AN' : I don't know how I feel about this chapter, it feels a little disjointed but hopefully things will pick up any way enjoy and review!
Chapter 7: The bad girl act
When Eponine stepped out, she stood still for a second calmly straightening her clothing, she felt Jenny's pointed gaze and turned to meet it, and gave her a smile that was brimming withs dangerous energy.
"What happened?", a small silence followed Jenny's question, Eponine simply smirked staring dead ahead as if all the answers somehow lay somewhere in the distance.
"I'm taking your advice after all Jenny", there was something in Eponine's tone that made Jenny a little worried.
"What advice?" asked Jenny slowly, her face etched with confusion.
"I'm going to try something a little different", with those words Eponine left the office, leaving Jenny to wonder what kind of drama was about to unfold.
Eponine headed down to the basement, the waste manger seemed initially startled by her request but relented, Eponine wasn't taking no for an answer. Eponine Thenardier had spent a lot of her life scraping by so as she gazed at the colossus of rubbish piled before her, she was undaunted by the weight of her task, and simply delved in. As she trawled through the bags of rubbish, Eponine didn't care what she looked like. She could have easily gone home and printed them out again, but doing this was symbolic, I'm capable of doing all kinds for the things that matter... is what it all meant.
Eight gruelling hours later as everyone was getting ready to leave work Eponine finally found the files, the papers were a little dirty but otherwise unscathed, the same couldn't be said of Eponine. Her tights were ripped, her delicate small hands littered with cuts, her white blouse stained by unknown substances, her black skirt was also dirty not that you could tell, and the smell radiating from her was less than pleasant, as for her long dark waves they looked like they had been caught in tornado. Despite it all she was happy, enough to walk confidently through the company barely fazed by the horrified glances she was receiving from her colleagues. Jenny's reaction was the funniest she stumbled to her feet and began spluttering incoherently, Eponine offered her a passing smile never stopping as she yanked open the door, and entered the presidents' office.
Enjolras straightened up, his bewildered blue eyes seeming to almost fall out of his skull as he took in her state. With a loud and purposeful slam, three thick files landed on his desk, he glanced down at the files, he'd accidentally thrown away. When he gazed back up, the familiar lost Bambi look had been replaced by a spark of triumph which illuminated those large brown doe eyes, feeling strangely drawn Enjolras simply stared as something unfamiliar began welling up in the depths of his soul.
"Now you have the proposals...and the time", her voice pierced whatever trance he had wondered into, and as her eyes fixated on him, he found himself wanting to wipe that smirk off her lips. Holding her gaze he bent down under his desk and pulled out a shredder slamming it on the desk, methodically and slowly he began feeding it the files ripping large chunks at time. Arms folded across her chest Eponine watched as he destroyed her work, she held his gaze unflinching until the very last pieces of her work hummed through the shredder.
"You didn't really think I'd be moved by your dedication did you?", his cold voice echoed around the office as he leaned forward watching closely, waiting for something a twitch, a reaction, anything. There was nothing in those brown eyes except mild amusement, Enjolras felt his face twitch in annoyance, had he really read her wrong, all this time.
"Childish… how can a grown man be so childish ", her calm, steady, melodic voice echoed around the room before settling on his chest bringing out a scowl to the forefront of his face.
"I'm childish", he repeated coldly.
"Yes really childish… don't forget I'm really a patient person, you won't able to break me so easily", Eponine's eyes flickered over his hands which were digging into the arm rests, turning white with the tension, Eponine leaned back satisfied that she managed to get a rise out of him,s she turned slowly and left the office. As Enjolras watched her leave, frustration unfurled from the pit of his stomach, settling in his limbs and he lashed out and knocked the shredder off the table, it fell breaking apart as it hit the floor.
As the door came to a shut, Eponine heard the faint sound of something smashing, although her smirk faded, the look in her eyes remained the same, glancing down at herself she sighed, she was a real mess.
"Eponine…what's going on?", seeing Jenny's worried mother hen concern, Eponine's expression softened, there's someone who cares about me.
"I'm fine Jenny…I'll tell you later but first, I think I need to go home", Eponine smiled sheepishly as she patted her hair down.
"Sounds like a good idea", Jenny muttered desperately wanting to ask what on earth had happened, but decided Eponine didn't need it just yet, Eponine picked up her bag and jacket and headed downstairs.
Once she was back in her flat Eponine slipped out of her dirty clothes and sank down into the warm water. Her body was aching in ways, she never thought possible, the physical pain was at least a distraction from the emotional brooding in her heart. If she was really the bad girl she was pretending to be, she could steal Marius away from Cosette wipe that smug smile of her face, do you really want him back...after all this years are really still not over him...not yet. Taking a deep breath Eponine sank down submerged her entire body in the warm soapy water before rising up slowly and wiping the wetness from her eyes. As she sat in the bath her mind drifted, Do you remember all the nightmares you used to have when he left you for the last time...yes I remember...I was scared I would fall in love with him again, when we met...that I'd accept him when he came back without a care...do you really want to turn those nightmares into a reality...I don't know.
