Notes: Thank you so much to frustratedstudent, Musichetta, and Phoenixflames12 for reviewing the last chapter. We return to the Musain in this chapter, and the Amis will as well. Hope you enjoy, and please review:)
BARRICADE
CHAPTER V
This meeting at the Café Musain is much different from the one a few nights previous. The atmosphere is more controlled—less booze being passed around (and therefore less drunkenly rowdy laughter), the conversation is kept at a low murmur rather than full-out shouts. The room is less smoky, because other than Joly and his unbreakable cigar habit everyone else has extinguished their cigarettes. The change could be because Enjolras is in full form today, keeping watch over his friends like an eagle as he makes his Les Amis got wind of the fact that Enjolras would be bringing a girl to the meeting and so of course they were all immensely intrigued. Who on earth could their (completely inexperienced with women) leader have persuaded to accompany him to the meeting? So now that they had seen this utterly baffling girl (none of them could understand why she was attracted to Enjolras) they couldn't tear their eyes away.
Of course, Éponine has that effect on most people (though it usually isn't because they can't believe she is dating their best friend.)
No one is actually certain she and Enjolras are dating. Enjolras, being the overly private man he was, had told no one about Éponine—and Éponine isn't saying anything either. Really, for all Les Amis knew the two could've been cousins. No one really knows what exactly their relationship entails—and neither do they.
When Enjolras finishes his main speech of the night, there's much whispering between Les Amis as they speculate on the subject. "He's in love with her," says Jehan confidently, asserting his position as the poet who is well versed in all matters romantic. "But she doesn't return that love, I don't think. To her, he's just a friend."
"That doesn't matter. The real question here is, can I start bringing Musichetta to the meetings now?" says Joly, as he stares at Éponine.
"No, I'm going to bring 'Chetta," replies Bossuet.
Jehan rolls his eyes. "Stop arguing over Musichetta, the two of you. Just share her, and be done with it."
When Enjolras brought Éponine to the meeting, Grantaire had begun drinking steadily. Now he's on his second—or is it third?—bottle and his eyes are bleary. "No, no…Enjolras doesn't love her…he can't…" he mumbles quietly.
"You're just in denial, Grantaire," says Courfeyrac, rolling his eyes. "He's in love with her."
"But how…do you know?" slurs Grantaire.
Courfeyrac laughs. "I live with Marius, remember? And he's still head over heels for Cosette. I know the look in a man's eyes when he's in love." Their voices have risen to full volume, and when Courfeyrac mentions Marius, Éponine's eyes turn sharply towards their group. She stands and walks quickly to them, sitting beside Courfeyrac.
"Excuse me monsieur. Did you say Marius? Marius Pontmercy?" are her first words, pointed at Courfeyrac who gapes at her in shock.
He snaps his mouth shut. "I…I did, mademoiselle. Why? Do you…do you know him?"
"I do. He used to be my next door neighbor." She speaks stiffly, and in that moment most of Les Amis decides that there is no way Enjolras is in love with her—she is too awkward, too strange, too…emotionless. "Did you…did you say he is in love with a girl named Cosette?"
"I…I did," replies Courfeyrac, who seems to have lost all powers of speech beyond the words I did.
Éponine nods, and Les Amis is treated to the first flash of emotion they have seen in her eyes since they met her. "Thank you, monsieur. Now I must go."
She stands and tries to leave quickly, but is stopped by Enjolras.
The members of Les Amis turn to each other, wide-eyed. "What on earth was that about?" asks Courfeyrac, shaking his head.
"I was right," crows Jehan, with no small amount of triumph. "Enjolras loves her, but she does not love him."
They turn back towards Éponine and Enjolras, watching rivetedly as though they are a scene at the cinema. "I have to go," Éponine is saying, her voice thick and choked-sounding.
Enjolras tugs at her hand. "No, please, Éponine, I—what's wrong, don't go, tell me what's wrong—" He tries to convince her to stay with him, but she shakes her head.
"No, no, I have to go." The thickness in her voice escalates into one heartrending sob, and then the tears are gone. She pulls away from Enjolras and heads for the door.
"Stop, Éponine! Tell me what's going on, for God's sake!" Enjolras shouts.
She stops momentarily, and for a collective moment of anticipation everyone in the café wonders if perhaps she will really stay. She turns to Enjolras, places a hand on his cheek. "I'm so sorry, Enjolras," she says quietly, her voice—and eyes—entirely dry.
Then she wrenches the doorknob open and disappears into the night.
Notes: This one was really short again, but the next one is quite a bit longer—it's the longest one so far, I think. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter—what do you think of Éponine's strange behavior?0_0 Anyway, I hope you'll review and tell me. Thanks:)