Only Been Pretending

Chapter Sixteen - A Terrible Shock

Chapter Sixteen

          The year ended and a new one began. Everything was pretty much remained normal. Enjolras was almost done with his law degree, and Eponine was doing very well at her job. Grantaire and Combeferre were also almost done with their degrees.

          Eponine and Enjolras continued to try to ignore what they were feeling, but it was becoming harder. Eponine found herself thinking of Enjolras all the time and how he was so kind to her. Enjolras couldn’t help but notice her dimples when she smiled at him or how her eyes would always sparkle when she laughed. But they would never admit that they were anything more than friends.

0000

          A few weeks into the New Year, everyone decided to meet at the café as normal. They were having a great time laughing and talking. There was a break in the conversation so Musichetta cleared her throat, and everyone got quiet.

          “Alexandre and I have some news,” she smiled.

          Everyone waited expectantly for what they were going to say.

          Joly spoke, “Musichetta and I got married.”

          “What?!” everyone exclaimed.

          “You didn’t think to tell us?” Combeferre asked.

          “Or, I don’t know, invite us to the wedding?” Grantaire included.

          Musichetta rolled her eyes, “There really wasn’t a wedding. It was more of a spur of the moment thing over the holidays.”

          “Well, congratulations,” Enjolras said.

          Just then, someone stepped into the café, but the only person in the group to notice was Eponine. When she saw who it was, her heart nearly stopped. She gripped Enjolras’s arm tightly. Alarmed from her grip, he glanced over at her, noticing that she was pale and beginning to look like a cornered animal.

          “Eponine, are you alright?” he asked.

          She whispered loudly enough just so they could hear, “’Parnasse.”

          Sure enough, Montparnasse was in the café and walking towards them. There was no mistaking who he was headed towards because they were the only people in the café. The Amis jumped up, surrounding Eponine to protect her. Combeferre and Joly stood on either side of her, while Musichetta stood with her, a protective arm wrapped around her shoulder. Enjolras and Grantaire stood in front of them, putting a barrier between Eponine and Montparnasse.

          “What do you want?” Grantaire spat.

          “I need to speak with ‘Ponine.”

          “You need to leave,” Enjolras responded.

          Montparnasse huffed and looked between the two men to Eponine, “Please, ‘Ponine. It’s important. I just want a moment to speak with you alone.”

          Eponine studied him. Something had changed. When she looked into his eyes, she could see that something was different. He could never hide the evilness in his eyes, but that sinister look was no longer there. Yes, something was different. Just when Enjolras was about to, very literally, throw Montparnasse out of the café, Eponine spoke up.

          “Okay,” she said.

          All the Amis looked at her like she had lost her mind.