A/N: As for Simon… don't get too used to the guy…. Also, creds to anyone who knows where the title of this chapter comes from!
Eponine was exhausted after her date, and she was ready to kick off her shoes and jump into bed when she got home. She was not, however, expecting an explosion of infuriated words to be shot her way. A flash of blonde and red came at her, but the most frightening part was the horrified expression that was captured in a pair of stormy blue eyes.
"YOU COULD HAVE CALLED!" Enjolras shouted, placing one hand next to Eponine's face against the door and the other in his hair, effectively cornering her. "I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER HAD GOTTEN YOU! I WAS GOING TO GET THE POLICE! AND THEN GRANTAIRE TELLS ME YOU WERE FINE ALL ALONG AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO ANSWER MY CALL! WHY WOULD YOU TALK TO HIM AND NOT ME?"
"God, Enjolras, just because I don't show up doesn't mean my father has me. I meant to call bu-"
"I don't want any excuses right now," Enjolras breathed, suddenly calm and expressionless which was even worse than the shouting. "I just hope you never feel as hopeless and scared as I felt when I thought something had happened to you."
"If you are trying to make me feel guilty it won't work."
She was met with no response. Enjolras' normally passionate eyes lacked any emotion; like a hearth without a fire.
"Let me at least tell you what happened. I went on a date with Simon Strider because he thought you and I were dating and I felt like I had to prove him wrong. On the date, I saw you calling and Simon noticed the caller ID and that raised his suspicions again, so I acted like it wasn't a big deal and I didn't answer it. I meant to call you earlier, but I forgot."
Enjolras shifted his weight and bore his eyes unto Eponine's.
"I cannot believe you just abandoned me like that. I thought that you would have the decency to at least call if you were going to change plans; naturally I worried. Honestly, if I was over an hour late and hadn't called beforehand and didn't answer any of your calls, wouldn't you assume the worst? I know you have a dangerous past and I had a gut feeling that it had caught up to you," Enjolras said coldly. Eponine cringed at the ice in his voice, but was grateful for the small display of emotion. She wanted to snap back at him for just 'figuring' things, but she was exhausted from fighting and didn't have the energy.
"Next time I'll call," Eponine said, fatigue taking over her body. Tears pricked her eyes for no reason and she knew that she needed to sleep. Enjolras must have noticed the slight change in her, and his marble expression cracked a little.
"I know I freaked out, I was just so worried," Enjolras admitted, his voice catching a little bit. Eponine felt awful; she didn't mean to make him panic. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her best friend.
"It won't happen again, I promise. We should reschedule our dinner, though. Any day works for you?" Eponine asked, her voice slurred with drowsiness.
"I don't know, I'm busy tomorrow night with a protest… How about next Friday?"
"Um… That doesn't work for me. Simon is taking me to go see a movie next Friday."
"Wait, he's taking you out again?"
"Yep."
For the first time, an awkward silence hit Eponine and Enjolras like a sack of potatoes.
"Oh, um, t-that's nice," Enjolras said, clearing his throat.
"Yep. He's a nice guy."
"I'll have to look at my schedule before we make any dinner plans, but I'll text you a date later. I should, um, go now. It's pretty late," Enjolras said curtly before jetting off into the night.
Eponine was angry. At herself. At Simon. At Enjolras.
Why did she agree to go out with Simon again when it was clearly hurting Enjolras? Eponine would do anything for Enjolras, but whenever she was around Simon all she wanted to do was say 'yes.' He was so convincing, Eponine figured he could get her to jump off a bridge. Ack, everything was so messed up.
Finally, she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, and she barely made it to her bed before she passed out into a deep sleep.
LINE BREAKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Eponine was disappointed when Enjolras didn't show up at the diner for lunch, even though the rest of Les Amis made an appearance. They had started to become regulars now (seriously; Grantaire had a drink named after him at the bar, Enjolras had a salad named after him, and Courfeyrac had a taco named him). She didn't know what she should have expected after the fight last night, but a part of her wished that he would come anyways.
