Me: Oh last chapter was full of drama no? Well you'll never guess what I have in store for you guys today!
Grantaire: Let me guess you have yet another fangirl joining the barricade
Me: *Extends hand to Enjolras who helps me up * Oh you know me so well!
Grantaire: Who is it today?
Me: Just another twin of mine, Zeldalover72
Zeldalover72: Hi everyone! Enjy, before you start yelling about me being here, I am not crazy!
Enjolras: Really? Considering you asked to be on a barricade I wouldn't rule out your insanity quite yet
Me: oh come one Enjy at least give her a chance!
Zeldalover72: Yeah! Listen to your crush, Enjy!
Me: His what?!
Enjolras: *turning red* Nothing she said nothing!
Zeldalover72:Okay, first things first! I want to meet Gavroche! He's too cute!
Gavroche: You called! Pay up Courf I told you the ladies loved me more!
Courfeyrac: It's only because you're ten!
Gavroche: it's still counts! *turns to grin at Zelda* How do you do? My names Gavroche
Zeldalover72: Yay! Gavroche! Courfeyrac, pay him the money! Gavroche deserves money!
Courfeyrac: But but!
Me: Pay up Courf! Or so help me I will get the money from you myself! I have no shame remember?
Courfeyrac: *digging though his pocket* Why is everyone on his side?
Me: because he is adorable!
Zeldalover72: I'm the happiest person in the world because I'm talking to you right now! And Courfeyrac *gasp* how could you ask that? Of course we have to be on his side, I could never say no to that face!
Gavroche: In your face Courf! Ladies love my face
Me: It's true *pinch Gavroche's cheeks* your adorable
Gavroche: ow! Cut that out!
Courfeyrac: not so good being cute is it kid?
Zeldalover72: Don't annoy Gavroche! We're only supposed to annoy Enjy! Speaking of Enjy, I need to speak to him privately. i want to tell him something...
Me: Be my guest
Enjolras: Oh crap...
Me: Crap! Look at that I'm con-Tammy-nating you!
Enjolras: Stop saying that it won't catch on!
Me: *stick my tongue out at him and walk to cafe to talk to Joly*
Zeldalover72: Okay, Enjy, I know you have feelings for Eponine T. Daae. So pleeeeeeeeeaaase tell her!
Enjolras: what!? First Sirens now you?! Can you people just leave me alone!
Zeldalover72: No we cannot leave you alone! If you're not going to tell her, I will!
Enjolras: *squeak* BN! Don't you dare say a word! Not one word!
Zeldalover72: And what happens if I do?
Enjolras: *eyes narrowing* Lets just say I am capable of being terrible...
Zeldalover72: I'm not scared of you! If I tell her, I can just leave the barricade and you'll never find me again, so you can't do anything. You could always tell her yourself! There's a good chance she will like you back! Don't you want that!?
Enjolras: *trembling with irritation* I don't have time for emotions! I'm trying to run a barricade here but for the love of Patria please don't say anything!
Gavroche: Ooh this is getting good
Enjolras: Where on Earth did u come from?
Zeldalover72: Everyone has time for emotions! You and Eponine T. Daae can run the barricade together, as a couple! And don't talk like that to Gavroche! Gavroche, I'm so happy you're here! Help me convince Enjy to tell Eponine T. Daae that he has a crush on her!
Enjolras: You will do no such thing!
Gavroche: But why Enjy? Why won't you tell?
Enjolras: As I said I have no time for emotions, this feeling in my gut is rather unpleasant. Besides from what I have heard, "crushes" pass given time. I'm sure this is no different
Gavroche: You are an idiot
Enjolras: I resent that
Zeldalover72: And "crushes" can also turn into LOVE! Gavroche is right. Be a man and tell her!
Enjolras: no! I'm not dealing with this any more! *storms off*
Me: *looking at him as he stalks of to the cafe and passes me* Everything alright? Is Zelda proving her sanity?
Enjolras: Everything is just peachy...
Zeldalover72: Fine! I'll just hope that the next fangirl who comes on the barricade will actually convince Enjolras. Anyway, I'm afraid I have to go. But before I leave, Gavroche, give me a hug please!
