Enjoy!
Éponine woke up at ten in the morning. She soon remembered that she was supposed to meet Enjolras at Le Café Musain but was so comfortable in her bed that she didn't want to move. She teasingly texted Enjolras.
Hey...good morning! I've got a little problem... -É
What is it? Should I worry? -E
No...it's just that my bed's too comfortable to consider leaving anytime soon...-É
Enjolras was sitting on his living room along with his brothers, Jehan and Feuilly, who were discussing the possibility of having a "revolutionary group". As he read Éponine's message, he laughed loudly, getting everyone's attention.
"Excusez-moi, continue discussing, I'll be back in a second," he said standing up and leaving to the kitchen, where he texted Éponine with a huge grin.
See what you did? You made me laugh! And everyone saw me with weird faces! -E
Poor little boy that can't stand being bullied -É
Tell you what...you'll go to sleep now or whatever and when your bed's not so comfortable, you'll call me and we'll see each other at Le Café Musain -E
Sure. Merci par considérer mon temps de sommeil! -É
(thanks for considering my sleeping time).
De rien, petit Éponine -E
(you're welcomed, little Éponine).
He went back to the living room, when everyone waited for him.
"Enjolras, we have a name!" Combeferre said very pleased.
"Tell me," he insisted cheerfully.
"Les Amis De l'ABC! Feuilly thought about it," Courfeyrac said.
"ABC?" Enjolras asked.
"Pun for abaissés...because we're supposed to fight for the lowly," Feuilly explained shyly.
Enjolras considered it for a minute. "That's actually quite clever," he said, making Feuilly smile.
"And who's going to be in the group? Apart from us, of course?"
"Well, we're already six, I'm counting with Grantaire, so seven...maybe we could convince this friend of mine called Bossuet, who's studying law and...I guess that's it for now," Jehan said.
"And Bahorel...he's a friend of mine that's constantly speaking of social injustices, life hasn't been to hard on him," Joly explained, sounding a bit somber.
"Sure...and maybe Cosette would like to join, she's very charitable and she could help us," Combeferre proposed.
"If we're also accepting ladies then why not..." Jehan tried to propose but soon seemed to remember something and hushed immediately.
"What is it Jehan?" Courfeyrac asked curiously.
"Just wondered if you'll let Éponine in the group...we know her more than anyone and I know she would be really helpful in this group," Jehan said.
"And we don't expect you to accept but, beyond your families issues, I think we must have as much help as possible with the causes we're fighting for. Not to say she's Mother Teresa, because she's not, but I've seen her take off her jacket to give it to a clochard to protect her child from the cold," Feuilly said.
"And she's the kind of person that pays food to hungry strangers even if it means she'll stay hungry until she arrives home," Jehan coincided.
Enjolras' heart was pounding very hard. Courfeyrac sighed and so did Combeferre. They were once two little gamins, who everyone shunned and looked like inferiors. Courfeyrac tried to imagine what he would've felt if he had encountered with some version of what Jehan and Feuilly were describing during his times on the streets. Combeferre looked at Joly, who understood him immediately and looked at Enjolras questioningly.
"Enjolras, you'll clearly be the leader. You decided...are we letting the Pontmercy girl join us?" Combeferre asked, "although, I must add she was incredibly civil with us yesterday. I was drunk but I still remember."
"If she comes in, Marius Pontmercy must also come. I know we're not supposed to talk to them an all...but I've noticed he's quite illustrated in certain aspects...you know? And he's been quite friendly lately," Courfeyrac said.
"Tomorrow we'll have the first meeting of Les Amis De L'ABC," he said very determined, "Call everyone, including the Pontmercys."
Éponine got a text that made her wake up immediately from an uneasy and atypical snoozing.
I've got good news! Do you want to go and eat with me tonight? -E
Like...on a date? -É
Sure... -E
I've got the perfect place! I'm picking you up at nine! -É
You're not being serious...I'm picking YOU up at nine -E
Nice of you, revolutionary...but if you come, I'm not leaving my house -É
You're so stubborn! -E
three hours later, after a discussion that lasted about half and hour and Enjolras having to resign himself, Éponine was getting ready to go and pick him up. It was the first time she didn't know what to wear but she decided for something casually elegant. She put on a knee-high red dress that hugged her curves perfectly, along with grey, translucent trousers and her new favorite pair of black converse shoes. She also used a jean cardigan with its sleeves rolled up to her elbows. After combing her hair, letting it fall loosely over her shoulders, and taking her car keys, Éponine left her room.
She found Marius discussing with his grandfather about a paper he was writing on criminal law. She ran past them to avoid questions but soon was called by her grandfather.
