Chapter two High school and all the ups and downs

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Enjorlas

The whole week I found myself wondering if Eponine was ok or not, and not only that but I just kept thinking about her, but why? School continued on as usual or so I thought until one day before practice I show up to find Eponine crying. "Eponine what's wrong?" I ask her. "Nothing, Its really nothing, don't worry about it" "Ep come on you know you can tell me" "Ok fine, Marius called and asked for the best way to ask Cosette out and it made me realize that I never really did have a chance with him nor will I ever have a chance for me, but I mean lets be honest who would ever love someone with a background like me. My father is an abusive crook, my mother is never there and I show up to school all the time looking like I got into a street fight. Before I even know what is coming out of my mouth I say what I have been thinking all week, " I would want to be with you… I know that's hard to believe but I would, you a such a sweet, smart, funny, caring girl and whoever doesn't see that is blind. I know that sometimes I can seem like a guy who had no emotions but that's because I have a really hard time saying what I am feeling, but this is me, saying that I, Enjorlas want to be with you. Any guy crazy enough to pass you up is stupid, you shouldn't waist your time with Marius, I know he is my best friend but he can be a complete idiot sometimes." " Enjorlas…. How long have you felt this way?" "Awhile" "The only thing that I know to say right now is lets give it a shot" "Really" "Yeah" and before I can even think I lean in and kiss her, at first soft and sweet and then we cant stop, She finally breaks away "we should probably go up to practice" she says smiling. "Your right" We both get up and walk up the steps to the pool where most everyone is already stretching before we get in the pool. We quickly go over and start warming up and before anyone can ask questions we get into the last lane of the pool.

Tonight is a free swim night so as long as we are working on a stroke or something swim related we are fine. Eponine and I decide we are going to work on backstroke for next weeks meet since that's our stroke so we get to work. At first we do some 25's and then we do 50's and 100's, taking a break in between. Ep seems fine at first but after our first 100 she finishes gasping for air. "What's wrong?" "My chest feels really tight, like someone is sitting on it and I feel like I cant breath" she says back. She leans her head down on the side of the pool and begins taking long breaths. Coach starts walking over when he notices what's going on. When he gets over to us he sits down, "Ep what's wrong" "I cant catch my breath" "Ok, I need you to sit up for me and keep breathing like you are right now, Enjorlas if it doesn't get better soon let me know, if it does get better I want her to swim just an easy backstroke, just take it in 25's if you have to, don't push yourself." We sit there for a few more minutes and then she is completely fine. She starts swimming the 25's and then the 50's. "Don't swim anymore 100's tonight I don't want that to happen again" she smirks at me "fine but I'm still swimming the 50's". Before we know it practice is over and we get out, well I do Eponine just kind of sits there. "Hey you guys we were going to grab burgers, you want to come" says Marius "Yeah" we both say. When I look back down she is still sitting there so I sit down on the edge of the pool and give her my hand. "Come on" I say with a sigh "you pushed yourself too much, and I'm sure you don't want a lecture from me right now but I'm just worried." "Thank you" she says. We head down to my car and we get it. "Enjorlas?" "Yeah" "I think I picked the right guy, you care about me, Marius just walked by back there didn't even ask if I was ok, most people would want to take things slow, but I don't feel that way about you I'm realizing, you complete me, I don't know this just feels right, like tis supposed to happen." I pull into a parking spot and I look at her for a second. "I feel the exact same way about you" and I lean in and kiss her again. We decide its better to get out of the car so we get out and I grab her hand. "Your sure your ready for this?" she ask " there will never be a good time to break it to everyone, might as well do it now" so we walk in and everyone is laughing so we walk up to order, but then we notice it got quieter where everyone is sitting. We walk over and sit down and everyone is just staring at us, Grantaire is the first to say anything. "Did we miss something… are you two a thing or something because I know friends don't hold hands like that and Enjorlas the way you looked at her up their. Please tell me I'm imagining something". Eponine retorts back to him " Grant you in fact did not miss anything, yes Enjorlas and I are a thing, It just happened today actually" Everyone gives us a wide eye look as if they cant believe it and then everyone just starts laughing again "You guys laugh all you want but we genuinely care about each other so get used to it" I say after that everyone settles down and we sit there for a little while longer. "Hey guys I have to get home, other wise my dad is going to be mad." "Ill drive you home" I offer so we go get into my car. When I pull up to the house I put my car in park and I look at her "Be careful ok, I don't want him to hurt you anymore than he already does ok" "Ill try but you know I cant hold my tongue sometimes" she gives me a quick kiss and gets out of the car… lets hope she is ok.