Me: Convince him to do what?
Gavroche:You'll find out soon *runs to give Zelda a hug*
Me: aww, goodbye! On with the story
Enjolras gripped his phone tightly as it was pressed up against his ear. He waited in anticipation as the hollow sound of the ring came on his end of the phone.
"Hey, if you're hearing this it means you got my voicemail. Sorry for missing your call, but leave a message and I'll get back to you. Seriously, just leave a message. Thanks!"
Enjolras groaned in frustration as he yet again listened to Eponine's voicemail message. It was late Saturday afternoon and Enjolras was still at his bedside, trying desperately to get ahold of Eponine. His clothes were in disarray, his hair was matted, and he had huge bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.
"Ep," he began frantically, "don't delete the message! It's me! I know you are really pissed at me and you have every right to be but please, listen to me! I know it looks bad, but you've got it all wrong! I'm sorry about the bet! I-"
He was cut off by the machine. "We're sorry; the person who you are trying to reach has a voice mailbox that is full. Please try again later."
Enjolras let out an animal-like grunt and practically threw his phone across the room in frustration. Of course her inbox was full. It was 3pm on Saturday and he had been trying to talk to her since 10pm the night before, passing out around 3 am but waking up at 7am and getting back on track instantly. In that time, he had sent her about 34 text messages and called about 57 times (not that he was keeping count). At midnight, Enjolras was getting anxious. Between 7am-10am he calmed himself down by telling himself she was asleep; at noon he was back to being anxious, and now he was desperate- he had even gone to her house during the night, but no one would answer. The same went when he stopped by two hours ago. However, despite his persistent attempts, Eponine had not replied to a single one of his messages or answered any of his calls. The closest he got was Azelma texting him and telling him to stop texting her as he was wasting her monthly amount. In her words, "Eponine doesn't get unlimited text messages, unlike some ungrateful pricks." Enjolras got the feeling that Eponine told Azelma about the bet. But on the plus side, now his calls were ringing before going to voicemail, which meant that either her phone was back on or she wasn't automatically declining them- just ignoring them. It wasn't much, but it was something.
Suddenly his phone dinged and Enjolras' heart skipped a beat. However, his face dropped when he saw it wasn't from Eponine.
Marius: Is there a reason why Cosette is sending me angry text messages and calling you, me, and the rest of guys blockheaded idiots?
Enjolras: Because we are.
Marius: Please explain. I like knowing why my girlfriend is mad at me.
Enjolras: The guys made a stupid bet and Eponine found out about it. So now she's pissed.
Marius: Damn! Just how stupid was this bet?
Enjolras: They bet on who could get Eponine to go out on a date with them first.
Marius: Shit…I hate to say this dude, but you screwed up
Enjolras: I didn't do anything! I wasn't even part of the bet! I walked away when they were making it! I didn't think they were serious!
Marius: Have you told Eponine that?
Enjolras: I haven't been able to! She won't answer my calls! They keep going to voicemail! And Azelma told me to stop texting her!
Marius: That's messed up, man.
Enjolras: Thank you, Captain Obvious
Marius: Hey! I'm not the one who screwed up!
Enjolras: I didn't do anything!
Marius: Doesn't matter dude. You still have to fix this.
Enjolras' phone dinged once again, signaling a text from someone else.
Courfeyrac: Care to tell me why, when I texted your girlfriend, she sent me a text telling me to "fuck off"?
Enjolras: Thanks to you and your stupid bet, Eponine is pissed at me.
Courfeyrac: How the hell did she find out?
Enjolras: I don't know! She just did and now she won't even talk to me! How the hell am I supposed to fix this mess when she won't listen to me?
Courfeyrac: I don't know what to tell you, man. I would say wait till she comes around, but Eponine is like you; she's as stubborn as a mule.
Enjolras: I know that! I am so screwed…
Enjolras groaned yet again and locked his phone before banging his head on the table. He knew he didn't do anything wrong, but Eponine wasn't budging. He had known her for almost three years, and if there was one thing he knew about her, it was that she was as stubborn as they came; she wouldn't move an inch or cave in anytime soon.
However, Enjolras was known for never giving up either.
