Eponine Thenardier had loved Marius Pontmercy her whole life. Or most of
it, anyway. Or, well, maybe for just the past two years. But he never even
looked her way. The only time he talked to her was when he wanted something
shady done. Well, she thought with a self-satisfied chuckle, at least he
can't count on his other little darling to do that for him.
Yes, he had another girl hanging around with him now. A prissy girl who he had fallen in love with at first sight. "Riiight," she said to herself. "Like it's not going to be another girl tomorrow." Actually she knew it wouldn't be, Marius was a very serious-minded young man, not often succumbing to his emotions.
Sheesh. There they were, right across the street. Eponine ducked into a store, and then immediately ducked out of it. There are too many stores I'm banned from, she thought irritatedly.
No hope for escape now -- Marius and his sweetiepiecutielover were heading her way. She swallowed a groan and flashed her most brilliant smile for Marius. "Well, hello, Cosette and Marius!"
Marius didn't return the smile (dang) but Cosette did (gag). "It's great to see you, 'Ponine!" Miss Sunshine chirped.
"Are you all right?" Eponine asked Marius, directly ignoring the other girl.
Marius looked up at her, still with that adorable preoccupied frown on his face. "You'll never guess what her father is doing."
Eponine was taken aback. Uh, no, she couldn't guess. She'd only seen the old geezer once or twice, but he seemed a pretty interesting guy. Actually kind of cute for being like a hundred and ten. There was a rumor that he'd been mixed up in some illegal activities himself. How a fascinating character like that could raise a wimp like Cosette was beyond her understanding. I mean, sure, Cosette had been ten years old when he took her under his wing, but -- come on! He had another seven years to fix her brain, and had he? No.
And her mom! Her mom was a common prostitute! Now that was interesting, and daring, and risquè. How had this little mushpot come from someone that cool?
"...sea," Marius was finishing.
She realized she had missed the news. "Uh, uh, what'd you say?"
"He's taking himself and Cosette on a journey across the sea."
"A cruise?" she said, moderately interested. Maybe she could sneak on board. That would be entertaining -- and then, in the Caribbean, casually pop up with an, "Oh, Cosette, is this where you were coming? Fancy meeting you here!" But then again, Cosette wasn't a normal girl. She would probably be delighted and squeal back, "Oh, Eponine! It's wonderful to see you!"
"No, he's leaving for good," Marius said with a dismal sigh.
Eponine's heart leapt. FOR GOOD? No more Cosette? No more Marius mooning around after someone else? "You've got to be kidding," she said, barely restraining the smile trying to creep over her face.
Cosette wiped away a tear. "No... we might never return."
"Whoopee," said Eponine. "Err... I mean, how terribly sad." She put on her best sorrowful look. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Could you help Marius while I'm gone?" Cosette said, reaching out for her honeybunny's hand. "Comfort him? Remind him of how I love him?"
Ooooh boy, I'll help him all right! Eponine thought joyously, certain that with Cosette out of the picture, she would be able to turn Marius' affections toward herself. "I'd be glad to," she said. "When do you leave?"
"Day after tomorrow," was the reply.
"We must be going," Marius said, tugging on his snickerdoodle's hand. "I promised to help her pack." He sent a tender gaze Cosette's way. "And then we plan our last day together."
Eponine felt like throwing up and laughing hysterically at the same time. Worried about what kind of reaction something that freakish might bring, she bid her goodbyes to the unhappy couple (YES!) and made her way back toward her home. Or, rather, her house. It's sure not a home, she thought bitterly.
She took a shortcut down a dark alley and, lost in thought, didn't notice the man until she had smashed into him.
Somewhat irritated, she looked up, snarled, "Geddaddahere, will you?" and began to make her way past him, when she noticed something unusual about the man...
He was wearing a mask.
Yes, he had another girl hanging around with him now. A prissy girl who he had fallen in love with at first sight. "Riiight," she said to herself. "Like it's not going to be another girl tomorrow." Actually she knew it wouldn't be, Marius was a very serious-minded young man, not often succumbing to his emotions.
Sheesh. There they were, right across the street. Eponine ducked into a store, and then immediately ducked out of it. There are too many stores I'm banned from, she thought irritatedly.
No hope for escape now -- Marius and his sweetiepiecutielover were heading her way. She swallowed a groan and flashed her most brilliant smile for Marius. "Well, hello, Cosette and Marius!"
Marius didn't return the smile (dang) but Cosette did (gag). "It's great to see you, 'Ponine!" Miss Sunshine chirped.
"Are you all right?" Eponine asked Marius, directly ignoring the other girl.
Marius looked up at her, still with that adorable preoccupied frown on his face. "You'll never guess what her father is doing."
Eponine was taken aback. Uh, no, she couldn't guess. She'd only seen the old geezer once or twice, but he seemed a pretty interesting guy. Actually kind of cute for being like a hundred and ten. There was a rumor that he'd been mixed up in some illegal activities himself. How a fascinating character like that could raise a wimp like Cosette was beyond her understanding. I mean, sure, Cosette had been ten years old when he took her under his wing, but -- come on! He had another seven years to fix her brain, and had he? No.
And her mom! Her mom was a common prostitute! Now that was interesting, and daring, and risquè. How had this little mushpot come from someone that cool?
"...sea," Marius was finishing.
She realized she had missed the news. "Uh, uh, what'd you say?"
"He's taking himself and Cosette on a journey across the sea."
"A cruise?" she said, moderately interested. Maybe she could sneak on board. That would be entertaining -- and then, in the Caribbean, casually pop up with an, "Oh, Cosette, is this where you were coming? Fancy meeting you here!" But then again, Cosette wasn't a normal girl. She would probably be delighted and squeal back, "Oh, Eponine! It's wonderful to see you!"
"No, he's leaving for good," Marius said with a dismal sigh.
Eponine's heart leapt. FOR GOOD? No more Cosette? No more Marius mooning around after someone else? "You've got to be kidding," she said, barely restraining the smile trying to creep over her face.
Cosette wiped away a tear. "No... we might never return."
"Whoopee," said Eponine. "Err... I mean, how terribly sad." She put on her best sorrowful look. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Could you help Marius while I'm gone?" Cosette said, reaching out for her honeybunny's hand. "Comfort him? Remind him of how I love him?"
Ooooh boy, I'll help him all right! Eponine thought joyously, certain that with Cosette out of the picture, she would be able to turn Marius' affections toward herself. "I'd be glad to," she said. "When do you leave?"
"Day after tomorrow," was the reply.
"We must be going," Marius said, tugging on his snickerdoodle's hand. "I promised to help her pack." He sent a tender gaze Cosette's way. "And then we plan our last day together."
Eponine felt like throwing up and laughing hysterically at the same time. Worried about what kind of reaction something that freakish might bring, she bid her goodbyes to the unhappy couple (YES!) and made her way back toward her home. Or, rather, her house. It's sure not a home, she thought bitterly.
She took a shortcut down a dark alley and, lost in thought, didn't notice the man until she had smashed into him.
Somewhat irritated, she looked up, snarled, "Geddaddahere, will you?" and began to make her way past him, when she noticed something unusual about the man...
He was wearing a mask.