Chapter Text
Grantaire's morning of his senior year didn't feel as exciting as he thought it would be. He didn't know what he expected, maybe excitement, nerves or even dread, but all R felt was tired because six am is too early to wake up and he's still on summer sleep schedule. The worst part was Grantaire had to wake up extra early to pick up Eponine, he didn't mind driving, he just hated leaving his bed before at least seven. And yet here Grantaire was at 6:43 in the morning wearing some random clothes from the floor and a bag packed with less notebooks than he had classes leaving the house.
If you were to ask Grantaire what he thought of his 2012 Volkswagen Jetta he would have told you that appearances don't matter, it just matters if it gets you where you need to be. But the jetta was at best questionable on getting him anywhere. It was bought as a used car and clearly whoever owned it before decided to try and renovate the car without knowing how it worked. The car had been a gift from his grandparents who had nothing better to do with their retirement fund and pensions but to buy their grandkids expensive gifts. The car ran like shit. It was slow, the engine took a while to start up and the muffler was so messed up that you could hear the car coming from a mile away. It was still better than having no car; the bus sucked, when it rains you can’t walk and he doesn’t have too many friends with cars.
The drive to Eponine’s house was one R knew like the back of his hand, he drove her to school everyday in Junior year and they had hung out together most of the summer. Her house was only about a five minute drive from his own so Grantaire never could complained that the drive was out of the way, not like he minded picking up Eponine, actually their morning drives were the best part of his day.
Eponine was standing on the sidewalk by the time Grantaire got there. “Someone is excited for school or just excited to see me.” Grantaire said happily when Eponine opened the passenger door.
“Gavroche was awake,” Ep explained. “He was bouncing off the walls, so I made sure he was going to go to school wearing clothes and got out of there.” Her tone made it sound like a joke but Grantaire questioned if it was.
“Isn’t he a little old to want to go to school naked?”
Eponine sighed. “You would think.”
“Proud of him for not conforming to society's norm of clothing.” Grantaire said through a smirk. Eponine let out a laugh while Grantaire put the car into drive.
“He’d fit right in with your letter friends,” She grinned. “He’d come into school naked and Enjolras and Combeferre would turn it into a protest about how clothes are made or something!”
Grantaire started laughing. “No, no, no. Bahorel would be the one to make it a protest just because he’d think it’d be funny to run around school naked.” Grantaire takes a right. “Do you want to get some back-to-school Mickey Dee’s?”
“Only if you’re paying.” Ep smiles.
“What kind of friend would I be? I drive you everywhere and I pay for your McDonald's, anyone who does less is just a bad friend.”
“You’re an okay friend.”
“How sweet.”
+----+
The smell of the greasy food will probably never leave his car, but the food is a celebration for the first day of their last year so Grantaire can freak out over the smell of McDonald's breakfast sandwich later.
"You know," Grantaire starts, with a little bit of hash brown still in his mouth, "You should come to the meetings, I think you'd enjoy it or a least can just hang out and have some f-"
"I'm good." Eponine cut him off. "Social justice isn't my thing, plus i'm sure I'd just be dragging the group down."
"Please," Grantaire laughs as he turns out of the hell that is a McDonald's parking lot. "If you'd drag the group down, I'm killing each member one by one."
That earns an eye roll.
----
Grantaire prayed his first period class wasn't full of assholes. Assholes in his morning are the absolute worst way to start his day and he just can't do that all semester, he just can't. His first period was Statistics. Walking in Grantaire immediately knew he was probably the only senior in the class, he looked at the faces of sophomores and juniors and wanted to hit himself for not trying in 8th and 9th grade. At least he knew he won't have to deal with jerks, he was bigger than the sophomores and clearly everyone seemed like the studious type.
Grantaire took a seat in the back, choosing to ignore the note on the board that says to put his phone in the phone jacket in the front of the class. He watched as a few people entered the class last minute, no one he knew. There were a few people he had taken classes with in previous years and they talked occasionally, but no reason to sit with or start up conversation.
Grantaire's phone dinged. It served as a reminder to put his phone on vibrate.
