Éponine crashes out of the apartment in a flurry of wind-blown hair and an open coat. Ignoring the wind that whips bitterly at her face, she digs through her pockets until she finds her green lighter and a crumpled box of cigarettes. It takes her three tries but she manages to light one with shaking hands. She inhales the smoke deeply and then releases it, her breath coming out in a sigh. When her heartbeat is less frantic, and her body is no longer trembling, she makes her way toward the main street.
She and Enjolras have been friends for nearly seven years. Marius introduced her to his group of university friends back when she was still following him around like a lost puppy. She had become attached to the boys very quickly, and joined their student group although she did not attend school. She'd been there for him when Bossuet nearly got them arrested for breaking and entering the restaurant he was fired from. When Marius began skipping meetings to see Cosette. When Enjolras broke up with Grantaire. And now he had treated her horribly when she was vulnerable made her flush with anger.
How dare he? She does not deny that her relationship with Montparnasse is problematic and has caused trouble, but it was not Enjolras' place to assume things or to act in her name.
She reaches the street and is about to cross to the bus stop when the honk of a horn causes her to halt.
Montparnasse pulls his piece of scrap metal he likes to call an automobile up next to her. He rolls down the window and sticks his head out.
"I knew I'd find you," he tells Éponine cheerfully, and she subconsciously touches the bruise on her collarbone. "Going home? Get in, I'll drive you."
"You filthy whore."
Éponine moves like a robot, her mind blank as she tosses her cigarette onto the pavement and climbs into the shitty car. Montparnasse takes off before she's able to do up her seatbelt, so she just leaves it be.
"Where'd you disappear to last night, 'Ponine?" He asks her when they stop at a red light.
She is frozen in her seat, staring directly out of the windshield. She realizes that she's shaking again, this time out of fear.
"Worthless bitch."
"I couldn't sleep so I went over to Enjolras' place," she tells him dully.
"Hm," Montparnasse drums his fingers on the steering wheel as the light turns green. "Did you fuck him?"
"Let me out," she spits angrily, no longer afraid.
"C'mon, I was only joking," he laughs at her and his beautiful face lights up. Éponine responds with a silent glare.
She pulls out her cell phone— a hand-me-down from Marius— to check the time. 7: 49 AM. "Shit. 'Parnasse, I gotta go clean up before work, I gotta go home now. "
"Actually, I called you in sick," her boyfriend tells her. "You'll be working today, but not at the supermarket."
It's then that Éponine truly does feel ill. She recalls Enjolras' offer to take on Montparnasse and briefly regrets her declination.
"What's he got us doin' today?"
"Letters. To banks. Charities. He told me to tell you that he wants them to be messy and have shitty spelling, it makes us look dumb, and if there's anything rich people love, it's stupid poor people."
Éponine lets her head fall back to the seat's headrest. "That's the sixth time he's called in sick for me. He's gonna get me fired."
"I thought you liked working for your dad."
"When I was a kid it was like a game. Now it sucks."
Montparnasse shrugs and pulls the car into the empty laneway beside Éponine's apartment. He jumps out of the car and holds open her door like a true gentleman.
"Stupid, fucking cunt."
She swallows, brushes past him and opens the door.