Eponine

I walk into the front door and no one is to be heard in the house so I go up to my room and start on homework. I think its going to be a quiet night when I hear a crash from the kitchen, shit, I run out there and see Gavroche in the kitchen with a few broken plates in front of him. "Go to your room, ill handle this" he is about to protest but he knows what my dad will do so he scampers up the stairs. That's when I hear my dad "who the hell broke something" he turns the corner to see me "I should have known it was you, first you come home late and then you break some of the dishes, you think we can just buy more, money doesn't grow on trees" "it was an accident' "yeah well this isn't" he slaps my face and it I fall into the counter really hard. He picks me up and slams me into the wall "you better be real carful from now on or this will be much worse." With that I run upstairs, well more like walk as fast as I can and I crawl into bed hoping to soon fall asleep.

In the morning I miss my alarm so I don't have time to put makeup on or eat breakfast, I grab an apple and run out the door just in time for Enjorlas to pull up. I get in the car and he is just staring. "What did he do to you?" he asks with his teeth gritted. "Gavroche broke some dishes, I took the fall for it" I brush it off like its nothing but in reality I have a bruise on my cheek, my side, and my other cheek has a slight hand mark on it, I also have a bruise on my arm. It's a good thing I have a sweatshirt in my locker. "Its fine ill just put some makeup on to cover it up" he brushes the hair out of my face and kisses my check "If you say so" and we drive to school. We walk into school hand in hand, I get some stairs cause the makeup just wasn't working but Enjorlas gives a look that turns people the other direction. We walk over to the usual table and before anyone can say anything I tell them that it was either me or Gavroche so no one ask. We go through the whole day like this everyone walking on eggshells to avoid the obvious topic at hand but I somehow make it through the day. Its swim I'm regretting the most, my side is all purple. But ill get over it.

I show up and immediately get in the pool I don't give people time to ask questions and I start my backstroke nice and easy. Enjorlas gets in next to me and Grant and Marius next to us. I come up for water and there are all looking at me. "What?" "Well" says Grant "WE were just curious as to why you are here, I mean you have to be hurting a lot" " yeah it hurts but its better than being at home" "you could have gone to study with Cosette" says Marius. Of course he would suggest that. "Guys its fine ill just suck it up and take some meds later… if we have any" Enjorlas is the last to say anything "It has taken everything in my power to not go over there and punch your dad in the face" "whoa protective boyfriend alert" says Grant " that's sweet but that would do more harm than help, it would only make him more bad, plus I can handle it for now, it will be fine" and before anyone can say anything else I'm back to swimming.

Enjorlas drives me home again and when we pull up he put his hand on mine " if he touches you tonight you call me right away and I will come pick you up ok" "ok, thank you" I get out of the car and right as I walk in the house my dad is standing there my mom no where to be found. "I got a call from school today saying that they were worried because you showed up with bruises on your face, and its not the first time, are you trying to get me in trouble or do you just like the attention" "No I had a hard time hiding them" "yeah well trying covering this up" he punches my face and knocks me against the wall which causes my to hit my head on the coffee table, I can feel the blood trickling down my face. He starts kicking me in the ribs and I can feel everything cracking, he steps on my leg and I hear a cracking sound but at this point I feel like I could just go unconscious and I do. I wake up and immediately feel pain everywhere; I know I have to call Enjrlas so I do. I don't even give him time to say anything "I cant move, I need help, the front door is unlocked and my dad left, please hurry" and I hang up right as I do so I pass out again.