"Éponine Pontmercy...come over here young lady," he said.
"Yes Grandpapa?" she vowed her head.
"Where are you going?" he inquired, startled to see her using a dress without being threatened.
"I was going out...with a friend," she answered, looking at Marius for some help.
"She's going out with a friend I introduced to her...from Law School," Marius interrupted.
"What's his name?" Monsieur Gillenormand asked.
"He's name is...Jean, he's pretty much a respectable guy," Marius answered.
"And why isn't he picking you up if he's such a 'respectable guy'?" Monsieur Gillenormand asked.
"I insisted that he shouldn't...after all we're just friends..." she said bitting her lip.
"Go," he said delightedly, "but don't come too late."
Éponine left immediately, smiling widely at her brother and grandfather. She arrived at Enjolras' house half an hour later, singing "Uprising" at the top of her lungs, until Enjolras knocked on her door and she lowered the volume. He sat at the passengers seat and kissed her softly on the lips before even saying hello. She smiled at him.
"How are you?" he asked.
"Fine...and what about you?" she answered before turning speeding up.
"I'm frustrated," he said, frowning.
"Why?" she asked pouting.
"What am I going to do with you? I can't have you all around me...contradicting me...picking me up!" he said almost hysterically, which made her laugh.
"Not only I believe that it is perfectly okay for me to pick you up, but also I did it for our own sake. Grandpapa would've made you come in to meet you...and we really don't want that," she said smiling at him.
"My parents also wanted to know who I was going out with," he whispered.
"And what did you tell them?" she asked.
"A friend of mine," he shrugged.
"Good to know...because my grandfather thinks I'm out with his friend Jean," she said, making Enjolras chuckle.
"You literally are," he explained, "My whole name's Enjolras Jean Valjean."
Éponine laughed as she parked the car. They were at a really picturesque little restaurant besides the Seine, where the tables were placed at the rooftop. Enjolras rushed out of the car and opened Éponine's door. She smiled and blushed when she saw Enjolras' eyes fixed on her dress.
"You look beautiful," he said kissing her knuckles and guiding her to the restaurant.
They sat down at a table in which they could see the Eiffel Tower shinning at a distance. Éponine took Enjolras' hand shyly.
"You told me you had good news," she said with puppy eyes.
"I do indeed," he said, suddenly remembering and smiling at her.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"We've finally decided to create the revolutionary group...your friend Feuilly came up with the name: Les Amis De l'ABC," he said proudly.
"Clever," she said, "abaissés."
"How come you got it so quickly," he asked confused; he was expecting her questions about the name.
"First, it's obvious. Second, I know Feuilly too well...and he loves puns," she said sweetly, making him roll his eyes.
"So Feuilly is in?" she asked.
"He is, and so are Jehan and Grantaire," he said.
Éponine nodded with a huge smile on her face. Suddenly, their food arrived. They were going to eat fondue with bread and sweet crepes. They ate and joked throughout the dinner, their hands barely touching almost always, making the moment electrical. After eating, they sat at their spots in silence for a while, until something occurred to her.
"Enjolras...do you want to do something else before going back home?" she asked with a hopeful grin.
"What do you wish to do?" he asked her.
"Come with me," she said taking his hand and intertwining their fingers.
They walked through the streets of Paris, near the Seine, their souls lightened by the city's lights, until they arrived to the Eiffel Tower. Éponine, completely excited, almost pushed him to the elevator, which took them to the last floor. Enjolras was looking at everything in awe; he hadn't been there since he was a child. The doors opened and they both stared at the amazing city of Paris from above. Enjolras hugged Éponine and she smiled.
"See carefully, Enjolras, this is the city you're going to change with your ideas," she whispered in his ear.
Enjolras, moved by her words and thinking Éponine was the most perfect girl in the whole planet, whispered playfully: "you mean we are going to change with our ideas...I forgot to tell you that you're also part of Les Amis? And also Marius if he wishes to be..."
Éponine squealed for the first time in her life. She stood up on her tiptoes and threw her arms around Enjolras' neck. He was surprised but hugged her immediately and kissed her softly. She deepened the kiss and soon, it turned out to be a very passionate, true, amazing kiss. Paris' lights shone brightly that night, reflected on their spot at the Eiffel Tower.
The viewer was almost empty but the few other people that were at that place with them were mostly tourist, who didn't know or cared who they were or whether their love was or wasn't prohibited. They simply saw it as a symbol of true love at the most romantic place ever, so they stared, and some of them even clapped and Éponine and Enjolras, who hated to draw attention to them, kept kissing, never getting tired and not wanting to give in, because they loved the moment and they loved each other's lips.