Two chapters in one day! I kinda needed to finish this since the last one is a bit boring. But now we're back to the school! We go between POVs, so I tried to make it really easy to figure out who I'm talking about. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and have a great New Year! Kay, I'll shut up now. :)

Chapter 11: Asking and Receiving

He was taking his Physics book from his locker when it happened. Only a few feet from where he stood, the girl from before walked down the hall hand-in-hand with her boyfriend. He couldn't believe what had come over him; he had known this Coleen girl for a day and already he was falling. Did that even happen in the real world – love? All he knew was the sight of Coleen and Daniel together sickened him.

"Coleen, there's something I wanted to ask you." Mark stood in hearing distance as Daniel held her hands in his. She smiled that smile he saw the first moment they met. That was the smile that made him notice her at all. Now, it would break his heart.

"Will you go to Prom with me?" Mark cringed at the question and closed his locker. He knew the answer, and didn't want to hear it. He walked away before Coleen said yes.

"Oh, that's so sweet Daniel," Coleen began, "…I'd love to."

"Great!" He smiled and gave her a long kiss. She didn't ask that he walk her to class, though. She wanted to walk alone. When Daniel turned down the next hallway, Coleen ran to her class.

"Hey! Mark, wait up!" Mark turned around and to his surprise, saw Coleen running to him. Running. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and waited for her to catch up to him. He cracked a weak smile, unsure of how to react. She wanted to walk with him; even after her boyfriend just asked her to Prom, she would rather walk with someone she only recently met the day before.

"Hey."

"I was right, right? It's Mark?" He nodded with that nervous grin he wore when he was…well, nervous. "I don't think I ever told you my name. I'm Coleen. Coleen Faucher."

He didn't want to say that he already knew her name because she might think of him as a stalker or something. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Coleen…again." She laughed softly and his palms began to sweat. He didn't know what to say next or if he should say something or if he should wait for her or…he was clueless. The only safe thing he could think of was to walk silently and wait for her to say something.

For some time they just walked side by side, each saying hi to friends they saw in the hallways. Mark would sneak a look at her and eventually become lost in her eyes. When she looked at him, he turned the other way.

"So," Coleen started, "I noticed you're in my lunch." Mark looked at her with wide eyes. She noticed him somewhere other than the hallway. She noticed they shared lunch together. Maybe she did care. "I saw you sitting next to Johnny yesterday." Johnny was a nickname most of the girls gave to John. Once more, not wanting to give off the impression that he was a creep, he seemed shocked at this coincidence.

"Oh, you know John?"

"Yeah, we have French together. I think he knows the language better than anyone in our class." This was it; start a conversation. Do something, he kept telling himself. He didn't want her to see him as someone afraid of his own shadow. He wanted to show her he was more than that.

"Yeah, ha. Sometimes, he'll say insulting things to me and I can't say anything back because I don't know what he's saying." Coleen giggled and he laughed slightly. She was relaxed around him. He wasn't like the normal guy friends she had, or even like Daniel. He was different to her.

"Well, maybe you can trash talk him in Spanish."

"Nope, he takes that, too. He's very bilingual if you ask me." Again. She laughed again. He was starting to see a recurring theme. No one had ever really said that he was funny, but just seeing Coleen laughing at the smallest jokes he made brought a light to his eyes. He didn't want it to end, but Coleen had made it to her Study Hall Room.

"Well, this is my class," she told him, still laughing at his last comment, "I'll see you later?" That was more of a question than a statement. Mark knew he needed to step up and be a man. He needed to prove to Coleen he was worth returning to.

"Yeah, I'll see ya later." She smiled and walked into the classroom. Mark pressed himself against the wall, unable to comprehend what had happened. He actually had a conversation with her that lasted longer than a minute. It was a miracle to him!

"Hey!" Mark turned around and saw John walking toward him. He had this strange smile on his face, like he knew something. "I saw that, you know."

"Saw what?" He asked, pretending not to know what he was talking about.

"I think you've made a bit of an impression on her." He patted Mark's back and walked to his class. Mark smiled and followed him. She was just like a ghost to him – one minute there and then, she was gone. But now, there was more to it. There was more to her. There was hope.


"Alright, you two look…acceptable." Éponine eyed Enjolras and Gavroche as they walked to the front of the school, observing their outfits. After dinner the previous night, she realized that if they were to go out in public once more, they needed clothes that fit the time period. She spent a good three hundred dollars, leaving her with less than half of what Joly had given her. She needed to use her money sparingly. Or better yet, she needed a job.

"Why do men wear such…discomforting garments?" Enjolras wore a leather jacket with raggy jeans and a really expensive pair of sneakers. Éponine tried to remember how boys at her school dressed but they never appealed to her. She only took interest the minute she saw Marius.

"Just…learn to like it. Okay?" He nodded in agreement. She felt authoritative and in control; she was in Enjolras' position back home. "Now, don't let anyone talk to you, or ask you questions, or even look at you." Gavroche and Enjolras nodded. She trusted Enjolras with her brother. She knew he would take care of him.

