Eponine walked into the café Musain with Marius. Recently, she had been noticing how annoying he could be. She wondered if he had suddenly become more annoying or if something else had caused her perception of him to change.

She noticed Enjolras sitting at a table with Courfeyrac and moving his gaze around as if he were looking for something.

"Today I kissed her hand," Marius murmured in Eponine's ear. Eponine jumped. "It was even softer than I had imagined."

Eponine tried not to think about how Marius and Cosette's relationship was developing, so she looked back to Enjolras. He was standing up. There was a folded paper in his hand.

For me? Eponine wondered.

Enjolras was now walking directly toward her, although he was determinedly not looking at her. He had fixed his eyes on some piece of wall to her left. Eponine, however, could not take her eyes off him. He was now extremely close to her, and Eponine momentarily forgot to breathe.

Then, with no warning, Enjolras veered off in the other direction and practically speed-walked to the bar where another student was sitting.

Eponine took a breath and mentally berated herself for her stupidity.

What was she so excited about, anyway? The possibility of the next letter being hand-delivered? Eponine decided that she really was pathetic if that was what qualified as friendship. She turned back to Marius, who was blabbering away, completely unaware that she had stopped paying attention for a moment.

"Mademoiselle," came a voice. Eponine turned around again, thinking that this was becoming a common occurrence. The student who had been at the bar with Enjolras was standing in front of her. He didn't seem very interested in being there. He was very disheveled, with messy hair and wrinkled clothes, but Eponine liked his green eyes.

"Mademoiselle ..." He looked down at a note in his hand for reference. "... Eponine." He stuck his hand out, offering its contents to Eponine.

Eponine took the letter, now almost used to it, and regarded the new messenger. She had never spoken to him, but her curiosity overpowered any shyness or manners.

"Did he go sit by you just so you would give this to me?" she asked bluntly.

The young man smiled faintly but still managed to retain his bored look. "I think that was just a side benefit. He was mostly just trying to postpone giving it to you himself."

"Why?" said Eponine. She peered around the student and noticed that Enjolras was once more fixated on the wall. "Does he not like me?"

"That has nothing to do with it. I think you scare him."

"What?"

"Never mind," said the student. "I just came to deliver the letter anyway. See you."

"What is your name?" asked Eponine. Now that she knew Joly and Courfeyrac, she felt like she had a sort of collection.

"Grantaire," he said, before heading back to the bar.

She looked down at the letter she had been given. It seemed to have been folded in a rush.

"Eponine?" said Marius behind her. Eponine was surprised. Maybe he had finally noticed that she wasn't listening, or maybe he had noticed that she was still writing letters with Enjolras. Maybe he was less oblivious than she had previously thought.

"Yes?"

"I didn't know you were friends with Grantaire," he said. "That's nice."

Eponine stared at Marius in disbelief.

Eponine had not been at the café long before she found herself scanning the room for Enjolras again. This time, she did not spot him anywhere.

"Marius," Eponine said, "where did Enjolras go? I thought he was always here."

"I think he left some plans at his home," said Marius absentmindedly.

Eponine took advantage of the opportunity. She excused herself and slipped over to a small empty table in the corner, where no one would notice her but she could notice everything. She unfolded the letter and began to read.

Mademoiselle Eponine-

Please, just call me Enjolras, none of this Monsieur business. It's a little too formal for my taste. Thank you for your compliment. I don't really like my first name anyway. Enjolras is, in my view, the only name I have, and, like you said, the only name I need.

I have to say your way of learning is far more interesting than mine. I've never really taught myself how to do anything academic ... I could probably learn better that way. I envy your experience.

Joly does get his ideas from formal education. He tried to learn to be a doctor but he became a patient ... he now fears that every little medical problem means death. For example, if you coughed once he would diagnose you with the plague. These are the products of a "formal education."

I've done my share of fending off "female suitors" who offer me their services. If you ever talk to Grantaire, no, I am not afraid of women. I just don't approve of the life decisions these women made! I mean, I am writing to you, aren't I? You're a woman! Of course, that's not the same as talking to ... I got off subject.

