I sit up alarmed. I had just had the most vivid dream. Of, strangely, my death. I scan the room. My book lays where I left it, right next to me. Adalene is snoring softly in the other side of the room. I peer outside. Everyone is out and about. I get dressed in red, and head out the door to get some groceries. As I walk out the door I hear Adalene stirring. She would know where I had gone.
It was an absolutely beautiful day. Not a cloud in the spacious, French sky. I had taken our grocery money, and my extra money, so I could buy food for the less-fortunate. As I walk along, several people shout a greeting. Something felt off. I hurried to the market. As I walk along, almost speed-walking, I trip. I braced myself for impact, but it never came. Someone had grabbed my arm and pulled me up. I look up to thank my rescuer, only to see a soldier. "Thank You" I say, trying to be polite. "My pleasure Mada…" He stops as soon as he sees my rosette. He turned away. He wasn't that old. His face still reading youth, and innocence. He must be about seventeen. I shake it all off as I hurry to the market.
The market was not nearly as busy as it usually is. The stalls are almost all open. I look at my list for the first item. Bread. I walk quickly over to the bakers. As I walk in, I am instantly hit with warmth, and the aroma of fresh bread, and rolls. I walk up to him and prepare to bargain. The baker had a bit of a soft spot for me, and usually let me win. "Hello, can I have eleven loaves of bread?" He raises his eyebrows in surprise. "For three sols." He answered. I was thinking lower, perhaps eight Francs?" I ask. "No, no mademoiselle, that is too low, perhaps two sols?" He asks. "Hmmm, I don't know, maybe nine francs?" I say, the target price one sol. "One sol, is the lowest I can go." He told me, playing right into my trap. "It's a deal then." I say, taking the bread and walking out.
Next was the butcher. I walk in and get five pounds of salt meat and twenty bones, for broth. I finally end up buying a total of twenty pounds, worth of food from the market. My arms full of food, I start off home. I was walking just fine, surprisingly, until I trip, again. Before I hit the ground an arm caught me, again. "Mademoiselle, are you alright?" I look up. It was the exact same soldier from earlier. He noticed the same and his face turned into confusion. "You sure do trip a lot." He mocked as I picked up the food I had dropped. "Why do you have so much food?" He asked leaning over to help me put it in my basket. "So I can feed the people who have none, why do you ask? You're awful curious for a guard." I questioned. "I would say I'm awful kind for a guard too, judging from what I've seen." I laughed derisively. "You're also awful full of yourself." I say.
He stands up, picking up the basket. "This is awful heavy." He says, "It's about twenty pounds." I say. "You're doing a good thing for those people, you know." He says. I stare at him in surprise. "You're people and my people don't mix, or really believe in the same things." I said, "So why are you being so nice?" We walk along in silence. "Have you ever thought about where we come from?" He asks. It's silent for a moment again. "No, I mean, you are always disrupting our rallies, so I naturally thought.." "Maybe you shouldn't assume." He interrupts.
"I was raised here in Paris." He begins. "I was born into a poor family, we never had enough to eat. When I was seven, my father left. With no income, we soon became homeless. When I was fourteen, my mother died of starvation. She had been feeding us all of her food. That is when I knew I had to be responsible for my family. I had to get a job. For a year, I begged for food on the streets. I stole, but when I finally turned fifteen, I signed up for a destined job. Being a city soldier. I was in training for a year, and now I am here. With almost enough money to feed my siblings and still eat at the communals, sometimes. Probably will have to today." So he was sixteen. I looked at him for a moment. "Is that why you kept catching me when I fell? Most guards would either stand there, laugh or spit as well." "I guess, I also thought you were a bit interesting, with all that food." He said, his eyebrows creased.
We soon came to the left square, or where I lived and worked everyday. As we walked in, I could see people raising their eyebrows. Probably wondering what I was doing with a guard. He looked around nervously. "I..uh..I should go, get back to my duty." He handed my things and left. "Wait!" I wanted to say. I had never caught his name. Gavroche rushed over. "What were you doing with that soldier" he asked, lips curled in disgust. "I tripped bringing all of these groceries home and he helped me up, and helped me carry them." I answered. "Sounds like he wanted to know our plans, if you ask me." He spit. I turned and glared at him. "You, don't know anything about him, you can't judge someone without knowing them." I snapped, and with that, I turned on my heels and walked into my flat, leaving Gavroche staring behind in shock.
I set the groceries down, and began to prepare the food so I could take it to the communal feeding at the church. After everything was prepared to be cooked, I gathered it up and walked out. The walk to the church was through the woods, it was a nice peaceful day. When I finally got there, I entered the kitchen. It was full of Nuns, as always. "Sisters! I am here with the food I promised." One turns to look at me and her face brightens. "We thought we would not have enough! Sister look at the bounty she has brought to share!" I blush. They all crowd around me taking the food they needed one by one. "Should I go help set up?" I ask, I felt over-crowded in the kitchen. "Yes, they may need help with the chairs."