Bossy-
SENIOR YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Grantaire rolled his eyes at his phone. The ABC was a friend group Grantaire had yet to break into, not like he mind he was content with hanging out with Eponine, the only one of the ABC Grantaire was close with was Bossuet. Bossuet was the one who convinced R to join the ABC in his junior year. The two took music theory 1, 2 and 3 together, they were actually a good team and worked on almost every project and song together. At some point Bossuet told him about the ABC and invited him. The two hung out in the back and Grantaire spent his time cracking jokes. Sure, Grantaire wasn't immediately accepted by the group because of his lack of seriousness after a few months it was clear he was there to stay, even though he was the one to show up to the least amount of meetings. Grantaire and Bossuet would hang out after some meetings to drink and bitch about classes and teachers, sometime Eponine would join them. Bossuet was the only member of the ABC Grantaire hung out with over the summer, of course sometimes Joly or Musichetta would be there but it was very rare and they were only there to be with Bossuet.
Bossy-
R!!! ITS HAPPENING!!
R-
calm urself
Bossy-
I CANT ITS FINALLY THE BEGINNING OF THE END
R-
taht sounds so creepy
Bossy-
dont ruin my feelings!!
dude and we get to fuck around in music theory 4
R-
cant be worse than stats
not much better tho
Bossy-
haha
Grantaire smiled at his phone when heard tapping on his desk. He looked up to see Mrs. Kirk, his Statistic teacher and former Geometry teacher. "Did you not see the board? Or do we feel we're above the rules."
Grantaire resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Instead he grumbled "Didn't see it." and got up to put his phone away.
"Next time is a detention, let's not make this a repeat of geometry." Mrs. Kirk said in a sweet passive aggressive tone that made Grantaire just angry. Mrs. Kirk had always been Grantaire's least favorite teacher. So sitting through her reading the syllabubs and the boringness of first day stuff felt longer in her class than it did in previous years. It took all of Grantaire's power not fall asleep or walk out of class.
----
Second period was Art, the class Grantaire was most excited to take (don’t tell Bossuet). This was the point where most of the people who were taking art for graduation credit were gone. To get in you had to get a teacher recommendation and at the end of the year there is an open house showcase. It was the only advanced class Grantaire was taking this semester. The AP Studio Art class took place in a classroom that was set up as an art studio that only AP Studio Art, Art Honor Society and people with special permission were allowed to use. Art was the one thing Grantaire truly believed he was good at, he even landed himself a job teaching art to little kids. It was the thing he was most confident in and the one thing he trusted himself not to mess up.
“R!” Grantaire heard when he walked into the studio. “I was hoping you’d be in this class!”
Grantaire knew who that voice belonged to instantly. “I mean, it’s the only subject I haven’t almost failed.” He said taking a spot next to Jehan.
Jehan wasn’t Bossuet where the two were good friends, but Jehan was just the type who was friends with everybody and always trying to keep you in a good mood. There is no way to hate them. Jehan was also part of the ABC, apparently they were part of the group that founded the ABC in freshman year. Jehan was a lot more serious about the club than Grantaire was but they never got angry at him for not being serious, unlike a certain blonde-haired leader who wears the same red jacket every day.
Jehan laughed, “I might need you to tutor me then, I have no idea how I’m in this class.”
Grantaire laughed along but knew Jehan was an incredibly talented artist. Whenever a poster or design needed to be made for the ABC Jehan and Grantaire were the two who worked together and came up with something great. Speaking of which...
"Hey, do you know if there is a meeting today?" Grantaire asked. He was determined to be a bigger part of the ABC, last year when he did show up he spent the whole time making jokes in the back and riling up Enjolras, the 'leader' of the ABC.
"Oh, is R going to grace us with his presence?" Jehan joked.
"No, of course not. I just need to know so I can know if my mom is going to have surgery."
"I knew one woman couldn't have that many surgeries within two months!"
The pair laughed. Grantaire was thankful Jehan was in this class, this year might not suck.
----
Grantaire’s third class of the day was Spanish 3. Grantaire just barely passed Spanish 2 and he had no plans to take Spanish 3 but his guidance counselor wouldn’t let up. He knew no one he knew would be in this class, all his friends had stopped taking language classes after their sophomore year. In fact most of the people in his class were probably sophomores. The Spanish 3 class was on the other side of the school, lucky for him Eponine’s second period class is near the art studio and she was going to the same side of the school.
