After a seemingly endless meeting consisting only of political rants and debates and other uninteresting things, Éponine waited outside the door. As she spotted Marius leaving, she quickly made her way over to him
"Hey," she grinned, jogging a little to keep up with him. He didn't respond. He crossed his arms.
"Hey, what's the matter?" She asked nervously. Sure, he was oblivious but he never downright ignored her.
"Éponine, are you with Montparnasse?" He asked, sighing angrily.
"N-no, of course not," She furrowed her brow, "Who told you that? Grantaire?"
"Yes," He admitted, "and though he isn't much of a reputable source, I saw some truth in it."
"It's not true. I was with him today, but not like that." She assured, slowing down as he stopped and faced her.
"Éponine...why? Why don't you just not hang around with people like him? He's bad news, 'Ponine."
"You don't know him. He's not like that." She found herself rather defensive of Mont.
"But 'Ponine, he's been to jail. Why do you want to hang around with people like that?" He was getting pretty mad, and she could tell. He was almost never mad, and when he was disappointed in her like this it broke her heart. And it was usually over Montparnasse. But she couldn't tell Marius that she had to spend time with him. She couldn't tell Marius that she robbed with him, and she had been to jail too.

"Stop acting like you're my father." She groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Then stop acting like a child!"

"I can be friends with whoever I want and I can ruin my lungs if I want to."

"Fine, but I'm not going to be there to pick up the pieces anymore, Éponine. Next time you call me to pick you up at some bar at two in the morning, I'm not picking up. I'm done with this." Marius snapped, then slipping away quickly without another word.

Éponine stared at the spot where he'd been standing as tears brimmed in her eyes. I really screwed everything up. She slumped against a nearby building and put her head in her hands. Had she just ruined any small chance she had with Marius? Now he surely thought she was a bitch, a baby, a slut, everything bad. She sobbed into her hands, breathing unevenly and trying to mask any sound her cries were making. But after what had just happened, Marius being gone meant less than it would have just minutes before. Was he really right for her, was he really the guy she wanted? He wouldn't let her live her life freely. He didn't know anything about her, because if he did he would know she was just like Montparnasse, who was "bad news".

Ironically, it was Mont who gently tapped her shoulder nearly an hour later. She looked up at him and scowled.

"What do you want, 'Parnasse?" She asked, her voice still shaking, "to make fun of me?"

"Ép," he sighed, "What happened? You're a mess."

"Thanks," she said sarcastically, "and it's none of your business."

"Come on," he prodded, "I don't want to make fun of you."

"Yeah, you do. You just want me to fail, don't you? Marius was right, you're bad news." She sobbed.

"Wait. I think I know what this is about. Did you have a fight with Marius?"

"Yeah, and it's all your fault for stalking me!"

"Stalking you? Do you think I want to be on watch when I could get the job done fifty times quicker than your father?"

"Marius hates me now! Don't make this about you!"

He groaned. "Oh, Ép. Come on." He held his hand out and as she took it he nhoisted her up off of the ground.

"It's all your fault. I hate you." She spat.

"You hate me? Isn't Marius the one at fault today? And what did he say to you?"

"He said he's tired of 'picking up the pieces' and I'm acting like a child or something like that." She looked down.

"He said that? What an asshole! You want me to get him?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Mont! No!" She panicked, "No, I don't want you to get him! I still love him!" She admitted, tears streaming down her face again.

"God, Éponine, pull yourself together!" He barked. She froze and sniffled. He went on, "He's just a guy, and guess what? You're gonna meet lots of other guys. He's also an asshole. He doesn't know what you've been through, his little rich boy brain couldn't comprehend it. And you know what else? You never had a fucking chance! He's oblivious and wouldn't even consider having those feelings for a girl like you. He's just a close-minded asshole who doesn't deserve you!" He stopped, a little embarrassed. She sniffled again, but smiled slightly.

"You think so?" She asked softly.

"Never mind," he muttered, "alright?"

She nodded, "okay."