"Just…find Joly. Or, Jonah. He goes by Jonah here. I'm going to first period and you two…well, you know…just –"

"Find Jonah," They said in unison. Éponine was becoming paranoid. The thought of leaving Gavroche scared her, but it was something she had to do. She couldn't protect him forever.

"We'll be fine, Éponine," Enjolras assured her as he rested a hand on her shoulder, "Or should I say, Eilene?" She smiled and adjusted her backpack. She did trust him.

Éponine arrived to her class early, so she took out a book she had begun. She was only a few chapters in, but that was because of yesterday's fiasco. While finding Gavroche was a miracle, having Enjolras there with him wasn't as special. She didn't want to be burdened with taking care of anyone but her family. Her siblings where the most important people in her life, along with Marius. Azelma, Gavroche, and Marius were her family – not Enjolras.

"Um, hi. Mrs. Ruffelle, is it?" The voice sounded familiar, but that was impossible. The only other people she knew at the school were Joly and Marius.

"Yes, are you transferring into my Study Hall?"

"Yes. My name is Coleen. Coleen Faucher." Éponine lowered the book, only to see the perky blonde who ruined everything for her. The beautifully tragic girl whose life was ruined because of her, and now the same was happening to Éponine. The girl who made Marius feel love for someone.

"Cosette."


"So, think we'll find Joly?" Gavroche and Enjolras were walking in the hallway of St. Digna Academy, clueless to mostly everything they saw. The students were all dressed uniformly and they stuck out like a sore thumb. Everyone eyed them, knowing they weren't supposed to be there. Some girls giggled and waved in a flirtatious way, hoping to get Enjolras' attention. However, he didn't think anything of it. He wasn't dedicated to love; he was dedicated to freedom.

"Hopefully," He replied, "I'm just thrilled we're all alive. Especially you, Gavroche." Gavroche was puzzled; what made him so important?

"Why me?"

"Well, you're the youngest of us. Watching you die was like watching the ideals of the revolution go down in flames. You were the epitome of why I started the revolution." Gavroche almost cried.

"Thanks Enjolras. I wanted to do my best to save those living like me." They walked a little while longer and saw a man with his head buried in a textbook. He walked in their direction, and Gavroche knew that face. "Hey, is that…" They stopped and let the man walk in-between them. The dark hair was enough to identify him.

"Hey, Marius!" Marius didn't turn around. His head stayed in his book like Gavroche was a ghost yelling at the wind.

"Remember what Éponine said?" Enjolras reminded him, "He doesn't remember."

"Well, maybe he knows where Joly is. Hey!" Gavroche chased Marius down the hall. Enjolras couldn't let him go alone. He promised Éponine that he would look after him, and he wasn't going to break a promise. She scared him, too.

Gavroche finally caught up to Marius and put his book away from his face. Gavroche hoped for a hug or a slight remembrance of who he was, but the man he called Marius only looked at him in confusion.

"Aren't you a little young to be in this school?" He knew that Marius wasn't the same now. He had forgotten everything, like Enjolras would eventually. They needed to bring everyone back home, and quick.

"Um…well," Gavroche had to come up with some excuse. He was smaller and younger than everyone there, and people were beginning to question his presence. He noticed Enjolras running after him, which gave him a great idea. "I'm here with my brother. En…err, Aaron, was just showing me around." Enjolras stopped behind Marius and they both looked at each other. Enjolras was in shock, but Marius only looked at him as if he were a stranger. There was no memory; there was no remembrance.

"Oh, okay."

"We were looking for someone." Gavroche continued, "Do you know anyone by the name of Jonah?"

"Oh yeah, I know Jonah. How do you know him?"

"We need to ask him something." Enjolras said. He didn't want Gavroche to go into a long, completely irrational lie that would lead this new Marius to question their reasons. "Can you show us the way?"

"Um, sure. We have first period together. Follow me." Marius walked down the hall with his head still in his book. Not knowing where else to go, Gavroche and Enjolras followed him.

As they walked down the hall, Enjolras couldn't help but stare at him, wondering what happened for him to lose his memory. Why couldn't Marius remember yet he could? Even the little that he knew, he was still unsure of why any of this was happening. Hopefully, Joly knew more.

"What are you reading?" Gavroche asked. Enjolras was furious with him. All they needed was to find Joly and forget about Marius. They didn't need to befriend the new Marius.

"Huh?" Marius looked up from his book to a smiling Gavroche. "Oh, it's for a paper on the French Revolution." Gavroche didn't even try to hide his laugh. He and Enjolras both found it somewhat ironic that he was reading about the same revolution he fought for. Enjolras tried to calm him, but it was no use.

"Why is that funny?"

"Oh, it's just that um…our great-great-great uncle fought in that war. Aaron here knows everything you need to know about the French Revolution." Enjolras tried to stop him, but ended up facing defeat. He didn't want to spend any more time with Marius than he needed. Marius looked at him with a gleam of hope. How could he say no now?

"Do you think you can help me write it by Monday? I can pay you for your time." He reached into his pocket hoping to find some money, but Enjolras stopped him.

"That's okay; I can help at no charge."

