The next day, as Éponine was leaving her last class before lunch, she heard a voice calling for her. She quickly glanced around and saw Enjolras. She waited for him to catch up with her. When he did, he asked her if she had time to go sign up for a meeting with Dr. Valjean. She responded in the affirmative and they walked to the education building, where his office was. They signed up for a time two days later.
"Éponine, would you like to get a coffee with me?" Enjolras asked her as the pair was leaving the building. She nodded and they walked to the Musain. They chatted over coffee and lunch. They got to know each other a little better before Éponine looked at the time and realized she had another class to get to.
"I'm sorry, but I need to get going. I have another class this afternoon." She told the man sitting across from her.
He nodded, and stood up. "I'll walk you there. I'm finished for the day." And he did. When they got to her next class, he told her, "I hope you can come to the Musain tonight. We meet in that back room every night. It's like a club of sorts. Bring your sister, if you wish."
"I will. See you later, Enjolras." The girl said before walking into her class. She was still entranced by his chiseled features, but was also very intrigued by his personality. As Cosette told her, he was studying law, in hopes to someday work as a social justice lawyer. He wanted to help the common people and get justice for the ones whose voices couldn't be heard. He had all these wonderful ideals and knew what he wanted. She was still a little leary of living with someone, or two someones, that she didn't really know. She didn't want anyone, besides Azelma, to have to expect something from her. She didn't want to have to open up to anyone.
The next few days went wonderfully. Éponine and Azelma went to the Musain with the rest of Les Amis de ABC, as they called themselves. They met some more of the regulars, including Combeferre, another law student and Enjolras' best friend, Joly, a biology major hoping to get into medical school after he was done, Musichetta, the owner of Cafe Musain, and Bousset, a criminal justice major. Everyone was getting along very nicely. They went to class during the day. Wednesday, during Dr. Valjean's class, they discussed the project more, and were assigned some reading from their textbook. When Thursday came along, Éponine was surprisingly calm and ready for the meeting with Dr. Valjean and Enjolras.
Enjolras came and picked her up from her class before walking with her to his office. The pair had become fast friends, and while Éponine still didn't like the idea of living with someone else, he eased her mind. She figured if it had to be anyone, it might as well be him. They were chatting and laughing until they got to their professors door. When they knocked and walked into the office, Éponine immediately froze.
"Éponine, are you alright?" Enjolras asked her, noticing her weird behavior. When she didn't answer, he looked at his professor, and then to the little boy sitting in the third chair in front of the desk. Enjolras gave a questioning glance at Valjean. The professor just shrugged.
"Ms. Jondrette, Mr. Enjolras, please sit." The professor said. Enjolras helped the woman do so, before sitting down himself. "This is Gavroche Thenardier. He is the boy who you will be taking care of this semester. Gavroche, this is Gabriel Enjolras and Éponine Jondrette. Now, if Ms. Jondrette would regain her composure, we could begin the meeting."
Éponine realized she needed to get it together. None of the males in the room needed to know about the burden that is her past, at least not yet. She tried her best to be professional. "Of course, I don't know what came over me, Professor. We can continue now."
"Okay. Well then. This meeting is partially for you all to meet each other, and partially for Éponine and Enjolras to make sure they understand the assignment before being thrown into it. Gavroche, if at anytime you get bored, you may go over to the play corner I showed you earlier and entertain yourself." The boy nodded, but Éponine could tell he thought he was too old for the play corner.
"Gavroche, would you like to introduce yourself, or would you like me to do so?" The professor asked the boy.
"I'm Gavroche. My friends call me Gav. I'm eight years old and was thrown out by my parents when I was three. I've lived in the orphanage ever since then. I go to school at Lincoln Elementary School and am in third grade. I like to play soccer and when I can get the TV, I like to watch any sports." The boy said, in a surprisingly strong voice. He looked to the professor for approval.
"Very well done, Gavroche. You only forgot one thing." Gavroche gave him a weird look. "What's your favorite color?"
Gavroche gave him an are-you-serious kind of expression, but when the professor gave him an expectant look he said, "And my favorite color is red." Éponine snuck a glance at Enjolras, who smiled at the boy.
"You two will get along great." Éponine said, turning back to the boy to smile at him, as well. The boy grinned when Enjolras pointed to his red jacket.
"You two will be expected to introduce yourselves in a similar manner later on, but now we are going to discuss how the project is to be graded and how you will be going about this semester." The students nodded for him to continue. "The two of you will move into Clarence 256 on Saturday of this week. Then on Sunday, you and all of your classmates will come and get your children and move them in. Each of the three of you will get your own bedroom, share a living room and kitchen, and there are two bathrooms in the suite.
"Éponine and Enjolras, you will be in charge of Gavroche. You are to make sure he gets fed, bathes, and has clothes and toys. You will also make sure he goes to school and does his homework. He is never to be left alone in the dorm. One of you will walk him to and from school, and one of you will always be in the dorm if he is there. Mostly, you are to ensure he is safe and happy living with the two of you. As I mentioned in class, you will have university funds to spend. You will receive a class credit card. You may spend it accordingly. The only catch is, you have to log every purchase made with it here." He set a ledger down in front of the two college students. "You have to write what was purchased, where it was purchased, how much it cost, and why it is necessary to the project. Every purchase that I deem inappropriate, you will be paying back at the end of the semester. Also, you are to ensure his happiness, not spoil him. If you are spending too much on toys and junk food, you will pay that back as well."
