Chapter 1: One Chance; One Choice! What would you do?
Please read and review
Disclaimer: I own nothing but I shot gunned Aaron Tviet!
Summary: Eponine has put up with her abusive parents to look after her two younger siblings and now as she starts a new school, on the run from the law she has a choice, allow herself to make friends or turn from people and struggle on her own! E/E shipping later on! AU modern
The sun was gleaming above the houses in a small village of Paris. A girl around eighteen years of age watched it while waiting for sleep to take her. Eponine Thenardier sighed and looked at the small battered clock that was kept on the table next to her makeshift bed of a couch. 6:46! She climbed of the couch and dressed quickly in torn jeans and a small strappy vest. Eponine picked up her combat boots and her scrappy leather jacket and crept down the stairs of the pub she lived in with her two siblings and her drunken, abusive, shitty parents. Her father was snoring in the only armchair his holey socked feet resting on the top of a table with a bottle in his hand. His henchmen were all on the floor snoring in time with her father.
Eponine silently picked her way across the room to her sibling's room and pushed the creaky door open. Her younger brother and sister where there fast asleep on the floor. Eponine shook them awake and handed them the small cereal bars she had managed to steal from the pub's kitchen the night before.
"Gav, 'Zelma! Come on wake up!" Gavroche was a small boy of ten and had dirty blonde hair which was long and uncut. Azelma was a petit girl of thirteen who had a small face which was covered by her unruly mob of brown hair.
The two of them dressed quickly and followed Eponine out of the house before their father woke up. The three of the walked along the streets of Paris talking about school, unlike most children their age they were glad they had school to go to, it was an escape but one they couldn't always take. If their father woke up in the mornings they were forced to work for him in the pub scamming the few customers they got and being beaten if their father didn't get enough money.
"Gav, you'd better behave, no bunking off school to see Paris we'll all go and explore this evening!" Eponine warned her younger brother spoiling his plans before he had thought them through properly.
Around 10 past 7 the three of them made their way out of the dirty, smell part of the city and into the well kept gardens. Gavroche ran ahead, he was young and carefree and his elder sister always wanted him to stay that way, with his free spirit. They laughed as he ran back jumping in and out of puddles as he went.
Sooner than they wanted they arrived at the school and Eponine walked her brother and sister up to the front desk of the high school part and introduced them before carrying on to the collage. As she got there she was so lost in her thoughts that she ran into another person. Eponine was knocked backwards and fell to the floor. "Monsieur, I'm sorry!" She said hurriedly expecting the treatment that her father would have given her. "It's alright, accidents happen! Are you new here, I don't think I've seen you around?" A masculine voice answered and Eponine braved a look at the student. It was a tall man with redish brown hair and laughing brown eyes. Eponine smiled as he held out a hand and helped her back to her feet. "No, I just starting today!" The boy laughed again "Well, I'm Marius, if you want I'll show you to the collage entrance!" Eponine laughed too but closed her walls up. "Thank you...Marius, that would be great, I'm Eponine!" She stuck her hand out and Marius shook it.
The two of them walked to the foyer of the collage and Eponine got her timetable and a map of the school. Marius studied her timetable and kindly pointed out the lessons he had with her. He walked her to form and said goodbye. Eponine walked in her walls well up and her defenses on. Her form tutor Madame Fantine looked over her and called out "Class this is Eponine, she'll be joining us for a while." Eponine smiled around and then made her way to the only empty seat in the room, next to a boy who was taking a long drink out of a water bottle and talking to the boy in front of him. The boys looked at her as she sat down and they smiled kindly. The one on the table in front of her said "Hi, I'm Courfeyrac and this is Gantaire." Eponine smiled and then said "Well, since Madame introduced me I guess you know who I am!" The boys laughed and Eponine could smell alcohol coming of the boy beside her... Gantaire?
Form went quickly with Eponine doodling on her notebook and pretending to be listening to the conversation that was going on between Courfeyrac and Gantaire. When the bell went Marius was waiting outside the door for her and they set of to their first lesson which they had together,History. Gantaire and Courfeyrac caught up with them and they were soon joined by some other people. Marius seemed to know everyone and Eponine could only memorize Marius', Gantaire's and Courfeyrac's names by the time they got into the class. Their teacher Monsieur Claude gave her a seat next to one of Marius' friends. The lesson went on quikly and Eponine was given a quiz to see how much she knew about french history (Which wasn't a lot) and she wasn't surprised to find that if that had been an exam she would have failed and got a U since she had only written Don't Have A Clue by all the questions.
The next lesson she had was music, something she enjoyed. Once again she was put through a test in notes and seeing if she could play. This time though she was able to play in front of only the teacher so she didn't feel so bad. Eponine was happy to be lost in the music. She sat in front of the piano and picked out the tune of a song she loved, My heart will go on. At the end of the introduction she add the words the piano making her soft lilting voice stand out. While she was playing Courfeyrac slipped into the room unnoticed and listened amazed at the beautiful voice. As the music ended he started clapping and Eponine turned around startled and glared at him. She didn't want anyone to hear her play. When the bell went she rushed out of the room and straight into one of Marius' friends, the one who looked like a god... Enjolras or something like that. Eponine looked down and walked away muttering an apology going to find Azelma, thinking I'm running from people who could be my friends, why should I? What's the point of friends? I'm only here for a while anyway! When are things going to start going right today?