It was five in the morning, Eponine stood in the la Monta lobby holding two large black bags, the security guard gave a her a weird look as she went past, she offered him an innocent smile in return. Standing in middle of Enjolras' office Eponine felt herself quivering with nerves, taking a deep breath she settled her trembling body and got to work. When Jenny came into the office, she found Eponine inconspicuously drinking coffee, an impish grin plastered across her lips.
"Should I even bother asking what's going on", Eponine looked up and offered Jenny a small smile.
"Wait and see", Eponine replied before lowering her head, scared the curiosity in Jenny's eyes would force her to spill everything. Thankfully Enjolras entrance saved her, Eponine perked up and watched Enjolras quietly as he entered his office.
"Eponine!", a half hiss half shout drifted in between the spaces in the door, Eponine shot up walked the half foot and opened the door, Enjolras was standing in the middle of the office looking around. He turned upon hearing the click as the door shut, and was met with innocent brown eyes, framed by slowly blinking long dark lashes.
"You called", came a voice that was a little brighter than necessary, and a wide smile stretching across those rosy lips. As he entered her personal space once again, he noticed that she no longer seemed fazed by this.
"What is this?", his voice low and icy as he gestured around the room, Eponine glanced around absently.
"What?", her big doe eyes widened, her voice dripping with false innocence.
"What have you done to my office" he said through gritted teeth, she noticed how his fair lashes twitched in anger.
"I'm just helping out ... since your time seems to be so precious.. now you can just have a little read every time you come in", Eponine stretched her arms pointing around the room, every crevice was covered with pieces of the projects, the walls, the tables, his desk, chair, even the computer, every surface had been plastered, Enjolras grabbed her writ, pulling her gaze back to his.
"Who the hell do you think are!", he growled narrowing his blue eyes, his cold voice drifted over her.
"Someone who seems to get under your skin" Eponine replied calmly, his grip on her wrist tightened.
"You want to bring me down", he asked with low snarl.
"No...I don't want to, but you're forcing me", her reply was so innocent, her voice so absent of coldness or malice, so soft , that all Enjolras could do was frown a little deeper.
"What?" he choked, the coldness in his voice faltering, but only slightly.
"I'm on your side..I told you from start ..I'm only here to help you...I'm on your side", Eponine felt the grip on her wrists slacken, enough for her to pull away, but she remained rooted on the spot simply gazing into those unreadable bright blue eyes.
"Get out", he wasn't looking at her any more, Eponine sighed and opened the door and almost crashed into Jenny, whose face had been pressed up against it.
"Since you came here..things have been getting very interesting", said Jenny as the door shut.
"That's hard to believe, Enjolras is a little eccentric, I'm sure he's always causing commotion", Eponine replied nonchalantly as she sat down at her desk, Jenny's face scrunched up in clear disagreement.
" Well he's always been cold, but silent, until you I don't think I've ever really heard him raise his voice...you seem to get him all hot and bothered", Jenny raised her eyebrows suggestively, Eponine looked up her face contorted in disgust.
"Jenny please don't say things like that", Eponine shuddered before going back to typing, Jenny laughed shaking her head.
"So are you done...with the bad girl act", came Jenny's voice a little while later, Eponine paused and looked back up.
"No quite yet..not yet", Jenny simply shook her head as another calculating smirk adorned Eponine's face.
Eponine seemed incapable of having a social life, every night she was almost always the last to leave, as she walked down the long corridor, barely breaching the lobby her phone rang. Stopping she glanced down the caller ID read mum, she clutched the phone to her chest sighing heavily before she answered.
"Hey mum how's everything going", as she spoke she forced her voice to sound cheerier then she felt, grasping the phone so tightly her knuckles were turning white, " oh that's great mum..I'm glad things are going well...I'm doing well...I just got home, don't worry they're not working me too hard...my boss is a really kind...he listens to my ideas...yeah...I've made lots of friends ..yes..we're always going out...I'm happy really...I'm good..oh Christmas I'll think about it...aright I'll talk to you soon..I miss you mum..yes..aright ..bye", closing the phone, Eponine's arm dropped down by her side, the strained smile on her face easing a little.
"You're a good liar", startled Eponine dropped her phone and turned to meet the owner of the voice, familiar blue eyes stared back at her. Enjolras strolled towards Eponine, bending down he picked up her phone and stretched out his hand, Eponine still a little startled didn't react till she felt a cool hand grasp hers and her phone was stuffed into her palm. Pulling away Enjolras hands sank into the pockets of his long black jacket, and then he stood and simply looked at her.
"T-thanks", Eponine cleared her throat, she wanted to turn and leave but his penetrating gaze kept her in place, those blue eyes were so hypnotizing.
"How can someone whose so broken help me" the words hang in the air between them, Eponine bit her lip nervously, a lazy smirk tugged at the edges of Enjolras's lips as he resumed walking stopping momentarily when they were shoulder to shoulder, he leaned till his nose was almost grazing her hair, he felt her body tense.
"I don't want you on my side Eponine... if want to help me all you have to do is disappear from my life", with those words Enjolras continued on, Eponine stood rooted on the spot, wondering why the men in her life, either left without warning, or asked her to disappear, she really hated that word.