summary: a tale of young recklessness, bad decisions, and summer romance.

a/n: hey, i'm still alive. again. maybe two more chapters.

Maybe you were all faster than me
We gave each other up so easily
These silly little wounds will never mend
I feel so far from where I've been
So I go, and I will not be back here again

"Can we talk?" Cosette looks up from her desk to see Jehan in her doorway. It's been a couple weeks since she and Bahorel slept together, and he finally gave up trying to talk to her. The rest of the house had wondered what made Cosette stop talking to him.

"Yeah, come in," she motions him to shut the door. He shifts nervously. "What's going on?"

"It's about Bahorel." Her smile drops.

"I don't want to talk about it." It's not a secret that something happened between the two of them, but she refuses to talk about it.

"That's fine, but doesn't mean that I don't." Cosette raises an eyebrow at Jehan's sudden courage. "Now listen to me. I don't know what exactly happened between the two of you, but you need to get off your high horse and stop being such a goddamn bitch. Because whatever you did to him is straight up destroying him." He spat harshly. Cosette's mouth drops at his vicious words.

"Jehan, that's not fair—" she started, but the boy cut her off.

"Is it fair that Bahorel has been nothing but nice to you since you got here? Or that you've treated him like dirt since you met him? Is it fair that Bahorel genuinely cared about you, but you were too caught up with Enjolras to even notice? Is it fair that he's been basically in love with you this whole summer, and you just casted him aside because you didn't want him?!" Jehan was practically screaming by now. Cosette nervously looked at the closed door hoping that no one was home to hear him.

"He's a good guy, you know! He may be rough around the edges, but he's genuine guy! He doesn't deserve any of this shit. Especially not from a selfish, spoiled brat like you." Jehan was turning red from his rant. Cosette cowers in her seat. She's never seen him so mad. She's too caught up listening to him, she didn't even notice the door opening behind him. "You're nothing but an arrogant bitch—"

"Jehan," Bahorel cut him off. "That's enough."

"She deserves it," he says icily. Bahorel just gives the boy a look that immediately shuts him up. The young poet scoffs and storms out of the room.

"I'm sorry about that," Baherol apologizes. Cosette automatically feels the guilt creeping up her spine. "I'll leave now." He turns to leave, but she's out of her seat tugging on his arm instantly.

"Wait," she stops him. "We should talk." He nods and takes a seat on the bed. She locks the door behind him and takes in seat next to him. They sit in silence for what seems like forever until Bahorel finally breaks the silence.

"Did I do something wrong?" He turns to face her, but she stares at anything but him.

"No, no. You were a perfect gentleman."

"Then why don't you like me?"

"I do like you. I like you a lot."

"I don't understand you."

"Well that makes the two of us." She pauses before finally facing him. "You're a great person. Jehan's right, but I just can't see myself with you. That night was wonderful. I will never regret it." She cups her face in her hands. He places his hand on top of hers.

"But I'm just not in love with you. I'm so sorry." She looks him straight into the eye as she says this. She could see his heart shattering.

"I understand." He pulls away, unlocks her door, and leaves. It's the last time he talks to her.

He doesn't... understand that is. He never did.