A/N: Thanks for all of your questions and concerns! Love to hear what you're thinking. :D
We've got a bit of a time jump in this chapter, but remember that this story is only 20 chapters long (as of right now). Book 3 is definitely going to be longer. For now, I am going to go ahead and say that there will be no updates next week. I have testing (plus an exam on Wednesday), so my brain is going to be full. Sorry!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter Seven: Growth
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January 15th; West Bath, Maine.
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Ryan did not open the file. Instead, he put it back where it came from. His fingers itched as he wedged it back beneath the computer desk. As he stepped away from the room, his conscience felt lighter, but his mind told him to go back and read what was inside the folder.
It was bad enough that he'd broken into June's house.
Stealing Éponine's file would only add to his guilt.
Ryan left through June's window and sealed it as best he could, hoping he didn't disturb anything enough to leave evidence of his break-in. He walked away from the house, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
As long as she was safe, he could convince himself that he didn't need to know where she was.
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March 1st; Denver, Colorado.
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Enjolras got two more tattoos over the next two months.
His third tattoo was a spur of the moment decision. While visiting the inner part of Denver, he visited a French Revolution exhibit at the history museum. The exhibit brought back floods of memories from his teenage years in West Bath. His friends – Les Amis – they'd sworn by the French Revolution mantra: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. Enjolras must have written across every paper he'd received during high-school. The memories of how they'd met in the café nearly every day after school, how they'd practically shared their lives together hit him hard in the gut.
Solemn and contemplative, Enjolras had started trekking home on foot (nearly a fifteen mile endeavor) when he passed the tattoo parlor where he'd gotten his back tattoo. On a whim, he entered and left with the same French Revolution mantra on the inside of his left bicep in scrawling, cursive letters, each word stacked atop one another, slightly askew.
His third tattoo he actually thought about. At first he'd been rather hesitant about thinking about getting one. Each time he'd gotten one before, he'd either been drunk, coerced into it, or it had been a seat-of-the-pants decision. Now that he was positive he liked tattoos, he spent two weeks choosing his next edition. He finally decided on the profile of a wolf on his right forearm. For once, it did not have anything to do with Éponine or Les Amis; this time, it focused on his father. When he was a child, his father had always compared Enjolras to a wolf. Before he died when Enjolras was ten, his father had taken him to a petting zoo of animals one wouldn't usually find in a petting zoo; it was there that Enjolras was able to get up close with a wolf for the first and only. It was his favorite memory of his father.
He also got another cat: a fully grown, twenty-two pound tabby cat he named Reginald. Convinced that Thor felt lonely throughout the day while Enjolras was gone, he went to the shelter and picked the fattest cat he could find.
Now, with four tattoos and two cats, Enjolras felt installed into his new life.
Sure, on many occasions he would miss Éponine or Grantaire terribly, but it would pass quickly. Cory had quickly – rather surprisingly, too – become a good friend and he'd even let himself be convinced into going on a double-date with Cory and the woman he'd begun seeing.
At first, he'd declined several times. He wasn't interested in meeting new people; he'd be fine on his own. But Cory was so insistent Enjolras ultimately accepted the invitation. At seven o'clock, Cory knocked on his door and Enjolras let him in.
"You ready?"
"No."
Cory laughed and rubbed his hands together. "This'll be good for you, Jack."
"Enjolras."
"Whatever." Cory turned around and grabbed a banana from the counter. "Annie is a nice girl."
"I'm sure." Enjolras took the half-eaten banana from Cory's hand and dumped it into the trash can. "Are we going then?"
Cory nodded, mouth full. "Yeah, let's go."
The pair hopped into Cory's car outside of the small apartment building and drove in relative silence to a club in the middle of Denver. Once inside, Cory quickly located his friend – Hailey – and Annie.
"They're over there," he said, leaning in so Enjolras could hear him over the music. "Look, don't be nervous, Enjolras. She – whoever she was – probably wants you to move on, right?"
Enjolras looked away. The dim light of the club and the thumping of the music that reverberated in his chest was overwhelming. Several times in his youth he'd gone clubbing, but that was only because Courfeyrac had forced him to go. He'd always ended up with a massive headache, wounded pride, and stomach ache. But he was more accustomed to alcohol now and massive headaches; hopefully, he could leave both with his pride intact and alone.
Cory greeted Hailey warmly and then introduced Enjolras to Annie. As Enjolras had figured, Cory then excused himself, tugging Hailey along. Enjolras sighed. Annie smiled, extending her hand, which he shook.
"I'm Annie," she yelled, leaning in.
"Enjolras." He nodded firmly, allowing his lips to upturn slightly.
Annie wasn't all bad, Enjolras noted. Small frame, impossibly skinny, blond hair too long to be natural, perfect skin, perfect teeth, probably enhanced breasts: really, nothing of substance.
"So, what do you do?" she asked, leaning her arms onto the tall bar table before her.