Eponine sighed as her phone lit up, yet again, in her pocket. She didn't even have to look to know who it was. Caller ID showed the caller to be just who she expected: Enjolras. The image staring back at her was a picture of him looking completely surprised as Gavroche pelted him with a snowball (the guys had hacked his Facebook and made it his profile picture without him knowing, and since Enjolras was barely on Facebook so they were still waiting for the moment when he found out). It was a fun picture that made Eponine laugh every time she saw it, but now it only made her cringe with anger. Ever since the night before he had been blowing up her phone non-stop, but she hadn't answered him once, not even when Azelma tried to convince her otherwise.
"Come on, Eponine, at least talk to the guy!" she pleaded. At this point, it was midnight and he had been trying to talk to her a couple of hours.
"No!" Eponine answered back sharply
"Ep, come on, it seems like he really wants to talk to you."
She rolled her eyes. "What gave it away, the excessive calling or the text messages?"
"At least give him a chance! What if this is all just some big misunderstanding?" While Eponine had told Azelma about the bet, and Azelma had been pretty upset at first, she had a higher sympathy level than Eponine and was more willing to forgive.
"Zel, he bet on me! He and the rest of my so-called friends thought I was so pathetic that they could bet on who would take me out first! Do you have any idea how degraded I feel? I can't deal with someone who sees me like that."
After that, Eponine had turned off her phone and shut off the lights. She was done dealing with crap for the day and decided to let sleep calm her down. When she awoke the next morning and turned on her phone she found that Enjolras had called her 20 more times overnight and left a message every time. After hiding out in their house for a few hours, Azelma had convinced Eponine to go to Cosette's house with her, if for nothing else but a distraction from Enjolras. That is how she found herself sitting on the windowsill of Cosette's bedroom window, looking down at her phone once again as Enjolras' name flashed across the screen.
Cosette sighed as she watched Eponine push a button and slip the phone back into her pocket. "I know it hurts, but can't you at least let him explain?"
She glared at the blonde. "What is there to explain? There was a bet and he won. Everything makes so much sense now."
"Eppie, I know I haven't had much experience with boys, but I've seen the way Enjolras looks at you. His affections are genuine. There is no way all that was because of a bet."
"What if," began Azelma, "it all started off as a bet, but along the way he actually started to like you?" Both girls looked at her quizzically, "What! It could happen…."
Eponine sighed. "I don't care if he 'started to like me along the way.' He made his bed and now he has to sleep in it. Do you guys have any idea how I feel, knowing that I was just a part in their game? I feel used and pathetic! I actually care for Enjolras, but he doesn't care for me! I was so happy when he kissed me at the dance. I felt like I was finally worth something in his eyes. Every time he put his arm around me or smiled at me, my heart fluttered. No one ever made me feel like he did." A small smile played at Eponine's lips for a moment before her face hardened once again. "But everything was a lie; it was all part of the bet! I was the only one who felt anything! I feel so stupid for believing him. I told myself not to get swayed in; I warned myself that he would never go for someone like me, but I didn't listen! Now look where I am!" She was spitting out angry words and holding back tears. She had cried enough for a guy, she was a Thenardier; she wasn't going to let anyone hurt her.
The two other girls looked at each other not really knowing what to do or say. Finally, Cosette looked at her with sad doe eyes before giving up and leaving Eponine alone on the matter. Both Alzema and Cosette knew doing anything else wouldn't work; if Eponine was going to act that way, there was no way of getting her out of it. Instead, they went through Cosette's movie selection and picked out Mean Girls. While those two were off laughing, Eponine sat at the windowsill secretly hoping she was wrong.
"Are you sure this will work?" Enjolras asked
"Positive!" exclaimed Jehan, "Eponine isn't swayed by words- she is swayed by action! Plus lime blossoms are her favorite!"
Enjolras nodded and placed the flowers on her desk. By Sunday, Enjolras had gotten to a point where he was so desperate he went to Jehan, the romantic poet, for help. Jehan suggested that he buy her flowers and put them on her desk in AP Gov as an apology along with a note on Monday morning. What Enjolras didn't know was that lime blossoms meant lust in flower language. So imagine his surprise when, not only did Eponine not sit at her usual desk, Grantaire took her spot and knew what the flowers meant.