I walk down the empty hallway. As I round the corner into the large dining room, I see who "they" were. The revolutionaries were all in there, trying to organize everything, the only problem was they didn't know where everything went. "Wait, Wait!" I yell. Everyone looks at me. "That table goes along that wall by the kitchen window, so the Nuns can serve the food. Those tables get lined up, twelve chairs at one." They scurry to follow my instructions. After they were finished, I realized I had better hurry into the kitchens to help serve the food; there was supposed to be storm tonight, and the Nuns had to prepare to shelter the homeless.
After I get in there, I am immediately put to work, serving rolls. My heart warmed with each "Thank you" and "Bless You" I received in thanks. I look down as a small voice says: "Can I please have two rolls? I am extra hungry tonight." I look down at the little girl with blonde curly hair, who looks eerily similar. I must've seen her before. A familiar male voice startles me out of my questioning thoughts. "Anna, there are other people here who need to eat also." I quickly jerk my head up to see the soldier from earlier. I gape in surprise. He gapes back. I recover first and hand him a roll. He takes it and nods a thank you. As he ushers four other kids away towards a table, I call out to him "Wait!" He turns, his blonde eyebrows raised. "I never asked your name!" He smiles and says "It's Grantaire, what's yours?" "Linette!" I shout back. Before I return to passing out rolls, I see Gavroche watch me carefully, before whispering something to Enjolras. Enjolras shot a quick glance at me, and then one at Grantaire before returning to his papers.
Later that night Enjolras walks up to me. "Are you done serving?" I look at him. "Yes, why?" "I want to talk." We walk around the stone hallways, until we arrive outside. "Who was that boy?" He asked. "Is this about something Gavroche said? Because he should mind his own business and stop judging, when he is no better." I burst out. "No..well..kind of, I was just wondering who he was." We stood in a tension filled silence. "He was soldier, he's only sixteen. He helped me up when I fell, and helped me carry my groceries." I state, still angry. Why did they need to know absolutely everyone I talk to?
"Did he tell you anything about himself? Why was he here if he's a soldier." "Why do you need to know the complete backstory of everyone I talk to?" I yelled. "The reason he was here tonight was because he has no parents and four little siblings to take care of." Enjolras stared. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have blown up at you." I apologized. "No, you're right, you've never given me a reason to mistrust you, and I was being rather questioning. I just thought that maybe it would affect the revolution, but seeing as to where he came from and who he is, I wouldn't think so." I glance at his eyes, he looked very awkward, with remorse dotting his expression.
We both accept each other's apologies and walk on our way. When we get to the door I stop. "I'm going to go home alright, I feel pretty tired." He nods and walks through the door. After he leaves, I head on my way home. It's dark outside, the leafless trees bending over the road. Stars dot the sky, as I make my way back to the square.
I hear a twig crack. My heart stops for second before I calm myself down. It's only a squirrel. I walk on. All of the sudden an arm grabs me. It whirls me around until I come to face a filthy face, full of madness. "I saw you carrying all of that food through here earlier, Where is it?" He asks, his voice full of hate. He shook me, "Where is it girl!" I stared in shock before he smacked me, and sent my world whirling around. I fell and hit my forehead on something. My hand went up to my face, as I pulled it away I saw blood. I began to feel very dizzy. "I took it to the church, for the communal dinner." I said, pointing in the direction from which I came.
"You must have money then, don't you." He leered at me. "Please leave me alone, I don't have anything for you." "You liar! You rich little brat!" He yelled. He shook me and this time I saw the hand coming and tried to block it, it was too fast. I only had time to let out a scream. He hit me again, this time, his hand in a fist and harder than the first two times. He kept hitting until I heard footsteps. All of the sudden he was torn away, he landed on the ground, where I was. Someone yelled and he scurried away. I looked up. "Grantaire?" He helped me sit up. "Are you hurt? What happened?" "I..I was walking home, and he grabbed me and wanted food. When I had none of that to give, he wanted money, and when I had none, he attacked me."
It was quiet for a moment. "What do you mean 'attacked'" "He hit me, that was it though" I said. All of the sudden something dawned on me. "Why are you here?" I asked. "I came back to ask you something, but it doesn't matter, can you stand?" I try to get up and stumble a bit, when I do, he loops his arm around my waist and helps me walk. We begin walking.
"Where are we going?" I ask, we had passed my flat. "I know where some bandages are" "Where do you live?" "In an apartment in the square""Where are your sisters?" I ask, "At Widow Marie's house, I pay her to take care of them, as they need someone feminine to raise them. They love her as well, and she never had any kids, so that's where they live." Widow Marie was a thirty year-old widow, whose husband died when she was twenty, and left her childless. We arrive at his apartment. "You wait out here, by the fountain while I grab them." I wait for about five minutes before he comes back out with some bandages, a rag, and a cup.
"Sit down on the fountain wall." He instructs. I sit down gently, he wets the rag and fills the cup with water and starts softly dabbing at the various wounds on my face. Right as he touches the cut on my forehead, which happened to be the biggest one, I gasp. "I'm sorry, are you alright? I would leave it but it needs to be washed. I look at him with what I hope to be a puppy-dog face and try to plead him not to. He just looks at me. I grit my teeth and beckon for him to wash it. After several painful moments, he was done and he wrapped a bandage around it.
