Love is Everlasting - An Enjonine Romance

Chapter 6: An Unwelcome Interruption

Enjolras' POV

We are pulled from our daze by a loud and extremely high-pitched squeal from Musichetta. Startled and slightly embarrassed, Éponine and I look up and see her and Joly, both grinning like idiots. Instinctively, we step away from each other.

"I can't believe it! You two are actually together now!" Musichetta shrieks happily.

"Dear God, Enjolras, I never thought this day would come. I just assumed you would chicken out! What will I tell the Amis?!" Joly chuckles, shaking his head.

I glance over at Éponine, who is blushing madly. "Can we please not tell the Amis yet?" she whispers to me. I nod quickly.

"Enjolras! Now you have to ask her out properly!" Musichetta scolds, shaking her head. "Goodness, I'm glad you're more romantic than this, Joly!" she sighs happily, leaning against him.

Rolling my eyes, I obey Musichetta and turn to Éponine, taking her hands in mine. "Éponine, do you want to... uh... go to dinner with me?" I ask hesitatingly, not really knowing what to say.

"That would be lovely." Éponine chuckles and beams.

Éponine's POV

"So how about this restaurant?" Enjolras tugs on my arm. The tavern looks warm and inviting, so we decide to dine there. When the food arrives, I try to eat it as daintily as possible, but it has been so long since I've had such delicacies.

Halfway through our meal, I spot someone that makes my heart drop. "Enjolras," I whisper frantically. "We should really hurry up and get out of here."

"Why?" he questions rather loudly. I grimace and put a finger to my lips.

"Shhh! Keep it down, will you?!" I tilt my head towards the door. "Marius is here!"

Enjolras squints at the entrance and his eyes widen. "He's heading our direction. Do you think he's spotted us?" he says quietly. Before I can answer him, somebody calls me.

"'Ponine?!" Marius' astonished face appears before us. "And... Enjolras?!"

"Bonjour, Monsieur Marius," I greet shakily.

"Hello, Marius!" Enjolras says cheerily, but he is ignored.

"Éponine! What are you doing? Why are you here? And why are you with Enjolras?" Marius interrogates me. He sounds like an angry father telling off a daughter for returning home late.

"Um, I'm eating dinner," I answer his first question, hoping to avoid the inevitable.

"With Enjolras?" Marius asks inredulously.

"Yes, with Enjolras. And you are interupting our date." I retort, getting irritated. Why does Marius care?! He's not the boss of me!

"A date?!" Marius' face contorts to an expression of bewilderment.

"Yeah, that's right; a date. What's it to you?" Enjolras questions sharply. Marius quickly shakes his head.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm happy for both of you." he frowns, looking anything but happy. "Ah, that reminds me, 'Ponine. Can you deliver this to Cosette? As soon as possible would be great." In Marius' outstretched hand is a folded piece of paper, addressed to his "Beloved Cosette". A surge of anger fills me and I stand up defiantly. How dare he use me to carry out his errands!

"No." I firmly say. Marius is taken aback. "I'm not your servant, Marius." Enjolras pulls my arm, but I shake him off. "Deliver the letter yourself."

"Éponine, is everything okay?" Enjolras discreetly whispers.

"Alright, fine. I'll do it myself. I'm sorry you felt that way, Éponine." Marius holds his hands up in defeat and leaves the tavern.

"You better be sorry." I mutter under my breath as I sit back down.

"So you don't love Marius anymore?" Enjolras guesses tentatively.

"Not anymore. And I can't believe I thought we could be together. All this time, he was just using me to find Cosette." I shake my head, disgusted at myself. "You opened my eyes, Enjolras. And you're so much better than him."

Enjolras smiles gently and takes my hands in his. "And you deserve better than Marius."