"I – ah – I work with Cory."
"Oh! At the record store?" He nodded and her smile widened. "That's nice."
"What profession do you partake in?" Enjolras winced and bit his tongue, his limbs seizing up. Dumbass. Luckily, Annie only giggled.
"I'm a model."
Enjolras struggled to keep his composure. "Really?"
"Mhmm. I do lots of commercials and Kohl's magazines, hair products – that kinda stuff. But what I really want to do is become a soap opera star."
Enjolras nearly groaned. "How – ambitious of you."
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March 1st; San Antonio, Texas.
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"So, tell me how this happened?" Jason handed his menu to the waiter and folded his hands on the table, raising his eyebrows. He pointed to the bandage on her forearm and Éponine sighed.
"Scotty Reart," she replied, shaking her head. "A new student with severe emotional problems. I put him back by my desk for safety reasons, but that was probably the worst mistake I've ever made." She quickly explained the story of how Scotty had been enraged by another student's comment and made to stab him with a pair of her scissors. If it wasn't for her expert timing and practice in protecting her siblings from her parents' wrath during their childhood, Éponine probably wouldn't have reacted as fast as he did and gotten in the middle of the path of the pair of scissors and the other student. In the end, the scissors had met her arm and succeeded in causing some damage to someone, though it wasn't the person Scotty had intended.
Jason couldn't help, but chuckle. "I'm really sorry that you got hurt, but – "
"But what?" Éponine asked, an amused smile on her lips.
"It's just funny, that's all."
She rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't think so. And I've got a giant gash on my arm to back that up."
Jason's chuckles faded away and he took a sip of his beer. Their quiet conversation continued, always devoid of any inkling of a tangible anything, whether it be feeling or communication. Éponine considered Jason her closest friend, but she had to admit that she knew next to nothing about him. It was odd: outside of the home, they acted like any other newly married couple, but inside the home, their conversations were little and quiet.
Jason cleared his throat suddenly and Éponine followed his eye-line to the front of the restaurant. She sighed and waved to one of her student's parents. They bustled over to the table once their name was taken down on the waiting list. Rene Walker wasted no time scooting in next to Éponine and taking her hand.
"I heard about what happened today, Audrey," she said contritely. "Gosh, my Nancy came home in tears! How are you doing?"
Éponine smiled. "I'm alright. I feel sorry for those kids, though."
Rene shook her head slowly. "Terrible, terrible thing when parents can't control their kids."
Not wishing to disclose any of Scotty's personal information, Éponine held her tongue. She shared a glance with Jason, who piped up. "I'm sure there is more to the story than we know."
Lucas Walker, Rene's husband, shrugged. "If it were me, I'd tan that boy's – "
"Mr. Walker, I really don't think it's any of our business." Éponine stepped in, her personal experience with an abusive family overriding her self-control.
Lucas focused on Éponine, his eyes somewhere between anger and confusion. Jason quickly reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "What my wife meant was – "
Rene slowly stood, taking her husband's elbow. "No, no, we understand. Come on, Luke. They just called our name. See you later."
Once they had left, Éponine turned to Jason, eyes ablaze. "What did I do?!"
Jason sighed. "You countered Walker; no one counters Walker."
"I was just trying to stick up for Scotty. He – "
"I know. Don't worry about it, okay?" He patted her hand. "Do you want to leave?"
"Our food hasn't gotten here yet."
"Yeah, but I'm feeling a little bit stuffy. Besides, Sonic tastes better."
Éponine smiled in relief, taking Jason's hand as he offered it to her. "Thanks, Jay," she whispered, leaning into his side.
"What are husbands for?" He quirked a smile, rubbing her shoulder.
Éponine's stomach twisted at the comment. Jason was her husband; the thought constantly eluded her mind. Was she betraying Enjolras? She nearly scoffed at the thought. It wasn't like Bailey had given her a choice? Still, in the pit of her stomach, Éponine felt an awful sense of guilt.
She wondered what he was doing.
Was he happy?
Had he forgotten her already?
Part of her wished that he had – that he'd moved on and found someone better than her. The other part selfishly wished that he was lost without her, that he spent every moment trying to find her.
Jason opened her car door, waiting until she was settled to bend down a press a soft kiss to her lips. The breath in her chest stilled. After a moment he pulled away and his eyes flicked toward the front of the restaurant.
"They're watching," he whispered.
Éponine quickly stole a glance of the Walkers watching them from their seat near the window. He closed her door and got in on the other side. "You sure you didn't just do that because?"
"What can I say? I'm a man with needs."
Éponine rolled her eyes as he pulled out of the parking lot, pretending to not care, but secretly, her lips tingled and she yearned for more.
Originally, this chapter was going to be longer, so I apologize. But then I got sick. :(
Keep in mind: I did say that nothing would happen between Jason and Éponine. But come on? Sometimes I've got to throw in a couple of kisses 'cause it makes me happy. Remember to tell me what you think!