How The "Drink With Me" Scene Should Have Went;
The rain poured and slapped against the roofs of the houses. Eponine slouched between a wagon wheel and a chair. She felt a thick strand of her hair slide out of her cap. She quickly shoved it back in. Did it even matter anyway? How many of the school boys here realize she was a girl? How many of them even cared? She watched Gavouche race into a nearby shop to get another bottle of liquor. How long until he died? she thought miserably. Would she die? Would she have to watch Marius die? She closed her eyes and envisioned him walking up to her and sitting down next to her, blue eyes vivid. "Sweetheart 'ponine, you should go home, this is a man's war" he told her. She smiled at him
"I can't, you're here."
"Then I guess I'll have to carry you home and stay there to make sure you don't crawl back to this bloody hell" he murmured in reply. She imagined him scooping her up and kissing her gently on her brow.
"I love you."
"What was that?" Eponine snapped out of it. There stood Enjolras, dirty blonde curls, wine bottle, furrowed brow and all. She felt her cheeks burn.
"Sorry, never mind."
"Do you need a drink?" he shook the bottle at her. Should she? She stared at him for a moment; at steely gray eyes and a strong jaw.
"yes" she finally said, seeing that he was starting to look at her weirdly. He almost fell on top of her as he tried to sit next to her on the jumbled mess. Enjolras handed her the bottle, very obvious that he was a little drunk. He studied her as she took a swig.
"wait" he said. He gently took her head and turned it towards him. He reached up and pulled off her cap and her hair fell around her face. "You're a girl" he gasped.
"I've been here all day, you know" she shot back. Where was Marius? She looked again at Enjolras as he took the bottle and cradled it. He was a beautiful man, but a bit strong headed. She looked up at the stars.
"A beautiful infinity, have you ever tried to count them?" She stared at him. He continued "Iran away from home when I was younger and the night looked like this. I didn't know what to do so I went to an open field and laid down to look at the stars. I felt so free, as if I could have reached one of those stars and plucked it down off of its pedestal. All I ever wanted was to be free. You understand that's why we're doing this." He closed his eyes and she could almost see an angel stirring his soul. She thought of all the times she wanted to escape from her past, to find freedom in the love that Marius talked about as he loaded his gun.
"Yes" she said. Enjolras took another swig of the bottle. "I wouldn't keep drinking that, or you won't be able to fight" Eponine ventured. He chuckled.
"Maybe I don't want to fight. Maybe a person shouldn't have to fight everything that moves for something they should have been given for free." And suddenly, it was as if a cloud had lifted. As if Marius was not the only thing to this life. Their eyes met. She felt herself melt a little bit under those sad infinities of gray. Right then, Marius walked by with a small stand. She watched him and felt the heart tug she often felt when he was near but didn't look her way. But it didn't feel as strong as it usually was, as if it was doing it only out of habit.
"You shouldn't be here" she exclaimed. Enjolras gave her a strange look "well, neither should you, I'm sure you're as strong as any man here, but you're a girl in a guy's fight."
"Oh, so now freedom is a man's fight?" She retorted. He looked at her, rather intently, she thought. She shook her head to snap out of it. "I digressed. What I mean is that someone with a beautiful and passionate spirit shouldn't be stuck here in this stupid revolution. You're a goner if you stay here."
"Here" he handed her the bottle "you need this more than I do." He tried to get up, and did eventually, after falling first where he started with a loud grunt. He began to saunter away.
"Wait" Eponine blurted. Why? She asked herself as Enjolras stopped, not bothering to turn around. "Please, don't stay here; I don't want you to die." Where had those words come from? She barely knew Enjolras, yet she felt drawn to him. But what about Marius? Was that only a petty obsession? She didn't know, all that she knew was that Enjolras shouldn't be there. Enjolras walked back to her. He held out his hand and she took it.
"You so far are one of the most intriguing girls I have ever met and therefore would like to see you again. Alive." Enjolras started to lead her away from barricade. It was the weirdest thing, as if he had changed in but a moment. I, as the story-teller, must pause to explain. There comes a time in every man and woman's soul, a change. At first it seems as if it is nothing, just a coal softly glowing. But it is a fast change, an epiphany bursting into flame. The heart and soul realizes itself and the world around it and the life it knew becomes petty, almost meaningless. It takes nearly nothing, just a simple smile, a word, a face, a flick of the wrist, and the heart flickers in recognition, as if recalling a past life, a reminder of what it once was or what it will become. Valjean had a moment such as this, as now both Eponine and Enjolras were experiencing this. Enjolras led her down a few dark alleys and into a boarded up house, nearly in ruins. "This is where I usually live" he proudly stated.
It wasn't much, just a small, neat pile of hay with a few rags for blankets. In one corner was a small stand with a worn ink pen as its friend. The light was nearly gone, the moon on the verge of being covered by the clouds. "Stay here, don't come back, you should be safe."
"But what about you?" she questioned him.
"I'll be back, I just have a little revolution to finish first." Enjolras kissed her hand and was gone. She studied the open room. Enjolras stuck his head back in through the opening. "What is your name, may I ask?"
"Eponine, my name is Eponine." She wasn't sure, but she thought she could a smile in his eyes as he again disappeared.