Chapter Four

RED AND BLACK

Enjolras felt drunk as he walked home. The short distance between him and Angélique was unbearable and his only wish was to kiss her. Because he was so bewitched with the brunette he even forgot to warn his ABC fellow comrades that he was going home.

"What's happening to me?" Enjolras thought to himself. "These attitudes are not alike me… Why I'm even thinking about her? This is ridiculous… I've just met her today!"

Once again, lonely Enjolras went into his small apartment. But this evening, a different desire was on his chest; the wish that she was with him. While undressing himself, Enjolras felt Angélique' imaginary hands undressed him and her lips kissing his muscled chest. He tried to break free from such thoughts but he couldn't. He lied on the bed and felt a burning sensation below his abdominal area and he felt his erection. Enjolras took a deep breath and tried to forget about it, after all he refused the life of a normal man in benefit of the upcoming revolution. But he couldn't help it… This longing for her was too excruciating; it was burning inside of him. He wanted her in his embrace and to kiss her lips and…

"No, no, Enjolras!" he said to himself "You can't think about such things… Focus on what matters… But she does matters… No! She doesn't! I mean, she does but not in that way… Nobody cares about my lonely soul… Does she care about me? Stop and breathe… Why would I want a woman now if I've never wanted one before? But her breasts… Oh… her breasts! Quick it, already! You don't stand a chance with her, Enjolras. But the way she looks at me… I know she feels the same. No, she doesn't! She was all smiles with Prouvaire! But she said it herself; she's not interested in him! Have I gone mad?"

He remained lied on his bed, waiting for the sleep to come and the sun to rise.

During the following days, every time Enjolras left his apartment he wished to find Angélique on the street. Although for the next four days, he never found her. He felt afraid for the first time in his life; he knew Angélique continued her public speeches about Women's Rights and was haunted by the thought that she could have been arrested.

During the Friends of the ABC meetings, his fellows noticed his leader was colder than before. The words that come out from his mouth were like sharpen knifes.

"What's the matter with you tonight?" Grantaire asked "It's your petite ange*?"

"Have you not given up that idea?" Enjolras said

"Since the last night she was here and you left us without saying goodbye you've only gave me reasons to be suspicious…" Grantaire grinned. "Have you made love to her?"

"What?" Enjolras stared at him with a furious glance.

"You've heard me…" the young man answered "What are you waiting for? Is your brunette angel giving you a hard time? Ha-ha! I bet she is! Your little grisette!"

"Shut up, you drunken fool!" Enjolras shouted in anger. "She's no grisette!"

Enjolras raised from his chair, furiously, and almost started a fight with Grantaire, if Combeferre and Courfeyrac did not have stopped him.

"Oi! Calm down, Enjolras!" Combeferre demanded "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." the leader acknowledged "Grantaire is drunk as always and saying reckless things."

"No need to scream at him, Enjolras…" Courfeyrac said "What's wrong with you? Lately you seem to be out of yourself, my friend!"

"I apologize for my attitude." Enjolras asked "I've been feeling… ill, lately."

"Good euphemism!" Grantaire grinned.

"Shut up!" Enjolras shouted.

"Oi, Grantaire, enough with the provocation!" Combeferre begged "Enjolras, I've never thought I would be in this role but you have to get yourself together…"

"I'm fine." Enjolras said "I don't know what's happening to me lately. I believe it's because I sense the revolution is near…"

"All of us feel anxious as well, my good friend." Combeferre shared his pain "I think you put too much of yourself in our plan…"

"It's my life."

"I know." Combeferre smiled "Even though, go home and get some rest. Tomorrow you'll feel better."

"No." Enjolras denied "I shall not. I must stay here."

"Go home, my friend." Combeferre said with tenderness "You are tired. There will be no revolution tonight; you can go get some rest."

"I guess you are right, my wise friend…" Enjolras confessed "I shall go, then. Goodnight, everyone."

The blonde young man went downstairs.

"He's not alright at all!" Combeferre said "He looks extremely tired… That I'm afraid his passion for the upcoming revolution is messing with his head…"

"It is not his head that is messed up, my dear fellow." Grantaire declared "It's his heart."

"His heart!?" Combeferre was confused "What do you mean?"

"If you haven't noticed it yet, I won't tell you…" Grantaire said and drank a glass full of wine.

As Enjolras walked home he felt a sudden desire to start the revolution alone and kill every monarch of Paris for he was filled with such rage. Not seeing Angélique nor hear of her was corrupting him inside. He needed to see her, to receive news from her, to make sure she was not harmed. Therefore, Enjolras made the decision of moving towards the old building where she lives, instead of going home. As soon as he arrived, he was surprised: Angélique was sitting, all alone, on the staircase of the building.

"Finally you've arrived!" she said.

Enjolras was confused.

"I've waited for you here every night." Angélique confessed. "But you never came… until now."

"You waited for me…?"

Enjolras didn't know what to think or what to do; for his head was mystifying. Angélique rose from the stone staircase and looked into his eyes.

"Well, of course." the brunette smiled "I wanted to see you again."

"You could have showed up at the ABC meetings. I wanted you to…"

"You wanted me to do what?" Angélique walked towards him.

"To be at the meetings with us." Enjolras lied.

"I've been busy lately." she said, returning his cold answer.

"How is your campaign doing?" the blonde young man asked "Any progresses?"

"Not really…" she was downcast "The Law's block is exhausting… The women are start losing faith. But I will not give up from what I believe in."

"I'm sorry to hear that…" Enjolras confessed. "But you could join us at the ABC and fight along us…"

"Yes, we could fight side by side." Angélique smiled.

The young woman was close to him and looked at his chest and his arms. Enjolras didn't know what she was thinking and being so close to her was intoxicating. He wanted to hold her into his arms and kiss her skin.

"Red looks good on you." she whispered.

"The color of the blood of angry men…" Enjolras smiled.

"Although, you wear a lot of black as well…"

"It's the darkness of ages past."

"Do you always have such beautiful things to say about colors?" Angélique smiled.

"I wish I could speak about all the beauty I see more often…"

"Do you?" Angélique asked "And do you see any beauty around you, right now?"

"Yes, I do…" Enjolras looked into her eyes "Red is also the color of desire."

"And black is also the color of despair…" Angélique whispered without breath.

"Yes, it is…"

Enjolras grabbed her face between his hands and his eyes were lost into hers.

"How can the world change so suddenly?" Angélique said "How can the wrong seem right? So many things unknown…"

"So many things unclear…"

"Your eyes are full of loneliness…" Angélique whispered. "Like mine."

"Are you a lonely person, Angélique?"

"As much as you, Enjolras." she confessed, stepping aside from him.

"We could have tea tomorrow at the Cafe Musain… If you'd like…"

"Yes." Angélique smiled "I'd love to have tea with you."

"Tomorrow, then?" Enjolras felt his chest full of joy "It's getting late."

"Isn't always?" Angélique laughed "It's always late… How the time flies."

"I shall go now…"

"Good night."

Enjolras grabbed her hand and she turned to face him.

"Yes…?" Angélique whispered.

"Good night."

Enjolras kissed her hand while she smiled with bright eyes. She turned her back on him and opened the building's door.

"I would invite you in, but it's too early although it is too late in night time." she said "Good night, Enjolras."

Translation (French - English):

* Petite Ange- Meaning "Little Female Angel", because "petite" is the female form to "petit" (male) - small, little.

Hope you enjoyed it and it will be continued.

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Thank you for the reading.