"Grantaire, do you know where Enjolras is?" Eponine asked, trying not to sound suspicious or upset.
"Yeah, he's trying out a new restaurant a couple blocks over. He said he needed a change of scene," Grantaire said casually, but the news was a harsh blow to Eponine.
Stop it, she reprimanded herself, Enjolras is a grown man who is allowed to eat wherever he wants. You sound ridiculous!
"Well, I hope he comes back soon! He's our best customer!" Eponine said, but she knew she sounded like an automatic robot. She simpered to Grantaire to try and make light of Enjolras' absence, and somehow it managed to fool Grantaire. He was probably too drunk to notice.
"Hey Ep, it looks like your boyfriend is here!" Grantaire said, tripping over his words.
"Ugh, Enjolras is not my boyfriend," Eponine said shaking her head, assuming Grantaire had spotted Enjolras walk in. She was relieved that he had shown up after all!
However… When she turned around, it wasn't Enjolras standing there, but Simon.
"I meant Simon; God, you don't even know who you are dating."
"Hey! Simon isn't my boyfriend either!"
"Well, you two seem to be dating. He's probably come here to make things official."
Before Eponine could get another word in, Simon approached Eponine and gently grabbed her arm.
"I talked to your boss, she said you could take an hour off for lunch with me now. She couldn't resist Fiyero," Simon said with a wink. Eponine smiled graciously at him; she needed a break. She saluted Grantaire goodbye and followed Simon out of the diner. "I thought we could get some hotdogs and eat them in Central Park, sound good?"
It did, indeed, sound good.
Twenty minutes later, Eponine and Simon had purchased hot dogs and selected a nice boulder to sit on while they ate.
"I can't wait for you to be the new Elphaba. We already have fantastic chemistry offstage, and it will definitely improve our performance onstage. I'm sure by then, we will have gotten the kiss down," Simon flirted. Eponine forced herself to keep her smile plastered to her face; she hated when people sweet talked her. She preferred Enjolras' yelling to this.
Stop thinking about Enjolras!
"You sound so sure that I'll get the part."
"Oh, but I know you will. You will be the best Elphaba of all time!"
"Better than the original: Idina Menzel?"
"Better."
"You're lying," Eponine accused.
"I just have a lot of faith in you. There is no way you won't be the next Elphie." Simon scooted closer and wrapped his arm around Eponine. That's right, he did 'the move.' Eponine tensed at his touch, but Simon didn't notice.
"Wait, I think you dropped something," Simon said suddenly, picking up a small, rectangular piece of paper. Eponine examined the paper before snatching it back roughly.
"Eponine, why do you have a plane ticket to France?" Simon asked, cocking his eyebrow. Eponine groaned into her palms.
"I'm not going."
"That wasn't the question I asked; why do you have a plane ticket to France?" Sometimes it would startle Eponine how Simon could shift his demeanor so fast; one minute he would be cheery and the next he would be creepy in a forced happily way, like the Joker.
"Um, a friend gave it to me but I don't think I'll actually go."
"Was that friend Enjolras?" Simon asked, but Eponine already knew he knew the answer.
"Stop always bringing up Enjolras! I mean, he's just one guy. Don't you worry about him now or ever because nothing romantic will ever go on between us. Him and me, me and him will never be. That kid is going places; I know he's gonna save the world one day by ending world hunger or something, but I'll never do anything like that. I'm just an anchor that weighs him down! Yesterday while he was stuck waiting and worrying for me, he could have been doing something worthwhile, but I slowed him down. That is exactly why it will never work between us; not now, not ever," Eponine ranted.
"So it was Enjolras," Simon said in a whisper, a far off look in his eye. "I'm sorry, I guess I can be the jealous boyfriend type." The word boyfriend sank to the bottom of Eponine's stomach.
"We're official, then?" she asked.
"As long as you want to be."
Eponine didn't let herself think before she replied yes.
And when Simon wrapped his arm around her shoulder, she didn't see him cross his fingers behind her back.
A/N: So guess what just started? SCHOOL! And guess what that means? More regular updates I think! I hope…