"Awesome, thanks man." Marius held his fist to him, confusing Enjolras. Enjolras hit it with his fist and Marius smiled. "Meet at the school's library tomorrow morning?

"Sure."

"Jonah!" Marius waved for his friend to meet them. Gavroche and Enjolras turned around, only to find their savior. Joly was here, and by the look on his face after seeing them, he knew who they were.

"Hey, Mark. What's up?" Joly said, his eyes still on Enjolras'. Things were looking up, and the can begin to assemble the ABC.

"They said they know you." Marius pointed to the two and they waved to him. Gavroche was happy to see a member of the ABC with all of his memory. They needed someone to help Enjolras before he forgot everything.

"Yeah, we go way back. Nice to see you again."

"Well, I'm going to class. See you soon." Joly waved him off and the three walked away from the crowd to talk privately.

"So, I see you two remember as well. Éponine told you?" They both nodded.

"Yeah. We're living with her, but she said you –" A group of kids passed them and he silenced himself. No one could know what they were plotting. "She said you might be able to clear things up for us."

Joly looked around and whispered to them, "Meet me in front of the school after the last bell. I'll answer your questions." They both nodded. The bell rang, indicating the start of first period. Gavroche began walking back to the front of the school. Enjolras placed a hand on Joly's shoulder. It was nice to see someone else who remembered.

"Thank you, Joly."

He smiled and said, "Anything for our fearless leader."


She couldn't believe it. Even Cosette was here. Éponine didn't want to believe it was true, but the young, beautiful bourgeois woman had walked into her class. Out of all the classes she could transfer into, it had to be her Study Hall. And it was the end of the school year; who would transfer into something when there was less than two months left until graduation?

Éponine hid herself behind her book as Cosette sat in the seat next to her. The class had twenty students and about fifty seats. She could have at least tried not to sit next to her. Unless she remembered…

"Hi, I'm Coleen." Éponine froze. She was talking to her. She gradually lowered her book to see the smiling princess next to her. She couldn't have remembered. If she did, she wouldn't be smiling at her. At least she and Marius didn't remember, then at least they couldn't be together.

Éponine closed her book and laid it on the long study hall table. "Eilene." She looked Cosette directly in the eye. The smile never left her face. There was no possible she could be this content in seeing Éponine if she knew who she was.

Éponine continued reading, but she kept feeling Cosette's eyes on her. She obviously wanted to start a conversation, but even in this new world, Éponine wouldn't be her friend. She didn't want to help Cosette find Marius and she didn't want Cosette to forgive her for what happened when they were kids. Éponine didn't need any sympathy.

"I've see you in my other classes," Cosette began. Now she was stalking her? Cosette had gone too far this time. "You have Wilkinson for calculus, right?"

"Yeah." She didn't take her eyes off her book, hoping not start another conversation with her, but Cosette was still Cosette in a way. She never gave up.

"Do you wanna hang out sometime?" Éponine opened her eyes and stared back at her. Her smile lightened, but Cosette was still standing strong. Éponine needed to tell her off once and for all. "I noticed that you don't have many friends, and well…I just –"

"I don't need your charity," Éponine said as she stood up, "I don't need you to be nice to me because you feel sorry for me or that you think you're better than me. You want to help me? Leave me alone." She walked past her and out of the classroom. Cosette was not going to upper hand her this time.


"Eilene, that's lovely." After the dispute with Cosette, Éponine went to her art classroom. Miss LuPone let her students come and go whenever as long as they worked on their assignments. Éponine's assignment was paint a narrative of a bond between two people. This wasn't difficult for her because she experienced so much with Marius. Even though he didn't love her, she loved him and that bond kept their friendship. Her painting showed herself dying in his arms. He held her hand with grace and looked upon her face with grief. She painted the last moment she saw with Marius.

"Oh, really? I didn't think so. I still have a lot of work to do." Miss LuPone observed the painting and smiled. She was really pleased with Éponine.

"Eilene, I bet you could get a lot of money from this." Éponine listened intently after that. Money was crucial to her; with the amount left, she would only have enough to suffice for a couple months. She didn't know how long they would stay in this world, and if it was longer, then they would need the money.

"You think?" She asked, "It's not that good, is it?"

"Oh, yeah!" Miss LuPone shouted, "Look, here's what I'll do. I'll give you an extension on the project if you do something about that painting."

"How much do you think it's worth?"

"Oh, thousands!" She shouted once more, this time making exaggerated arm movements, "I know a few art galleries that are looking for some pieces, and I think yours just might fit in. I can send a recommendation for you if you'd like." Éponine was too ecstatic to think of anything else. She left the stool and hugged her teacher.

"That'd be wonderful, thank you!" She found her job; artwork. She finally received something wonderful in this cruel world.

Yeah, a lot of switches and POV changes. If you have any questions, PM or review me. But a lot went down today: Enjolras and Gavroche find Marius, and finally believe he's not technically Marius. Éponine finally met Cosette, and the only good part about her being there is that she has no memory, either. And hopefully Joly can help them out. Ughh, so much conflict! I love it :) I'll be writing all vacation long, so there should be another chapter coming up soon.

Anabelle ;)