Being in love with someone who doesn't love you back is unbearable. I really don't know how I do it. I don't know why I sit there everyday, listening to him talk about that new girl, and stay silent. It hurts, more than anything I've experienced. And I've been through a lot. But this, rejection, this friendzone, it might as well be suicide. Everyday, pretending it doesn't hurt, pretending I hope she likes him back, that they'll be together, I can't imagine any pain worse than that. And the worse part, out of all of this, is she deserves him. Cosette, hell, even her name is prettier than mine, but anyways, she's beautiful. And nice, and I know she likes him, and I know they're going to end up together and live happily ever after. Me? I'll just be lucky to get out of this hell hole. Like I said, I've been through some things. But we'll talk about that later. Let's start this story from the beginning of my despair. The day Cosette transferred to East Paris High.

They day started like any other, with the usual fiasco that is my family.

"Eponine!" Screamed my father, banging on my door. My alarm to get up. I looked at the clock, it was only 5. I guess it was a foreshadowing. "Get up, I need you to run an errand." Translation, I'm on parole and we're out of milk. I need you to go steal some.

"Okay!" I shouted back and grab a five dollar bill, unlike my parents, I don't steal. I walk out the door of our 2 bedroom public housing apartment and head to the local gas station. On my way back, I see him. Marius Pontmercy, wide receiver of the East Paris High Rebels walking his dog. I keep my head down, I really don't want to see me like this, a ratty t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that have seen better days. Sadly, my efforts mean nothing. He spots me almost instantaneously.

"Hey, Eponine!" He says, smiling. God, that smile could cure cancer and end world hunger. I wave at him and continue on my way. Come on, you're almost there. But, Marius isn't finished. He and his dog chase after me. Shit. I stop speed walking and wait for him to catch up.

"What's up?" I ask, when he finally reaches me. That stupid naïve part of me thinks maybe he finally realized how much he likes me and this is his confession.

"Are you coming to the game tonight?" He asks. And, of course, I was wrong.

"I don't know," I say to the ground, not wanting him to see the disappointment in my eyes. "That's not really my scene."

"Please, Eponine." He faux begs. And I couldn't help but smile.

"I'll see what I'm doing." I said and started to walk off, "See you in English!" I was going to that game. I was going to every game, I always did.

When I get home, no ones awake. I close the door carefully, and head to our only bathroom before my sister Azelma, hogs it.

I'm ready for school before my alarm goes off. Go figure. I hide out in my room while I wait for the bus, I really don't like to socialize with my family more than I have to. When it's finally time to head to the bus stop, I grab Azelma, whose shoving a piece of toast in her mouth, and we leave. Azelma, pissed at me for dragging her out of the house before she was finished, walks ahead of me. I don't mind, though. She and I have never really gotten along. As we walk, I see Marius pull out of his driveway in his Jeep. He's offered me rides to school before, but I really don't want him to know where I live. Plus I really can't trust my sister to keep her mouth shut.

The bus ride and my first morning classes fly by and before I know it, it's time for English, 1 of three periods I have with Marius. I get there before him, like usual. Unlike Marius, I don't have a large following of friends to stop and chat with between classes. When he does finally get here, he's followed by Enjolras, the quarterback. Enjolras has always been friendly enough to me, and I'm not going to lie, he is quite the looker. But Enjolras is the kind of guy whose more focused on football than anything else. It's basically his life, he treats each game like it's a great battle and he's the general of the army. Personally, I think he takes it a bit too far, but he's doing what he does best. Leading. I wouldn't be too surprised if Enjolras ended up president one day.

Marius and Enjolras are in a deep conversation, probably about football. And step on backpacks and feet as they make their way to their desks, right across from me. The teacher, a surly looking woman, comes in the classroom and hushes the boys. She begins a long lecture about War and Peace and I quickly space out. I've already finished the book for the second time, her talking about isn't going to help me understand any better. I don't really pay attention until the principle enters the room followed by her. Her long blonde hair falls in soft waves down her back, her heart-shaped face looks nervous, and her bright blue eyes search the room. Her gaze quickly falls on Marius, and... There's a look, impossible to describe, that falls upon one's face when the find the person of their dreams. That look was on both Marius and that girl's face. For moment, kind of like in movies, time stood still. They both looked at each other with that intensity and all I could do was watch. I sat there, watching the love of my life, fall in love with another girl. Finally the moment was broken.

"This is Cosette Valjean, she's just transferred here. Show her a warm welcome." Mr. Myriel said, leaving Cosette in the care of Ms. Simplice.

"Find a seat child," ordered Ms. Simplice, she hates new students more than us, and that's saying something. Cosette looks around the almost full classroom, trying to find a seat. Her eyes land on the one empty chair, which just happens to be next to Marius. I stifle a groan and avoid looking at either of them, but I can't stop my ears from hearing their conversations. I hear her laugh at something stupid he says, and her ask him about War and Peace and hear him propose a study date. It's just that simple. A couple of sentences back and forth and my heart is broken.