The professor turned to Gavroche at this time. "If you ever feel unhappy, you are to write it in this notebook. Remember how we talked about journaling?" He asked the boy, as he handed him a red, leather notebook. The boy nodded. "Your responses in this book will help determine Éponine and Enjolras' grade. So if they are doing a bad job, write it in here. If they are doing a good job write that in here. If you ever feel unsafe, my phone number is in the front cover, and you must call me immediately, no matter what time of day or night." He turned back to the college students. "You are never allowed to read, change, or influence him while he is writing. If he is writing in the book, he is to be left alone. Do you understand?"
They both nodded. "Good, then I think we are done here. If the three of you would like to step outside and chat for a while, that would be okay. I think my next students should be arriving shortly.
The three students did as the professor suggested. There was a small lobby right outside of his office. When they exited, they saw another little boy with a woman waiting to go in. Éponine recognized her as Cosette's mother, Mrs. Fantine Valjean. They switched places, and the three sat down. Éponine nodded to Enjolras to go first. "Well, Gavroche. I'm Gabriel Enjolras, as Dr. Valjean said. I prefer to go by my last name, however. Just Enjolras is just fine. I am here studying law. I am in my fourth year, so I will graduate this year and go on to another law school. I am twenty-two. I like to debate and read, when I'm not with my friends at the Cafe Musain. I also like the color red." He then looked at Éponine.
"Good job, Enjolras. I'm so proud of you." The woman gushed, making fun of him. He stuck his tongue out at her. "Anyways, I am Éponine Jondrette. I'm not weird and you can call me by my first name, if you wish. I am studying to be an elementary teacher. I am twenty-one and in my third year of studies. I also like to read. I tend to work a lot at The Corinthe, which is a diner on campus. I came from a rough family and am on a fairly big scholarship to come to school here, but I still need to work to pay for some of my books and things. My favorite color is bright blue." Both of the boys nodded. It was awkwardly silent for a few moments before Enjolras spoke.
"If you have any questions or concerns, just let us know, okay bud?"
Gavroche nodded. Then he asked, "Are you guys dating?" Enjolras blushed, while Éponine laughed.
"No, we just recently met, actually. Through my friend, Cosette. She introduced us since we were in the same class and then we decided to be partners for the assignment." She said.
"Oh." Gavroche said, somewhat sadly.
"Why? Do we seem like a couple?" Enjolras asked. Éponine glared at him before turning back and smiling at Gavroche.
"A little." He said, looking at the ground.
Éponine gasped. "You wanted us to be like real parents for you, didn't you?" She said, realizing why the boy was sad. He froze a second, before nodding slowly.
"We will try our best to be like parents to you, Gav, but we aren't actually together, is that okay? We can still do everything that parents do, just not be your actual parents." Enjolras tried to save.
"Good, I don't want you to be my actual parents. They sent a three year old packing! Who does that?" The boy said, seeming to perk up and Enjolras' statement. The two older students smiled sadly at him. Then, two friendly faces came around the corner.
"Hey, Éponine, Enjolras. Who is this?" Courfeyrac said.
"This is the kid we will be taking care of this semester." Enjolras said, standing up to give Azelma a place to sit. "Gavroche, meet our friend Antoine Courfeyrac, and Éponine's sister, Azelma Jondrette. Azelma and Courf, meet Gavroche." Gavroche stood up, like Enjolras, and shook Courfeyrac's hand, like Enjolras had done. He then smiled at Azelma before sitting back down.
"So does this mean we will get to meet our kid?" Azelma asked.
"That sounds kind of strange, but yes, he's in there right now, talking to Dr. Valjean." Éponine said.
"You know what I meant, 'Ponine. I'm so excited!" Her sister said. Just then, the Mrs. Fantine walked out of the office.
"Gavroche, are you ready to leave?"
"Yes, Miss Fantine." The boy nodded, stood, and walked over to her. Then he turned back to the students.
"It was nice to meet you all. I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday." Gavroche said, in a very formal manner, before taking the woman's hand and walking away.
"He seems like a good kid." Courf said. "I hope ours is just as polite."
"Mr. Courfeyrac and Ms. Jondrette, the younger, are you ready?" Dr. Valjean said, sticking his head out the door. The two got up and went into the office, disappearing from Éponine and Enjolras' view.
"So, what happened at the beginning of the meeting, Éponine?" Enjolras questioned, when no one else was left in the hallway.
Éponine froze again. She had almost forgot. "I'd rather not talk about it right now. Maybe I'll tell you someday." She said, with a coy smile, trying her best at acting. It seemed to work.
"Okay. I'll be waiting. Would you like to grab lunch before your next class?" He asked, dropping the subject.
"That sounds excellent." They pair stood up and left the building.
AN: So, now Gavroche is here. Isn't he adorable? I think he is. Also, this chapter is fairly important in terms of plot. Most of them are, but this one kind of starts it all off.
How are y'all feeling this week? I'm feeling very stressed. I also got asked on a date today by a good friend of mine. The thing is, I don't want to date him... But I don't want to end our friendship, either. Any other girls, or guys, out there feeling that way this week? Let me know how you are handling your situations. Hearing other people's stress is actually very calming to me, currently.
As always, read, review, PM, email, send a letter or carrier pigeon. Let me know what you think! Good, bad, ugly. I love hearing from you all! See you next week with the next chapter.