Chapter 15: Best Friend, True Love
Modern AU Les Amis
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. Changes made to the story line and characters are all works of my imagination and everything is fictional.
Grantaire
Her phone is ringing, but she doesn’t pick up. This is my third call already, and she’s going to miss this one again, it seems. I was about to give up the attempt when I heard her voice.
“Hello R?” She sounded like she’s excited, or they are just having so much fun. “I’m sooo sorry I missed your calls — it’s really noisy here, we’ve been practicing the whole time!” she added in a high-pitched tone. I could hear music from the background.
I sighed in relief to hear her voice, finally. “Hey baby!” I tried to sound as enthusiastic as she was. “Please be home for dinner — Joly and I prepared garden salad for you! I know it’s not much, because we just tossed the greens in a bowl and all — but Joly here made a really yummy dressing which you should never miss!”
I could hear a chuckle from the other line. “Well I supposed Joly is not planning to poison me, is he?” she said jokingly. I couldn’t help but laugh while throwing a glance at Joly, who stared back at me with confused expression.
“No, he’ll never do that. He’s just too scared to experience a kick-on-the-groin,” I joked.
“GRANTAIRE!!!”
I laughed loudly this time. “Just kidding, babe… So what time will you come home? Please, have dinner with us tonight! You stayed at Courf’s and Jehan’s last night for dinner — if you’re having dinner with them again tonight, I’m telling you, I’ll really get jealous!”
I heard her giggle. “No, actually, I’m coming home now,” she said. “Courf said he’ll drive me home after practice, and we’re done already.”
“Hmmmm. OK then, we’ll wait for you. We won’t eat until you arrive! And believe me, Combeferre is very hungry already as he’s from workout, so don’t take too long!” I teased.
“Sir, yessir!” she replied then hung up.
Just then, Enjolras descend the stairs in his usually stiff strut. “Is your friend coming home for dinner?” he asked in his usually formal tone.
Joly glanced up at him uncertainly, then he looked at me. I nodded with a happy grin. “Yes. Courf is driving her home now,” I told him. I saw Enjolras’ face turned dark for a moment at the mention of Courf’s name, then it was gone as quickly as it appeared. He didn’t say anything, so I ignored it.
After about 15 minutes, there was a knock at the door. I quickly went to get it.
“Hi ‘Taire!” Courfeyrac greeted me fondly. “Lovely evening, isn’t it? Am I invited for dinner?” he teased.
I looked at him sternly and ignored his antics. “Where’s Margaux?”
Courfeyrac laughed shortly. “Why does everyone in this house seem to be concerned with Margaux when she’s with me?” he asked with a mock painful expression.
“Where is she, Courfeyrac?” It was Enjolras. He sounded fairly calm when he said it, but it was scary. Even I felt a little nervous when he spoke.
Courfeyrac chuckled. “She’s still in the car, talking on the phone with someone from Canada, I supposed,” he explained. “Can I stay for dinner too?” he asked again.
“Sure you can, Courf!” It was Joly. Then he entered without another word. A trace of laughter is obvious in his face, but he didn’t dare. I waited at the door, and after about two minutes, Margaux got out of Courfeyrac’s car with a worried look on her face.
She smiled as soon as she saw me waiting for her. “Hi there R!” She gave me a very tight embrace, and I realized that I haven’t got a chance to really hang out with her since she arrived two days ago, and I miss her so terribly.
“How are you?” I whispered, savoring the fresh citrusy scent of her hair.
She slowly squirmed out of the embrace and looked up at me with a grin, all the sadness in her eyes awhile ago is gone. “I’m good, I had so much fun! And you?”
I shrugged. “Not much. And I miss you so!” She gave me an apologetic smile at this, but before she could say another word, I led her inside. “Come on, dinner’s ready! You must be very hungry!”
I walked her to the dining area, and her eyes rounded with what she saw on the table. There’s a bowl of mixed garden salad of fresh lettuce, sweet corn, carrot slices, red tomatoes, cucumber slices, and alfalfa sprouts. “Oh Grantaire! Joly! Did you really prepare this for me?” she exclaimed happily, turning to face us.
Joly grinned at her, blushing slightly. “It’s not much, of course! But I did make a dressing that will bring you to paradise!” He turned to me and gave me a wink.
