Disclaimer: I do not own "Les Miserables."
She pinned her bronze-colored curls up on top of her head in a messy pile, showing off her collarbones in the faded pale pink dress she wore. Her lips were stained red, and a brown scarf had been tied low around her hips. Bare feet cold on the stone floor, she took one last look at herself in the cracked mirror before leaving the room. Blue-green eyes looked back at her from a face lightly sprinkled with freckles.
Veronique stepped out onto the cobblestone road as the last ray of sunlight disappeared behind the buildings of Paris. She walked along the edge of the road, making her way to the river. As she passed through the city, she saw other people emerge from the shadows. The people of the night, the criminals and truly poor of the city, came out of their alleys and broken buildings. Nodding to the faces she recognized, Veronique continued on her way.
The street along the river was already crawling with people: prostitutes, sailors, thieves, and a few upper class men looking for amusement. Veronique ignored them all and went to lean against one of the pillars of the bridge. She didn't have to wait long before another figure appeared next to her, a dark-haired girl dressed in a faded light brown dress and leather belt.
"They make me sick," the other girl said quietly. "All these people who want attention from women, but won't even look at us when the sun is up."
Veronique looked at her friend, still watching the street from the corner of her eye. "We're goods to them, Éponine, like wine. They only want us when they're thirsty. The rest of the time, we needn't exist."
Éponine met her gaze, dark brown eyes sad. "I know. I hate it all the same."
"Hate it all you like," Veronique replied. "Just remember that this is the only way for girls like us to survive."
Éponine grabbed her arm before Veronique could move away. "What if there was another way? A group of young men from the universities are meeting and making plans to improve the lives of everyone. If they succeed, we could have other options."
"How did you hear about this group?" Veronique asked.
Éponine blushed, visible even in the dark. "Marius is a part of it. He told me. I've been to a few of their meetings with him."
"Ah, Marius," Veronique repeated. She knew all about her friend's useless love of the rich young man. He was blind to her, but he was still a good friend. "Why tell me about them?"
"There's a meeting tonight," Éponine replied. "You could come with me, just listen to them a little. Hear them out."
Veronique nodded as the other girl released her. "Alright. I'll meet you hear in two hours. Will that be enough time to get to the meeting?"
"Perfect," Éponine replied.
Veronique nodded again and began her walk up and down the river, looking for clients.
The meeting had just begun when the girls walked into the little attic used by Les Amis de l'ABC as their headquarters. A few of the young men waved to Éponine, and she waved back in response. Veronique followed her to a window seat and took a moment to examine the room.
The plain wooden floor was nearly hidden under the many tables and chairs filling the room. Young men sat in the chairs, chatting and planning for their attempt at a revolution. One man sat at a corner in the corner with a few friends, laughing and drinking from a bottle of wine. Two other young men sat at another table, studying from thick books. Veronique recognized Éponine's Marius at yet another table, talking with a blond young man in a red coat. Darting between the tables was Gavroche, Éponine's youngest brother.
"Veronique!" Gavroche yelled out when he saw her, his brown eyes sparkling under his dirty blond hair. "When did you start coming here?"
She reached out and ruffled his hair. "Your sister convinced me to come along tonight. What are you doing here?"
He pointed proudly at the red, white, and blue pin on his shirt. "I'm one of Les Amis. I know the streets better than anyone."
Veronique grinned. "I don't know, Gavroche. I think I could give you a run for your money."
"What money?" he asked. "If I had money, I wouldn't need to know the streets."
Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. He was too honest. Gavroche was a good child, and he shouldn't have needed to know the streets. It broke her heart that he had already been exposed to the harshness of the world.
Before she could reply, one of the other young men in the room spoke. "Let's get started!"
Everyone quieted down and turned to face the young man in the red jacket. His blond curls were slightly messy and his dark blue eyes blazed with cold fire. The clothes he wore spoke of money, but he chose to spend his time in the poor part of the city. Veronique was intrigued despite herself. She had always enjoyed a mystery.
"General Lamarque has been confined to his home because of his illness," the blond man announced. "Without his voice in the government, the people are as good as forgotten. Now is the time for us to prepare for revolution."
"What do you suggest, Enjolras?" Marius asked from his seat. "What would you have us do?"
Enjolras looked around the room, meeting the eyes of every person present. "Once General Lamarque is gone, we revolt. The people of Paris need to take their lives into their own hands. We need to fight against the rules and decisions of the aristocracy. We'll start meeting nightly, begin some serious planning for the day when we can change the world."
The men nodded in agreement, but Veronique wasn't going to believe in empty promises made be a university student. "And what do you plan for your new world?" Veronique asked. "How will we be any better off under your government than we are now?"
He looked at her from across the room. She could tell he wasn't used to being questioned. Their eyes met, but she refused to look away, knowing it was part of a power play. Men were all so used to having their way. She wasn't on the job, and so she wasn't going to give in to another man.
"What's your name?" Enjolras asked.
"Veronique," she replied.
"And your surname?"
"I don't have one," Veronique said. "Not one I'll own up to, anyway."
One of his eyebrows twitched up slightly before settling back into place. "Well, Mademoiselle Veronique, the new world will have equality. There won't be such a large gap between the rich and the poor. Women and children will be cared for. Everyone will have a warm place to sleep and enough to eat."
She bit the inside corner of her lips. "And how do you plan to make that happen?"
Éponine coughed quietly. "Veronique, let it go. They've barely begun planning."
I ignored her. Enjolras continued to watch me from across the room. He surprised me by what he said next.
"I don't know," he said. "Right now, the new world is just a dream. But it is a dream I believe in, and would give up everything for. There is time before our revolution can truly begin, and I plan to use every moment of that time to plan and ensure that we will succeed."
Veronique watched the fire in his eyes burn hotter as he spoke of his dream for the new world. He really believed in what he said, and she felt herself being drawn in. Before she could think, she heard herself speak. "What can I do to help?"