Chapter 4

It was late. Eponine rose from her wooden chair. She dried her eyes one last time and began walking towards the door. Something stopped her. Marius. He was sitting at a different table, not facing Eponine. Jean Prouvaire was directly across from him. He could look up and see Eponine at any time. But, she was pretty sure he already knew she was there.

Maybe I can just leave through the back door, she thought to herself. A conversation with Marius would just be too emotionally straining right now.

"It's all just so confusing. Honestly, nothing makes sense."

Eponine stopped dead in her tracks.

"I mean, I was just in the market, running to get to a class. And I ran into her. Her groceries went flying. Naturally, I felt bad and apologized. Apparently, whatever I said was written on her arm." She didn't want to hear this conversation but she was rooted to the floor.

"And then she said what's written on my arm. Exactly. 'You're far too kind, Monsieur.' That's what she said. That's what's written here. We were both freaking out because, you know, we're soulmates." Eponine really didn't need to hear this.

"But, I had to get to class and she had to go somewhere. I don't really remember what she said. But, we agreed to go to the lake before sunset. So, we met up. Her name's Cosette, by the way." She flinched.

"I felt nothing. Absolutely no emotional connection. At all." Eponine cursed herself for being a little happy at that.

"She was very nice. She was very sweet. Pretty. Extremely polite. I mean, I liked her just fine. It's not her fault she's not-" He cut himself off. Jean finally spoke up.

"Not Eponine?" What? He glanced up just enough to acknowledge that he definitely knew she was there.

"Yeah," Marius admitted, "I mean, I've been in love with her since we were pretty young." She was dreaming. This wasn't happening.

"But there's always problems. We met when we were little. Before we got our tattoos. So we can't be one hundred percent sure what the first thing we said to each other was. But I'm positive the first thing she said to me was something snarky, something comedic and sassy. Something she would say. Not what's written on my arm. That's something a lady would say. And she's many things. Many wonderful things, but not a lady. I mean, she's hilarious, and caring, and stubborn in a good way, and …" His rambling turned into white noise. This couldn't be happening. Marius could not be in love with her. This had to be some twisted way to cheer her up. It was simply too good to be true. The mention of her name snapped her attention back.

"…'Ponine's too poor for my parents to be alright with. Even if I were to be with her, my family would never accept her. And of course there's the everlasting problem of her not having any interest in me, whatsoever." She could hear Prouvaire stifle a laugh. Marius didn't notice. He was propping his head up with one arm.

"I'm just so confused. I have no feelings for my soulmate and I'm in love with a girl that I'm not meant to be with. Nothing makes sense." This isn't happening. Marius isn't in love with you. Deep breathes. Don't get your hopes up. It's fake.

"Well, you hide it much better than she does." Marius cocked his head. Eponine's eyes widened.

"You really are quite oblivious. You see, Eponine is helplessly in love with you as well. She has told me quite explicitly how she feels, actually. Isn't that, right, Eponine?" He directed the question at her, making direct eye contact. Marius whirled around instantly.

"I-" She couldn't say anything. Her mouth wouldn't form words. Jean rose from his chair.

'I believe you two have some emotions to sort out, in private. So, I will leave you alone." He had one foot out of the door when he said, "two blind mice cannot regain their sight unless they open each other's eyes, after all." Marius got up as well. This is it. This is when he's going to tell me it's all some kind of joke.

"How much did you hear?" He asked.

"E-everything." That was all her voice would allow her to say. Although Eponine had grown up learning how to read people's faces for emotions, she couldn't read Marius' at that exact moment. There were too many there.

"You're in love with me?" He blurted out. This is a dream. It's not real.

Eponine might as well have gone mute. She couldn't say a thing. She just nodded her head. It's not like she could lie to him anyways.

A boyish grin reached his lips before they were against hers and Eponine Thenardier stopped trying to convince herself that what was happening wasn't real.