“How was public speaking?” Grantaire asked as they started walking.
Eponine groaned as Bossuet and Joly came up from behind her. Bossuet and Joly were the only two, besides Grantaire, from the ABC that she was friends with and that was only because they hung out with Grantaire. “Someone didn’t expect the class to be made up of half of the ABC.” Bossuet chimed in.
“Wait,” Grantaire started “How many of you took the class?”
“Bahorel, Bossuet, Courferyac,” Joly started, counting the names on his fingers, “Combeferre, Enjolras, Musichetta and me.”
“Did everyone take that class but me?” Grantaire asked.
“We talked about it in the last meeting before scheduling, but your mom was having her third appendectomy.” Joly said, “So, we thought you wouldn’t want to do a class that was just the ABC. Plus, according to Jehan AP Art runs during the same period so you couldn't have taken it.”
“Yeah, it's just nice to know what’s going on.” Grantaire said through a grin, even though he was feeling a little left out.
“But Music theory 4 is going to be crazy!” Bossuet exclaimed, putting an arm around Grantaire.
“I wished you would have let me know you were taking music theory so I would have dropped it.”
“Ha. Ha.”
“My class is over here,” Eponine started. “I’m gonna go, have fun taking Spanish as a senior, R”
Grantaire laughed, “Gee, thanks Ep. Guess who isn’t getting a ride to school anymore.”
“I’d be better off!” Eponine joked as she walked in the opposite direction of the three.
“Welp, I better head off too.” Bossuet said. “I’m almost confident my class is nowhere near here.” Bossuet let out a laugh.
“I better go follow, to make sure he doesn’t get lost.” Joly said Grantaire knew this was just an excuse. Him and Joly never talked without Bossuet there. “Seeya at the meeting, R!”
“Actually, I think my mom is having an emergency appendectomy!” Grantaire called out.
----
Grantaire was right, his Spanish class consisted of Sophomores. He sat next to a girl named Cosette. Grantaire kind of remembered her from some of the ABC meetings last year. She only showed up to a few.
Lucky for Grantaire his 4th period was his lunch period.
R-
do u have lunch rn?
Ponynine-
No i have it later
R-
shit
Grantaire looked around the lunch room. He could see Jehan, which Grantaire was grateful they was there. Just as Grantaire was about to walk up he saw Enjolras and Combeferre walk over to them. "Nevermind." Grantaire thought to himself as he started walking towards an empty table in the same direction he was walking, so not to seem weird. Grantaire took a spot, put down his bag and pulled out his wallet. Grantaire bought lunch habitually mostly for the reason he was to lazy to make lunch the night before, god knows his mother bought food for Grantaire to make his own lunch that just sat there until Grantaire came home high and ate the first thing he saw. It's not that Grantaire didn't like Enjolras or Combeferre, it's just they were serious. They led the ABC, if this club believed in having a president and vice president those spots would be filled by Enjolras and Combeferre. Grantaire knew that Enjolras wasn't his biggest fan, Grantaire made it his goal to pick apart every single argument and opinion Enjolras had. It wasn't because he didn't respect him, it was the exact opposite. Enjolras passion for his beliefs was admirable and he was a sight to see when he got fired up, Grantaire loved to see it.
Grantaire let out a sigh as he sat down with his crappy sandwich.
----
The rest of his day was a long lead up to his class of the day, Music Theory. His other classes were boring, only one of which he had with Eponine. He had a few of the ABC people in his classes but none he was really 'friends' with.
The music theory classes took place in the band room. At this point everyone played something, mostly piano. “R!” Bossuet called out from the corner of the band room. He’s sitting on an amp hooked up to the electric bass guitar he has resting on his thigh. Grantaire walked over to his friend. He can see an acoustic guitar right next to Bossuet, most likely set up in an attempt to get the two to play something together. Grantaire grinned and grabbed the guitar. Without even checking if it’s in tune he moves the capo, that’s sitting in the fifth fret position, to the second fret.
“Don’t.” He heard Bossuet say. “R, Please”
Grantaire grins in response and plays an E minor chord.
“No, please.” Bossuet said sadly.