When I try to get up, I start swaying like a drunkard, and yet again, for the third time in front of Grantaire, I fall. As always he catches me and helps me up. "You are very clumsy, you know that right?" I laugh. "I must just feel dizzy all of the time." I joke. When we stop our teasing banter, he helps me home.
Right as I get to the door of the apartment, I turn to say my goodbyes to Grantaire. "No, I'm making sure you get into bed and someone else's care first. You're so dizzy, you can't even stand. I raise my eyebrows. "Okay" He opens the door. We hear multiple gasps. Adalene, Enjolras, and Gavroche all stood there with their mouths wide open. When Jacques saw who was with me he closed his mouth and glared. "Linette! Are you alright? What happened?" Adalene interrogates as she swoops me up into a hug. As I summarize the story, they all sit in shock. Except Grantaire, he looked a bit uncomfortable.
When I finish I am bombarded with questions, apologies, and laments. "I shouldn't have let you go alone!" Was the most prominent. My head started to hurt. "Can you all please quiet down a little? She got hit pretty hard and I wouldn't be surprised if she's getting a headache." Grantaire said. I start to feel really dizzy. "Can I go lay down?" I ask, "Yes of course" Adalene says, as they make room for me. I gear up my limbs to walk over there, but after the first step I take, everything goes black.
The Next Morning…
I slowly wake out of my groggy sleep. As I open my eyes, a face appears out of nowhere. I almost scream before I realize that it is just Gavroche. "Are you awake?" He whispers. "Yes" I whisper back. He launches into a huge explanation of how I didn't wake up, so they had different people here for an hour or two so I wasn't alone when I did.
"Can I have a drink of water?" I ask, my throat dry from lack of use. "Yes, of course." He jumps up and dips a cup in the bucket and brings it over. "You know, that boy soldier friend of yours, was over here an awful lot checking on you." "Really?" I asked, maybe a little too eagerly, as it made him start glaring again. "Honestly, Gavroche, Grantaire is very nice and helpful; not to mention he practically saved my life." It was silent.
"He won't do anything to the revolution, he is poor and an orphan, just like us. If anything he supports the revolution. Enjolras likes him." I add. "Maybe this isn't about the revolution Linette!" I stared at him. What does he mean this isn't about the revolution? "What is it about then?" I ask softly. "I..I..I need to go." He got up and walked quickly to the door. "Wait! Tell me what this is about. If you won't tell me then you have no right to hate Grantaire." He looked at me, and walked back. He looked me square in the eye and said ."I love you Linette! Are you really so blind? Ever since you met him, you've done nothing but talk to him! I'm you're best friend!"
It was silent. Before I defended myself. "There is nothing going on between us! I met him yesterday!" "No, you been asleep two days, you met him three days ago! Have you seen the way he looks at you? How he watched you with worry and love, while you were asleep?" I stared, my mouth wide open. "What?" I said, absolutely shocked. "We both care for you Linette, You can ask him yourself." He walked out the door. Gavroche loves me? Grantaire loves me? Does everybody love me? Is that really the new game? Make Linette's life as complicated as possible? I lay there thinking, mulling over all of these thoughts. Why me? What's so special about me? I'm just...Linette Moreau. I'm not this special.
I sulk about my predicament for hours, until Adalene comes home. "You're awake." She observes. "Adalene! Apparently both Gavroche and Grantaire love me!" I blurt. She looks at me with a face that read "Seriously Linette, you didn't know this. It is literally the most obvious thing on the planet." "Well, what are you going to do?" I think. "I look at her, I don't..I don't know." She still stared, so I continued, "I have just met Grantaire and so feelings haven't had time to really develop, and Gavroche I've known for such a long time, but I've never really looked at him like that before." I finished. "Grantaire is a very dashing boy." She said. "Are you ready for the rally?" "Yes"
There were close to a hundred people at the rally. I find Gavroche. " Gavroche, do you really love me?" He turned around, an awkward look in his eyes. "Linette, I realized what I had said after I left, and I realized what it sounded like." "Gavroche..I" "No, wait. Linette, I don't love you. I mean, I do, but as a friend. I just wanted to spend more time with you, you've been so distant lately and I blamed it on Grantaire. I'm sorry." I breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you Gavroche." I said. "You should really talk to him." He said. "Right Now?" I asked, we were in the middle of the rally. "Better late than never." I rush away to his apartment. By the time I get there it's already noon.
"Grantaire!" I said knocking at the door. He opened it. His mouth wide open in shock, "Linette! What are you doing here, you should be resting…" I cut him off with a kiss. I pulled away to see him looking even more shocked. "LINETTE!" I screamed at myself, "Why would you do that? At least see if he feels the same way first!" "Linette I..I.." "Grantaire, I am so, so, sorry. I..I didn't think. I am so sorr.." He cuts me off with another kiss. "I love you too."
And They All Lived Happily Ever After