Better Run for Cover

Chapter 9: No Understanding

Chapter 9: No Understanding

{André's p.o.v.}

"When's this gonna end?" someone shouted. "When we gonna live?" "Something's gotta happen now, something's gotta give!" The cries echoed around the street outside General Lamarque's house where we were holding the demonstration.

"Where are the leaders of the land? Where is the king who runs this show?" shouted Enjolras. "Only one man, General Lamarque! Speaks for the people here below!" added Marius, raising his fist in the air as he did so.

"Lamarque is ill and fading fast, won't last a week out, so they say!" said my brother. "With all the anger in the land, how long before the judgement day?" cried Marius. "Before we cut the fat ones down to size!" I crowed. "Before the barricades arise!?!" shouted the boys in unison.

"Vive la France! Vive la Republique! Long live the Revolution!" the shouts echoed throughout the street. I raised my fist into the air as I looked around at the large crowd that had formed for the demonstration. For the first time since my brother had spoke of this revolution, I could feel it. The change in the wind that told me that the people would rise with us. That we would bring down the King of France and that our Republic, our vision of France, would rise up and take control of our homeland.

Then, over the shouts of the crowd and the cries of my brother and the other boys, I heard the sound of horse hooves on the stones that paved the streets. "Enjy!" I said, elbowing him. "It's the police!"

From the side streets appeared the police, and leading them was none other than Javert. He glared at me when my eyes met his and I quickly hid behind my brother, hiding from those cold, grey eyes.

"It's okay Andy," muttered Enjolras, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You aren't doing anything that he can put you behind bars for." "At da moment," I said, biting my lip as I watched him and the police herd the people away.

Javert rode up to Enjolras, Marius and I a moment later. Courfeyrac and Combeferre were being questioned by another police man. "What is the meaning of this?" growled Javert, glaring at my brother and I, then turning his glare on Marius.

"We're telling the people about how General Lamarque is ill and that he may not be around for much longer," said Enjolras, keeping his cool. "The people love him, and they deserve to know how he is," added Marius.

"Yeah, we actually care about the peoples, unlike other persons I has the displeasures of knowin'," I growled, glaring right back at Javert, who raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"What did you just say to me?" he asked slowly, and I knew I shouldn't have said that. "She just said that she thinks you should consider what people are going through before you just lock them up behind bars," said Enjolras, before I said something else that could have gotten me into some real trouble.

Javert narrowed his eyes. "If someone breaks the law, then it doesn't matter what they're going through. Breaking the law makes you a criminal."

"I wouldn't expect someone with money like you'se ta understand," I growled, "But when you'se got no money and you'se is almost dead because of starvation, then you steal some food. That's the only way for you'se ta stay alive, so that's whatcha do."

Javert paused for a moment, then said, "The law is the law. It is harsh, but it is the law." He then turned his horse around as if to leave, but I had had it.

"No it ain't!" I snarled.

"Andy!" Enjolras said in a warning tone.

"No!" I growled at my brother, who took a step back in surprise. Even Marius looked taken aback.

"No?" asked Javert, slowly turning his horse back around so he was glaring at me once more. "What do you mean, no? The law is the law, no matter who you are, no matter where you're from, no matter what you've done, and that is that!"

I clenched my hands into fists. "You'se just don't gets it!" I was shouting now, and Courfeyrac and Combeferre were staring at me, as well as Grantaire, who was now standing beside Enjolras. "You'se just do whatever yous'es told all the time! You'se don't stop ta think about the peoples you be arrestin'! You'se don't care! You'se don't care if people end up dyin' cause a what yous'es done! You'se don't care about anyone but ya self! Ya think you'se is so good and so self-righteous, but you'se be hurtin' people by what yous'es doin!"

Javert stared at me, astounded. "I," he began, but I interrupted him. "No! I don't care what you'se gotta say. I'se is done with you'se and ya stupid law!" And with that, I turned and ran off down the street, my cap falling off my head as I did so, so that my hair now flew out behind me as I ran. Soon' I had left my cap, as well as Javert, Marius, Courfeyrac, Combeferre, Grantaire and Enjolras, far behind.

I ran until I reached the bridge that spanned the Seine River. I sank to the ground, leaning my back up against the railings of the bridge. I could feel tears forming in my eyes for the first time in a long while.

Frustrated beyond belief, I let go, and tears spilled from my eyes, dripping slowly down my face and pooling on the bridge at my feet. I hugged my knees to my chest, rocking back and forth, shaking my head, glad that there was no one around to see me in this state.

"Andy?" called a voice. I cursed silently under my breath, rubbing my eyes rapidly and trying to dry my tears. A moment later, Grantaire sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulders.

"Go away," I muttered under my breath, trying to squirm away from him. "Nope," he said softly, not letting me go anywhere. He gently moved my long hair out of my face, pulling it back.

I sighed grumpily, and looked in the opposite direction of Grantaire. "I don't want no company right now," I growled. "Too bad, cause I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me," he said, smiling at me, and holding my forgotten cap out in front of me.

Slowly, I turned my head around to look at him, a rather confused expression on my face as I accepted my cap and put it back on my head, this time leaving my hair down.

"What?" he asked, noticing the look I gave him. "You'se ain't drunk," I stated bluntly, a small smile forming on my face.

Grantaire laughed softly. "I've got a wonderful headache though," he said, smiling. I laughed as well, and Grantaire gently wiped the tears from my face.

"Are you okay?" he asked me softly. "I haven't seen you go off like that in a long time," he added. "I knows," I muttered. "I'll be fine thoughs," I finished. Grantaire frowned. "Enjolras is worried about you," he said slowly.

"Then why didn't he come after me?" I asked evenly. "He was discussing plans for the revolution with Marius, Courfeyrac and Combeferre, and he knew you wouldn't want anyone to come after you." I nodded slowly. My brother knew me all too well.

"Thanks then," I said softly, leaning into Grantaire. "For what?" he asked, pulling me closer to him. "For coming afters me. I may not want no company, but I do appreciates it."

Grantaire smiled and hugged me tightly. "You're welcome then," he said, and then asked, "Shall we head home?" I nodded my head and Grantaire picked me up, putting me onto his back to carry me home.

"Grant?" I said, calling him by the nickname that Enjolras always did when he talked about him. "Yes?" he responded, turning his head slightly to look at me as he carried me from the bridge and down the street.

"I like you'se better when you'se isn't drunk." Grantaire smiled and took my small hand in his larger one and squeezed gently, making me smile as well. "I think I may like myself better this way as well..." He murmured.

((Please comment and vote if you like it! I've been suffering from writer's block and a little motivation would help me a ton! Thanks guys! Sorry it's been so long since I updated!))