Chapter 14.1: Unexpected Meet Ups
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. Changes made in the story and characters are all works of my imagination and they are fictional.
Courfeyrac is really not the type of person to give up. He had asked me for a date since our very first meeting yesterday for like…eight times, and I refused him every time. But again today, he showed up at my workplace unexpectedly, brought Gavroche with him, and asked me again to hang out after my shift.
Though honestly, I don’t really find him annoying. It’s just that — well, Grantaire warned me to NOT go out on a date with him. But as a matter of fact, I like Courfeyrac. I mean, what’s not to like, right? He is cool, funny, charming… But of course, it ends to that. I like him, but I don’t see him as a potential romantic interest either.
So I agreed to hang out with him and Gavroche after my shift, while we wait for Jehan’s classes to end, so the three of us can jam together. I must admit I love hanging out with them — I mean, we share the same passion for music, and I think they can make a better replacement for the band that I left behind in Montreal. Courf promised he would find us gigs, and I truly look forward to it. This is why we need to practice. I hope Joly and Feuilly would join us, so the band is complete.
We went to the coffee shop beside my workplace, because I also want to visit Eponine. Her shift ends an hour after mine, and I want us to walk her to her parents’ inn where she works for the night, before we go to Courf’s apartment to jam.
“I am actually going to apply us to the bar where Grantaire works part-time as bartender — they are in need of musicians, you know,” Courf was saying while we fall in line to take our order, “but they usually want us to sing late 90’s Pop Songs instead of Rock. Will that be OK with you?”
I couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm. “Of course! Courf — I can sing almost any type of music!” I told him happily. “90’s Pop is not bad to me!” I grinned. Perhaps he thought I am biased to rock; after all, what impression can my gothic makeup and fashion make anyway?
Courf smiled widely. “That’s wonderful! So we will practice Britney Spears tonight then!” he said enthusiastically. Before I could answer, I heard a throat-clearing sound in front of us, and looked up. It was Eponine behind the counter. She grinned teasingly.
“Good afternoon, Monsieur and Mademoiselle! May I take your orders please?” she said with mock professionalism.
“Ep!” I exclaimed with a grin, then came closer to give her a quick cheek-to-cheek. “You look wonderful!” I said sincerely, looking at her cafe baseball cap and orange cafe shirt. She blushed lightly.
“Thank you,” she whispered, a little shyly, then glanced around. “Uhm, i really need to take your orders,” she added, and gave a quick motion of her head towards the other customers in line.
I grinned and nodded. “Of course! How silly of me!” Then I squinted at the menu board. “I’ll have hot peppermint tea, regular,” then i turned to Courf and added, “how ‘bout yours?”
Eponine gave us a questioning look and Courf had that knowing smile on his face as if he is smiling at a private joke. “I’ll have Mocha Froccino please, with whipped cream, tall, and tall vanilla milkshake,” he said to Ep with a wink.
“One regular hot peppermint tea, one tall vanilla milkshake, and one tall Mocha Froccino with whipped cream. Is there anything else, sir? Ma’am?” she said, scrutinizing us gently. When we shook our heads, she showed us the bill and I quickly rummaged inside my bag for my wallet when Courf held my hand to stop me.
“Hey!” He said, when I turned to look up, there is a look of pain in his eyes. “I got this, OK? What do you take me for?” He then took some bills from his pocket and handed them to Eponine.
I rolled my eyes. “Courf, it’s not as if we’re dating!”
Eponine giggled at this. Then she gave him the change. “We will just call your name Sir when your order is ready,” she said with a wink. Then added in a whisper, “For whom is the Vanilla Milkshake?”
I turned around and saw Gavroche seated on the couch at the far corner of the cafe. Ep followed my gaze and sighed silently, as if in relief. She gave me a small smile then nodded for the next customer. Courf and I went to join Gavroche at the table.
“Long line, eh?” the boy asked me teasingly. “Keeps my sister busy.” He chuckled. “I already sent a text message to Jehan, by the way,” he said to Courf, “told him to meet you guys here after his classes.”
Courf gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Good job, Gavroche!” he said proudly. After we were seated for about a minute, Courf’s name was called. He excused himself immediately to take our drinks. I couldn’t help but smile at his show of excitement. It’s no wonder he and Gavroche get along perfectly well — coz they are almost alike.
