," Grantaire murmured, he really hadn't planned this at all. He scrolled through the list and finally settled on an apt choice. "I'm gonna sing Stuck in the Middle with You by Stealers Wheel," he smiled. Everyone was silenced by the strange choice as he picked up the microphone. The music blasted out over the speakers and Grantaire stood with his eyes closed at the front of the stage. Enjolras had never seen or heard Grantaire performing live before and he sincerely hoped that it lived up to his performance in front of Enjolras alone or on his own. Grantaire's voice resonated through the cafe, stunning everyone to an awed silence. His unusual voice hummed with the melody and gave a thoroughly stunning performance of the song. Enjolras grinned as he looked round at the stunning faces of Les Amis; his heart glowed with pride when Grantaire hit the last note. That was his boyfriend up there. "And that was a score of ninety three percent!" The compare cheered, everyone in the cafe cheering in appreciation. Courfeyrac's face fell even whiter; there was a contender for his crown. And a good one at that.
"I will now sing ...Lie to Me by The Wanted," he smiled and sat down onto a bar stool someone had lifted onto the stage. Again everyone waited in a tense silence as he completely aced the song and sat there with that little blush spreading across his cheeks that Enjolras loved.
"Another excellent score, ninety one per cent," the compare cheered, Courfeyrac's eyes grew wider. Grantaire just had one more round until the face off; no one had ever got that far before.
"I'll take … I Remember You by Skid Row," he grinned. A few of the regulars gasped; no one could sing that song like the original it was sure fire suicide. Enjolras, however, was confident. He had heard Grantaire hit chords that only Courfeyrac could hit and the fight between them was going to be epic. Eighty Two per cent this time; he just scraped into the head to head. Courfeyrac stepped to his feet and sighed. "I accept your challenge youngling," he declared and hopped onto the stage, refusing Grantaire's offer of help. "DJ! Weird Al, Everything You Know Is Wrong," Courfeyrac hissed, snapping his fingers in the air. It was war.
Four minutes later, both men were out of breath and stood with their noses a hair's breadth away from each other. Grantaire's face was spread in a goofy grin with the exhilaration but Courfeyrac's face was set in steely determination. He never lost; and wouldn't today. "And the winner is … Robin de Courfeyrac," the compare shouted. Courfeyrac grinned and punched the air before offering his hand out to Grantaire.
"Nice voice you got there tree boy," Courfeyrac winked, blatantly flirting with his competitor.
"Thanks, not so shabby yourself," he laughed and shook Courfeyrac's hand. "Courfeyrac will you do me the honours of another song," Grantaire chuckled, finally out of his shell at the appearance of a likeminded individual on the stage. Courfeyrac nodded and they whispered for a few moments before Courfeyrac burst out laughing and proceeded to nearly fall off the stage. Grantaire murmured to the DJ who nodded vigorously. The two men pulled bar stools onto the stage with massive grins at the bemused faces in the waiting crowd. The two singers sat on the stools as music played over the speakers. Most of the crowd didn't recognise the tune at all but the ones that did burst out laughing like Courfeyrac did, just adding to the confusion. Courfeyrac picked up first with a couple of strange moans. Enjolras frowned at him while Grantaire's smile only grew. "I just wanna … I just wanna," he murmured, trying desperately to hide a smile.
"Just wanna do something special for all the ladies in the world," Grantaire burst out singing and laughs erupted from around the room.
"Oh yes," Courfeyrac added, with an entirely serious façade despair the echoing laughs.
"Just wanna do something special," Grantaire began before Courfeyrac interjected with another comedic breathy moan. "For all the ladies in the world," Grantaire sung swaying to the music, pretending to be perfectly serious.
"Is that even possible," Courfeyrac hissed, casing another laugh to ripple around the assembled crowd. The two boys joked around with each other and blatantly flirted with the crowd with Courfeyrac singing Jermaine's part and Grantaire taking on Brett's. Enjolras, for once, found himself getting dragged along with the contagious attitude and cheered along with the rest of the ever growing crowd. The song drew to a close and a euphoric round of applause echoed round the café. The two new friends burst out laughing and embraced each other before bowing. Someone passed them both drinks and they were lost in masses of adoring fans.
"Told you it would be fun," Enjolras chuckled, resting his head on Grantaire's shoulder as they walked back to their room.
"Yeah too bad I am better at karaoke than school work," Grantaire chuckled slightly, wrapping his arm around Enjolras' waist affectionately.
"Well you can just go into music in the future," Enjolras shrugged, stealing Grantaire's warmth as they walked through the bitterly cold night. Easter was fast approaching and even though the nights were getting lighter, it was still cold to be stuck outside late.
"I'll just spend it dancing through life," he chuckled and mock gasped at Enjolras' oblivious confusion.
"Seriously … have you not heard of Wicked?" Grantaire asked, stopping in front of their door. Enjolras slowly shook his head, frowning at Grantaire's obviously shocked expression. "That's it! Easter, you and I are going to London," the artist exclaimed, pushing their door open.
"What?" Enjolras asked as he was pulled into the room by the wrist.
"I will not tolerate your ignorance of modern musicals so we are going to the West End," Grantaire giggled, bouncing on his bed like a giddy teenager.
"How are you going to get my father to agree to that?" Enjolras enquired sceptically with his hands resting on his hips.
"Tell him it is subject enrichment to get yourself ahead of the class in English!" Grantaire beamed; his boyfriend's contagious smile eventually causing the corner of Enjolras' mouth to twitch.
"If you can get my father to agree then I'm in," Enjolras sighed, throwing Grantaire his credit card before curling up in bed.
XXX
"I seriously cannot believe you managed it," Enjolras sighed as Grantaire carried their two bags out the main doors. "And where on earth did you find a motorbike … how do you have a license?" Enjolras questioned as Grantaire loaded their bags onto the back.
"My foster father used to be in the army so I trained from being fifteen for seven months, they trained me to drive all sorts of vehicles and I have a license so get on," Grantaire chuckles, gently sliding on a helmet over Enjolras' blonde curls and kissing the top.
"You are a riddle wrapped inside a mystery in an enigma Grantaire," Enjolras chuckled as Grantaire threw his leg over the black bike.
"How do you even have a bike?" Enjolras enquired as he sat behind Grantaire.
"It was left to me in my uncle's will. It's a custom made Harley Davidson and I couldn't bear to part with it," Grantaire sighed, stroking the bike affectionately. Enjolras chuckled, wrapping his arms around Grantaire's waist as the rebel revved the engine. They raced out of the main gates, not noticing Headmaster Javert watching out of his office window with the phone pressed against his ear. "Of course Monsiuer Enjolras, don't worry about it. The Grantaire boy will be out of the school before they return from their little escapde," he smirked.