"Oh, I'm touched, Enjolras," teased Grantaire, "but I'm already taken."
Enjolras yelped and banged his head on the desk. The rest of the period wasn't much better as Eponine sat three desks away from him and barely ever looked at him, not even to glare. This Eponine was even worse than mad Eponine. Throughout the day, everyone had tried to give him advice on how to get Eponine to forgive him- the ideas included writing her a poem (Jehan), giving her a note (Marius), or just plain announcing it to her in the crowded hallway (Courfeyrac); but most of their ideas were awful. At one point, he flagged down Cosette in the hall right before her English class
"Enjolras, I'm not going to help you," she said timidly. "You really hurt Eponine."
"It wasn't my fault," he pleaded. "I wasn't even part of the bet! Please, Cosette, you have to help me! Eponine means so much to me!"
Cosette sighed. "Fine. But I don't know how much help I can be. Eponine is mad because she feels used; she thinks you only pretended to like her and that none of your feelings were real."
Enjolras pondered over that for a moment before a light bulb went off in his head. "That helps, Cosette, it really does. I think I know what to do now!"
xxxxxx
Eponine walked down the hallway to the auditorium, thankful that she had a place of sanctuary from the guys. The only thing bad about the auditorium nowadays was that Erik had stopped coming as often. She barely ever saw him anymore. When she entered the room, it was empty, just like she expected. Without a second thought, Eponine walked up to the stage and put her bag down by the piano. Her fingers were like ghosts over the keys, trying to decide what to play. She was about to play her first note when a sudden voice stopped her.
"June 5, 2010."
She jolted back in shock and her fingers fell upon the piano with a loud thud, "What?!"
"June 5, 2010." The voice repeated. Eponine looked out into the seats to see Enjolras get up and walk toward the stage
Eponine looked at him wide-eyed before shooting up and turning to leave.
"That was the day I started to have feelings for you."
Eponine froze in her spot. "I …I …I don't want to talk you," she stuttered
"You don't have to talk, just were at the park playing basketball and you joined in. You were waiting for Marius." He waited for a response from Eponine, but he got none, so he continued on. "He wasn't there but you didn't care; you said you would wait. After a while, the guys decided to take a break, but I didn't. I was shooting baskets and you called me out saying my technique sucked, so I challenged you to a game and the guys teased us from the sidelines. At one point you had the ball and you were right in front of me and you were making some snarky remarks at me." At this point Eponine turned a bit so Enjolras could see her face, "I remember how your chipped blue fingernails kept padding at the ball as you smirked at me. Your hair was shorter then; you couldn't even put it in a ponytail without tuffs coming out from the bottom. You smiled at me before sidestepping and making a perfect basket. You rubbed it in my face- how I lost to you- and at that moment, I felt something in my gut and I've been feeling that every time I've seen you since. I never said anything because I thought the feeling would pass, but it never did, Eponine."
Eponine looked at him with suspicion in her eyes. She bit down hard on her lip and willed herself to stay still. Enjolras took that as progress and inched toward the stage even more; he even hopped over the railing so he could actually get on the stage.
"Ep, I know you are mad at me, but believe me when I say the bet has nothing to do with my feelings for you. Yes, there was a bet, but I wasn't a part of it. I left when they made it." He sighed looked at her with pleading eyes. "I like you for you, Eponine."
She glared at him for a moment before softening. "Even with my irritating stubbornness?"
He smiled. "I wouldn't have you any other way."
"I don't know what to say," she said quietly
"Don't say anything, just come here."
With that Enjolras tugged on her hand and pulled her in for a hug. She automatically wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him tightly, pressing him against her.
"I'm sorry," she muttered
"Don't be."
Well i hope you enjoyed that lovely chapter. Thanks to all reviewers/followers/readers! I love you all. This chapter was beta read by the lovely nanowrimoneverends :)
If anyone cares the pictures of my barricade from two days ago are available via twitter and tumblr (i even took a red flag from school and a guard fifle to add to the effect)
Oh and please go on my profile and vote for the poll (just so everyone knows the college AU option can either be a squeal type thing to West End High or a stand alone piece)