“So,” Gavroche said as soon as Courf’s gone, “why don’t you like to go out on a date with him?” He gestured towards the counter where Courfeyrac had gone.
I gave him a stare of disbelief. “Whoa there, little one!” I said incredulously. “What do you know about dating?”
I was startled and turned around to see who have butted in our conversation, and was surprised to see Combeferre behind me. “Ferre!” I exclaimed with a smile and immediately stood up to wrap my arms around him lightly and gave him a cheek-to-cheek.
“You’re having a coffee date with Gavroche?” someone said from beside us.
I froze. I know that voice. I feel my heart pumped suddenly fast. I gently removed my arms from Ferre and turned to take notice at the one who was standing beside him. I forced a smile. “Hi Enjolras.” Why I couldn’t throw my arms around him and give him a light kiss just as I did to Ferre, I do not know. He was looking at me and Gavroche in such a way as if he was trying to hide his smile. I heard Gavroche chuckled from behind us.
“That would be very wonderful, Monsieur, if I’m dating Margaux,” he sneered.
Just then, Courfeyrac arrived with our drinks. I saw Enjolras’ expression turned from almost-smiling to a grimace when he saw him. “Oh hey there, Captain! And First Officer!” Courfeyrac greeted as soon as he saw them. “What brings you here?” Courf scrutinized Ferre with mock seriousness then said, “Paying a visit to Ep?” He grinned.
I saw Combeferre blushed very slightly. He rolled his eyes. “Enjolras and I just came from a meeting with Doctor Pierre, who is willing to help us with our group’s medical mission. You are supposed to have joined us, had we known that you don’t have classes.” He gave him a stern stare.
Courf shrugged and grinned apologetically. “I’m sorry… It slipped my mind. I was just too excited for our practice,” he explained, gesturing towards me. I quickly shook my head nervously, afraid that Enjolras might think I am the bad influence on his friends.
“Courf.” It was Enjolras. And there he was again with his super scary name-calling tone.
Courfeyrac seemed to have felt it too; he quickly straightened up to listen with a nervous smile. “Yes Chief?”
Enjolras looked hard and cold. “I would want a word with you,” he said, then he threw me a quick glance. I could hear my heart pumping. Oh no… Enjolras had just forgiven me this morning and now Courfeyrac made him hate me once again!
I was startled by another interruption. It was Jehan, smiling from the door, all neat and happy. I instinctively grinned, seeing his sweet face, and quickly ran towards him to give him a warm embrace.
Jehan returned the hug without second thoughts. He took something from his back pocket and handed it to me. It’s a stem of white rose. “For you,” he said happily. “I got one for ‘Ponine too,” he added, procuring another identical stem of white rose from his behind. “Beautiful ladies like you deserve something beautiful every day!” He winked. “I’m gonna get my drinks and I’ll join you at the table,” he said, giving me a quick peck on my cheek before he went to the counter.
I went back to the table to join Gavroche, giving a sideways glance at Ferre while walking towards it. Ferre must have sensed my uneasiness and he gave me a reassuring smile. When I was seated, Courf turned to us, smiled apologetically, and said, “Excuse me for a while… Enjolras and I need to discuss something. I’ll join you when we’re done.” The he went to the other table with Enjolras. Combeferre, on the other hand, chose to stay and joined Gavroche and me at our table.
I silently took a sip out if my hot tea, the minty taste is cool and soothing. Then I glanced up at Combeferre, a worried expression on my face, and asked, “Am I in trouble?”
Combeferre must have found this funny because he let out a surprise laugh. “Do you really think you are?” he teased.
He raised his hands, as if in surrender, chuckled lightly, and said, “Chill!” He gave me another reassuring smile. “I don’t think you are — or you will be for that matter,” he assured with a wink.
I glanced at the other table towards Courf and Enjolras, and at the same time Enjolras threw a quick glance at me, and for a very brief moment that our eyes met, I felt a sudden twinge of understanding occurring between the two of us — but it was so brief and sudden that it was gone before I could take a breath in. I felt my face warmed, and I looked up at Combeferre, who was intently observing me in silence.