Margaux quickly gave him a hug. Joly looked taken aback, but he returned the embrace nonetheless, throwing a confused glance towards me.
“We’re eating grass for tonight?” It was Courfeyrac, he sounded a little disappointed, seeing what’s on the table.
Joly laughed. “Don’t worry Courf, Grantaire prepared pan-seared fish fillet with lemon butter sauce. And mashed potatoes on the side, of course!” Courfeyrac smiled happily at this. “Where’s Jehan and Marius by the way? Why didn’t they come?”
“Jehan said he needs to study for an exam tomorrow. And Marius, well, where could you expect him to be? At Cosette’s of course! He goes home at around 8 in the evening,” Courf explained.
“I’ll go call Combeferre,” Enjolras suddenly said. I saw Margaux discreetly moved her eyes towards him, but she didn’t say a word. It seems that she still feels anxious around him, even though she told me through text this morning that she spoke to him already and that he had already pardoned her. Well them I cannot blame her — Enjolras is really SCARY. But of course, I would really want them to get along, they are the TWO people who I look up to, after all.
After dinner, Courfeyrac bade us good night and went home right away. Combeferre retired to his bedroom as well, as he needs to prepare his lesson plan for tomorrow. Joly also went to his bedroom to sleep early. Enjolras stayed at the living room to watch the evening news when I walked Margaux to my bedroom.
“Thanks for the dinner, R!” she said, throwing her arms around me quickly. “I really appreciate it!”
I smiled. “Ssshh. No need to thank me too much! You have made breakfast for two mornings in a row already,” I reminded her. She grinned and waved her hand dismissively.
“It’s my pleasure, R — don’t mention it,” she replied with a wink. “Good night, R!” She gave me a light kiss on the cheek and one last sweet smile before going inside the room.
At half past 11, I was trying to get myself to sleep when my cellphone beeped. It was an iMessage from Margaux:
Hey R, if you’re still up… will you keep me company please? I’m… I need you.
Quickly, I sat up, typed in a one-worded reply (Coming!), and rushed to my bedroom. After two knocks, the door burst open, and Margaux immediately threw her arms around me, sobbing silently.
“What the — ” I was taken aback in surprise. Then I slowly put my arms around her and gently stroked her hair which hang in loose waves all the way down to her waist. “Hush now, baby…” I whispered, trying to find the right words to comfort her. “What’s the matter?”
She gently removed her arms from around my torso and looked up at me. This is the first time that I see her bare face — no trace of makeup at all. Her eyes are still round and brown, but no more dark liners and shadows around them. They are red and puffy from crying. Her lips are no longer blood-red, but a pale reddish pink. She looked closer to her 13-year-old self. In fact, she looks like she is her 13-year-old self — my last memory of her…the girl in my paintings at the attic. My best friend. My true love.
“Grantaire… Will you stay with me tonight? Please?” she pleaded.
I was speechless. She sounded like a small child, pleading a mother to keep her company through the night. “Of course,” I said to her while leading her inside the room, half-closing the door behind us. I sat her down the bed, then wiped a tear from her cheek with my hand. “Now tell me,” I said, “what is wrong?” I held her gaze, trying to decipher what’s inside her head. “Did Courfeyrac, in any way, have something to do with this?” I asked, though deep inside me, I know the answer is negative. Courfeyrac would never be the reason for Margaux’s tears — at least not now, perhaps.
She shook her head quickly, a little amused smile forming in her lips. “Why do almost all of you distrust Courf?” she asked in a small, sweet voice. “He is very kind — and charming… I think he is totally harmless!“ she added defensively.
I smiled. At least now she seems to be smiling already. “So if this is not Courfeyrac’s doing, why are you crying? In the middle of the night?”
She fell silent for a while.
“Marguerite.” Then another tear fell from her eye. “She was the one who called me on our way here from Courf’s… She’s getting married. Soon.” Then she burst into quiet sobs again.
I gently wrapped my arms around her. It was all that I could do for the moment. I don’t know why her sister’s wedding seemed to cause so much depression on her. But I didn’t dare ask anymore…
We stayed in this position — her small torso in my arms, with her face buried on my chest. I hummed a soft and gently tune, just as I did when we were kids, to lull her to sleep. And after minute or two, I heard her slow, gentle breathing. She reposed in my embrace, and I could feel her warmth, which is so calming. And I fell asleep.
