Melaina Alon woke up with the sun streaming through her windows. Blinking a few times, she sat up and rubbed the back of her neck. She had the weekends off and relished the time that she had. The five days that she did work though... it was hard. Hard because she had to pretend to not mind the touches and kisses that the men gave her. She had to wipe her mind from declining their commands of which way to pleasure them. Sometimes she just closed her eyes and let them do what they wanted with her. None seemed to mind, so Melaina continued to do it that way.

Getting up, Melaina slipped into a simple yellow dress with white trim and made her way in the kitchen. Spotting a note, Melaina grabbed it and scanned it quickly.

Melaina,

I'll be at my two jobs the whole day. Don't be out long if you are. I won't be home until late at night. You'll have to get dinner out. Just don't try to grab at scraps like a dog. Please don't disgrace me that way.

Mama.

A sigh slipped through her pink lips as she crumpled up the note and threw it away. Her mother had nothing to say about what she could and could not do. She was a prostitute because of her, for god's sake! Melaina frowned and went to go get dressed. The girl didn't like to dress nicely when she was out. It seemed that she attracted more customers that way, especially on her day's off.

Switching from the yellow dress, Melaina chose a grey and green dress whose colors were fading and the ends were starting to rip. It may seem odd to you, but Melaina liked to dress like she was poor. It made her feel like close to the other people in France. She might feel some guilt that even though she and her mother had a bit of debt, they were still in the category of 'upper middle class'. Melaina wished that they were poor in a way. Fixing the beige chemise and matching corset, Melaina laced the laces before she finished getting ready.

It was probably because of where she was going. Paris was where she and her mother lived and most of the population was poor or not really well off. Deciding that it would be better for her to look the part, Melaina grabbed a pair of scissors laying on her dresser and tore the dress some more. Her light green eyes stared in her mirror and she fingered the strands of her hair. Should she cut it more? It was a bit longer than the other women at the brothel, but Melaina did like it chin length.

Her mother had made her sell her hair in the brothel before Madam had accepted her. "Long hair isn't suitable for girls going into this profession." Melaina said in a mocking voice and ended in a scowl. As soon as she was done with this 'profession' of hers, she was going to grow her hair back. Dropping the scissors back on her dresser, Melaina snatched the purse with the three francs, slipped on shoes and walked out of her house. She locked the door and slipped the key in the bodice of her dress, right into the small pocket that she had sewn into all of her dresses.

Closing the metal gate behind her, Melaina made her way to where she had spotted the poor be in groups. It was a few streets away, but Melaina never tired. She loved to walk as well as listen to people talk.

"Gavroche?"

She called out when she saw a few dirty kids. Dirt and mud caked their clothes, skin, and hair. Grimacing slightly, Melaina walked towards them. The girls fled immediately, but the boy stood there, defiant. What a brave little boy he is. She thought as she smiled gently.

"Are you Gavroche?" Melaina whispered as she knelt down in the ground.

The boy looked her over with a furrow in his brow and nodded curtly.

"I am, miss. Are you the lady I saw last night? The one who asked me about a rat?" Melaina laughed and nodded.

"I am, yes. Listen, I forgot to tell you my name so I decided to find you. My name is Melaina."

She said and watched the boy purse his lips. He had dirty blond hair and wide blue eyes. A pin over his jacket was faded and old, but it seemed to be red, white, and blue. Melaina touched it gently.

"What is this?" She asked quietly. Gavroche looked down where her finger was and beamed.

"That's the symbol of Les Amis de l'ABC." He said proudly and Melaina grinned and chuckled under her breath. He looked at her curiously and frowned.

"I wasn't laughing at you, dear Gavroche. But what is this Les Amis de l'ABC?" She asked and Gavroche grinned. He leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear.

"It's a society that some lawyer students had made. They're a bit well off than I am, but care for the right of everyone. I support them and wish to be like them when I'm older." He whispered before rocking back on his heels.

A society? Rich boys wanting to help the poor? Melaina didn't think that there were men like that, but knew she was wrong now. Getting up, Melaina bent down and asked Gavroche one more question.

"Mind if you take them to me, Gavroche?" She asked as she took one franc out of her bag and showed it to him quickly. "I can pay you." She saw his eyes follow the gold, but shook his head. "Keep it miss. I'll show you with no charge. I think the boys will thank me later." He said with a toothy grin. His teeth were stained and Melaina smiled sadly. He was willing to bring her to see the men and didn't want a coin for his help. One franc might help him get a bit of food in his stomach tonight.

"This way, lady." The girl heard him say and she followed him quickly. Keeping the coin in her fingers, she waited until he turned around fully and slipped the coin in his pants pocket. If Gavroche felt her fingers either he ignored it or did it for her sake. Straightening up, Melaina looked around her and saw an old man struggling to walk. Her heart went out to him and Melaina left Gavroche's side.

"Monsieur, do you need help?" She asked as she brought out her arm to help him. The old man batted her hand away.

"Go away! These scraps are mine. I don't want you to grab them from me!" He said with a frown. Melaina blinked and dropped her arm.

"I- I wasn't going to steal them. I don't need them." She said as she stood there, shocked.

"Bah, get out of my sight. All of you kids are ungrateful. Get out of my way!" He said as he pushed Melaina and hobbled past her. Swallowing the sound of pain as she fell on her bum, Melaina heard footsteps and Gavroche stood in front of her.

"You're not like the rest of us, are ya?" He asked as Melaina got up and started to dust off her skirts, but thought better of it.

"I'm not, no."

"So why are ya dressed like us?" Melaina shot him a small glare and he waited for her response. She sighed and shook her head.

"Does it matter? I want to be part of that society you were talking about. Does it matter if I'm rich or poor?" Yes, yes it does, Mel. You fool. She thought to herself as she saw Gavroche shake his head and tugged on her hand.

Minutes later, Gavroche pushed open a door to the Cafe ABC (or Musain). As Melaina followed in behind him, he turned around and blocked her path.

"Just so you know, the Friends are trying to get a government that cares for the people." He said with his arms crossed over his chest. Melaina laughed and ruffled his hair. He ducked under her hand and grinned.

"It's upstairs. Follow me, Mela." He started walking and stopped uncertainly. Gavroche turned and looked at Melaina.

"Mind if I call you that?"

"Of course. Mela is a pretty nickname." Melaina said as she walked up the stairs. The flats of her shoes made small noises as she followed the little boy up a flight of stairs and peeked around the corner. She saw a group of boys sitting around a table with wine bottles littering the floor. Melaina heard a voice and shrank back.

"There you are, Gavroche! Where have you been?" A drunken voice called out to him and Melaina saw Gavroche grin at a black haired boy who held a bottle in his hand. The boy returned his smile, but it was sloppy. It was obvious that he was drunk.

"I found another member, Grantaire." He said and turned around and motioned to Melaina. Swallowing nervously, Melaina wet her lips and stepped up the short flight of steps, her head bent down and her green eyes watching the light play with the dust on the floorboards.

"What's your name, girl?" She heard a deep, yet light voice call out to her and she lifted her eyes and searched for the boy that spoke. Lifting her head, Melaina's eyes roamed each of the mens' faces until she stopped at one.

Her mouth opened slightly and she gasped lightly.