Grantaire continues strumming, E minor, G, D, A minor 7. Grantaire repeats that. “C’mon,” Grantaire said while playing “Sing along!”
Bossuet rolled his eyes.
“Fine then,” Grantaire grinned. He starts singing: “Today is gonna be the day that they’re gonna throw it back to you.”
----
When the bell rings to signal the end of the school day Grantaire is a little shocked. Music Theory felt like it went by really fast. Even though it was like most classes today, going over the syllabus and a big project worth 40% of his grade, for music theory it was work in a group of 2, 3 or 4 (Grantaire of course was working with Bossuet) and they had to create four movements each based off of 4 things they have learned about in their 4 years of music theory, that will be assigned to them next class. It was to be presented in a concert at the end of the year.
Bossuet put his arm around Grantaire. "Don't think you're getting away that easily. You are going to the ABC meeting today."
Grantaire sighed, even though he had already planned to go to the meeting today. "What club holds their meeting on the first day of school?"
"The one that's led by Enjolras." Bossuet replied with a laugh.
"True,"
The two continued walking to the classroom where the ABC meetings were always held. It was a nearby science classroom that had a teacher that really liked Courferyac so she allowed the meetings to be held in her classroom. When the ABC was starting they had a hard time getting a teacher to be put in charge of the club, no one wanted to be in charge of a Activist club, but Courfreyac had a teacher who loved and he got her to agree to be put in charge if they agreed to not get in trouble and she didn’t have to do anything.
Bossuet and Grantaire were one of the first there. The classroom was empty besides Musichetta and Marius. Musichetta, Bossuet and Joly were… something? Grantaire didn’t know how to describe it. They never said they were dating but they acted like it. Plus before meeting them Grantaire didn’t know someone could be with more than one person at a time in a non-cheating and non-sex way. Grantaire never really talked to Marius, or most people in the ABC. He only knows a few things about Marius; He’s a junior, he’s awkward, he is socially inept and he is really good friends with Courfeyrac.
Bossiet walked right over to Musichetta leaving Grantaire with Marius. "Hey," Marius started.
"Hey, how is your classes for this semester?" Grantaire said in an attempt to make conversation.
"Well, I didn't really start learning anything so I don't know." Marius said bluntly. And just like that the conversation was over. Grantaire had no idea how anyone was friends with this kid if this is how he talks to people. Lucky for him the two didn't have to stand in awkward silence for long, as Courfeyrac, Bahorel and Feuilly entered.
"Did R decide to grace us with his presence?" Bahorel exclaimed the moment he spotted Grantaire. "Now I know today's meeting won't be boring!"
Bahorel always appreciated Grantaire's sense of humor and lack of being serious, unlike others in the group. Courfeyrac smile at Grantaire. "Glad to see you here R! How was your summer? Do anything crazy... do anyone crazy?"
The whole group burst out laughing. Grantaire grinned in reply.
"Wait!" Bahorel exclaimed. "You need to give some details right now!"
"Well, If you must know..." Grantaire said, maintaining his grin. "Your mom and I had a very nice time together over the summer."
Courfeyrac and Feuilly continued laughing.
"Shut up! What about you Courf?" Bahorel said, turning his direction towards one of the ones laughing at him. "Do anything intresting with Combeferre?"
Courfeyrac didn't respond with words, but his face turned red which was a telling enough response.
By that point almost everyone had entered the classroom. Combeferre entered and took a spot next to his boyfriend. "Enjolras might be late, he has to talk to one of his teachers." Combeferre stated and then noticed Courf's red face. "What did I miss?"
The whole group replied with laughter that went on uninterrupted for a solid 30 seconds.
"How was you're summer, Ferre?" Feuilly asked, still laughing.
"Good?" Combeferre replied, he was clearly very confused by why his friends were laughing and his boyfriend's face, which was still extremely red.
"Do anything interesting?" Grantaire asked.
"Do anyone interesting?" Bahorel added.
Now, Combeferre's face was red. "You guys are children!" He exclaimed.
The group continued to laugh. Through the corner of his eye Grantaire could see a familar red jacket. Enjolras was here.
"Hey," Enjolras said with a smile, everyone's attention turned towards him. "Let's get this meeting started everyone!"