Anyway, I'm glad someone believes in Marius; it's probably one of the only reasons he stays. No one really likes him. I am pleased to hear that you will be joining us. The more followers the better! Perhaps you can convince more women to join us.

When you say you have things to attend to, do you have a job of some kind?

Feuilly will be excited to hear of your folding abilities ... be expecting a paper fan gift. He likes to make fans.

Oh, and um thank you for the compliment regarding my voice ... I don't really know how to respond- I mean, no one has ever told me that before, so ... yes, thank you. Au revoir.

Vive la Révolution!

-Enjolras

It seemed to Eponine that, for someone who acted as though he didn't care what anyone thought of him, Enjolras cared quite a bit. He was especially intent on convincing her that he was not afraid of women.

Eponine realized suddenly that she was smiling, probably because of his reaction to her compliment. She had not known it was possible for someone to be flustered and embarrassed on paper, but Enjolras had proven her wrong.

She looked up from the letter and found herself looking straight at Enjolras.

He had apparently just returned to the Musain, because he had a pile of papers in his arms and an alarmed look on his face. Eponine tried to stop grinning about the letter, but it was difficult, and he clearly noticed. Looking very self-conscious, Enjolras stiffly made his way back to the table he had occupied earlier. Eponine folded the letter and rejoined Marius.

"Well, Monsieur Marius," she said when she reached him, "it seems that I have officially joined Les Amis de l'ABC."

"That's wonderful! Enjolras will be thrilled to have a new recruit."

"I am not really a recruit," Eponine replied. "I volunteered. I want to be involved."

"You should tell Enjolras," suggested Marius. "You have probably noticed by now that he is the leader. The chief, if you will."

"He already knows," said Eponine. "I told him."

"You talked to Enjolras?" asked Marius incredulously.

"Well, not exactly," said Eponine, beginning to wonder why she was still discussing this with Marius. She showed him the letter in her hand.

"He writes to you?"

"Yes."

"Oh. It must make him happy that you come here."

"Maybe," said Eponine carefully. "What about you? Does it make you happy?"

Marius looked at her as though she were being ridiculous. "Of course, Eponine! Otherwise I may never have found my true love! What a sad life that would be! Eponine, you are the cause of all my happiness!"

Eponine sighed. That was ironic.

"Speaking of Cosette," began Marius. Aren't we always? thought Eponine. He continued, "Would you go to her house for me today? I thought maybe you could find out if she -"

"No," said Eponine, interrupting him and surprising herself.

Marius stopped talking. "What?"

"I mean, I'm sorry but I ... can't. I can't go. I just ... cannot, not today, all right?"

Marius looked dumbfounded, but he nodded. "Of course, Eponine, I was merely asking."

"I have to go," Eponine muttered, and she brushed past him and out of the café.

Eponine walked briskly through the streets, trying to understand what had just happened. She had wanted to say no to Marius, as usual, but this was the first time she had actually done so.

Eponine stopped walking as suddenly as she had begun. The gravity of her actions struck her.

She had refused Marius, with whom she was completely in love.

Or was she?

Corresponding with Enjolras, even for such a short time, had made her feel important. She felt as if she mattered, as if she did not have to pine over Marius, and as if she could help with something of more magnitude than Marius and Cosette's romance.

Strangely, someone else had to recognize her value before Eponine could recognize it herself.

She was no coward, and she decided there in the street that she no longer wanted her life to revolve completely around another person.

She had started moving again, back toward her home, when another thought struck her.

If she was important, what was she doing with her parents? They were definitely not in favor of her making her own decisions.

But Eponine decided to think about that a while longer before coming to any conclusions.

She wanted to tell someone about her revelations, but she did not have any friends who would care or understand.

Enjolras.

Eponine realized she could tell Enjolras. He oddly seemed interested in her life, and she knew he would approve of her new ideas.

At that moment, she did not need to actually speak to someone. Nor did she need anyone to tell her that she was doing the right thing or making good decisions. She only wanted someone to listen to her.

Enigmatic and strange as he was, Enjolras would listen.